Deep fry oil

[The Cod Father]

Whats the best to use For deep frying

[ice dawg]

Ya don't seem to want to tell us what you are going to deep fry, so here goes.................. ..................

         
 
 
 

Best Frying Oil
For deep-frying different food items, you need a good frying oil. But did you know that not all oil are suitable for frying. Go through this article to know which are the best oil for frying.
Although there are many different types of oil that can be used for cooking, not all are suitable for frying. The best frying oil are those that have both a high smoking point and a high flash point. The smoking point is the temperature at which the oil breaks down and it begins to emit smoke. Most oils have their flash point very close to their smoking point. When you are frying something like meat or poultry a high smoking point is desirable as it cooks it quickly, sealing the moisture in.

Oils are generally of two kinds - refined and unrefined oil. Refined oils are extracted by using heat, so they are able to withstand high temperatures, and they also have a higher smoking point. Refined oils are the best frying oil and are very useful for deep-frying. Unrefined oils are cold extracted and they have a comparatively lower smoking point. Some popular unrefined oils are olive oil, almond oil, pine nut oil, etc. These oils, because of their low smoking point, are not suitable for frying and are not included in the list of best frying oils. They are mostly used in salad dressing and for sauteing to impart good flavor.

Best Oil for Frying Fish

What is the best oil for frying fish? The answer is peanut oil, canola oil and mustard oil. All of these oils have a high smoking point which keeps the fish crisp on the outside and juicy inside. For all those people who enjoy fish and chips, here are some tips for making the most mouth-watering and tasty fried fish. Before adding the fish fillet or steak into the oil, remember to bring the oil to the right temperature. Many people neglect this, with the result that the fish turns out to be either too soggy or too dry. To test whether the oil is hot enough, just drop a piece of onion or a bit of parsley. If it turns golden brown then the oil is ready. Just before you start to fry the fish, sprinkle about half a teaspoon of coarse sea salt into the oil to prevent splattering. Also keep in mind that you should fry only two or three pieces of fish in the pan at a time, depending on the size of the pan. This is because the temperature of the oil drops if you put in too many pieces at once.

If you are cooking fish by lowering a basket of fish into the hot oil, make sure that you do not attempt to fry another batch too soon. The fish will absorb all the oil, making it taste quite soggy and distasteful. Use safflower oil or corn oil as they are flavorless and also can be heated to quite a high temperature. Avoid using olive oil or argan oil because although they are very healthy, they have a low smoking point and as they have a distinctive flavor it can interfere with the way fish tastes. Another thing to remember while frying fish is that the level of oil in the pan in which the fish is being fried should not exceed more than two or three inches. This is because excess oil is very unstable and can cause serious burns if it is accidentally overturned. Always transfer the fish on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil before serving.

Best Oil for Frying French Fries

Everybody enjoys a plate of French fries to go with their favorite burger. The best oil for frying French fries is one that has a high smoking point and will not break down at a temperature of less than 400º F. So the best frying oil for French fries are peanut oil and canola oil. One way to get the crisp texture in French fries, like the ones you get in your favorite diner, is to double fry the potatoes. In this method, a small batch of potatoes are fried until they appear almost translucent and then they are quickly removed and placed on paper napkins to drain. Fry the entire batch in this way. Now refry these strips of potatoes by immersing them in the hot oil. This method, although not very healthy, produces French fries that are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.

So we have seen that the best frying oils are those that have a high smoking point and do not have any distinctive or strong flavors. Peanut oil, grape seed oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil falls under this category and these oils can be used for deep-frying many dishes.

[The Cod Father]

Thanks I had no idea it goes that deep

[Nightbird]

Good question, Cod Father! I had also been wondering about this subject last week, when frying battered burbot and pike in canola oil. Thanks for the detailed info, ice dawg!

[captain54]

One other point is peanut oil does not hold flavor,by this I mean if you fry fish then potatoes they will not taste like fish. I'm sure you have all eaten fried food (not fish) that taste or smells like fish,thats because who ever fried it didn't use peanut oil.

[tinyfisher]

Peanut oil, for sure.  "Fry Oil" that you can get at Sam's is quite a bit cheaper and works well also.  I normally buy a new jug every year for thanksgiving, and just re-use the oil most of the year.  I always season my oil before frying fish in it, so I normally fry a bunch of onions and taters with new oil before frying fish ing it.

x2 on the teice fried fries.  I often take my leftover fries from dinner or whatever and pan fry them the next day...better than they were the night before!

