Vegetable Shortening

Descriptions
details

Vegetarian

Taste Profile

Vegetable shortening has a neutral flavor, unless butter-flavored shortening is being used.

Usage Tips

It is also used in place of butter when making frosting.
Vegetable shortening is also a preferred fat for frying. It is safer because there's less chance of spattering or popping under high temperatures due to the high smoke point.

Common names and forms

Edible Hydrogenated Vegetable Shortening

Description

Vegetable shortening is solid at room temperature, resembling the texture of butter but with virtually no flavor or odor. It is commonly used for short doughs, or doughs with a high proportion of fat to flour, such as pie crusts. Shortening can be made from either animal fat or vegetable oil, but shortening made from partially or fully hydrogenated vegetable oil is more common nowadays. Vegetable shortening shares many properties with lard: Both are semi-solid fats with a higher smoke point than butter and margarine. They contain less water and are thus less prone to splattering, making them safer for frying. Lard and shortening have a higher fat content compared to about 80% for butter and margarine.

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