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GrillBlog-Feature-OilSmokePoint-20sep21

Everything You Need to Know About Cooking Oil and the Smoke Point

Whether it’s vegetable oil, peanut oil, butter, or pan lotion, one thing is for certain, oils and fats are an essential part of cooking. Fats and oils are found in most of the things we consume. They can be made from animal sources like butter and suet or can be created from plant sources like olive oil and coconut oil. Like everything else you cook, the correct ingredient should be used. There are oils that are ideal for high heat cooking methods while others perform better when little to no heat is required. These oils all have one thing in common. The smoke point. This is what you need to know about cooking oils and the smoke point.

 

What is the Smoke Point?

An oil’s smoke point is the temperature at which an oil begins to burn. Exceeding the smoke point of any given fat or oil will give food an unpleasant flavor. It also destroys the beneficial phytochemicals and nutrients found in that particular oil. This can leave a greasy soot-like residue on your food that doesn’t look or taste good.

Refining oils increases the temperatures that they can withstand when cooking. The more refined the oil, the more heat it can take. Refining oil means that impurities and free fatty acids are removed from the finished product. They are lighter in color and taste, making them ideal for cooking without imparting their flavor on the finished dish.

 

grillBlog-smokingPanOilSmokePoint-28mar19

 

Definitions:

What are Free Fatty Acids?

The building blocks of fat in our bodies. These are easily broken down by the body and absorbed into the blood, they link in threes called triglycerides.

 

What are Triglycerides?

When you eat, the calories consumed are used up until you don’t need them any longer. Any calories that are not needed in the moment are turned into triglycerides. They are then stored in your fat cells. Hormones will release these triglycerides between meals when additional calories (energy for your body) are needed.

 

What are Phytochemicals?

Phytochemicals are chemicals produced by plants and are believed to help protect cells from other cells that cause damage, harmful chemicals, and things that can lead to cancer.

 

What is Saturated Fat?

Considered the “unhealthy fat” along with trans-fat. Many saturated fats are solid at room temperature. They are fatty acid chains that have only a single bond as opposed to triglycerides which contain three. Butter, cheese, and red meats are foods that are high in saturated fats.

GrillBlog-butterOilSmokePoint-20sep21

 

What is Unsaturated Fat?

Found mostly in liquid form at room temperature, these fats are considered beneficial to the body because they can improve blood cholesterol levels and ease inflammation. Oils with unsaturated fats are generally plant-based, like olive oil, but unsaturated fat can also be found in nuts and seeds.

 

Cooking and the Smoke Point

There are a few factors that come into play when cooking with regards to smoke point. Selecting the correct oil for the right application is key when it comes to cooking, but there is some wiggle room.

While it is safe and reasonable to use extra virgin olive oil to cook, the smoke point is very low, sitting between 250°F and 400°F depending on how refined it is. These are ideal temperatures for indoor cooking like roasting and baking a cake or bread and using for finishing foods like hummus and in salad dressing. It is not suitable for things like deep frying or grilling and searing over high heat.

To that end, the smoke point is not necessarily applicable when it comes to the speed at which you are cooking either. Using butter for a fast sauté is reasonable even though butter has a very low smoke point. As long as the time in the pan is sensibly short – 1 to 2 minutes. Times, when this is good, would be when you are warming up foods and melting the butter just enough to coat everything while maybe getting a small hit of that sweet Maillard reaction but not enough to let the butter start to burn.

 

GrillBlog-saladOilSmokePoint-20sep21

 

PRO TIP: Oils generally break down over the course of a year, losing flavor and quality thanks to light and temperature fluctuations. It is best to replace any cooking oils that are not used within 6 to 12 months, especially if you notice a change in color, clarity, or fragrance.

 

Fat Equals Flavor

The composition of the fat will also affect the smoke point. The higher the saturated fat, for example, butter and suet (beef tallow) have a much lower smoke point but they impart a better flavor in foods when they are used. Oils that are lower in saturated fats that are usually found in plant-based sources provide a more subtle flavor and most of the time have a higher smoke point.

recipeBlog-flipHomemadeDonuts-31may18

Try this recipe for homemade, deep-fried, donuts

 

Oil Smoke Point and Application Chart

Oil / Fat Smoke Point Application
Butter 300°F - 350°F (149°C - 175°C) Sauté, quick pan-frying, baking, roasting
Clarified Butter 450°F (230°C) Sauté, pan-frying, baking, roasting
Margarine 410°F - 430°F (210°C - 221°C) Sauté, stir-fry, roasting
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 200°F - 410°F (163°C - 210°C) Sauté, finishing oil, dressings, marinades, baking
Lard 370°F (188°C) Sauté, pan-frying, baking, roasting, deep-frying
Coconut Oil 350°F - 385°F (175°C - 196°C) Sauté, pan-frying, baking, roasting
Sesame Oil 350°F - 410°F (175°C - 210°C) Sauté, small amount for stir-frying, flavoring, and finishing
Vegetable Shortening 360°F - 410°F (180°C - 210°C) Baking, Sauté
Canola Oil 400°F - 450°F (204°C - 230°C) Searing, Sauté, pan-frying, stir-fry, baking, roasting, barbecue, deep-frying
Vegetable Oil 400°F - 450°F (204°C - 230°C) Searing, Sauté, stir-fry, baking, roasting, barbecue, deep-frying
Corn Oil 410°F - 450°F (210°C - 230°C) Searing, Sauté, pan-frying, baking, roasting, barbecue, deep-frying
Light/Refined Olive Oil 425°F - 465°F (218°C - 241°C) Sauté, pan-frying, barbecue, baking, roasting
Sunflower Oil 440°F (230°C) Searing, Sauté, pan-frying, baking, roasting, barbecue, deep-frying
Peanut Oil 440°F - 450°F (227°C -230°C) Searing, sauté, stir-fry, baking, roasting, barbecue, deep-frying

 

Selecting the correct oil for the job goes a long way to ensuring your favorite meals are as delicious as they can be. What are your favorite oils to use and what do you use them for? Share your creations with your favorite oils with us on our social pages like Facebook and Instagram, using the hashtags #NapoleonEats.

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