You may have heard that olive oil has a lower smoke point than other oils, and because of this, you may have avoided using it for frying. However, the smoke points for olive oil vary, depending on the type. To find out all of the details of what we need to know, Daily Meal spoke with an expert: Chef Pete Geoghegan, the culinary director of Cargill Protein.
According to our expert, refined or light olive oil is the best choice for frying. Geoghegan says, "[It] has a higher smoke point (around 465 degrees Fahrenheit) and is better suited for frying [than extra virgin olive oil]." You can find out more about smoke points in our ultimate guide , but, essentially, a smoke point is the temperature at which an oil starts to smoke, thus affecting the flavor and quality of the food.
Geoghegan also notes that olive oil is both more expensive and has a stronger flavor than other oils such as canola oil or peanut oil, which is why it's less common for frying. The do's of frying with olive oil According to Pete Geoghegan, when frying with refined or light olive oil you should "Monitor oil temperature to prevent burning and bitterness." The last thing you want is for the oil to overheat and change the flavor of your food, so keep an eye on that thermometer when deep-frying.
Geoghegan also told Daily Meal, "Use fresh oil rather than reusing it multiple times, as olive oil breaks down faster than other oils." This is another factor that makes using olive oil for frying more expensive than ot.