Cooking With Fat – Smoke Point
Saturated, unsaturated, olive, canola, lard, butter…the list could go on. There are many different varieties of fats which can lead to some confusion but the main topic we’re going to discuss is: smoke point. The “smoke point” of a fat refers to the temperature at which a fat begins to smoke (pretty straight-forward). Learning how to understand those smoke signals is a crucial element to cooking.
While minimal smoking is okay, once you break past the smoke point you’re heading towards a danger zone. When the smoke point is surpassed, the fat starts to break down, releasing free radicals and a substance called acrolein, the chemical that gives burnt foods their taste and smell. Many unrefined oils or “virgin” oils contain minerals, enzymes, and other compounds that don’t fare well with heat. Although they are more nutritionally promoted, they tend to be more susceptible to rancidity (do to the low smoke point). For an oil to have a high smoke point, manufacturers use industrial-level refinement processes such as bleaching, filtering, and high-temperature heating to extract and eliminate those compounds. What’s left? A neutral-flavored oil with a longer shelf life and a higher smoke point.
So how do we know which oils to use for different cooking methods? As a general guideline it is suggested that we use oils with smoke points at or above 400°F (canola oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, etc.) when cooking at high temperatures. Below is a list of some of the more common cooking techniques and recommended oils for each.
Searing: The main goal is to heat meat as rapidly as possible to promote browning. Choose a neutral fat with a high smoke point like peanut, corn, or vegetable oil.
Sautéing: Smoking hot oil is not necessary for sautéing, therefore, virgin olive oil and other medium smoke point fats.
Stir-Frying: Wok cooking is fast and relies on a thin coating of super-hot oil to lubricate your food. With this cooking method you’ll want a really high smoke point oil (peanut or safflower) for the best (and safest) results.
Check the smoke points below to see if you’re using your oils appropriately. -SY