What Are the Best Oils for Frying?
Updated: Aug. 14, 2018Here are the best (and worst!) oils for frying.
Fried shrimp, deep-fried turkey, French fries, tempura veggies, crispy fried chicken—it’s all good, right? Of course it is! But how do we choose the right oil to perfect all these delicious goodies? The cooking oil aisle at the grocery store presents a wide variety, but do different oils affect the taste of foods cooked in them? Do they react differently to the higher temperatures needed for frying? Let’s find out.
All About Smoke Point
First things first: “Smoke point” is the temperature at which the oil begins to break down and, yep, begin smoking. This can give the oil an unpleasant taste and spoil the flavor of the foods you cook in it. Not to mention setting your smoke detector off and putting you in panic mode.
Scared of deep frying? Read our beginner’s guide.
The Best Oil for Frying
Refined oils can have a higher smoke point and therefore are best for higher-temperature pan- and deep-frying. This group includes
- Peanut oil
- Soybean oil
- Vegetable oil
- Safflower oil
- Canola oil
- Corn oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Sunflower oil
Battered fish, shrimp, tempura vegetables, and other breaded deep-fried foods require a temperature of 350-375° to maintain a crispy coating without absorbing the oil and becoming greasy. For these foods, you’ll want to select one of these oils with a high smoke point to maintain quality and flavor. Canola oil is always a good choice because of its neutral flavor and affordability, particularly if you are preparing large amounts of food.
Here’s how to properly dispose of frying oil.
What About the Other Oils?
Pressed oils like extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, and nut oils are made by squeezing the oil from these luscious foods and are therefore excellent for dishes where robust flavor is desired. It varies by specific oil, but pressed oils can have a lower smoke point—making them more apt for quick and flavorful saute. Keep an eye on your pan to make sure the oil doesn’t smoke.
These oils can be on the pricier side, too, so you might want to save them for applications where you’ll really taste them, as in salad dressings, drizzling and for dipping your home-crafted Italian bread sticks as a side dish.
Butter also has a low smoke point (and inimitable flavor) that makes it so ideal for baking. If you really want a buttery flavor in your saute, mix it with a higher-smoke point oil, or melt some butter into your dish once it’s finished cooking. For more info on smoke points of common cooking oils, bookmark this guide.
Best-Ever Fried Chicken
Crispy, juicy and perfectly seasoned, this really is the best fried chicken recipe, ever. Summer reunions and neighborly gatherings will never be the same. When I was growing up, my parents had a farm, and every year, Dad would hire teenage boys to help by haying time. They looked forward to coming because they knew they would be treated to some of Mom's deep fryer recipes, including this delicious fried chicken. —Lola Clifton, Vinton, Virginia Got leftovers? Here's how to reheat fried chicken and keep it crispy.
Air-Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken
I live in Tennessee and absolutely love our state's famous Nashville hot chicken. To make cooking it easier, I thought I’d try air-frying. I’m so glad I did—this Nashville hot chicken recipe is almost better than the original. —April Lane, Greeneville, Tennessee Looking for an air fryer? Here's our Test Kitchen's favorite brand.
Southern Fried Chicken with Gravy
Fried chicken may have been perfected in the South, but it is loved everywhere! Seasonings add a little something extra to this recipe, as does a rich gravy. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Gram's Fried Chicken
As a boy, I wolfed down my grandmother's fried chicken. I never knew how she made it, but my recipe using potato flakes is crispy close. —David Nelson, Lincolnton, North Carolina
Crispy Sage Chicken Tenders
One of my mom's favorite chicken recipes used fresh sage. Her version was smothered with gravy, but we like these panko-crusted tenders as they are. —Deb Perry, Traverse City, Michigan
Potluck Fried Chicken
This Sunday dinner staple is first fried and then baked to a crispy golden brown. Well seasoned with oregano and sage, this classic is sure to satisfy diners at church potlucks or late-summer picnics. I love fixing it for family and friends. —Donna Kuhaupt, Slinger, Wisconsin
Oven-Fried Chicken Drumsticks
This fabulous recipe uses Greek yogurt to create an amazing marinade that makes the chicken incredibly moist. No one will guess that it has been lightened up and is not even fried! — Kim Wallace, Dennison, Ohio
Tempura Chicken Wings
When I moved to Kansas City from Texas, I brought many of my mom's best-loved recipes with me, including these saucy sweet-and-sour wings. The recipe is so good it turned a friend who's not a fan of chicken into a real wing lover. —Susan Wuckowitsch, Lenexa, Kansas
Crispy Fried Chicken
If you've wanted to learn how to make crispy fried chicken, this is the recipe for you. Always a picnic favorite, this deep fried chicken recipe is delicious either hot or cold. Kids call it my Kentucky Fried Chicken! —Jeanne Schnitzler, Lima, Montana
Crispy Ranch Fried Chicken
It's almost impossible to improve crispy fried chicken. A sprinkling of ranch dressing mix in the coating makes it happen, though. The empty-in-seconds serving platter is proof. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Fried Chicken Strips
I recently made this recipe of Mom's for my in-laws and they told me it was the "best fried chicken ever." Slicing the chicken breasts into strips cuts down on cooking time and ensures every piece is crunchy and evenly coated. Serve the homemade chicken tenders with your favorite dipping sauce. —Genny Monchamp, Redding, California
Southern-Style Oven-Fried Chicken
I call this America’s best-loved oven-fried chicken. The secret is in the breading, which makes the chicken super moist and flavorful, herby and golden brown. —Elaina Morgan, Rickman, Tennessee
Family-Favorite Fried Chicken
I was never impressed with the fried chicken recipes I'd tried, but then I started to experiment and came up with one that my whole family loves. Once you taste it, you'll know why! —Samantha Pazdernik, Breckenridge, Minnesota
Picnic Fried Chicken
For our family, it's not a picnic unless there's fried chicken! Chicken, deviled eggs and potato salad are all musts for a picnic as far as my husband is concerned. This is a "Golden Oldie" recipe for me—I've used it any number of times. —Edna Hoffman, Hebron, Indiana
Spicy Oven-Fried Chicken
My family loves this chicken recipe. The coating keeps the chicken nice and moist—with the taste enhanced by marinating, the result is delicious. —Stephanie Otten, Byron Center, Michigan
Potato Chip Chicken Strips
This novel recipe is a fast and tasty change from fried chicken.—Sister Judith LaBrozzi, Canton, Ohio
Real Southern Fried Chicken
As a Yankee originally from Vermont, I didn't know one fried chicken from another. They all seemed pretty much the same to me. Tasting the Southern version opened my eyes! A side of hot biscuits served with butter and honey is practically mandatory. —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia
Crispy Barbecue Chicken Tenders
These crunch-coated chicken tenders are a little sweet, a little tangy and a whole lot of fun. In half an hour, your family's new favorite dish is ready to eat. When I have extra time, I roast garlic and add it to the sauce. —Andreann Geise, Myrtle Beach, South CarolinaPopular Videos