[walleyewayne]

canola

[NanookofN-MN]

For your heart olive oil is best.  They did a study of Italians and found that even though they consume about the same amount of fried food weed do they do have the same heart issues we do.  I have used it and like the way it fries and the way the fish taste.

[pfscott]

Bakers and Chefs from Sams club works ok for me, and it's cheap. Probably not the best, as you can see from above posts, but it's cheap.

[DaveSS1]

For deep frying all I ever use is peanut oil for many of the reasons mentioned above.

[DaveSS1]

For your heart olive oil is best.  They did a study of Italians and found that even though they consume about the same amount of fried food weed do they do have the same heart issues we do.  I have used it and like the way it fries and the way the fish taste.

We cook with a lot of olive oil, and as it may be alright to saute a trout in a pan, I would not recommend it for deep frying/pan frying at high temperatures.  Your heart healthy oil can break down and become unhealthy.

[walleyewarrior44]

Definitely peanut oil

[Snakehunter]

I use canola for general deep frying. I keep a seperate jug marked for fish so as to not cross-contaminate flavours.
For my turkey fryer I always used pure peanut oil with great results. I tried canola once to save money and the results were just okay.
I asked a friend to pick me up a big jug of peanut oil in Minnesota last year at Menards. He got me a peanut oil blend. I haven't used it yet so I can't comment. Probably won't use it until summer.

[TheDL]

IceDawg nailed it!  Good info in here.  Short answer, Canola or Peanut.  Also, Snakehunter's mention of separate jug for used fish oil works wonders.  And double fried fries are the only way to go.

TinyFisher - you said peanut oil doesn't absorb the taste of other foods...do you really cook fish and chicken,etc in peanut oil and find zero transfer to fries?  I find that hard to believe, but I've not tried peanut oil as it's more costly.  Would be worth it if it really didn't retain fish/meat tastes. 

Dave

[gearheart]

Olive oil, although very healthy in its natural state, will break down at the elevated temperatures used in deep frying and result in the production of some rather unhealthy compounds.  Save the olive oil for the salad.

[Skipper]

The Cod Father.... I love your user name by the way.

I really like the Sams Club creamy deep fry shortening. No smoke, no stink, lasts forever and it's dirt cheap. It comes in 5 gallon jugs though.

Peanut oil is good stuff too. It is the secret to great fried taters too! I avoid the "vegetable oil" from the grocery store like crisco and wesson, it stinks my house up and leaves an off taste on everything.

[fishlessman]

lard doesnt anyone remember how good mcdonalds fries were, a crispy lain old fashioned donut, a deep fried hotdog. im not that old but i remember.

[Perch_Whisperer]

Canola is definately the heathiest of all the oils also cheaper than olive oil, has no distinctive flavour and is grown right here in North Americ. Its a no Brainer. But maybe I am biased because I am a canola farmer.

[traveler05]

all oils good or bad arent good for you when superheated,as in deepfrying, so I guess peanut or canola oil is best. I would go with peanut oil.

[TheDL]

all oils good or bad arent good for you when superheated,as in deepfrying,

Well, I agree oil's not that healthy - but I thought the hotter it was the less absorbed into the food, hence hotter+healthier.   

Wouldn't colder oil be worse for you due to it soaking into your food?

 

[Skipper]

Know your flashpoint... use a non contact thermometer to keep track of your oil temp. Too cold will give you a soggy mess, too hot will smoke and give a funny flavor.

An oil fire in your kitchen is a real disaster! A thermometer will ensure quality of food and safety of your home and family. It is a great thing to add to your kitchen for only the price of a couple cases of beer.

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/electrical/electrical-tools-accessories/ryobi/ir-thermometer-95087.html

[RIVERRAT2]

Well, I agree oil's not that healthy - but I thought the hotter it was the less absorbed into the food, hence hotter+healthier.   

Wouldn't colder oil be worse for you due to it soaking into your food?

 

YES, but what is the oil,that makes the difference,we used lard[god made not man made]
i like 350 to 400`F for deep frying[use canola oil now, to old to make lard ]
hope this helps
 
RAT

[ice pig 121]

How do you store the oil after its been used.  Does is need to be refridgerated?