Smoking Point of Oils

Smoke points matter. The smoking point of a given oil is the temerature that an oil breaks down chemically into glycerol and free fatty acids. Glycerol further breaks down into acrolein, which is an irritant to eyes and mucous membranes.

It is important to match the oil you use to purpose.

• For oiling grill surfaces, I find that canola oil (refined) is the best all around.
• For using high heat in something like a wok or for deep frying, then I use peanut oil. It has a higher smoking point than most all readily available cooking oils.

Olive, flaxseed, grapeseed, walnut, avacado, seseme oils have a very low smoke point and should be used primarily as a dressing or flavor for salads and perhaps drizzled onto cooked foods. General rule.... if it comes in a small quantity and is costly, I do not cook with it exposing it to heat. The exception might be extra virgin olive oil, which I will mix with canola or peanut oil. This allows the smoke point to be raised while still retaioning some of the olive oil flavor. The same is true of butter.

Seasoning of cast iron, whether cookware or grates is best done at lower temps, around 350F or so. At this range, the pores of the metal are opened (expanded), but will not burn canola, peanut or vegetable oils.

The chart below is from Wikipedia

Fat	Quality	Smoke Point
Almond oil		420°F	216°C
Avocado oil	Refined	520°F	271°C
Butter		250–300°F	121–149°C
Canola oil	Expeller Press	375-450°F[5]	190-232°C
Canola oil	High Oleic	475°F	246°C
Canola oil	Refined	400°F	204°C[1]
Castor oil	Refined	392°F	200°C[6]
Coconut oil	Extra Virgin (Unrefined)	350°F[7]	177°C
Coconut oil	Refined	450°F	232°C
Corn oil	Unrefined	352°F	178°C[6]
Corn oil	Refined	450°F	232°C[1]
Cottonseed oil		420°F	216°C[1]
Flax seed oil	Unrefined	225°F	107°C
Ghee (Indian Clarified Butter)		485°F	252°C
Grapeseed oil		420°F	216°C
Hazelnut oil		430°F	221°C
Hemp oil		330°F	165°C
Lard		370°F	188°C
Macadamia oil		413°F	210°C
Mustard oil		489°F	254°C
Olive oil	Extra virgin	375°F	191°C
Olive oil	Virgin	391°F	199°C[6]
Olive oil	Pomace	460°F	238°C[1]
Olive oil	Extra light	468°F	242°C[1]
Olive oil, high quality (low acidity)	Extra virgin	405°F	207°C
Palm oil	Difractionated	455°F	235°C[8]
Peanut oil	Unrefined	320°F	160°C
Peanut oil	Refined	450°F	232°C[1]
Rice bran oil		490°F	254°C
Safflower oil	Unrefined	225°F	107°C
Safflower oil	Semirefined	320°F	160°C
Safflower oil	Refined	510°F	266°C[1]
Sesame oil	Unrefined	350°F	177°C
Sesame oil	Semirefined	450°F	232°C
Soybean oil	Unrefined	320°F	160°C
Soybean oil	Semirefined	350°F	177°C
Soybean oil	Refined	460°F	238°C[1]
Sunflower oil	Unrefined	225°F	107°C
Sunflower oil	Semirefined	450°F	232°C
Sunflower oil, high oleic	Unrefined	320°F	160°C
Sunflower oil	Refined	440°F	227°C[1]
Tea seed oil		485°F	252°C
Vegetable shortening		360°F	182°C
Walnut oil	Unrefined	320°F	160°C
Walnut oil	Semirefined	400°F	204°C