Oil, grapeseed

Grapeseed oil is a light, nearly flavorless oil pressed from grape seeds left over from winemaking, prized in the kitchen for its high smoke point and neutral taste. It's a common choice for searing meat, stir-frying, and pan-frying because it can handle high heat without burning or imparting a strong flavor of its own, and it works equally well as a base for vinaigrettes or mayonnaise when a neutral oil is wanted so other ingredients like vinegar, mustard, or herbs can stand out. Bakers sometimes use it in cakes, quick breads, and marinades in place of a more assertive olive or nut oil for the same reason, and it's a common carrier oil for infusing garlic, chili, or herbs since it doesn't compete with their flavor.

Store grapeseed oil in a cool, dark cabinet away from the stove, since heat and light speed up rancidity, and use it within a few months of opening for the best flavor, discarding it if it starts to smell waxy or off. Being a pure oil, it's essentially 100% fat and 884 calories per 100 g, so it's used sparingly, by the tablespoon, rather than as a food eaten in volume, with a single tablespoon serving weighing about 14 g. Its standout figure is vitamin E, at 192% of the Daily Value per 100 g, making it one of the more concentrated cooking oils for that nutrient among oils on this site.