Ah, yes. The internet hive mind loves to scream that canola oil is “highly processed” and therefore poison. Let me stop you right there. All cooking oils are processed to some degree. Olive oil is crushed and pressed. Coconut oil is squeezed from hairy nuts. Canola is typically extracted with a solvent called hexane, but the vast majority of that solvent is removed during refining. These are industrial processes, not witchcraft.
Difference Between Frying With Canola Oil And Vegetable Oil at Samuel
What you’re left with is a clean, light oil with a very high smoke point. Is it a whole food? No. Is it going to turn your liver into a science experiment? Also no, unless you’re drinking it by the gallon. People have been frying in canola for decades without spontaneously combusting. Let’s keep that perspective.
A Few Pro Tips for Canola Glory
Want to be a frying legend? Use a deep-fry thermometer. Canola oil’s sweet spot for frying is between 350°F and 375°F. If it’s too cold, your food absorbs oil like a sponge and gets sad. Too hot, and you get smoke alarms and a burnt dinner. Yes, you can use canola in a cast-iron skillet too—just don’t let it sit on high heat for an hour.
Also, don’t pour your used canola oil down the sink unless you enjoy calling a plumber while crying. Let it cool, strain it through a coffee filter, and either reuse it or toss it in a sealed container. Your pipes will thank you. Your future self, finding no clog, will also thank you.
