Infused butters and oils

[antonia]

I was wondering if any of you infuse your cooking fats with spices and/or herbs for flavor?

I've been doing this and it is making for some wonderful tasting baked goods and dishes for my daughter. Essentially, for baked goods, I've been making vanilla butter or vanilla and cinnamon butter by washing whole vanilla beans and cinnamon sticks first (in case there is some kind of cross contamination going on there) and then simmering (as low a simmer as I can get) in melted butter for about 20 minutes. The flavor really infuses well even without cutting the vanilla bean open which is how you usually see vanilla beans being used. Then use this butter in your baked good of choice. I've been searching for low sugar recipes and then just leave the sugar out and they turn out pretty good and taste so great with the flavored butter.

The other night I made a curry beef with infused olive oil (infused it with whole spices other aromatics) and the flavor was outstanding without any added ground spices or herbs.

My daughter has done well so far with these infused fats, no obvious reactions. I don't know if she's HFI, so I'm not endorsing this as HFI safe. Just wondering if others have had success doing this. In theory this seems like a fructose free way to add flavor to foods.


Editing to include warning to include SAFETY WARNING! If you make your own infused oils or butters use them immediately or read up on safe storage practices. FLAVORED OR INFUSED FATS/OILS/BUTTERS can grow C. BOTULINUM.

Here is a nice document from a reputable source (I even took a microbiology course there!) on how to prepare infused oils safely and how you should store them. If you use it immediately though, no worries, no different than sautéing things in oil or butter as part of a recipe.

extension.uidaho.edu/owyhee/files/2013/10/PNW664-Making-Garlic-and-Herb-Infused-Oils-at-Home.pdf

[colormist]

I've purchased infused olive oils before (basil olive oil was AMAZING), but I haven't gotten around to making my own. Never though of making a flavored butter, though! Using cinnamon butter on toast would taste fantastic!

[antonia]

I should have mentioned I'm using these infused fats as soon as I make them. I'm assuming the risk of growing botulinum would be the same for infused butter as it is for infused oil. So please read up on the safety of making homemade flavored oils and butters, especially if you plan on storing them for any length of time, even in the refrigerator. I don't want anyone to poison themselves!!!!!

[colormist]

Good point! I have some frozen basil and was thinking about buying extra olive oil to try to make some home-brew basil olive oil. I'll check online to see what the safety rules are!

I have seen people freeze cubes of infused oils--maybe that's a safer way that you can make it in advance and use it later.

[antonia]

Yes! Freeze it in ice cube trays and then pop out what you need at the moment. I do this with pesto sauce and chicken broth. You can buy the trays that have Tupperware like locking tops. Or just use regular trays and once frozen pop out the cubes into freezer ziplock bags.

[ukbill]

infusing in oil is very likely to be the best way to get all the flavour but without the Fructose.
I use a lot of herbs and spices in my cooking and have never noticed any problems with them.
Except Mustard seeds and mustard flour (Colman's Mustard.. Warning this is not for Americans it is far hotter than Wasabi! Us it like "American Mustard" and you may well die.. or wish to for some time)
When cold uncooked it is fine and seems very safe but on heating it becomes VERY Sweet like Celery and onions on which cooking has the same effect, I therefore avoid it.
I find Celery seeds an excellent substitute for real celery with 3 advantages
1. Keeps in a sealed container for years,
2. You only need a very tiny amount to add loads of wonderful celery flavour.
3. No stringy bits to get stuck in your teeth!