The smoke point of an oil is the point at which an oil begins deteriorating or the point in which the oil begins to convert into free fatty acids. All oils have different smoke points, and those with the highest smoke points are the best for frying. Most neutral-flavored cooking oils have the highest smoke points, while oils from nuts or fruits tend to have lower smoke points. The flash point is the temperature at which a small amount of flame will begin to emanate from the surface of the oil. This generally begins at about 600 degrees F, and signals that the oil temperature has reached a dangerous level. The fire point is about 700 degrees F. When the oil reaches this point, it will ignite. Never use water to put out an oil or grease fire. Cover the pan with a lid, dump in a box of baking soda, or use a fire extinguisher. The point is to suffocate the flame. Smoke points of fats Safflower oil: 450 degrees F Peanut oil: 450 degrees F Soybean oil: 450 degrees F Canola oil: 435 degrees F Corn oil: 410 degrees F Sesame oil: 410 degrees F Sunflower oil: 390 degrees F Olive oil: 375 degrees F Lard: 361-401 degrees F Vegetable shortening: 356-370 degrees F Unclarified butter: 350 degrees F
We use coconut oil for cooking , and I do not even see that on your list , @Ken Anderson ? From what I. Have read, it is supposed to be stable at higher hets for cooking; but I have never read the specifics like you are posting for the other oils.
Okay, from another source, here are some more, including coconut oil Smoke points of various oils Soy oil: 320 degrees F Walnut oil: 320 degrees F Hemp seed oil: 320 degrees F Coconut oil: 350 degrees F Macadamia nut oil: 390 degrees F Sesame oil: 410 degrees F Grapeseed oil: 420 degrees F Almond oil: 420 degrees F Avocado oil: 520 degrees F
If you heat just about any oil very hot, it begins to smoke visibly. But, how close are the Smoke Points actually to the Ignition Points? Couple hundred degrees, it looks like, by which time everybody is out of the dwelling, unable to breathe the smoke! Frank
Unless I am way more careless than most, I am thinking that most people have encountered an oil fire at one point or another. I smothered one only a few days ago, and I will say that I wasn't the cook involved in that one.
@Ken Anderson I truthfully cannot remember a cooking fire in our home while growing up, but have heard of big fires happening in restaurants. Almost as bad in our home was the clogging of the pressure cooker "jiggler" with lentils, and the safety disc blowing out, spraying the stuff on the ceiling! One truly memorable fire I had happened thusly: Loved Arby's Roast Beef sandwiches, threw one in the microwave to reheat, turned away, heard loud crackling, looked, and was startled to see the sandwich's wrapper in flames! Close look revealed, the paper had aluminized core of some kind, but still looked and felt like paper on the outside! Frank
I'm not talking about the house burning down, but a flame in a frying pan or broiler. That could turn into something worse, I'm sure, but fairly easy to extinguish by smothering.