The Case for a Properly Basted Roast — Olive Oil vs Butter

The great roasting debate: butter or olive oil? Both have genuine merits, and the honest answer depends on what you're trying to achieve.

The Case for Butter

Butter's higher fat content creates a richer baste, and its ability to carry herb flavours through the bird is exceptional. The milk solids in butter also brown beautifully, contributing to a deeply golden skin. For traditionalists and those who prioritise richness above all else, butter is the right choice. It also has cultural and emotional weight — some flavours belong to memory.

The Case for Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil brings its own aromatic character to the bird — grassy, fruity, and peppery. It produces a lighter result, which suits those who find buttered roast birds too rich. Its smoke point is adequate for roasting temperatures, and its polyphenol content is an added health benefit. The Coratina and Frantoio character in our EVOO is particularly good here — the pepper in the finish complements poultry beautifully.

The Best of Both

Many experienced cooks use both: herb-infused butter under the skin for flavour and moisture, and EVOO rubbed on the outside for the skin's colour and crispness. Not a compromise — a solution.