Picual olive oil, is extracted from the olives produced by the Picual olive variety. It is the most produced olive oil in Spain and in the world, thanks to the good productive behavior of Picual. It is the most cultivated variety in Jaén and is used exclusively for the olive oil production.
Features of the Picual EVOO
Like other olive oils, the Picual EVOO has different characteristics and properties depending on the date of collection.
The flavor of the Picual extra virgin olive oil stands out for its bitterness, although it is also spicy if the collection is early.
When it is harvested early it has a pleasant aroma with herbaceous notes to tomato, fig tree, leaf olive, freshly cut grass.
In an oil with high intensity flavor, interesting aspect to contribute to cooking stews. However, less common consumers of olive oil may not like it.
Another of the strengths of the Picual oil is its high resistance to oxidation. This allows Picual olive oil to be preserved for for several years in deposits without getting dirty and maintaining much of its properties.
Its high oxidation stability makes the Picual oil mixed usually with other less stable olive oils such as Arbequina, Hojiblanca or Blanqueta . This mixture allows you to soften the flavor and improve the level of fruity of the extra virgin olive oil Picual.
Arbequina or Picual: Which is better olive oil?
Chemical composition of Picual olive oil
The chemical composition of Picual olive oil may suffer certain variations depending on the area of cultivation, the weather, date of collection…
79-82.5% Acid Oleico.
9.5-11% Acid Palmitic.
3-4% Acid Linoleic.
2.7-3.5% Acid Stearic.
Polyphenols: 300-500 medium-high quantity.
Stability: very high, 45 hours at 120ºC.
Also next to olive oil Cornicabra, Picual is one of the oils with more content in Oleocanthal of proven anti-inflammatory and anticancer.
The fat composition of Picual oil has been obtained from the following sources: 1 and 2.
What is Picual olive oil used for?
Picual olive oil is a highly versatile oil used for multiple different uses.
Picual Oil, usual uses:
Thanks to its high oxidation stability Picual oil is excellent for frying.
It allows multiple frying cycles to degrade less than other oils with temperature. Probably, Picual is the best olive oil for frying.
For meat and vegetable stews.
Very suitable for canned in olive oil, at home we can use the cheese in oil or keep sausages.
In crude oil it is usually consumed, being one of the reference oils in the toast Andalusians of tomato and ham. The use of Picual oil in salads is also frequent.
Its use is not advised for the elaboration of delicate flavor dishes since it could alter the desired flavor.
DOP Picual olive oil quality labels
The oil produced by the Picual variety is protected by the following protected designations of origin. Buy olive oil Picual directly to cooperatives belonging to the PDO is an increasingly common practice.
PDO Sierra de Cazorla
Located in the province of Jaén, cradle of Picual olive oil. It uses olives of the Royal de Cazorla and Picual varieties for oil production.
PDO Montoro-Adamuz
PDO of the province of Córdoba, its oil has at least 10% of Nevadillo Negro oil, together with Picual they represent 98% of the oil produced. Lechin from Seville, Picudo and Carrasqueño de la Sierra are admitted.
DOP Monterrubio Oil
It contains 90% Picual oil and Cornezuelo allowing the use of secondary varieties such as Pico-lemon, Cornicabra, Mollar, Corniche and Morilla. It is located in the province of Badajoz.
PDO Baena
It uses the Picual, Hojiblanco, Picudo, Lechin and Chorrúo varieties to obtain the oil. It is located in the province of Córdoba.
PDO Montes de Granada
It mainly has Picual, Loaime and Lucio oil. As secondary varieties we find Hojiblanca, Escarabajuelo, Gordal de Granada and Negrillo de Iznalloz.
PDO Priego de Córdoba
It consists of 60% Picuda variety oil, 20% Picual oil and 20% Hojiblanca olive oil.
PDO Campo de Calatrava Oil
Located in the central area of the province of Ciudad Real, a minimum percentage of 80% of oil is required Cornicabra, which can be completed with Picual olive oil.
DOP Lucena Oil
It contains at least 90% Hojiblanca oil that can be supplemented with Picual, Lechin, Arbequina, Tempranilla, Campanile, Ocal and Chorruo.
This PDO is located in the province of Córdoba.
Other PDO with Picual oil
PDO Antequera, PDO Estepa, PDO Poniente de Granada, PDO Sierra de Cádiz,
PDO Sierra de Segura and PDO Sierra Mpage.
Picual olive oil price
The liter of Picual oil can be purchased at different prices.
As with the rest of olive oils, the market price is increased the years of scarce crops.
The oil quality and the producer’s prestige are other influential aspects.
Currently (2019), the retail price of Picual olive oil can be found at between € 3 and € 40 per liter (olive oils Premium Extra Virgin).
Picual is the most abundant olive oil, but its good resistance to oxidation makes its hasty sale unnecessary, helping to regulate the market.
Websites to buy olive oil online directly from the producer (Picual, Hojiblanca, Arbequina, Cornicabra, Picudo, Manzanilla Cacereña...)
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Warning
We have translated the information on our website from Spanish to English. Note that some words may have seen their meaning altered during their translation.