Longest lasting deep frying shortening

[Traveler]

I am helping a friend with a small restaurant start up. In your opinion which would last the longest: vegetable shortening or lard ? It will be used for French fries only, and will be kept at a temp of 350 degrees F. I know the smoking point for vegetable shortening is 360 F. and lard smoking point is 370 F but which would last the longest and give the best value ?
Thank you

 

[caseydog]

I do not know what is best on a commercial scale, but I only use peanut oil in my deep fryer. I like how it performs, even at 375F degrees. However, peanut oil isn't cheap.

Good cooking oil can be strained and re-used up to a point. French fries should not dirty the oil much, anyway.

CD

 

[Caslon]

Lard might impart more flavor, seeing as how fast food restaurants are trying to use a less unhealthy frying medium. Were the fries any tastier back then? I sort of forget, my taste buds do too.

 

[Traveler]

yes, in my opinion French fries were much better tasting back in the 60's. I know that McDonalds used beef lard, but now days they have invented a vegetable oil/shortening with a slight beef flavor, but without the beef fat.

 

[Rocklobster]

They are probably both the same in terms of duration..it depends on how busy you are and how many fries you make, really..canola is probably easier to work with as it makes clean up quicker..up here it is also cheaper to buy...

 

[Caslon]

Lard is a paste. Oil pours out of plastic jugs.

Go ahead maybe...advertise as being old time heart clogging lard fried french fries.

 

[Traveler]

in Mexico, it does not really matter about heart clogging lard. They use that stuff to make dozens of daily dishes. I, personally, use canola oil and only use Crisco shortening for my pie crusts and southern biscuits. but I don't consume it on a daily basis.

 

[Roll_Bones]

I have been buying the large container at Costco of the soybean oil. I buy it because of price first, as I deep fry a lot.
It works very well and I get several frying from one pour.

 

[Traveler]

I have been buying the large container at Costco of the soybean oil. I buy it because of price first, as I deep fry a lot.
It works very well and I get several frying from one pour.

Roll_Bones: Only several frying /pour ? My goodness, that seems like an awfully expensive way to fry.

 

[caseydog]

Roll_Bones: Only several frying /pour ? My goodness, that seems like an awfully expensive way to fry.

It all depends on what you fry. If you fry a lot of breaded foods, your oil will be dirty pretty quickly, and will have to be filtered or changed.

No to mention what frying fish does to your oil.

CD

 

[Caslon]

Lard...hehehe. Crisco lard. I bought a container years ago. Never used it all up.

 

[Traveler]

It all depends on what you fry. If you fry a lot of breaded foods, your oil will be dirty pretty quickly, and will have to be filtered or changed.

No to mention what frying fish does to your oil.

CD

As I stated above, the shortening will be used exclusively for French fries. Therefore my interest lies only with that usage. ie; maximum longevity at the cheapest cost.

 

[Rocklobster]

They both will last the same, give or take..the busier you are, the quicker it will need to be changed..

 

[Roll_Bones]

Roll_Bones: Only several frying /pour ? My goodness, that seems like an awfully expensive way to fry.

Its the most economical way to deep fry. I get many pours into my Fry Daddy. The container I think is 3 gallon. Not exactly sure as its in my basement. The Fry Daddy only holds about 3-4 cups of oil.
I guess I should have said multi pours.

It all depends on what you fry. If you fry a lot of breaded foods, your oil will be dirty pretty quickly, and will have to be filtered or changed.
No to mention what frying fish does to your oil.
CD

Yes, home breaded (floured) chicken ruins it the first fry. Frozen breaded chicken is not nearly as bad. This can be strained.
I have two Fry Daddy's and one is always clean and ready to use.

 

[GotGarlic]

As I stated above, the shortening will be used exclusively for French fries. Therefore my interest lies only with that usage. ie; maximum longevity at the cheapest cost.

AFAIK, Rocklobster is the only person who has responded to you who has experience with commercial frying. I'd go with his opinion.

 

[taxlady]

AFAIK, Rocklobster is the only person who has responded to you who has experience with commercial frying. I'd go with his opinion.

+++1

 

[Traveler]

after reading the above advise, and looking at smoking points on the www ,I have decided on using canola oil for deep frying the French fries. As I said, above, they will be the ONLY thing fried in the oil.
Thanks all

 

[Caslon]

Peanut oil is more expensive but is supposed to last longer than vegetable oil as a repeat frying medium as it doesn't break down as fast under heat. Something like that. It allows for higher frying temps. Not sure it that translates into a more economical frying medium.

 

[Andy M.]

Peanut does have a higher smoke point than most oils. There are other, cheaper oils with similar smoke points. I use corn oil for deep frying. Its smoke point is well into the 400º-450ºF range.

 

[taxlady]

I don't know if it's true, but I have been told that the big advantage of peanut oil is that it doesn't pick up the flavour of the food fried in it, not even fish.