What’s the Best Oil for Stir-Frying?

Such a delicious and versatile dish, the humble stir fry. It is easy to make, but not easy to make it well. I often wonder why my at-home fry is not as good as the one from my local noodle shop. Turns out, I could be using the wrong oil or doing things the wrong way. So, after some research and experimenting, here are the best oils for stir-frying and the best way to use them!

Why the Right Oil Matters When Stir-Frying

The best oils for stir frys are the oils with higher smoke points. Less viscous oils such as peanut, grapeseed, or canola are best so that you do not coat the rice too thickly with oil. There are a few tricks to cooking a great stir fry, and using a very high cooking temperature so the food will cook quickly is one of them. 

Since stir-frying involves high heat, choosing an oil with a high smoke point is essential or the oil will burn, and the food will taste terrible. Once the oil reaches its smoke point, it undergoes molecular breakdown and turns rancid. This leads to an unpleasant odor and taste in your food and poses risks to your health.

With a smoke point of 450 degrees Fahrenheit, peanut oil is frequently used in Asian cuisine. Refined peanut oil, known for its delicate flavor, compliments various dishes and takes the taste of Asian stir-fries – particularly Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese styles – to the next level, allowing their seasonings to shine. 

Another good high-heat option is safflower oil, with a smoke point of up to 510 degrees Fahrenheit. 

If you are avoiding seed oils, then avocado oil, with its high smoke point of up to 520 degrees, is an option, though it is pretty thick and can make your rice a little oily. You could also try refined olive or coconut oil, with smoke points of around 450 degrees and fairly neutral flavors that will not overpower the dish.  

What Oils do They Use to Stir Fry in Restaurants?

Many Asian restaurants use peanut, soybean, or vegetable oil for stir-frying due to the high smoke point, low cost, and neutral taste. For wok cooking in Chinese restaurants, various oils are employed, including peanut, corn, rapeseed, vegetable, and soybean.

How to Stir-Fry with Your Selected Oil

Now that you have the right kind of oil, there are a few tips and tricks to create the perfect stir fry. 

1. Use a wok or cast-iron pan. These tend to heat up well and evenly distribute the heat, and the high sides mean your ingredients won’t fall over the side when you are stirring or tossing them. It should only take minutes to cook a stir fry, and a regular nonstick frypan takes much longer. 
2. At the beginning of the cooking process, aromatics like garlic and ginger should be added to the oil to release their fragrance so that they properly infuse the ingredients added after. Put them into the hot oil at the start before raising the temperature to add the other ingredients. 
3. The rest of the stir fry needs to be cooked fast and hot, so you need a very hot wok! Not heating it high enough is a common mistake when making stir fry. The ideal stir-frying temperature is at least 450 degrees, but can be higher. Test with a wooden spoon. It is hot enough if you dip it in the oil, and it bubbles. 
4. Not overcrowding your wok is also important. Turns out you can have too much of a good thing! This is because of the moisture that will release from the ingredients. Overcrowding will most likely stew your dish.

Tips for Safe Stir-Frying

We don’t just want a stir fry to taste good. We want it to be safe too! To make sure you don’t end up with a bout of food poisoning, be sure to: 

1. Thinly slice your meats so that they cook in a short time. Cook them first, and add your veggies once the meats are fully cooked. As a general rule of thumb, heat the wok or pan until the oil reaches the right temperature. Then, add the aromatics, followed by proteins, then hard vegetables, followed by softer vegetables. To complete the dish, drizzle in the sauce.
2. Re-cooking oil, a common practice in the kitchen for deep frying can lower its smoke point with each use. This increases the risk of releasing potentially harmful chemicals like acrolein. So, try to use fresh oil each time. 
3. Under no circumstance use an oil without a high smoke point. This risks oil igniting on the stovetop and creating a potential fire hazard. 

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