Know Your Oils and Their Smoke Points

Which oil has the higher smoke point? Which one do you use when sautéing or frying food? Here are a couple of things that have to be understood before elaborating…
 
– First the meaning of “smoke point” refers to the temperature when the oil starts to burn and… smoke.
 
– Second when oil is refined, the impurities are removed and also the free fatty acids which cause the oil to smoke at first. So the more refined your oil is, the better it will handle the heat. Typically refined oils have a neutral taste (flavorless), not too much odor and their appearance is light and clear.
 
Oils are good for us but of course heating oils can change their chemical makeup and nutritional value so make sure not to heat the oil beyond its smoke point! If you do, not only will your food tastes burned but it will also create harmful free radicals which are extremely bad for us. What happens is the good nutrients and the phytochemicals are destroyed when they are overheated. That’s why it’s so important to Know Your Oils and Their Smoke Points!
 
Before I list them, let me explain further.
 
There are certain types of oils better suited for frying while others excel for sautéing. The same applies when using oils for making dressings, Vinaigrettes, Mayonnaise, and so on. If you’re not using them within a year, buying them in small sizes is better because over time, the heat from your house as well as the light will turn your oils rancid. You’ll first notice it by the smell but before it gets there, it would already deteriorate, producing free radicals. The best way to store your oils is in a dark cool place or in your refrigerator.
 
Here’s my Know Your Oils and Their Smoke Points list…
 
– Almond oil: This is a great oil to use when baking or for dressings & vinaigrettes. It can be used for roasting, grilling or frying as well. SMOKE POINT = 420ºF/216ºC
– Avocado oil: A favorite of mine, I like to use it for grilling, searing, roasting and frying. SMOKE POINT = 520ºF/271ºC
– Avocado oil • Extra virgin oil: This is good for baking and also a great ingredient for vinaigrettes or dressings because it’s flavorless. SMOKE POINT = 482ºF/250ºC
– Beef tallow: This is regularly used when making French Fries, adding great flavor to them. SMOKE POINT = 400ºF/204ºC
– Butter: As we all know, butter is great for sautéing and baking. SMOKE POINT = 350ºF/176ºC
– Butter • Clarified Butter/Ghee (refined): As the impurities are removed, this has a higher smoke point than regular butter and is good for grilling, sautéing, searing, roasting as well as baking. SMOKE POINT = 480ºF/249ºC
– Canola oil (expeller pressed): This is a nice all-purpose oil to use. SMOKE POINT = 450ºF/232ºC
– Canola oil (refined): This is a popular go-to oil that can be used for pretty much everything. I use this one when I make my Beignets. Because it’s refined, it’s odorless so this oil is a great one to have around. SMOKE POINT = 400ºF/204ºC
– Chicken fat • Schmaltz: This fat is used in many Jewish recipes such as Latke. SMOKE POINT = 375ºF/190ºC
– Coconut oil (expeller pressed): Although it has less nutritional value than cold-pressed coconut oil, its flavor is more nutty and toasted, making it better for certain recipes. SMOKE POINT = 350ºF/176ºC
– Coconut oil (refined): I like to use this one a lot when I’m baking. There are also a few recipes we use it in like Hawaiian Chicken Curry, Healthy Homemade Granola, Coconut Waffles, etc. SMOKE POINT = 450ºF/232ºC
– Corn oil: Another great oil for pan or deep-frying. SMOKE POINT = 450ºF/232ºF
– Cottonseed oil: This is a lovely oil to use when making Beignets, sautéing or stir frying some of my Asian recipes. I also like making one of my barbecue sauces with it. I also use it on salads. SMOKE POINT = 420ºF/216ºC
– Duck fat: Packed with flavor, this is a good oil for grilling, sautéing, roasting and even baking. Surprisingly, it’s also good as an ingredient for dressings and vinaigrettes. SMOKE POINT = 375ºF/190ºC
– Flaxseed oil: Because its smoke point is low, this is an oil that is great for salad dressings and vinaigrettes. I like to drizzle it over certain recipes such as Muhammara. SMOKE POINT = 225ºF/107ºC
– Grapeseed oil: This is another favorite of mine that is good to use in baking as well as sautéing and frying. I also like to use this one for vinaigrettes and dressings. SMOKE POINT = 420ºF/216ºC
– Hazelnut oil: This is a great flavorful oil to use when baking or using to drizzle over food as well as an ingredient for making dressings or vinaigrettes. SMOKE POINT = 430ºF/220ºC
– Hemp seed oil: I use it as my daily tablespoon intake in the morning. With a strong nutty and rich flavor, this is a nice oil to drizzle over cooked food. SMOKE POINT = 330ºF/165ºC
– Lard: My grand-mother was using lard for grilling, roasting, sautéing and also searing. SMOKE POINT = 370ºF/188ºC
– Macadamia oil: Its flavor is so exotic. I really enjoy using it for baking and also drizzling it over my salad… yum! SMOKE POINT = 400ºF/204ºC
– Olive oil • Light (refined): This is just like canola oil but even better due to its high smoke point. SMOKE POINT = 465ºF/240ºC
– Olive oil • Extra virgin oil: This is a nice oil for sautéing. I also like to use it for my vinaigrettes and dressings. SMOKE POINT = 325ºF/163ºC
– Peanut oil (refined): A popular one in Asian cuisine, great to use when sautéing, roasting, searing, pan or deep-frying, grilling and baking. It can be used for dressings and vinaigrettes because of its mild flavor. SMOKE POINT = 450ºF/232ºC
– Pistachio oil: This is another “finishing” oil you can drizzle over cooked food or use as a vinaigrette for your salad. SMOKE POINT = 225ºF/107ºC
– Safflower oil (refined): Great oil when deep-frying, grilling, sautéing, or roasting. I use it for vinaigrettes, dressings and sauces because its taste is not overwhelming. SMOKE POINT = 510ºF/266ºC
– Sesame oil (semi-refined): This is an amazing oil when cooking Asian foods like stir-fries or even roasting. SMOKE POINT = 350ºF/176ºC
– Sunflower oil (refined): This is another oil that I like to use for deep-frying. It is also good when sautéing, grilling, pan-frying, roasting and baking. It has a mild flavor therefore it’s great for dressings & vinaigrettes. SMOKE POINT = 440ºF/226ºC
– Vegetable shortening: I’m sure your mother had some in the fridge (Crisco). It’s a great ingredient when baking. I like to use some for making my Pâte à Choux aka Choux Pastry. SMOKE POINT = 360ºF/182ºC
– Walnut oil (semi-refined): When I make my Julienne Salad, this is the oil I like to drizzle over. It has such a lovely taste. SMOKE POINT = 320ºF/160ºC
 
Another point I would like to talk about is cold-pressed oils and expeller-pressed oils. As we all know, the oils are chemically or mechanically extracted from nuts, olives, grains, seeds or legumes. When oils are extracted using the cold-press method, the temperature is controlled and its setting is below 120ºF. That way the flavors and aromas are preserved. This doesn’t involve the use of chemical solvents.
 
On the other hand, “expeller-pressed oils” is a process that removes oils mechanically (expeller), squeezing oil directly from the seed. This process uses low heat but higher (200ºF) than the cold-pressed method. This process is ideal as it doesn’t use chemical solvents to extract oil.
 
It’s important to be knowledgeable about the oils that are best suited for what you’re cooking. When you Know Your Oils and Their Smoke Points, this is a healthy way to avoid harmful free radicals.
 
Here’s another Know Your Oils and Their Smoke Points quick list for “flavorless” oils
– Canola
– Corn
– Grapeseed
– Safflower
– Vegetable
 
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