Whether you’re trying to deep fry donuts or shallow fry latkes for Hanukkah for the first time, mixing up the perfect dressing for your weeknight dinner salad, or sautéing veggies for a side dish to serve alongside your festive feast, oil plays a key role in everyday and holiday cooking. But using the right oil is crucial not only to make sure everything tastes perfect, but also to ensure your safety. From vinaigrettes to shallow frying, there’s no one oil that can do it all. So where to begin? We’ve put together a guide to help you choose the best cooking oil for your family favorites, every time.
Cooking oil basics
Before we break down all the different oils you can choose from, it’s important to get a few basics out of the way. Here, you’ll find terms that may pop up in recipes or tips that can impact your cooking.
What is an oil’s smoke point?
Smoke point is the temperature at which oils overheat, degrade, smoke, and even combust. An oil’s smoke point can range from about 300° F to over 475°F. An oil’s smoke point affects what it’s best used for, so we’ve provided approximate smoke points below so you can choose the best—and safest—oil for your needs.
A note about cooking oil safety: Never pour water on an oil fire. Water causes the flames to sputter, shoot out, and spread more rapidly. Use a proper fire extinguisher, if you have one, or smother oil fires with a pot lid, a fire-suppression blanket, or by pouring salt on smaller flames. In an emergency, call 911 immediately.
What is neutral oil?
This describes an oil’s flavor, or in this case, lack of flavor. Neutral oils are often the most practical for many uses and include oils like canola, vegetable, grapeseed, corn, avocado, and peanut oil.
What’s the difference between refined and unrefined oil?
Refining involves heat, filtration, or other processes, resulting in oils that are neutral in flavor and have higher smoke points, like some canola, coconut, and soybean oils. Unrefined oils, like some extra virgin olive oils, are not processed. They add more flavor but have lower smoke points. Additionally, cold-pressed oils are extracted without the use of heat or chemicals which leaves an oil similar to refined, without the refining process.
How to dispose of oil
For a few tablespoons of oil, you can safely allow the pan to cool, wipe out any excess oil with a paper towel and wash as usual. If you’re frying with larger quantities of oil, allow the oil to cool completely. Oil that is clear and still pale in color can be reused two or three times. Strain oil through a coffee filter into a can or jar with a lid. Store the used oil in a sealed container for up to three months in a cool dry place or in the refrigerator. If the oil is cloudy, foamy, or smells bad, discard it. Do not pour used oil down the drain. Instead, collect it in a sealed container and dispose of it in the garbage.
Types of cooking oils
Grapeseed oil
This versatile neutral oil comes from the pips of wine grapes. Grapeseed oil has a smoke point of 420°F, it’s a great choice for anything, from salad dressings to grilling.
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
“Extra virgin” means that the oil comes from the first (cold) pressing of the olives. Flavors may range from buttery to grassy to peppery depending on the olive variety and where it’s grown. With a smoke point under 350°F, EVOO is best where flavor matters and best skipped for high-heat cooking. For a hint of flavor without bitterness, blend EVOO with a neutral oil for salad dressings.
Peanut oil
If peanut allergies are not a concern, this is the top choice for deep frying. Peanut oil contains both saturated and unsaturated fats. It’s a refined, neutral oil that has a smoke point of 450°F.
Corn oil
If nut allergies are a concern, corn oil is the next best choice. It has a neutral flavor and a smoke point of 410°F to 450°F. Corn oil is an economical choice for deep frying, which requires a significant amount of oil compared to other uses.
Avocado oil
Avocado oil is made from avocado pulp and has one of the highest known smoke points at 520°F. This is great for high-heat sautéing, roasting, salad dressings, and baking.
Sunflower oil
Made from sunflower seeds, sunflower oil is neutral in flavor and has a high smoke point of 410°F to 450°F, making it a great all-purpose oil. It’s best for sautéing versus deep frying because its nutritional value lessens at sustained high heat.
Canola oil
Also known as rapeseed oil, canola oil comes from a plant that is a relative of turnips. A Canadian company developed a low-acid strain of the plant for cooking oil, and the name ‘canola’ is actually a hybrid of the words Canadian oil and low-acid. Canola oil is one of the most versatile, all-purpose oils. We prefer it for baking or sautéing. Some find it has an unpleasant fishy aroma when heated to high temperatures for a prolonged time.
Coconut oil
Unrefined or virgin coconut oil solid at room temperature. It’s a good alternative to shortening, lard, butter, or margarine in baking. Since it adds a mild coconut flavor, it’s best in sweet recipes or curries. Coconut oil is also excellent for sautéing.
Vegetable oil
Vegetable oil is a general term for oils made from plants. Vegetable oils are blends of various refined oils, including soybean oil. They’re neutral in flavor and have a high smoke point of about 400°F. Because they are flavorless, widely available, and low in price, vegetable oils are the most common all-purpose oils.
Olive oil (light/pure/regular)
After EVOO is made, olives are usually pressed again a few times to produce more oil. This refined neutral flavored oil, called regular, light, or pure olive oil has a smoke point of about 450°F to 465°F. It’s an excellent all-purpose oil.
Annette Tomei is a chef and hosts the Kitchen Arts & Letters Cookbook Club and Talk & Taste at Essex Market in New York City. She loves to inspire others with her work to explore the rich world of food and drink. She grew up in a lively Italian American family and now lives in the picturesque Hudson Valley with her little dog Penny.
