{"id":95719,"date":"2023-10-18T06:00:37","date_gmt":"2023-10-18T06:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/?p=95719"},"modified":"2023-10-18T07:28:30","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T07:28:30","slug":"what-is-an-oil-smoke-point-and-why-does-it-matter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/what-is-an-oil-smoke-point-and-why-does-it-matter\/","title":{"rendered":"What is an Oil Smoke Point & Why Does it Matter?"},"content":{"rendered":"

So long as you can deep fry with it, the type of oil you\u2019re using doesn\u2019t really matter, right? Well, you\u2019ve got it all wrong. For many years, most of us only knew about sunflower, canola, vegetable and vis olie<\/em>. But there are a number of different oils and they each have what\u2019s called a \u2018smoke point\u2019. Apart from avoiding burning your kitchen down, the smoke point of an oil is important for various reasons. Most people usually buy one type of oil for general purpose useage, but it\u2019s worth learning about the respective properties of oils.<\/p>\n

\"what<\/p>\n

Some things to consider when buying oil is whether it will be used for baking, cooking, frying or dressing. Another factor is the flavour of the oil. While there are odourless oils, certain types of oils lend a unique flavour to dishes. Sesame and peanut oil, typically used in Asian dishes, have a distinct flavour and are used to impart that note into dishes. Olive oil is another example, as there are different styles<\/a>\u00a0based on the olive cultivar used that could impact the overall flavour profile of dishes.<\/p>\n

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But what does this have to do with the smoke point of oils?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Oils can be categorised as refined, unrefined and cold-pressed. Certain oils that undergo refinement are stripped of impurities, this also neutralises the natural odour and flavour of oil. When oil is refined, this changes its chemical composition and impacts the smoke point.<\/p>\n

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Refined and Unrefined Oil<\/h3>\n

More refined oils generally tend to have a higher smoke point, which is important to consider if your dish requires a longer cook time. Using an oil with a lower smoke point for frying could result in burning and impart an unpleasant taste to your food, which would be a discredit to your efforts in preparing the dish.<\/p>\n

Why are oils refined?<\/h4>\n

There are twenty-two different types of oil commercially available. Oil is extracted from plants and seeds, like avocado, sunflower, canola (rapeseed), soybean or peanut oil \u2013 these are commonly known as \u2018vegetable oil\u2019. After the oil is expressed from the plant or seed, manufacturers then decide whether it will be bottled, refined or processed further.<\/p>\n

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Oil is refined and bleached in order to remove impurities and nutrients, which produces a more stable chemical composition. Basically, the smoke released as a result of oils being heated at high temperatures is the breaking down of fatty acids. Refined oils contain fewer fatty acids, meaning they have higher smoke points and are able to withstand higher temperatures. These oils are generally suited for deep-frying, grilling at high temperatures, slow \u2018n low cooking or tempering spices when making curry. For example, refined oil may be better for frying than cold-pressed oil.<\/p>\n

Unrefined oils<\/h4>\n

Oils that are bottled straight away are referred to as unrefined, raw, cold-pressed or virgin oils. Common household oils that are unrefined include extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil<\/a>. These are normally thought of as \u2018healthier\u2019 oils because they undergo minimal intervention and processing and the flavour, nutrients and minerals are retained.<\/p>\n

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Supermarkets usually stock both refined and unrefined versions, this is normally dependent on the marketed purpose of the oil (baking, cooking, deep frying). Unrefined oils are \u2018fresher\u2019 and thus have a shorter shelf-life, as they haven\u2019t been bleached or filtered. As a result, they tend to contain more fatty acids, meaning they have a lower smoke point.<\/p>\n

Saturated:<\/strong> products like butter, ghee and lard contain saturated fats.
\nUnsaturated fats:<\/strong> oils which are liquid at room temperature and sourced from seeds and nuts are generally healthier choices.
\nMonounsaturated fats:<\/strong> oils with a single double bond, such as omega 9 and oleic acid.
\nPolyunsaturated oils:<\/strong> omega-3 & 6 fatty acids oils contain more bonds, meaning they have lower smoke points.<\/p>\n

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Different Smoke Points of Oils<\/h3>\n

Most people wouldn\u2019t have a thermometer to check the exact smoke point of oil, and sticking your finger in the oil is not advised, for obvious reasons. When preparing oil for either shallow or deep frying, we can normally tell when the oil is properly heated as it begins to shimmer or ripple. If the oil exceeds the point of shimmering and is heated for too long, it reaches a temperature where smoke is released, also known as the \u2018smoke point\u2019.<\/p>\n

\"smoke<\/p>\n

The smoke point is the temperature at which the chemical composition of the oil alters and free fatty acids break down due to heat and exposure to oxygen, resulting in the build-up of carcinogens.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

