How can you tell if a food writer doesn’t actually have much practical experience? They tell you to keep your olive oil in the refrigerator. Can you store olive oil in the fridge? Yes. Should you keep opened olive oil in the refrigerator? For most of us, most of the time: NO. Keeping any oil in the refrigerator will make it last longer. However, not all oils behave the same when subjected to cold temperatures. Depending on their fatty acid composition, they may solidify at low temperatures.
All oils will turn solid at a cold enough temperature. However, the refrigerator is not cold enough for most of the cooking oils we use. Olive oil is one of the oils that may turn solid or semi-solid in the fridge. And, when I say solid, I mean quite hard! If it does turn solid enough, you may not be able to get it out of the bottle unless you let it sit for quite a long time at room temperature. And if you tried ‘melting’ it in the microwave, well, you’d be damaging the oil and defeating the purpose of refrigerating it in the first place. Although this is hard to confirm, repeated warming and cooling may do bad things to the olive oil. Such treatment certainly can’t be expected to extend its life. Repeated HEATING and cooling would be even worse. I’d also question the safety of heating a bottle of oil in the microwave. And, regardless, it’s highly inconvenient.
It has also been suggested that storing premium extra virgin olive oil in the fridge will cause condensation, which will alter the taste of the olive oil. I doubt you would be able to tell much difference in any olive oil, once it turned liquid again, but I have not sought to confirm or disprove this, as it’s probably the least important factor to consider once you realize how completely impractical this is in the first place.
Peanut oil will also solidify to some extent in the fridge, although, in my experience, it does not go as hard as olive oil.
Before I move on, I should mention another refrigerator-related olive oil myth: The idea that you can tell an olive oil is 100% authentic by putting it in the fridge and seeing if it forms crystals and solidifies. This is absolutely false. Not all olive oil will turn solid when subjected to cold temperatures.
How To Store Olive Oil
Unless you have a lot of extra olive oil to store, your best bet is to store it in a dark cabinet or pantry at room temperature. Most good olive oil will come in a dark-tinted glass bottle to protect it from light and keep it safe from the air. Olive oil, due to its large amount of monounsaturated fat, unlike many nut oils, will not go rancid very quickly at regular room temperature. Just make sure you buy your olive oil in the right size for you. If you only use a small amount, buy a small bottle. If you’re like my son and you fry your eggs in olive oil, buy a large bottle.
How to Store Olive Oil in the Refrigerator
If you feel you have way too much olive oil and you want to make sure it stays fresh long enough for you to use it, then place as much as possible in a large, wide-mouth jar. You can keep the rest in the bottle and use it up. Then, when you’re ready, you can use the refrigerated oil from the jar.
The oil will have gone solid and will look fairly opaque. Don’t worry. It’s fine. Just scoop out the amount of oil you need and put it in your pan to heat. If you need liquid oil, just scoop out the amount you want and let it warm up at room temperature until it is liquid again. Although not all olive oils will behave exactly the same, don’t be surprised if it’s a little tough to scoop out.
How Long Can You Keep Olive Oil?
It is frequently stated that ‘unlike wine, olive oil doesn’t get better with age.’ Actually, it’s also a myth that all wines get better with age.
Even an upopened bottle of olive oil will not last more than two years. It’s not really possible to know how long each and every bottle will last but the general rule of thumb is 12 to 18 months for extra virgin olive oil and 18 to 24 for lesser grades. It is possible it will still be usable after this period, but off-flavors and perhaps more acidity should be expected. Once the bottle is opened, try to use it within three months. If you store it in a cool(ish) and dark place, it may keep a while longer. I haven’t been able to find any information related to how long olive oil will last if you actually keep it in the fridge, but after reading this but I would assume much, much longer as any process of oxidation will take place much more slowly.
How Not to Store Olive Oil
Unless you are constantly using olive oil, and I mean constantly, do NOT keep a small amount of olive oil in an oil dispenser on the counter while storing the rest in the pantry. Many dispensers are not air-tight and you will probably be adding fresher oil to oil that has gone rancid or on the verge of going rancid. For the average home cook, there is absolutely no need to do this, despite the fact that it looks so professional and official. You also shouldn’t decant your whiskey and other liquors, even though fancy-pants people do that too.
If you do use an oil dispenser, choose one that is sealable and, if possible, made of an opaque (and inert) material, such a stainless steel.
