Fried shrimp, deep-fried turkey, French fries, tempura veggies, crispy fried chicken—it’s all good, right? Of course, it is! But how do we choose the right oil to perfect all these delicious goodies? The cooking oil aisle at the grocery store presents a wide variety, but do different oils affect the taste of foods cooked in them? Do they react differently to the higher temperatures needed for frying? Let’s find out.
All About Smoke Point
First things first: Smoke point is the temperature at which the oil begins to break down and start smoking. This can give the oil a rancid, unpleasant taste and spoil the flavor of the foods you cook in it. Not to mention setting your smoke detector off and putting you in panic mode. The higher temperature you need to cook in, the higher the smoke point the oil you use will need.
New to deep-frying? Read our handy frying guide.
The Best Oil for Frying
For most recipes, you’ll want your oil to be heated to somewhere between 350-375°F. This temperature allows the breading to crisp up quickly, which prevents the food from absorbing the oil and becoming greasy. It also isn’t so high that it burns your food quickly.
In addition to smoke point, you’ll also want to consider flavor and price. Most of the time, neutral oils are best for frying because they don’t impart any flavor to the fried food. Also, deep-fried foods turn out best when they’re fully submerged in hot oil, making inexpensive oils the preferred choice. These are some of our picks for the best oils for frying: