All You Need For This Helpful Vegetable Oil Trick Is A Fork

Vegetable oil is one of the most versatile all-purpose ingredients in your kitchen. Oil is used for cooking various foods, from brownies to stir fry and grandma's fried chicken. It is mild and flavorless because it is derived from plant materials and it has a high smoking point, which makes it ideal for frying (via The Spruce Eats). Vegetable oil is easily stored in a cool, dry pantry and should be kept sealed to prevent oxidation.

Unfortunately, cooking with oil comes with its challenges, too. For instance, dispensing vegetable oil from its original bottle can turn disastrous if you aren't careful. The opening of most bottles of cooking oil is quite large, so the oil may flow out too quickly if you don't proceed slowly. To prevent these dispensing disasters, follow this fork hack to control the amount of oil you pour. It will save time, cleanup, and vegetable oil.

It's safe to say that oil flows freely, almost too freely, from its bottle opening. Even the most subtle pour can end up awry. Thankfully, The Kitchn's DIY dispenser trick makes cooking with oil much more effortless — and also prevents overpouring.

Control your next pour by twisting the plastic lid off the bottle. Resist the temptation to remove the foiled paper seal that is underneath. Instead, leave the seal attached and poke small holes in the paper top with a fork. The tiny holes allow you to drizzle without pouring too much. It's a quick, convenient way to ensure you have more control over the amount of oil dispensed with each pour. You can now drizzle oil into your pan, measuring cup, or spoon more precisely.

This handy hack works well for most bottles containing a removable paper seal, such as syrup and olive oil. Simply poke and pour!