What is the difference between cooking oil and liquid shortening?

I want to know which to use in a deep fat fryer.What is the difference between cooking oil and liquid shortening?
You can use either - however, oil would be much healthier for you.





Partially hydrogenated oils are commonly found in processed foods like commercial baked products such as cookies, cakes and crackers, and even in bread. They are also used as cooking oils (called ';liquid shortening';) for frying in restaurants.


http://www.bantransfats.com/abouttransfa鈥?/a>





All oils are not alike . Though recipes frequently call just for ';oil for frying,'; you should know that not all oils are equally suited to the task.





There is lard, which is almost certainly the best -- fritters cooked in it have a special something that other oils just don't impart. Should you object to lard for philosophical, moral or practical reasons, there's oil.





The best is olive oil, and in particular vitamin E-rich extra virgin oil, because it tolerates high temperatures without breaking down. Unfortunately, it's expensive. The next best bet is peanut oil. Neither corn nor sunflower seed oil can tolerate frying temperatures, so you shouldn't use them.





How much oil? At least a quart (a liter, and you should use 2 or more if you're frying large quantities), or the foods will chill the oil to the point they absorb it when you put them in the pot. To help reduce this problem to a minimum, add the food to the oil in small batches, and let the oil come back up to temperature between batches.





And how to judge the oil's temperature without a thermometer? Toss a cube of bread into the pot; if it rises to the surface crackling and frying, the oil's hot enough.What is the difference between cooking oil and liquid shortening?
Peanut oil is really good for deep frying because of it's high smoking point. I don't remember the exact smoking point but I think it's about 350 degrees. You don't want to get the oil smoking hot because when oil is hot enough to smoke it's starting to turn into trans fats.





I'm not really sure what liquid shortening is, but shortening is a hydrogenated oil and it's really bad for you. The local chain of big health food markets in my county actually has a policy of not carrying ANY product that contains hydrogenated oils. I think that in itself is a pretty big statement. That being said, I can tell from the lovely aroma in here that it's time to take my all butterfat pie out of the oven...Happy cooking!
I would use the cooking oil. The shortening is what has the trans fats in it that are so bad for you. Oil is better for frying anyway. I like peanut oil best but I also use vegetable and canola oil. I don't ever use corn oil.