Category: Oils & Fats
🤔 What Is Shortening?
Shortening is a type of solid fat made from vegetable oils, such as soybean or palm oil. It is prized in baking for its ability to create tender, flaky pastries and crusts, and its high smoke point makes it excellent for frying. Unlike butter, it is 100% fat and contains no water.
Quick Reference Card
| Condition | Ideal Storage | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Unopened Can/Sticks | Pantry | Up to 2 Years |
| Opened Can/Sticks | Pantry (Tightly Sealed) | About 1 Year |
| Frozen | Not Recommended | Not Applicable |
The Triple-S Method
Master the three essential steps for food success:
🛒 SHOP SMART: Selection Guide
- Check the “Best By” date for the freshest product.
- Ensure the can or packaging is sealed and free from dents or damage.
- Choose sticks for easy, mess-free measuring, or a can for bulk use.
Appearance
Shortening should be opaque, smooth, and a uniform creamy white color. Avoid any that looks yellowed, discolored, or has an uneven texture.
Smell
It should have a neutral, clean, and waxy smell. A sharp, bitter, or rancid odor is a clear sign that the fat has spoiled and should be discarded.
Texture
Shortening should be soft but solid at room temperature, with a smooth, consistent texture. Any graininess or separation is a sign of poor quality.
Common Varieties / Types
The main difference in modern shortening is the type of vegetable oil used.
- All-Purpose Shortening: Typically made from a blend of vegetable oils like palm and soybean oil. It’s a versatile choice for both baking and frying.
- Baking Sticks: All-purpose shortening conveniently packaged in pre-measured sticks, often with markings for tablespoons, similar to butter.
- Butter-Flavored Shortening: A shortening that has artificial butter flavor added to mimic the taste of butter in baked goods.
Smoke Point Information
Shortening has a high smoke point, typically around 182°C (360°F), which makes it an excellent and economical choice for deep-frying foods like chicken and donuts.
📅 Seasonal Buying Guide
North America (USA/Canada)
Shortening is a shelf-stable product available year-round with no seasonal variation. It is a staple in the baking aisle, with demand increasing during the holidays.
Quality is consistent year-round.
Europe
Solid vegetable fats are available, but traditional fats like butter, lard, and suet are more common in classic European baking.
No seasonal impact on availability.
Australia/New Zealand
Sold as “vegetable shortening” (e.g., Copha, which is coconut-based) and is available year-round.
Quality is stable and not seasonal.
Tropical/Subtropical Regions
Available year-round. Its solid state at warm room temperatures makes it a useful fat in tropical climates.
The product is not seasonal.
❄ STORE FRESH: Storage Guide
- Primary method: Tightly sealed in a cool, dark pantry.
- Shelf life (opened): About 1 year.
- Avoid heat, light, and oxygen to prevent spoilage.
Storage Method Details
Pantry Storage: Store shortening in its original container with the lid tightly sealed. Keep it in a cool, dark place like a pantry or cupboard, away from the oven and other heat sources. Proper storage is crucial for preventing the fat from going rancid.
Refrigeration: You can refrigerate shortening to extend its shelf life, but it will become very hard and difficult to measure and cream into other ingredients. It is generally not necessary if you have a cool pantry.
Like cooking oil, shortening spoils through rancidity. According to the FDA, this process of lipid oxidation is accelerated by exposure to air, light, and heat. A tightly sealed container in a dark, cool place minimizes these factors, preserving the fat’s quality for a long time.
Pest Prevention
Keeping the lid tightly sealed on the can is the best and only necessary protection against pantry pests.
⚠ STAY SAFE: Food Safety Tips
Understanding Food Safety Rules
Shortening is a very low-risk product that does not support bacterial growth. The only safety and quality concern is rancidity. While not acutely toxic, consuming rancid fats is unhealthy and should be avoided. Always discard shortening that smells rancid.
Reheating Methods
Not applicable. Shortening is a fat used as an ingredient and is not reheated on its own, only melted for use in recipes.
Date Labels Explained
Shortening has a “Best By” date, which the FDA defines as a quality suggestion. It will be safe to use long after this date, but the risk of it becoming rancid increases significantly. Your nose is the best judge of its quality.
