Cooking Fat and Oil Smoke Points

What Are The Smoking Points For Common Cooking Fats & Oils?

Selecting the right fat or oil can significantly improve your dish’s flavor and texture when cooking. One crucial factor to consider is the oil smoking point—the temperature at which fat or oil starts to break down and smoke.

When this happens, it not only affects the taste of your food but can also release harmful compounds. That’s why understanding the smoke points of various oils and fats is essential for choosing the right one for each cooking method.

For high-heat cooking techniques like frying or searing, you’ll want oils with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil or refined peanut oil, which can handle the heat without breaking down. On the other hand, for lower-heat tasks like sautéing or drizzling over salads, extra virgin olive oil or butter adds flavor while keeping things at a more moderate temperature.

In this post, I’ll explore the smoke points of common cooking fats and oils and how to use them to your advantage. By understanding these basics, you can make informed choices in the kitchen, resulting in better-tasting meals and safer cooking practices.

BY OIL

Almond oil	420°F	218°C
Avacado oil - unrefined	375°F	190°F
Avocado oil	520°F	271°C
Butter	300°F	150°C
Canola oil	225°F	107°C
Canola oil - refined	400°F	204°C
Clarified Butter (Ghee)	485°F	252°C
Coconut oil	350°F	177°C
Corn oil - refined	450°F	232°C
Corn oil - unrefined	320°F	160°C
Cottonseed oil	420°F	216°C
Flaxseed oil	225°F	107°C
Grapeseed oil	420°F	216°C
Hazelnut oil	430°F	221°C
Hemp seed oil	330°F	165°C
Low acidity extra virgin olive oil	405°F	207°C
High-oleic sunflower oil - refined	450°F	232°C
High-oleic sunflower oil - unrefined	320°F	160°C
Lard	370°F	182°C
Macadamia nut oil	390°F	199°C
Mustard Oil	489°F	254°C
Olive oil - extra virgin	320°F	160°C
Olive oil - virgin	420°F	216°C
Olive oil -extra light	468°F	242°C
Olive oil - pomace	460°F	238°C
Palm kernel oil	450°F	232°C
Palm oil	450°F	232°C
Peanut oil	440°F	227°C
Peanut oil - refined	450°F	232°C
Peanut oil - unrefined	320°F	160°C
Safflower oil	510°F	266°C
Safflower oil - refined	450°F	232°C
Safflower oil - semirefined	320°F	160°C
Safflower oil - unrefined	225°F	107°C
Semirefined canola oil	350°F	177°C
Sesame oil	410°F	210°C
Sesame oil - semirefined	450°F	232°C
Sesame oil - unrefined	350°F	177°C
Soy oil - refined	450°F	232°C
Soy oil - semirefined	350°F	177°C
Soy oil - unrefined	320°F	160°C
Soybean oil	495°F	257°C
Sunflower oil	440°F	227°C
Sunflower oil - semirefined	450°F	232°C
Sunflower oil - unrefined	225°F	107°C
Vegetable shortening	360°F	182°C
Virgin olive oil	420°F	216°C
Walnut oil - semirefined	400°F	204°C
Walnut oil - unrefined	320°F	160°C

By Temperature

Canola oil	225°F	107°C
Flaxseed oil	225°F	107°C
Safflower oil - unrefined	225°F	107°C
Sunflower oil - unrefined	225°F	107°C
Butter	300°F	150°C
Corn oil - unrefined	320°F	160°C
High-oleic sunflower oil - unrefined	320°F	160°C
Olive oil - extra virgin	320°F	160°C
Peanut oil - unrefined	320°F	160°C
Safflower oil - semirefined	320°F	160°C
Soy oil - unrefined	320°F	160°C
Walnut oil - unrefined	320°F	160°C
Hemp seed oil	330°F	165°C
Coconut oil	350°F	177°C
Semirefined canola oil	350°F	177°C
Sesame oil - unrefined	350°F	177°C
Soy oil - semirefined	350°F	177°C
Vegetable shortening	360°F	182°C
Lard	370°F	182°C
Avacado oil - unrefined	375°F	190°F
Macadamia nut oil	390°F	199°C
Canola oil - refined	400°F	204°C
Walnut oil - semirefined	400°F	204°C
Low acidity extra virgin olive oil	405°F	207°C
Sesame oil	410°F	210°C
Almond oil	420°F	218°C
Cottonseed oil	420°F	216°C
Grapeseed oil	420°F	216°C
Olive oil - virgin	420°F	216°C
Virgin olive oil	420°F	216°C
Hazelnut oil	430°F	221°C
Peanut oil	440°F	227°C
Sunflower oil	440°F	227°C
Corn oil - refined	450°F	232°C
High-oleic sunflower oil - refined	450°F	232°C
Palm kernel oil	450°F	232°C
Palm oil	450°F	232°C
Peanut oil - refined	450°F	232°C
Safflower oil - refined	450°F	232°C
Sesame oil - semirefined	450°F	232°C
Soy oil - refined	450°F	232°C
Sunflower oil - semirefined	450°F	232°C
Olive oil - pomace	460°F	238°C
Olive oil -extra light	468°F	242°C
Clarified Butter (Ghee)	485°F	252°C
Mustard Oil	489°F	254°C
Soybean oil	495°F	257°C
Safflower oil	510°F	266°C
Avocado oil	520°F	271°C

 

Cooking Tip - Once you burn cooking oil, forget about it. It is NO longer good to cook with, so throw it out and start over.

Refined or Unrefined Oils

The key differences between refined and unrefined cooking oils lie in how they are processed, their flavor, smoke points, and nutritional properties:

1. Processing:
   • Refined oils undergo additional processing to remove impurities, odors, and flavors. This process often involves filtering, bleaching, and deodorizing the oil.
   • Unrefined oils are minimally processed, typically by cold-pressing or expeller-pressing, preserving most of their natural characteristics.
2. Flavor:
   • Refined oils are usually neutral in flavor because the refining process strips away much of the oil's natural taste. This makes them versatile for cooking without altering the flavor of a dish.
   • Unrefined oils retain the natural flavors of the source, like the fruity notes of extra virgin olive oil or the nutty taste of unrefined sesame oil, which can enhance certain dishes.
3. Smoke Point:
   • Refined oils generally have higher smoke points, making them ideal for high-heat cooking methods such as frying or searing.
   • Unrefined oils have lower smoke points and are better suited for low-heat cooking or as finishing oils for salads and drizzling.
4. Nutritional Value:
   • Refined oils lose some nutrients during processing.
   • Unrefined oils retain more vitamins, antioxidants, and beneficial compounds, making them more nutritious.

*IMPORTANT - So that you know, the tables above offer you approximate smoking point temperatures but will vary depending on many environmental factors.

Other Important Ingredient Conversions

BEAN CONVERSIONS	INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
HERB CONVERSIONS	MUSHROOM CONVERSIONS
GRAIN CONVERSIONS	PASTA/RICE CONVERSIONS
INGREDIENT CONVERSIONS	TOMATO CONVERSIONS