In cooking, the smoke point of an oil or fat is the temperature at which it begins to break down to glycerol and free fatty acids, and produce bluish smoke. The glycerol is then further broken down to acrolein which is a component of the smoke. It is the presence of the acrolein that causes the smoke to be extremely irritating to the eyes and throat. The smoke point also marks the beginning of both flavor and nutritional degradation. Therefore, it is a key consideration when selecting a fat for frying, with the smoke point of the specific oil dictating its maximum usable temperature and therefore its possible applications. For instance, since deep frying is a very high temperature process, it requires a fat with a high smoke point.
The smoke point for an oil varies widely depending on origin and refinement. The smoke point of an oil does tend to increase as free fatty acid content decreases and degree of refinement increases. Heating oil produces free fatty acid and as heating time increases, more free fatty acids are produced, thereby decreasing smoke point. It is one reason not to use the same oil to deep fry more than twice. Intermittent frying has a markedly greater effect on oil deterioration than continuous frying.
Considerably above the temperature of the smoke point is the flash point, the point at which the vapors from the oil can first ignite when mixed with air.
The following table presents smoke points of various fats:
Fat | Quality | Smoke Point | |
---|---|---|---|
Almond oil | 420°F | 216°C | |
Avocado oil | Refined | 520°F | 271°C |
Avocado oil | Un-Refined, Virgin | 375-400°F | 190-204°C |
Butter | 250–300°F | 121–149°C | |
Canola oil | Expeller Press | 375-450°F | 190-232°C |
Canola oil | High Oleic | 475°F | 246°C |
Canola oil | Refined | 400°F | 204°C |
Castor oil | Refined | 392°F | 200°C |
Coconut oil | Extra Virgin (Unrefined) | 350°F | 177°C |
Coconut oil | Refined | 450°F | 232°C |
Corn oil | Unrefined | 352°F | 178°C |
Corn oil | Refined | 450°F | 232°C |
Cottonseed oil | 420°F | 216°C | |
Flax seed oil | Unrefined | 225°F | 107°C |
Ghee (Indian Clarified Butter) | 485°F | 252°C | |
Grapeseed oil | 420°F | 216°C | |
Hazelnut oil | 430°F | 221°C | |
Hemp oil | 330°F | 165°C | |
Lard | 370°F | 188°C | |
Macadamia oil | 413°F | 210°C | |
Mustard oil | 489°F | 254°C | |
Olive oil | Extra virgin | 375°F | 191°C |
Olive oil | Virgin | 391°F | 199°C |
Olive oil | Pomace | 460°F | 238°C |
Olive oil | Extra light | 468°F | 242°C |
Olive oil, high quality (low acidity) | Extra virgin | 405°F | 207°C |
Palm oil | Difractionated | 455°F | 235°C |
Peanut oil | Unrefined | 320°F | 160°C |
Peanut oil | Refined | 450°F | 232°C |
Rice bran oil | 490°F | 254°C | |
Safflower oil | Unrefined | 225°F | 107°C |
Safflower oil | Semirefined | 320°F | 160°C |
Safflower oil | Refined | 510°F | 266°C |
Sesame oil | Unrefined | 350°F | 177°C |
Sesame oil | Semirefined | 450°F | 232°C |
Soybean oil | Unrefined | 320°F | 160°C |
Soybean oil | Semirefined | 350°F | 177°C |
Soybean oil | Refined | 460°F | 238°C |
Sunflower oil | Unrefined | 437°F | 225°C |
Sunflower oil | Semirefined | 450°F | 232°C |
Sunflower oil, high oleic | Unrefined | 320°F | 160°C |
Sunflower oil | Refined | 440°F | 227°C |
Tea seed oil | 485°F | 252°C | |
Vegetable shortening | 360°F | 182°C | |
Walnut oil | Unrefined | 320°F | 160°C |
Walnut oil | Semirefined | 400°F | 204°C |
Famous quotes containing the words smoke and/or point:
“Gossip is a sort of smoke that comes from the dirty tobacco-pipes of those who diffuse it: it proves nothing but the bad taste of the smoker.”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)
“Most childhood problems dont result from bad parenting, but are the inevitable result of the growing that parents and children do together. The point isnt to head off these problems or find ways around them, but rather to work through them together and in doing so to develop a relationship of mutual trust to rely on when the next problem comes along.”
—Fred Rogers (20th century)