You can purchase oil presses online or from many home or kitchen supply stores. Manual oil presses tend to cost between $75 and $130 USD. You will need a separate container, such as a small glass jar, for catching the oil. Although these devices are often called “cold presses,” almost all forms of nuts and seeds require at least a small amount of heat (under 120 °F (49 °C)) to get them to release their oils.
Electric oil presses for home use are available from many online retailers and brick-and-mortar stores that sell kitchen appliances. These presses are costlier than old-fashioned manual presses, usually selling for around $200 to $500 USD.
Sunflower seeds (be sure to use an oilseed variety). Pumpkin seeds (again, select oilseed pumpkins, which have shell-less seeds). Sesame seeds. Hazelnuts. Peanuts. Flaxseed. Safflower seeds. Pecans. Almonds. Walnuts.
Check the instructions on your oil press to find out if nuts or seeds need to be shelled before pressing. For some presses, you may also need to chop up larger nuts before pressing them.
It may help your nuts or seeds dry more efficiently if you occasionally turn or stir them during the drying process. Another option is to dry the nuts or seeds on a screen propped up on supports (such as cinder blocks). This will allow air to circulate under the seeds as well as over them as they dry. If sun-drying isn’t an option, try putting your seeds in a food dehydrator. [9] X Research source Follow the directions on your dehydrator for drying out nuts and seeds.
Most manual press heating lamps use fuels such as kerosene or alcohol. You will need to light the wick with a match or lighter.
For some hand-cranked presses, you may need to make your own hopper out of a plastic water bottle with the end cut off.
Make sure to place a reservoir under the machine to catch the oil as it comes out. If you use a manual press, a mason jar is a good option. Your press will also create seed cake, which is the crushed remnants of the seeds that you’ve pressed. If you like, you can save the seed cake for compost or chicken feed.
Some electric presses have built-in filters. If your press filters out seed particles and impurities, just let your oil cool for a few hours before decanting it.
With proper storage, your oil may stay fresh for up to 2 years as long as you keep it sealed. Some seed oils, such as sesame, hazelnut, and walnut oils, will keep best if you put them in the fridge. [15] X Research source If you don’t have an airtight container for storing your oil, use it within 2 to 3 days. If you notice that your oil has a strange smell, a stale taste, or a dark or cloudy appearance, then it may have gone bad. Dispose of any rancid oil or recycle it—for example, you can use it as lamp oil or lubricant for squeaky hinges, or make it into soap. [16] X Research source
Avocado oil has a lot of uses, including skin and hair care as well as cooking.
You can either scoop the pit out with a spoon or twist it out with a sharp kitchen knife. To use a knife, push the sharp edge of the knife hard into the seed, then twist the knife 90°. The seed should pop out.
If you don’t have a blender, you can also use a cake batter mixer to blend the pulp. Add a little water if the pulp is too firm to blend easily. If you like, you can mix in a little bit of coconut oil at this point to help the avocado pulp release its oil more easily. If you used 12 avocados, put in about 1⁄3 cup (79 mL) of coconut oil.
Stir the pulp frequently as it cooks, or it may stick to the sides of the pan and burn. You should begin to see the oil separating from the pulp and pooling at the top of the pan as you cook.
Since you will be squeezing the oil out of the cooked avocado pulp by hand, let the mixture sit for several minutes to cool down.
Squeeze the cloth over a clean bowl or directly over a storage container, such as a glass bottle or jar. The avocado oil should be a rich, emerald green color.
Your avocado oil may become cloudy when it is chilled, but it should become clear again when it warms up to room temperature. If you don’t have an airtight container, use your avocado oil within 2 or 3 days. Fresh avocado oil should have a subtle, nutty smell. If your oil has gone bad, it will develop a strong, rancid smell and an unpleasant taste.
You can buy whole coconuts at many grocery stores, or order them online.
You can also buy specialized coconut knives that are designed to easily separate the meat from the shell. To avoid a mess, you may wish to puncture one of the eyes of the coconut and drain out the water before cracking the shell. Use a small knife to poke through the eye, or tap the tip of a screwdriver or a drill bit in with a hammer.
For easier shredding and grating, you can purchase a coconut shredder online or at a kitchen supply store. Some models are designed to shred the meat directly out of the shell.
Adding a splash of hot water to the shreds may help the milk flow out more easily. If there are any particles in the milk, place a second piece of muslin cloth over a clean bowl or jar and sieve the milk through the cloth.
To cook the coconut milk in a traditional Indian style, use a brass cooking pot called an urli. After the milk thickens and becomes light brown, remove it from the fire. Let it sit until it is cool enough to handle.
If you wish, you can squeeze the oil directly into a storage container.
You can store your coconut oil in the refrigerator if you like, but it will become solid when it is chilled. You’ll have to warm the container up to room temperature in order to easily get the oil out. Coconut oil that has gone bad may appear yellowish or chunky, and it may develop a bitter or sour odor and taste. It may also develop black spots if it becomes contaminated with mold. [24] X Research source
