What Is The Best Cooking Oil For Frying

Best Oil to Fry Fish

Fried fish and chips on a plate

If you don't have the correct type of oil, your fish can turn out leathery or greasy, which will be bad for your customers. So which type of oil is best for deep frying fish? Keep reading to learn the things you need to consider when frying fish, the different oil options you have, and some general tips to cook the perfect fried fish.

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Things to Consider When Choosing Oil for Deep Frying Fish

The type of oil that you use to deep fry your fish can have a major impact on how it fries, the taste, and the texture, so it's important that you choose the right oil for the task. Here are three major things you need to consider when choosing oil for frying fish:

The Smoke Point. The smoke point is the temperature when oil starts to break down and become unusable. When deep frying fish, you want to use oil that has a high smoke point because you need to fry the fish at a high temperature.
The Flavor. Fish is delicate, so you want to choose oil that has a neutral flavor that won't overpower the fish.
Flavor Transfer. If you're frying different types of seafood (or even different types of food) at the same time, you want to prevent the flavors from transferring.

Best Oil for Deep Frying Fish

To help you make the right decision, here are four types of oil that are excellent for deep frying fish, their smoke points, and a few reasons why they're good choices for your fish fry:

Peanut Oil

Smoke Point: 450 Degrees
Benefits: Peanut oil is affordable, and it has a neutral flavor that won't affect the flavor of your fish. Plus, peanut oil prevents flavor transfer.

Canola Oil

Smoke Point: 400 Degrees
Benefits: Canola oil has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor. Also, it has high levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, making it a healthy option.

Cottonseed Oil

Smoke Point: 450 Degrees
Benefits: Cottonseed oil has a high smoke point. It's also affordable, making it an excellent option for establishments that are frying in bulk and need to stock up on oil.

Coconut Oil

Smoke Point: 450 Degrees
Benefits: Coconut oil is the healthiest option for deep frying your fish. It also has a neutral flavor that will reduce flavor transfer between batches of frying.

Best Fish to Deep Fry

There are many different types of fish, but not all of them are good for deep frying. When choosing a fish to deep fry, look for an option that has a neutral flavor and isn't too oily. Additionally, most fish that has white flesh is typically a good option for frying.

Fried shrimp with cocktail sauce

Here are some of the best types of fish to fry:

Tilapia
Alaskan Cod
Catfish
Halibut
Striped Bass
Trout
Perch
Shrimp

When choosing a fish to fry, neutral flavored and lean fish is the best way to go. Additionally, many types of freshwater fish, such as bass, trout, or catfish, are perfect for frying. Stay away from options like tuna, salmon, or sea bass when frying, though, as they are dense and oily, which isn't compatible with frying.

Tips for Deep Frying Fish

After you've decided what type of oil is best for your situation, you need to decide how to fry your fish. Here are a few general tips for deep frying fish that can help you serve a delicious and flaky product to your customers:

Fish is delicate, and when it's exposed to high heat, it can quickly turn leathery and tough, so be sure to coat your fish in batter before deep frying it. The batter will protect the fish from the hot oil and seal all the moisture inside the fish, ensuring that you have a perfectly cooked and moist cut of fish.
You want to cook your fish at the perfect temperature. If the temperature is too high, it'll get scorched and burn, and if it's too low, you risk the batter absorbing too much oil and tasting greasy. The best temperature for frying fish is between 360 and 380 degrees.
If you're cooking multiple batches of fish, you want to ensure that your fryer is set to the correct temperature. To prevent your fryer from cooling down, you can set it to a higher temperature.

Selecting the right kind of oil can ensure that flavors don't transfer, that the fish doesn't get too greasy, and that the flavor of the fish won't get overpowered. So, be sure to carefully consider all of the factors that impact how your fish fries, and choose the best oil for frying your type of fish.