Allergen Information
- Contains: Often contains Soy.
Allergen Handling & Prevention
The primary ingredient in many major brands of shortening is soybean oil, making it a source of the Soy allergen. Always check the ingredients list if you have a soy allergy.
⚠ Special Safety Considerations
When using shortening for deep-frying, be extremely careful. Hot oil can cause severe burns, and it can catch fire if it gets too hot. Never leave it unattended on the stove.
🧊 Freezing & Thawing Guide
Freezing Effects & Preparation
Freezing shortening is not necessary as it is already very shelf-stable. It does not provide significant benefits over proper pantry storage and can make the product very hard and difficult to use.
Recommended Thawing Methods
Not applicable, as freezing is not recommended.
Not Recommended
Do not store shortening in the freezer. A cool, dark pantry is the best storage solution.
📊 Nutritional Information
Average values per 100g (approx. 3.5 oz) portion
- High in: Fat, Calories
Shortening (Vegetable)
- Calories: 880 kcal
- Protein: 0g
- Fat: 100g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Fiber: 0g
(Per 1 tbsp / 13g serving)
- Calories: 114 kcal
- Fat: 13g
Key Nutrients & Their Benefits
- Shortening is pure fat and provides a very high concentration of calories. It does not offer significant vitamins or minerals. Its fat composition (saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated) varies depending on the vegetable oils used in its production.
Nutritional data is an estimate. Consult with a nutritionist for personalized advice.
🌎 Sustainability & Sourcing
The environmental impact of shortening depends on its source oils. Many brands use palm oil, which is linked to deforestation. Look for shortenings made with certified sustainable palm oil (RSPO) or from other oil sources like soybean or cottonseed.
The large metal cans are recyclable.
🔄 Substitutions & Alternatives
For baking, butter and lard are common substitutes, though they will change the final texture. Butter contains water and milk solids, which results in a less tender product, while lard creates exceptional flakiness. Coconut oil can also be used.
For frying, any neutral oil with a high smoke point, like canola or peanut oil, can be used instead.
🔪 Recommended Tools
A sturdy set of measuring cups and a spatula are needed for accurately measuring and removing shortening from its can. A pastry blender is helpful for cutting cold shortening into flour for recipes like pie crusts.
♻ Waste Reduction
If you have old shortening that is no longer fresh enough for baking but not yet rancid, you can use it to season cast iron cookware or to make homemade suet cakes for birds in the winter.
✨ How to Revive It
You cannot revive shortening once it has gone rancid. The chemical change is irreversible, and it must be discarded. The best strategy is to buy smaller containers and use it within a year of opening.
❓ FAQ
A: It is made from vegetable oils (commonly palm, soybean, and/or cottonseed oil) that have been hydrogenated to make them solid at room temperature.
A: No. Shortening is made from vegetable oils, while lard is rendered animal fat (usually from pork). They behave similarly in baking but have different flavor profiles.
A: Historically, yes. However, due to health concerns, most modern shortenings (like Crisco) have been reformulated to contain zero grams of trans fat per serving.
A: Shortening is 100% fat, while butter is about 80% fat and 20% water. This lack of water means shortening creates a more tender and flaky texture, especially in pie crusts and biscuits, than butter does.
A: You can, and it will slightly extend its shelf life, but it will become very hard and difficult to scoop and measure. A cool pantry is usually sufficient.
A: It has a very unpleasant, sharp, and bitter smell, often compared to the smell of oil paint, crayons, or old, dusty nuts.
A: Yes, you can substitute it 1:1 in many recipes if you want the textural benefits of shortening with some of the flavor of butter.
A: It means to break down the cold, solid shortening into small, pea-sized pieces and mix it into the flour. This is typically done with a pastry blender or two knives and is the key to creating a flaky crust.
A: Most vegetable shortening is vegan, but it’s always important to check the label, as some brands may contain mono- and diglycerides that can be from animal sources.
A: The water displacement method is best for cans. If you need 1 cup of shortening, fill a 2-cup liquid measure with 1 cup of cold water, then add shortening until the water level reaches the 2-cup mark. For sticks, simply use the measurements on the wrapper.