Picual Olive Oil is the typical variety from Jaen; it is the most extended and possibly known in Spain.
It is cultivated mainly in the provinces of Jaen, Cordoba and Granada. Currently its cultivationexceeds 700,000 hectares.
The most accused feature of Picual Olive Oils compared to other varieties is its bitterness, and if the oil is green, its pungency or itching. It is also characteristic, in cases of early harvested Olive Oils, its herbaceous aromas, such as olive and grass leafs, fig, tomato.
It is a powerful olive oil that can be refused by people do not used to consuming olive oils, but with a small amount in a dish makes noticing his presence.
Another important feature in picual olive oil is its high content in oleic acid (monounsaturated) that can exceed the 80% of its lipid profile. This coupled with its low content of polyunsaturated acids makes picual olive oil one of the most stable in oxidation and rancidity.That is why Picual olive oil is the most suitable to be used in the kitchen to cook at high temperatures, since it maintains its properties in several cycles of fried foods.
One of the main characteristics of Picual olive oil is its stability to oxidation, to rancidity, and the temperature cycles in frying.
On the other hand, picual olive oils, with their high polyphenol levels, help to reduce the oxidation of fats in the bloodstream.
In conclusion, Picual is one of most healthy olive oil varieties.
We propose Picual Olive Oils for the following uses in the kitchen:
•For frying, breaded and any other use of olive oil at a high temperature.
•For long stews.
•As a preservative of sausages, meats, cheeses, and canned in general (for its high stability).
•For dressing salads, tomatoes, etc.. Picual can improve vegetables which are bland or tasteless.
•For breakfast in toast bread with tomato.
We do not recommend its use, or at least, do it wisely, for soft flavor dishes, fish, mayonnaises, desserts. We believe that there are other varieties that can give a better result.