Caramelizing Sugar for Kugel

[Shel_B]

I came across a few recipes for "Jerusalem Kugel," which is made with caramelized sugar. The sugar in all the recipes is made by cooking it in vegetable oil. That's something new to me.

Why oil? What does it bring to the party when making kugel? Is there another or better option for this type of kugel?

Thanks!

[Pam R]

Oil is used to keep the kugel parve so it can be eaten with a meat meal. I've also seen recipes that call for margarine, so if you wanted to use butter instead, I don't see why you couldn't.\

eta: some recipes call for cooking the sugar on it's own then adding margarine later, when you're mixing everything together; some for cooking the sugar in oil. I'd probably keep the oil in the recipes that call for cooking the sugar with the oil, but sub butter in the margarine recipes.