Smokepoint

[wxtornado]

Is it okay to reach this point? Do you ever want the fat to smoke, or is that the point where you turn the heat down?

Also, I've seen a phrase in a recipe "when the fat breaks, or starts to smoke...." - does "break" mean the same thing here?

 

[Andy M.]

Some foods suggest you get the fat very hot before adding the food. Then you see the instruction, add the food when the fat starts to smoke. That little bit of smoke is OK. If you continue to let the fat heat up with no food added, the smoke will increase and the fat can catch fire and burn.

 

[ironchef]

If you want to get a good sear on your foods, you need to let the oil come to a smoking point. When the "fat breaks" probably refers to when the oil starts to shimmer along the bottom the pan. I've never heard that expression before unless they are referring to butter and not oil.

 

[YT2095]

for Wok cooking it`s often essential to reach "Peng" (chinese for the correct heat), as for Fats the only dish I know that requires that is Yorkshire pudding, but I dare say there are others also.

 

[wxtornado]

Thanks much for your answers folks. To continue, can the fat "go bad" if you let it smoke too much? Will it alter the aroma or taste of the food you're cooking?

Ironchef, I don't remember exactly what context I read the "fat breaking" term - I got that out of ProChef (CIA book) tho.....

 

[Andy M.]

The oil's flavor will change when it burns and it will negatively effect the taste of the food.

 

[Uncle Bob]

I fry alot of fish using peanut oil which has a high smoke point...I normally drop the fish at about 370*/380* which gives me a quick "seal" then the oil will usually drop down into the 350*/360* range to finish...this is using a propane burner with alot of BTU and good recovery...Inside on a Viking gas range I have to use a long pan (cast iron) that covers 2 burners...Of course I could fry smaller batches...but that takes to long when cooking several pounds of fish...by the time I would finish everything else..some of the fish would be getting a little cool....Someone said.."Fried food is not bad for you..but bad fried food is"

 

[BreezyCooking]

I never allow fat to reach that point. I look for the "wrinkle" point, where you'll see a wrinkling shimmer on the surface. That comes right before things start to smoke.

The "wrinkling" point is quite hot enough for me, thank you - lol!!

 

[attie]

I fry alot of fish using peanut oil which has a high smoke point...I normally drop the fish at about 370*/380* which gives me a quick "seal" then the oil will usually drop down into the 350*/360* range to finish...this is using a propane burner with alot of BTU and good recovery...Inside on a Viking gas range I have to use a long pan (cast iron) that covers 2 burners...Of course I could fry smaller batches...but that takes to long when cooking several pounds of fish...by the time I would finish everything else..some of the fish would be getting a little cool....Someone said.."Fried food is not bad for you..but bad fried food is"

The question made me think about our deep fryers at work ------ starting to smoke = hit the stop button -- real quick. Then the next stage is flickers of flame coming from the surface of the oil = panic stations,vacate the premises, call the fire brigade LOL

 

[petey]

Smoke is not good as the oil at that point has changed scientifically. If my oil starts to smoke i'll clean the pot out and start over.

 

[ironchef]

Smoke is not good as the oil at that point has changed scientifically. If my oil starts to smoke i'll clean the pot out and start over.

There's a difference between letting the oil smoke, letting the oil smoke and discolor, and letting the oil get to it's flash point. There's also differences between different cooking applications. You can't just go by one rule because it can change depending on the oil, the temperature, and the cooking method.

For deep frying, you don't want the oil to get to smoking temperature but for sauteeing or pan frying it's not really an issue. Olive oil's smoking point is at 370-380 F. Most other oils like Canola or Sunflower have their smoking point at 470-500 F. That is why olive oil is not preferred for deep frying. You can still use it but unlike other oils, you're not going to be able to use it multiple times.

 

[boufa06]

Smoke is not good as the oil at that point has changed scientifically. If my oil starts to smoke i'll clean the pot out and start over.

It may sound extreme but it is not without merit. If the oil begins to smoke, it means that it begins to break down. This generates substances called free radicals (right YT?) that are bad news healthwise (ageing and cancer-causing agents). These are the reason behind doctors' admonishing against eating fried anything. I do like several fried dishes myself and applying the 'quick seal' on meats initially is a must for most Greek meat dishes. However, there is no denying that there is a tradeoff between good taste and good health. That's why what Petey does is not as far fetched as it may sound at first. He is obviously a strict practicioner of the 'better safe than sorry' principle.

 

[bstorm]

Uncle Bob--have you ever tried frying fish in coconut oil?? It seems to have a high "smoking point" and a little goes a long way. When my husband fries fish, he does so in a skillet with just about a 1/2 in. of the oil in the bottom. It takes a little longer than deep frying, but it tastes wonderful and of course we aren't feeding an army when we do it that way! My girls think it smells like movie theatre popcorn when it's hot!!

 

[Andy M.]

You don't hear of people using coconut oil often. It's extremely high in saturated fat.