Smoked rapeseed oil is more versatile than smoked salt because you can use it for both cooking and finishing. At Sussex Smokehouse, we cold smoke cold-pressed rapeseed oil for 12 hours over apple and oak. The smoke is subtle, enough to add flavour and depth without overpowering.
Here’s how to actually use it.
Cook, Finish and Season
Unlike smoked salt, you can actually cook with smoked oil. It’s cold smoked, so the oil itself is unchanged. The smoke flavour mellows during cooking but doesn’t disappear entirely.
Sautéing vegetables: Use it instead of regular oil when frying onions, mushrooms, or peppers. The smoke adds a background note that makes simple veg taste more interesting.
Roasting: Toss potatoes, root vegetables, or Brussels sprouts in smoked oil before roasting. You get caramelization from the oven plus a hint of smoke without firing up a grill.
Frying eggs: A drizzle in the pan before frying eggs adds subtle depth. Works particularly well with scrambled eggs.
The key is not to use too much heat. Keep it moderate – smoked oil works best at medium temperatures, not a smoking hot pan (there could be some irony there…).
Drizzle over soups: A swirl of smoked oil on a tomato soup, pumpkin or butternut squash soup, or a robust vegetable soup adds a finishing touch that will elevate the whole bowl.
Finish pasta: Toss freshly cooked pasta in smoked oil with garlic and parmesan. Simple, quick and proivdes layers of flavour.
Mashed potato or risotto: Use a spoonful in place of butter. Smoked rapeseed oil adds richness and a subtle smoky edge.
When Not to Use It
Don’t use smoked oil for:
- Deep frying (it’s a waste of good oil, to be honest- the smoke flavour gets lost)
- High-heat cooking (the flavour breaks down and you lose the smoke)
- Baking (I may be wrong, but smoke isn’t a flavour that translates to cakes or pastries, although smoked sugar is a thing…)
It’s best off used where you can enjoy the flavour.
How Much to Use
Start with the amount of oil you’d normally use, then adjust. Smoked oil isn’t overpowering, so you don’t need to be overly cautious.
If you’re finishing a dish, a tablespoon is usually enough to give decent flavour.
To Conclude
Smoked rapeseed oil is more forgiving than smoked salt. You can cook with it, finish with it, or just dip bread in it.
It’s versatile, adds depth without dominating, and works in both simple and complex dishes.
And what an amazing coincidence- we SELL cold smoked rapeseed oil!
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