Selecting a Frying Fat

Not every fat is suited for the high temperatures of deep-fat frying. Vegetable oils, except for olive or sesame oil, and hydrogenated shortenings (without additives such as emulsifiers), all of which are 100 percent fat, are the ones most commonly used for this purpose. The vegetable oils most frequently used include cottonseed, corn, canola, peanut, and safflower. Many vegetable oils are chosen for frying because they have little flavor of their own and will not overpower the flavor of even lightly seasoned or bland foods. On the other hand, some foods call for butter as a sauteing fat to enhance flavor, but the heat must be carefully controlled because the water and milk solids in butter cause it to spatter and burn more easily. Margarine is not recommended for frying because, in addition to containing water, it has a low smoke point. Any foods fried in a fat that has reached its smoke point will develop an unpleasant flavor.