John Myers
Olive oil, rapeseed oil, maybe linseed oil: In many kitchens, the selection of cooking oils is limited to a few and always the same types. We’ll show you how to make herbal, spice oil & Co. yourself – and why it’s worth it!
Homemade oil: simply delicious!
Make your own oil, why is that? A legitimate question given the large selection on well-stocked supermarket shelves. The answer: Even if you use a lot of different cooking oils, you will discover completely new flavors and use them to flavor your food in a simple way. And: herbal oils are ideal for preserving bountiful harvests of fresh greens from the pot or garden bed. For example, sage is used sparingly for seasoning – you can use leftovers wonderfully if you use them to make oils yourself. And not only your own herbs, but also the nut harvest can be saved from spoilage in this way. If you want to press oil, you need an oil press, but the production also works with an oil mill.
Tip: If you don’t want to buy your own equipment, you can have your walnuts, hazelnuts, or oilseeds such as sunflower seeds produced at an oil mill in so-called contract pressing.
From chili to garlic to wild herbs: flavor dispensers en masse
If you just want to quickly make some wild garlic oil yourself in spring, simply use ready-made cooking oil. High-quality, neutral-tasting varieties such as rapeseed oil are best for bringing out the intense flavor of the plant. With wild herbs, you can also make nettle oil yourself and use it in the kitchen. Dandelion, arnica, calendula (marigold) or groundweed are well suited for producing oils and natural cosmetics for skin and hair care. If you don’t want to go collecting yourself, simply help yourself to the herbs and spices on the shelf and choose what you like best. Whether you make rosemary oil yourself, garlic oil, chilli oil, or combinations: there are hardly any limits to your creativity. Try out variants with fruit and make oil with pomegranate yourself – a great facial care product!
It’s that easy to make your own oil
The production itself is very simple: you simply fill the washed, selected, and well-dried ingredients alternately with a layer of oil in sterilized glasses or bottles. Then carefully cover everything with oil and seal the whole thing airtight. After a week of dark storage, the delicacy is ready and can be used for dressings and to refine numerous dishes. Or you can use it to preserve peppers, courgettes, tomatoes, and other things. Make your own antipasti: How do you pickle vegetables in oil? We will answer this question for you with our expert knowledge.
No matter how and with what you make flavored oil yourself: In contrast to industrially processed products, you always have control over the ingredients. A product made with love is also great as a gift.
