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:
“O women, kneeling by your altar-rails long hence,
When songs I wove for my beloved hide the prayer,
And smoke from this dead heart drifts through the violet air
And covers away the smoke of myrrh and frankincense;
Bend down and pray for all that sin I wove in song....”
—William Butler Yeats (18651939)
“The realization that he is white in a black country, and respected for it, is the turning point in the expatriates career. He can either forget it, or capitalize on it. Most choose the latter.”
—Paul Theroux (b. 1941)