Thanks to its neutral flavor, affordable price, and high smoke point, canola oil is the most popular oil for frying fish. Peanut, cottonseed, and coconut oil are also great fish frying oils. Keep reading to discover the benefits of each oil you can use to fry fish.
Canola oil has a neutral flavor and is the best oil to fry fish because there's no risk of it overshadowing the taste of your fish. It also has a high smoke point, and because it is highly refined, canola oil is very stable. It contains high levels of omega-6 and -3 fatty acids, which makes it a healthy oil option.
Canola oil is a good choice because it has a neutral flavor and is inexpensive, which is perfect for such high-volume use. You can use a refined olive oil (not extra-virgin) to deep-fry, but keep in mind it will not make your deep-fried food healthier.
You can use shortening or mild vegetable oil, one of the best oils to fry fish. Standard vegetable oil is affordable and nearly flavorless, and canola or peanut oil works well too.
"Extra-virgin olive oil is an excellent choice for cooking, even for high-heat methods like frying," she says. "Pan-frying fish in olive oil gives it a wonderfully crispy crust, and it's a divine light choice since you don't have to lather it in batter or leave it in marinades for hours on end."
Summary: Researchers have studied the changes that take place in fish lipids and in the oil during frying processes, and have concluded that using extra virgin olive oil is the best choice.
The healthiest way to fry fish is to use extra virgin olive oil, especially if this is done in the microwave, a new study has found. The frying techniques, the nature of the oil used and the fish species have been shown to exert a great influence on the changes that take place during the process.
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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.
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.
Fry the fish for 5 to 7 minutes on one side, then flip and fry for another 5 minutes. Once golden brown and easy to flake with a fork, transfer the fish to a paper towel-lined plate or baking rack. Sprinkle with salt if desired. Make sure the oil returns to 375° and repeat steps until all the fish is fried.
Coat fish pieces in 1/2 cup (125 mL) flour before dipping in batter. Gently place in hot canola oil to deep fry. Cook until golden, about 6 minutes. Remove from canola oil with slotted spoon, drain on paper towels.
Butter or oil for fish
Fry fish in a mixture of oil and butter, it creates more heat resistant frying fat. The oil should go in first. Wait until the butter stops spluttering and baste the fish during frying. Once you have fried a piece of fish in butter, you've virtually created your sauce in the pan.
Use a medium heat and add a little butter or oil to the pan if necessary. Pan frying is a good way to get the flavor of deep fried fish with fewer calories if you are watching your calorie intake. Using a light coating of crumbs or flour instead of a thick batter can reduce the fat and calories as well.
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.
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.
Corn Oil. Refined corn oil is often used in frying, thanks to its smoke point of 450°. It has a neutral flavor, and is used frequently in commercial kitchens because of its low price point.
Avoid vegetable oils that are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids for deep frying. These include soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, rice bran oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil and sesame oil.
“Fish and chips need to be cooked in an oil with an animal fat base,” said Susman. “Frytol is the number one brand. If you want to use a vegetable oil for health reasons then you might as well go and eat a poke bowl.”
Traditional frying uses beef dripping or lard; however, vegetable oils, such as palm oil, rapeseed or peanut oil (used because of its relatively high smoke point) now predominate.
“Are your chips fried in the same oil as the fish etc?” In short, yes. The fish oil is changed daily and deep filtered into the chip pans. All the batter and contaminants are removed but the result is a more golden oil to colour up the chips, but all the chip oils start life frying fish.
Don't skip the flour coating, since it provides a delicious crispy texture, protects the fish from soaking up too much oil, and also keeps the fillet in one piece. For best results, use a heavy-bottomed pan, as it distributes the heat evenly.
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.
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.