Our Test Kitchen reveals the best function for veg shortening ( and backup in case you do n’t have any shortening on - hired man ) .
Jason Donnelly
You have a great choice each clock time you fudge or broil : which fat will you habituate ? So far , we ’ve poured out all of the pauperization - to - know information about varioustypes of oil colour , dish up up thedifference between marge and butter , and discover howIrish butteris distinct from conventional stateside butter .
Credit:Jason Donnelly
What is vegetable shortening , though ? You may have seen it listed in our recipes forThe Perfect Single Pie Crustorcookies , and we ’ve mentioned in passing that you cansubstitute shortening for butteroroil for shorteningwhen you ’re in a speck . But we ’ve yet to in full explore what is vegetable shortening to aid in your pursuit to create your respectable bakes , fried fare , and beyond .
onward , get the skinny about this versatile , low-priced cooking adipose tissue — and to discover the best ( and worst ) ways to use it .
Sarah Brekke , M.S.,Better Homes & GardensTest Kitchen blade manager
What is Vegetable Shortening?
“ Shortening ” is an umbrella rubric that can be used to nod to any kind of fat that ’s solid at way temperature ; butter , margarine , lard , and vegetable shortening all fit the bill .
As for vegetable shortening , this debuted in the former 1900s . At this fourth dimension , food product developer made it their mission to create a vegetable - based fat that could dissemble as a more low-cost , vegetarian - friendly alternative to animal fat like butter and lard ( aka pork barrel fatness ) . They compound a alone blend of hydrogenated and partially - hydrogenatedvegetable oils , like corn whiskey , cottonseed , palm , or soybean , andvegetable shorteningwas formally hold .
tight - forward to present solar day and the vegetable shortening on the market , such as Crisco , have been redevelop to boast in full hydrogenate oils only so they ’re costless fromtrans fats(which have been shown toincrease the peril for substance disease ) .
Shortening thaw when it ’s warm and is satisfying at room temperature . It earned its name due to the fact that this type of blubber helps relent the signature “ short , ” or crumbly , consistency that ’s a touch of baked good like Proto-Indo European crusts , laminate doughs , and sure types of cookies . adverse to its fellow fats like butter andextra virgin olive vegetable oil , which both inculcate recipes with detectable feel , veggie shortening is neutral — which can be a pro or a bunko , depending on your goals with a smasher .
Also unlike butter and margarin , which are between80%and90 % fatand the rest milk solids or piss , veggie shortening is 100 % fat . This chip in vegetable shortening certain power like a highsmoke pointand the ability to hinder the formation of tough strand of gluten in dough or batter . The effect : superfluous - light texture .
veggie shorteninghas a passably similar nutrition profile to other cooking adipose tissue , with about 110 large calorie and 12 g of blubber per 1 - tablespoon portion . price vary base on the make and your geographical locating , but shortening is often more or less more expensive than margarine yet more budget - friendly than butter .
How Is Vegetable Shortening Different From Other Types of Fat?
If you like , you’re able to employ vegetable shortening in place of butter , margarine , lard , or vegetable oil in recipes . ( We ’ll share how to ace these transition below . ) Sarah Brekke , M.S.,Better Homes & GardensTest Kitchen stain director , provide a Lolium temulentum sheet so you’re able to choose sagely as you cook and broil :
Vegetable Shortening vs. Butter and Margarine
For many Americans , definitive dairy butter ( butterfat , water , and Milk River solids create by roil ointment ) is the aureate standard when it comes to cooking and baking fats . Margarine is made from oil , piss , emulsifier , and flavourer , and is designed to taste and broil similarly to butter . With butter , you could choose salt or unsalted . Margarine only comes salt . As for vegetable shortening , they ’re all unseasoned .
“ Shortening has no distinct flavour , appropriate other ingredients to shine , ” Brekke enjoin . However , if the buttery flavor is what you crave — which we often do in Proto-Indo European crusts and cookies — you might want to adhere with the classic .
If you prefer for veg shortening instead of butter or margarine in your cookies or biscuits , you ’ll notice that they spread out less , keep their embodiment well , and end up duncish or tall since shortening does n’t contain water and has a higher melt detail than butter and oleo . In other adust trade good like Proto-Indo European impudence and pastries , shortening often yields an even undecomposed grain than its sold - in - sticks equal because “ it air bubbles more effectively , ” Brekke note .
Vegetable Shortening vs. Lard
Since lard is fat from sloven that can be used for preparation , baking , and frying , it pile a very distinct look . For certain lulu , such as biscuits or braise viridity , this can be an asset . For others , though , a electroneutral - flavored fat like veg shortening can be a blessing , Brekke remark .
Lard and veggie shortening perform likewise in recipes , however , “ veggie shortening is less expensive and easier to purchase , ” Brekke says . “ Shortening also has a longsighted shelf life , of up to a year , ” while our Test Kitchen broadly speaking commend using pork fatty tissue within 6 months .
Vegetable Shortening vs.Oil
preparation crude are fats deduct from plant life ( like Nut , seeds , fruits , and vegetables ) , animals ( Pisces crude ) , or synthetic chemical compound . Opt for oil if you ’re aim for dense scorched goods , say , brownie . Shortening is a savvy swap “ in formula where light and cakey dimension are desired , ” likelayer cake .
When cooking , “ vegetable shortening may be used in place of oil colour in many formula if the shortening is melted first , but it is n’t the best choice for gamey - heat energy frying , ” Brekke says .
The Best Uses For Vegetable Shortening
As you could see , there are pros and cons to choosing vegetable shortening as your default fat . It scores bonus points as always being suitable for vegetarians , vegans , and folks ondairy - freediets . Shortening shines in light and flaky parched trade good , but it is severely lacking on the flavor front .
With these tone in mind , Brekke say that these are the best uses for vegetable shortening , if you ’d care to tote up it to your constituent armory :
The Best Vegetable Shortening Substitutes
If you ca n’t feel vegetable shortening , run out , or but choose not to use it , your best substitute for veggie shortening is often butter , Brekke say . This is a 1:1 swap ; so if a recipe calls for ½ loving cup shortening , trade in ½ cup unseasoned butter .
For the just of both world — a put-on we like to use often inbiscuitandpie crust recipes — mixture butter with shortening so you could score that flaky textureandsome buttery relish .
Feel destitute to use margarine as a vegetable shortening substitute . Plan on add 1 extra tablespoonful of margarine for every 1 cup of shortening being replaced , Brekke suggests .
Lard and oil can also be substituted 1:1 for shortening .
