The phrase
"smoking point" refers to the temperature at which a substance, such as cooking oil or butter, starts to produce smoke.
Full definition
We do mostly Asian cooking so the
higher smoke point of coconut oil is easier to work with than olive oil.
The process of making ghee removes the milk fats and water, which renders a high
smoke point for cooking, unlike other oils such as olive and canola.
I have been using this as an alternative oil in cooking due to higher
smoke point as well.
There are a couple of reasons not to cook
above smoke points, it's definitely worth reading about.
It's my go to healthy fat and the high
smoke point makes it an ideal and healthful alternative to many oils.
Or even to olive oil, although you give up the high
smoke point when you do that.
It's also got a high
smoke point which means that it can be used for frying foods without turning into trans fats that are best to avoid.
Different oils have
different smoke points and these are often included on the product label (but not always) as «medium heat,» «medium - high heat,» etc..
It's melting point is around 76 degrees F (24 degrees C) and it has a low
smoke point too.
You want to opt for a higher
smoke point fat or oil when baking at 400 degrees.
Smoke point depends on refinement and origin of the oil and it increases * with the decrease * of free fatty acids and the growth of refinement temperature.
This is why you want to use an oil with a lower
smoke point for seasoning — it forms a harder polymer on the surface of the iron.
Just make sure to only cook with oils or fats with a high
smoke point like avocado oil, butter or ghee.
I didn't know there were oils with
high smoke points, I would always use mustard oil which it made the whole kitchen murky.
Virgin Palm Oil has a very high
smoke point at about 425 degrees F., making it an excellent oil for frying.
But throughout the year, more and more folks are setting up 30 - 40 quart pots on concrete, filling kettles with high
smoke point oils, patting the turkeys dry, putting on long heavy - duty gloves and frying juicy turkeys.
The temperatures are very high — olive oil started to smoke a lot (I used pomace which has much higher
smoking point then vergin) and my pan twisted from the heat a bit!
There is a lot of conflicting literature about olive oil out there, but here's what Nahai says, «The mechanical processing of extra virgin olive oil keeps the integrity of this concentrated source of omega - 9 fatty acids, and it's
medium smoke point offers a range of versatility for healthy cooking.
Tin Star Foods ghee has a
485º smoke point, so you can roast meats and vegetables without producing toxic fumes or harmful free radicles.
Coconut: Coconut oil is one of the most stable cooking oils, with a
350F smoke point.
The balance between SFA - MUFA - PUFA definitely has an impact
on smoke point, but a more important contributing factor is the length of the fatty acids themselves.
Since these solids are what actually burn when we fry or saute with butter, by removing them we get a frying fat with a groovy 480
°F smoke point, well above most vegetable oils (and much better tasting too).
I wouldn't use this particular blend in baking due to the extra virgin olive oil (low
smoke point = oxidized when baking, BAD!).
Based on this characteristic, you might expect it to have a lower
smoke point due to a greater risk of PUFA oxidation.
For example,
once smoke point has been exceeded, more glycerol molecules get converted into acrolein, a substance that can bring along with it unwanted health risks if we end up having overexposure to it.
While the veggies are still hot, drizzle them with a good olive oil and salt and pepper (it's okay to use oil with a lower
smoke point here, because the vegetables are done cooking).
However, there are some canola oils
whose smoke point is 520 F — how did that happen?
Nahai adds, «The shape of the cooking pan will also
affect smoke point; a sauté pan with sloping sides allows more oxygen to reach the fat versus one with vertical sides.»
For a complete overview of healthy fats and oils
including smoke points, shelf live and oxidation rate, check out my Guide to Fats & Oils.
Phrases with «smoking point»