There are definitely other neutral, high-heat oils that work well for frying—canola oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, avocado oil, and rice bran oil, to name a few—but they tend to cost a whole lot more than generic vegetable oil.
The refined oils that are most often used for deep frying include safflower and soybean oil, the latter of which is often labeled as vegetable oil. Decker says the most stable picks are high in a fat called oleic acid, and recommends using peanut or canola oil.
Can Canola and Vegetable Oil Be Used Interchangeably in Recipes? The short answer is yes! Both of these oils are great options for various cooking methods such as frying, sautéing, and baking.
Canola oil has a smoke point of 400⁰F while olive oil has a smoke point up to 470⁰F making it a better overall cooking fat for high heat cooking making it more versatile.
Canola Oil Disadvantages
Some studies show that a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 can raise your risk of certain diseases and conditions, such as Alzheimer's, obesity, and heart disease. Canola oil is also highly refined. This means it goes through a process that uses heat and chemicals to extract the oil.
Heart-healthy oils like safflower oil and rice bran oil are perfect because they can withstand frying temperatures of almost 500° F. You can also look to peanut oil and sunflower oil if you're frying at 450° F, or canola oil and vegetable oil to keep temperatures around 400° F.
Canola oil is generally considered a “healthy” oil because it is very low in saturated fat (7%). Like olive oil it is high in monounsaturated fat (63%).
Its high smoke point and low level of saturated fat make it a compelling choice. And because it is neutral in flavor, it won't impart any additional flavors to your food. Which means that by any measure, whether it's smoke point, health or cost, canola oil is the best oil for deep-frying.
Canola oil
It has a high smoke point, which means it can be helpful for high-heat cooking. That being said, in the United States, canola oil tends to be highly processed, which means fewer nutrients overall.
Due to its high smoke point, vegetable oil is the best oil for deep frying. Canola oil and peanut oil are other popular options. While vegetable oil, canola oil, and peanut oil are the most popular oils for deep frying, there are several other oil options you can choose: Grapeseed Oil.
Canola oil is always a solid choice with its smoke point between 400-450°F (204-230°C). Soybean oil is great for frying with a smoke point of 450-495°F (230-257°C).
Canola oil has a smoke point of 400 degrees F, and vegetable oil (when made from corn or soybeans) can reach 450 degrees F. This means that you can use vegetable and canola oil for just about anything in the kitchen: deep-frying, searing, sautéing, frying, and more.
The cooking oils with the highest smoke points are Cultured Oil (485°F) and avocado oil (up to 482°F), while olive oil (up to 406°F) is considered moderate. Other vegetable oils have moderate smoke points around 400 ºF or higher.
KFC products are fried in oil which may contain the following: Canola Oil and Hydrogenated Soybean Oil with TBHQ and Citric Acid Added To Protect Flavor, Dimethylpolysiloxane, an Antifoaming Agent Added OR Low Linolenic Soybean Oil, TBHQ and Citric Acid Added To Protect Flavor, Dimethylpolysiloxane, an Antifoaming ...
Once in our kitchens, we cook them in our canola-blend oil so you can have them crispy and hot—just the way you like them. Want to hear more about our fry ingredients? Get the down low on how we flavor our fries.
Canola is a good choice for cooking and baking because it's low in artery-clogging saturated fat (lower than olive oil) and high in heart-healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats.
When it comes to cooking, canola oil is great for both high and low heat cooking. Butter burns easily, and should be used for low-medium heat cooking or baking only. Using canola oil or butter at the wrong temperature range changes the taste of food and damages the antioxidants.
Our recommendation: With breaded and battered foods, reuse oil three or four times. With cleaner-frying items such as potato chips, it's fine to reuse oil at least eight times—and likely far longer, especially if you're replenishing it with some fresh oil.
Oils that contain lower levels of linoleic acid, such as olive and canola oil, are better for frying. Polyunsaturated oils, such as corn, sunflower, and safflower, are best for using in dressings rather than cooking with.
What Type of Oil Should I use for Cooking My Steak? When cooking steak in cast iron skillets, you want to use a type of oil that has a high smoke point. For example, peanut oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, and avocado oil are ideal options for cooking steak due to their high smoke points.
Olive oil actually has a relatively high smoke point and is a safe, reliable option for frying. On top of that, it is one of the healthiest cooking staples around. Olive oil has been named “the healthiest fat on Earth,” in part because of its unique ability to reduce the risk of heart disease.
All oils can withstand varying levels of heat, but overheating can cause cooking oil hazards. If that level is exceeded, however, the oil not only begins to lose its nutritional value and flavor, it produces toxic fumes and hazardous substances called free radicals.