Is Your Cooking Oil Cutting It?

Alright, SoCal chefs and restaurant owners, let’s talk frying oil – because, let’s be real, with those prices lately, it’s practically liquid gold!

We all know the struggle: you want those crispy, golden fries and perfectly fried seafood, but you’re also watching those bottom lines. So, what’s the magic oil? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but let’s break it down in a way that makes sense for us here in sunny SoCal.

First things first: What’s important to you?

• The Flavor Factor: You want that food to taste amazing, right? We’re talking neutral oils that let your ingredients shine, and definitely no smoky aftertaste.
• The Budget Bite: Cost is huge. But remember, it’s not just the price per gallon. It’s how long that oil lasts before it’s toast. Durability is key!
• The Heat is On: Smoke point matters, especially with those high-volume fryers. You need an oil that can handle the heat without breaking down and ruining your food.

Let’s get down to the oils:

• For the Light Stuff (Salads & Sautéing):

• Think hazelnut, walnut, or flaxseed. These are your fancy oils, perfect for drizzling and adding flavor, but they’re not built for frying.
• Olive oil and unrefined coconut oil are great for sautéing and baking, but not ideal for deep frying due to their lower smoke points.
• For the Serious Fryers (High Heat):

• This is where we live in SoCal! Sunflower, safflower, corn, canola, refined peanut, soybean, cottonseed, and rice bran are your go-to’s.
• They’re neutral, generally budget-friendly, and have those high smoke points (400-470°F). Remember, most fryers run around 350-375°F, so a higher smoke point means longer oil life.

• Price vs Smoke Point
• The infographic below, courtesy of Tasty Thais compares price and smoke point for 28 different cooking oils.

The choice of oil also depends on what you are going to do with it: deep fat frying, baking or sauteeing. Palm oil is great for frying but the deforestation that results from the expansion of palm oil plantations is a big concern worldwide.

What are the big guys doing?

• We all know those fast-food giants do a ton of frying. They are blending oils to get the perfect balance of price and performance.
• Canola and peanut oil are popular for their high smoke points and neutral flavors.
• Soy and corn oil are popular due to their low cost.
• Blending oils is a very common practice to balance cost, durability and flavor.

The SoCal Solution: Blending It Up!

• The trend is clear: blending oils is where it’s at. You can customize your blend to match your menu and your budget.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment! Maybe a canola-peanut blend for your fries and a soybean-corn blend for your chicken.
• Talk to your bulk oil supplier, they may be able to create custom blends for your restaurant.

The Bottom Line:

• The best cooking oil is the one that hits that sweet spot of flavor, cost, and durability for your restaurant.
• Don’t be afraid to switch things up! If your current oil isn’t cutting it, explore your options.
• And hey, don’t forget to maximize those used cooking oil rebates! Every little bit helps.

Let’s keep those fryers hot and those customers happy, SoCal!

And don’t forget, when you need to recycle all that fry oil call Phoenix Pumping 858-437-9438.