High Smoke Point<\/h4>\n

These oils usually contain monounsaturated fats with fewer bonds to break down, meaning they have higher smoke points<\/a>. Any reading from 204 \u00b0C and above is considered a high smoke point. These oils are good for deep frying, tempering curry spices and grilling. Refined avocado oil has one of the highest smoke points, followed by safflower and rice bran oil.<\/p>\n

\"what<\/p>\n

Saturated fats (think butter) generally have a lower smoke point and tend to burn easily, whereas saturated fats such as coconut and palm oil have higher smoke points. Ghee or clarified butter is an exception, as water and milk solids are removed through heating. Vegetable oil is unpredictable, as it ranges anywhere between 204 to 232 \u00b0C. Canola and peanut oil have medium smoke points and are more stable oils.<\/p>\n

Low Smoke Point<\/h4>\n

Oils with low smoke points are not normally recommended for preparing foods that require longer cook times. These types of oil usually have a smoke point below 203 \u00b0C. Unrefined or virgin oils that are thought to be less neutral in flavour typically have a lower smoke point. Examples include duck fat, grapeseed oil and unrefined sesame oil.<\/p>\n

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Smoke Point Chart<\/h3>\n

When purchasing oil, bear in mind that in the same way nutritional values differ across brands, the smoke point may differ depending on the treatment of the oil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<\/colgroup>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Type of Oil<\/strong><\/td>\nSmoke Point<\/strong><\/td>\nRecipe Suggestions<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Refined Avocado Oil<\/td>\n271 \u00baC<\/td>\nBraaied Rump Steak Kebabs<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Safflower Oil<\/td>\n266 \u00baC<\/td>\nDeep Fried Rice Balls with Chorizo Dust<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rice Bran Oil<\/td>\n254 \u00baC<\/td>\nDeep Fried Chicken & Veg Dumplings<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Refined Olive Oil<\/td>\n240 \u00baC<\/td>\nSmoked Paprika Spatchcock Chicken<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Soybean Oil<\/td>\n232 \u00baC<\/td>\nSweet & Sour Stir Fry<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Peanut Oil<\/td>\n232 \u00baC<\/td>\nCrispy Ginger Calamari<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ghee<\/td>\n232 \u00baC<\/td>\nPork Neck Vindaloo Curry<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Refined Coconut Oil<\/td>\n232 \u00baC<\/td>\nMini Coconut & Almond Doughnuts<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sunflower Oil<\/td>\n232 \u00baC<\/td>\nRice Paper Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Refined Sesame Oil<\/td>\n210 \u00baC<\/td>\nPopcorn Chicken with Dipping Sauce<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vegetable Oil<\/td>\n204-232 \u00baC<\/td>\nAmagwinya<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Beef Tallow<\/td>\n204 \u00baC<\/td>\nPot au Feu<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Canola Oil<\/td>\n204 \u00baC<\/td>\nCrunchy Mozzarella & Ham Pap Bombs<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Extra Virgin Olive Oil<\/td>\n200-220 \u00baC<\/td>\nGnocchi in Creamy Basil Pesto<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Grapeseed Oil<\/td>\n199 \u00baC<\/td>\nBaa Baa Balsamic Lamb Pie<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Virgin Avocado Oil<\/td>\n190 \u00baC<\/td>\nBaba Ganoush with Sesame Lavash<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Duck Fat<\/td>\n190 \u00baC<\/td>\nDuck Fat Roast Potatoes<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chicken Fat<\/td>\n190 \u00baC<\/td>\nChicken & Chorizo Olive Bake<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pork Lard<\/td>\n188 \u00baC<\/td>\nSpicy Korean-inspired Pork & Potato Stew<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Unrefined Sesame Oil<\/td>\n177 \u00baC<\/td>\nMiso Glazed Trout\u00a0<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Unrefined Coconut Oil<\/td>\n177 \u00baC<\/td>\nCauliflower Rice Lamb Biryani<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Butter<\/td>\n150 \u00baC<\/td>\nSticky Toffee Pudding<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Learn all about The Difference Between Extra Virgin & Other Olive Oil Varieties<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So long as you can deep fry with it, the type of oil you\u2019re using doesn\u2019t really matter, right? Well, you\u2019ve got it all wrong. For many years, most of us only knew about sunflower, canola, vegetable and vis olie. But there are a number of different oils and they each have what\u2019s called a \u2018smoke point\u2019. Apart from avoiding burning your kitchen down, the smoke point of an oil is important for various reasons. Most people usually buy one […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8133,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4098],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-95719","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"acf":[],"brand_slug":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95719","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8133"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=95719"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95719\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":107785,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95719\/revisions\/107785"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=95719"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=95719"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=95719"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}