Cooking Oil for Highest Smoke Points

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Greg Who Cooks

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As far as I know, refined avocado oil leads the pack:
avocado oil, refined: 520 F, 271 C
safflower oil, refined: 510 F, 266 C
olive oil, extra light: 468 F, 242 C
peanut oil, refined: 450 F, 232 C
corn oil, refined: 450 F, 232 C
ghee (clarified butter): 485 F, 252 C
grapeseed oil: 420 F, 216 C
castor oil, refined: 392 F, 200 C
olive oil, extra virgin: 375 F, 191 C
Jet A1 fuel oil (kerosene): 108 F, 42 C
Okay I threw in the jet fuel just to make you smile. :)

My questions:
1. What cooking oils do you use and recommend when you want a high temperature cooking oil?

2. Which of these could be good choices for making mayonnaise?

3. I've always wondered, we all know what happens when you drink castor oil. Does it have a similar effect if you cook with it?
4. And finally, did you know that castor has a unique molecular difference from all the other triglycerides? (Hint: ricinoleic acid.)
My source article: Smoke point - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
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1. Peanut - it is cheaper than olive. The other ones are hard to come by and probably expensive.

2. I use sunflower oil, for me it has the least taste. Use oil without taste. Or if you want to have a french-style mayo, use neutral oil with extra virgin olive oil mixed 1:1. I don't like olive oil in mayo ;)

3. I have read a little bit about what's the mechanism that causes it to be a laxative. I am convinced that heating it up will not change anything, as it is activated by the enzymes in your stomach. So I would not use it for food preparation unless you serve it to your enemy ;)

4. Now I know!
 
I use peanut oil I buy in Asian markets (strong peanut flavor and aroma) for stir-frys and some other high temp uses. I use corn oil for general use and EVOO for general cooking such as sauces.
 
I use mostly olive oil for cooking, but depending on the food and frying temperature, I also occasionally use peanut or canola oil.

And I'm not adverse to using animal fats, either. I usually have lard on hand, and eggs or potatoes cooked in duck fat is pure heaven.
 
I use extra light olive oil for most sauteing and such. I usually use peanut oil when I deep fry, which isn't often. It's cheaper and easily available in gallons. I would, if I had the choice, use a mild oil like safflower for mayo. Olive oil works fine, but I think its flavor is too prominent.

Food grade castor oil is used in small quantities in preparing some home remedies and Asian herbal medicines, and it is sometimes taken as a home therapy by eating eggs cooked in it. It also appears in some food additives and chocolate. You see mention of deep frying with castor oil, but somehow you don't seem to find anyone who admits doing it.
 
As far as I know, refined avocado oil leads the pack:
avocado oil, refined: 520 F, 271 C
safflower oil, refined: 510 F, 266 C
olive oil, extra light: 468 F, 242 C
peanut oil, refined: 450 F, 232 C
corn oil, refined: 450 F, 232 C
ghee (clarified butter): 485 F, 252 C
grapeseed oil: 420 F, 216 C
castor oil, refined: 392 F, 200 C
olive oil, extra virgin: 375 F, 191 C
Jet A1 fuel oil (kerosene): 108 F, 42 C
Okay I threw in the jet fuel just to make you smile. :)

My questions:
1. What cooking oils do you use and recommend when you want a high temperature cooking oil?
I usually use corn oil, sesame oil for stir fry, butter (too lazy to make ghee unless i have to) for sauces and some eggy things, and olive oil when I want its lavor. In fact, I chose an oil according to its flavor or cost rather thasn its smoke point which is something of a recent fad. The kid has started using Avacado oil and kloves it, but she'll have to prove it to me this Txgiving before I get any.
Remember that there are many factors that affect the SP of any kind of oil, particularly olive, the most important being how thoroughly it was refined. My only real concession to SP is when I add olive oil to butter.


2. Which of these could be good choices for making mayonnaise?
Corn oil is probably the cheapest and will impart the least flavor to your mayo. Olive oil can seriously and for me, adversely, affect the taste. As you know, most French cooks make their own mayo, and the reason that they use olive oil, i think, is because it is (was?) so inexpensive there.
And in answer to this and yr next question, DO NOT USE CASTOR OIL IN MAYO!!:D About 1 Tbs (15ccs) is the minimum laxative dose for castor oil. I'm not sure why anyone would want to cook with it, especially if you watch Breaking Bad!
Cheers
 
I use canola oil for frying, light olive oil for most cooking and making mayo. Light olive oil to me is mild enough not to dominate but still has the health benefits.
Extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dunking fresh bread or rolls and dressing salads.
I only use real butter for baking, adding to mash, puree and to add flavour to a good steak.
I use sesame oil just for flavour in stir fry.
Can't go near castor oil or guava juice without gagging. My gran believed in cleansing the system often. I used to hide under the kitchen table when I spotted her with a glass of castor oil laced guava juice or epsom salts lol!
 

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