Generally unrefined oils have lower smoke points and therefore are not as good for frying or high temperature sauteing. For sauteing I use grapeseed or refined avocado oil. You can raise the smoke point of butter or olive oil by mixing it with a higher smoke point temperature oil. Since when you are sauteing or frying the oil will reach temperatures over 350°F, make sure you use an oil which will not break down (smoke) at that temperature or lower. I usually give myself a cushion, so, for example, would only use oils above 400° to saute.
The following table from Wikipedia presents smoke points of various fats:
| Fat | Quality | Smoke Point | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flax seed oil | Unrefined | 107°C | 225°F |
| Safflower oil | Unrefined | 107°C | 225°F |
| Sunflower oil | Unrefined | 107°C | 225°F |
| Butter | 121–149°C | 250–300°F | |
| Peanut oil | Unrefined | 160°C | 320°F |
| Safflower oil | Semirefined | 160°C | 320°F |
| Soybean oil | Unrefined | 160°C | 320°F |
| Sunflower oil, high oleic | Unrefined | 160°C | 320°F |
| Walnut oil | Unrefined | 160°C | 320°F |
| Hemp oil | 165°C | 330°F | |
| Sesame oil | Unrefined | 177°C | 350°F |
| Soybean oil | Semirefined | 177°C | 350°F |
| Coconut oil | Virgin (Unrefined) | 177°C | 350°F[7] |
| Corn oil | Unrefined | 178°C[6] | 352°F |
| Vegetable shortening | 182°C | 360°F | |
| Avocado oil | Un-Refined, Virgin | 190-204°C | 375-400°F |
| Canola oil | Expeller Press | 190-232°C | 375-450°F[5] |
| Olive oil | Extra virgin | 191°C | 375°F |
| Lard | 192°C | 390°F | |
| Olive oil | Virgin | 199°C[6] | 391°F |
| Castor oil | Refined | 200°C[6] | 392°F |
| Walnut oil | Semirefined | 204°C | 400°F |
| Canola oil | Refined | 204°C[1] | 400°F |
| Olive oil, high quality (low acidity) | Extra virgin | 207°C | 405°F |
| Macadamia oil | 210°C | 413°F | |
| Tallow (Beef) | 215°C | 420°F | |
| Almond oil | 216°C | 420°F | |
| Grapeseed oil | 216°C | 420°F | |
| Cottonseed oil | 216°C[1] | 420°F | |
| Hazelnut oil | 221°C | 430°F | |
| Sunflower oil | Refined | 227°C[1] | 440°F |
| Coconut oil | Refined with stabilizers | 232°C | 450°F |
| Sesame oil | Semirefined | 232°C | 450°F |
| Sunflower oil | Semirefined | 232°C | 450°F |
| Corn oil | Refined | 232°C[1] | 450°F |
| Peanut oil | Refined | 232°C[1] | 450°F |
| Palm oil | Difractionated | 235°C[8] | 455°F |
| Olive oil | Pomace | 238°C[1] | 460°F |
| Soybean oil | Refined | 238°C[1] | 460°F |
| Olive oil | Extra light | 242°C[1] | 468°F |
| Canola oil | High Oleic | 246°C | 475°F |
| Ghee (Indian Clarified Butter) | 252°C | 485°F | |
| Tea seed oil | 252°C | 485°F | |
| Mustard oil | 254°C | 489°F | |
| Rice bran oil | 254°C | 490°F | |
| Safflower oil | Refined | 266°C[1] | 510°F |
| Avocado oil | Refined | 271°C | 520°F |
References
- ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g h i j k Wolke, Robert L. (May 16, 2007). “Where There’s Smoke, There’s a Fryer”. The Washington Post. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- Jump up^ Morgan, D. A. (1942). “Smoke, fire, and flash points of cottonseed, peanut, and other vegetable oils”. Oil & Soap 19: 193.doi:10.1007/BF02545481.
- Jump up^ Bockisch, Michael (1998). Fats and Oils Handbook. Champaign, IL: AOCS Press. pp. 95–6. ISBN 0-935315-82-9.
- Jump up^ Amit K. Das, et al, http://www.slideshare.net/amitkdas12/study-of-oil-deterioration-during-continuous-and-intermittent-frying
- Jump up^ Spectrum Organics, Canola Oil Manufacturer, http://www.spectrumorganics.com/shared/faq.php?fqid=34
- ^ Jump up to:a b c Detwiler, S. B.; Markley, K. S. (1940). “Smoke, flash, and fire points of soybean and other vegetable oils”. Oil & Soap 17 (2): 39–40.doi:10.1007/BF02543003.
- Jump up^ Nutiva, Coconut Oil Manufacturer, http://nutiva.com/the-nutiva-kitchen/coconut-oil-recipes/
- Jump up^ (Italian) Scheda tecnica dell’olio di palma bifrazionato PO 64.
- Cooking For Engineers: Smoke Point of Various Fats – another list of smoke points along with some discussion on the subject
- Good Eats: Cooking Oil Smoke Points
- The Culinary Institute of America (1996). The New Professional Chef (6th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
