When choosing a cooking oil for your recipe it is crucial that you choose one which can safely heat to the temperature required. If an oil goes beyond that point, it can break down and harmful substances may be released into the air when smoke is produced, which can include dangerous carcinogenic compounds. It is therefore important to avoid allowing your oil to produce smoke. Some oils should only be used for gentle sautéing as indicated in the table below. If you are deep frying with oil the temperature should range between 162˚ C/325˚ F and a maximum of 190˚ C/375˚ F.
| Oil | Smoke Point (°C) | Smoke Point (°F) | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avocado oil | 271 ˚C | 520 ˚F | Sautéing, frying, roasting |
| Coconut oil – cold-pressed | 177 ˚C | 350 ˚F | Sautéing, frying, roasting |
| Corn oil | 178 ˚C | 352 ˚F | Sautéing, frying, roasting |
| Flaxseed oil – cold-pressed | 107 ˚C | 225 ˚F | Sautéing |
| Grapeseed oil | 216 ˚C | 421 ˚F | Sautéing, frying, roasting |
| Groundnut/peanut oil | 232 ˚C | 450 ˚F | Sautéing, frying, roasting |
| Groundnut/peanut oil – unrefined | 160 ˚C | 320 ˚F | Sautéing |
| Olive oil – extra virgin | 207 ˚C | 405 ˚F | Sautéing, frying, roasting |
| Olive oil - virgin | 210 ˚C | 410 ˚F | Sautéing, frying, roasting |
| Palm oil | 235 ˚C | 455 ˚F | Sautéing, frying, roasting |
| Rapeseed oil | 204 ˚C | 400 ˚F | Sautéing, frying, roasting |
| Rapeseed oil – cold-pressed | 107 ˚C | 225 ˚F | Sautéing |
| Safflower oil | 266 ˚C | 510 ˚F | Sautéing, frying, roasting |
| Safflower oil – cold-pressed | 107 ˚C | 225 ˚F | Sautéing |
| Sunflower oil | 232 ˚C | 450 ˚F | Sautéing, frying, roasting |
| Sunflower oil – cold pressed | 107 ˚C | 225 ˚F | Sautéing |
| Vegetable oil | 220 ˚C | 428 ˚F | Sautéing, frying, roasting |
Animal fats and shortenings have relatively high smoking points and so are good for frying and roasting. As they are solid, they are also good for including in pastry that needs to either cook at a high temperature or for a long time, such as hot water crust pastry. If I need to brown meat for a stew or casserole, I tend to use lard or beef dripping as the meat seems to brown better than when using oil.
| Fat | Smoke Point (°C) | Smoke Point (°F) | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef dripping | 210 ˚C | 410 ˚F | Frying, baking, roasting |
| Lard | 188 ˚C | 370 ˚F | Frying, baking, roasting |
| Goose fat | 190 ˚C | 375 ˚F | Frying, roasting |
| Duck fat | 190 ˚C | 375 ˚F | Frying, roasting |
| Butter | 150 ˚C | 302 ˚F | Sautéing |
| Butter – clarified | 250 ˚C | 482 ˚F | Sautéing, frying, roasting |
| Vegetable shortening | 165 ˚C | 329 ˚F | Frying, baking, roasting |
