Deep Fryer Oil – The Best Cooking Oils for Deep Frying

best deep fryer oil

Deep Fryer Oil – The Best Cooking Oils for Deep Frying

If you are wondering which type of deep frying oil to use in your new electric deep fryer, then this is the article for you!

The deep fryer oil you pick will determine the taste, how healthy, how safe it is to use when cooking, and how long it will last.

I’m going to explain the safety, taste, health and oil longevity, as it pertains to deep fryer oils.

Safety – Deep Fryer Oil Smoke Point

Whether you are deep frying, or even using an air fryer, the oil is going to become very hot oil quickly. How high of an oil temperature? About 350 to 400°F!

The smoke point, or the temperature at which the oil starts to burn and smoke, for commonly used oils for deep frying are listed below.

  1. Canola oil : 400°F
  2. Vegetable oil: 400°F
  3. Olive oil : 410°F
  4. Sunflower oil: 440°F
  5. Peanut oil : 450°F
  6. Safflower oil : 450°F
  7. Soybean oil: 450°F

It is very important to monitor the temperature of the oil with a thermometer when deep frying so that it doesn’t get too hot and exceed the smoke point for the oil.

Best Tasting Oil for Deep Fryers

Like all things, you will find a million opinions and reasons as to why one oil is better than another for cooking and deep frying. However, the general consensus is that peanut oil is the best oil for deep frying for taste and safety reasons.

Typically, some of your favorite fried food is cooked in peanut oil, such as fried chicken, french fries and onion rings. It gives the deep fried food a great flavor that other deep fry oils can’t.

With a smoke point of 450°F, you don’t have to worry so much about exceeding the smoke point while deep frying with it. Unlike many other frying oil, like extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil, peanut oil doesn’t add a ton of flavoring to the fried food. This is good since you just want it for the cooking aspect of the process and not drastically altering the taste.

Peanut oil is widely used by restaurants and vendors and fairs and carnivals. You can find it in the aisles are your local grocery store by the gallon, or even on the internet at places like Amazon.com.

All of the other oils listed above will word just fine for deep frying, and it’s recommended that you experiment to see which ones you like best. Or if you want to go with the flow, using peanut will be the best bet.

Not all oils are used for frying, such as palm oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil and coconut oil.

Healthy Oil for Deep Frying

When cooking or eating fried foods, how healthy something is usually isn’t the first thing on your mind. Unfortunately, the deep frying process typically creates something called trans fats, which is bad like saturated fat. The healthiest thing to do is eat fried foods in moderation and remove the excess oil with a paper towel before eating.

Fortunately, many of the oils used for frying contain monounsaturated fat.

Deep frying drastically increases the calories and fat in foods. There’s a price to pay for all of the added taste! But if you are interested in a healthier version of deep frying, then you will want to check out the best air fryers on the market!

Peanut allergies are another thing to be aware of when consuming fried foods since peanut oil is so commonly used. Not all people with peanut allergies will have a reaction with foods cooked in peanut oil, but you definitely want to be aware of the risks.

How Much Cooking Oil do I Need for Deep Frying?

The amount of cooking oil needed for deep frying depends on what you are using for deep frying.

If you are using a pan on a stove, then you might be able to get by with about a cup or two of cooking oil.

If you are going to fry with a deep fryer, then you will need at least half a gallon of oil, but up to two to five gallons depending on if you have a big commercial deep fryer. If you are in to deep frying turkeys, then you are going to need several gallons of hot oil to submerge the turkey in the turkey fryer.

The easiest thing to do is read the manual for your deep fryer and follow the recommended amount of oil for what you are cooking.

One thing that is for sure though is that you won’t be needing any oil misters or sprayers like you need for air frying!

How Long Can You Keep Oil in a Deep Fryer Oil?

When you shell out about $20 per gallon for fresh oil, you definitely want to get the best bang for your buck in terms of using it.

The good news is that deep fryer oil can be reused. How many times? Well, that’s up for the debate and it simply depends.

Some things to look for that might indicate that it is time to throw away or recycle the oils are listed below.

  • Oil becomes darker in color and fully of debris
  • Oil has lots of debris floating or foam forms on the top
  • The oil starts to smoke and a lower temperature

When storing the oil, be sure that it is in an air-tight container and not in a warm place, such as in direct sunlight. Humidity shortens the shelf-life of any food, and that applies to cooking oil as well, so try to keep it cool and dry is possible.

Be sure to remove any food debris using a slotted spoon before storing the oil.

If the stored oil changes colors or becomes rancid, then you do not want to use it and you will need to get new cooking oil before deep frying again.

What Can You Do with Old Frying Oil?

After enjoying all of that extra flavor the oil gave your food, you now need to figure out what to do with all of that oil frying oil!

Here are some ideas of what you can do with that oil from your deep fat fryer!

Can You Pour Oil Down the Drain?

Just because water and oil do not mix, that does not give you an excuse to pour oil down the drain.

To reiterate, no, you should NOT pour old oil down the drain! It will clog your pipes, as well as the city sewer mains. If you have a septic system, it will not only clog your pipes, but the drainage and distribution lines, thus possibly causing a back-up of your sewer system.

Conclusion – Deep Fat Frying Oil

Deep frying is here to stay! It’s simply too easy and fast to not utilize in restaurants, fairs and in the home. So long as their is plenty of peanut oil available, and it doesn’t become too expensive, then deep frying will be around for a long time. Plus, it’s very difficult to fry anything with a batter if you don’t fry it in frying oil.

However, there’s a new kitchen appliance that’s taking the cooking world by storm, and it’s called an air fryer! Air fryers definitely have their pros and cons, can cook just about anything, and you can even find air fryers for under $100.

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