An Introduction to Cooking Oils
Whether your menu emphasizes deep-fried classics like chicken strips and fries or stovetop dishes like a vegetable stir-fry, the type of oil you choose has a notable impact on both flavor and budget. The best oil for frying may vary slightly from operation to operation, as factors such as price, taste, and even nutrition may have a varying priority from establishment to establishment. From economical vegetable oil blends to unique cottonseed oil, there are more choices on the market than many may realize. Below, we'll go over some of the most notable factors in choosing a frying oil to help you determine which ones might best fit your kitchen.
Smoke Point
One of the most crucial characteristics of cooking oils is its smoke point – the temperature at which an oil starts breaking down and producing smoke.1 The higher an oil's smoke point, the more heat it can tolerate before it starts smoking. Once oil reaches its smoke point, it can produce unpleasant flavors and odors that can ruin the food you're cooking. While low-heat oils like sesame oil or flaxseed oil can find a place in dressings and sauces, medium- or high-heat oils are typically better for frying.
Deep frying and pan frying are typically done at different temperatures, with stovetop cooking averaging a higher heat than deep frying. Make sure you keep your menu and preferred cooking method in mind when deciding between cooking oils.
Smoke Points of Common Cooking Oils
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 325 degrees Fahrenheit
- Canola Oil: 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Corn Oil: 450 degrees Fahrenheit
- Soybean Oil: 450 degrees Fahrenheit
- Peanut Oil: 450 degrees Fahrenheit
- Avocado Oil: 520 degrees Fahrenheit
Price Point
If you plan to deep-fry frequently, certain cooking oils can get expensive over time. Luckily, there are frying oil options available at various price points for operators putting a priority on budget. On the more expensive end of the scale, specialty oils such as avocado, safflower, and cottonseed can put a strain on your budget, but certain benefits such as avocado oil's lightly sweet flavor or safflower oil's health perks2 make them a worthwhile investment for some foodservice concepts. More economical choices include soybean, corn, and canola, making them ideal choices for many quick-service restaurants or establishments offering a menu focused on fried foods.
Many vegetable oils – when properly maintained and filtered – can be reused multiple times in a deep fryer.3 Reusing cooking oil when possible further cuts down on costs.
Flavor Profile
Most often, an oil with a neutral flavor provides the best results for deep frying. Many vegetable oils, such as soybean, safflower, corn, and canola are popular because of their unobtrusive flavors. These oils blend in with the taste of any fried food, making them a versatile, widely applicable choice for many commercial kitchens. Some chefs feel canola is the best oil to fry fish4 because it features a light taste that's unlikely to alter delicate flavors during the frying process.
While neutral oils are the most common choices, many operators opt for peanut oil, which can be used to add a mild, nutty flavor to foods. It can impart a rich taste to french fries, and for many Asian dishes, peanut may be the best oil for frying chicken, The Best Oils for Frying, According to a Chef. Taste of Home. Accessed February 2024.
