Deep Frying With Shortening: Is It Safe?

Deep frying is a cooking technique that requires attention to detail. One of the key considerations is the choice of oil or fat, which can significantly impact the taste, texture, and safety of the fried food. While some cooks prefer using oils like peanut, sunflower, safflower, or soybean, others opt for solid fats like vegetable shortening, lard, or Crisco. Shortening has a lower smoke point than oils like canola, so adjustments to temperature settings may be necessary to avoid excessive smoking. Additionally, health concerns have been raised about the high trans-fat content in some types of shortening. When deep frying, it is crucial to monitor the oil's temperature to prevent burning or scorching, which can ruin the taste of the food.

Crisco is a well-known brand of shortening

Crisco has had a significant impact on American cuisine and has experienced a rise and fall in popularity throughout the 20th century. It was initially marketed as a healthier alternative to animal fats, and its mysterious ingredients contributed to its appeal. However, as more information about the health effects of trans fats became known, Crisco's reputation took a hit.

Today, Crisco has reformulated its products to eliminate trans fats, blending fully hydrogenated palm oil with soybean oil and palm oil. While this new formula addresses health concerns, some have noted that it has also affected the texture of the product, making it less firm than the original version.

Despite the health concerns and formula changes, Crisco remains a trusted brand for many bakers and cooks, who appreciate its ability to create flaky pie crusts and crispy fried foods. It is also a popular choice for kosher and vegan cooking due to its vegetable-based ingredients.

Shortening has a lower smoke point than canola oil

Shortening, such as Crisco, is a type of hydrogenated vegetable oil. It has a smoke point of 440°F, though some sources state it is 360°F. This is lower than the smoke point of canola oil, which ranges from 400°F to 475°F.

Smoke point refers to the temperature at which a cooking fat reaches its burning point. When fats like lard, oil, or butter smoke, it means they are breaking down and releasing chemicals. This gives food an unpleasant, burnt flavour and can also be harmful to health.

The smoke point of an oil is important as it allows you to choose the right type of oil for your cooking method. Oils with a smoke point over 400°F are best for high-heat cooking applications such as frying, stir-frying, or broiling. Oils with smoke points between 350°F and 425°F are best for medium-heat cooking applications such as baking, sauteing, or browning. Oils with smoke points between 300°F and 350°F are best for low-heat cooking applications such as gently sauteing or sweating foods.

Canola oil is a refined oil, and refined oils generally have a higher smoke point than unrefined oils. Refined oils are also better for high-heat cooking methods such as deep frying.

In addition to having a lower smoke point, shortening is also cheaper than canola oil. However, canola oil has a neutral flavour, making it a popular choice for frying foods where you only want the flavours of the ingredients to come through.

Vegetable shortening has zero trans fat per serving

Vegetable shortening is a type of fat used in cooking and baking. It is typically made from hydrogenated vegetable oil and has been used in American kitchens since the early 1900s. Shortening has been reformulated in recent years to remove trans fats.

Shortening is named for the "short" or crumbly texture it produces in cooking and baking applications, particularly in shortbread, pie crusts, and puff pastry. It is often used in baking to create a tender, flaky texture. It is also commonly used for frying, as it has a higher smoke point than butter and margarine.

One tablespoon of vegetable shortening contains about 113 calories, 13 grams of total fat, and 3 grams of saturated fat. It is also very high in calories and contains no protein or carbohydrates.

While vegetable shortening has zero trans fat per serving, it is still highly processed and typically used to make fried foods or pastries that are high in added fat and sugar. As such, it is recommended to limit your intake of shortening and use healthier alternatives when possible, such as butter, olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil.

Shortening is not recommended for deep frying by some manufacturers

Shortening is a type of solid fat, often made from hydrogenated vegetable oil. While it can be used for deep frying, some manufacturers do not recommend it. This is because it has a lower smoke point than oils such as canola, peanut, sunflower, safflower, or soybean. Oils with higher smoke points are preferable for deep frying because they can be heated to higher temperatures without smoking, scorching, or catching fire.

Shortening also tends to be high in trans fats, which are considered unhealthy. For this reason, some people prefer to use oils with higher smoke points, such as peanut oil or coconut oil, which is solid at room temperature but liquid when heated.

Additionally, the use of solid fats like shortening in deep fryers may not be recommended by manufacturers due to concerns about the fat heating up, smoking, or burning at high temperatures. There may also be issues with the heating coils of the deep fryer overheating the solid fat.

Liquid shortening, on the other hand, is formulated to prevent foaming and has a high smoke point, making it suitable for deep frying. It is often soybean-based and offers a longer fry life, reducing waste and costs.

Shortening is more expensive than other oils

Shortening is a type of fat used in cooking and baking. It is typically made from hydrogenated vegetable oil and has been used in American kitchens since the early 1900s. Shortening is more expensive than other oils due to its unique manufacturing process and the fact that it is 100% fat.

The Manufacturing Process

Shortening is made from either animal fat or vegetable oil, but most modern shortenings are made from vegetable oils such as soybean, cottonseed, or palm oil. These oils are liquid at room temperature, so they must undergo hydrogenation to become solid. The hydrogenation process saturates the vegetable oil molecules with hydrogen ions, giving them the firmness of saturated fats like butter or lard at room temperature.

Higher Price Point

Health Concerns

In the past, shortening was often made with partially hydrogenated oils, which are a type of trans fat. However, due to the negative health impacts of trans fats, the Food and Drug Administration banned them in the United States as of 2020. Shortening is now made with fully hydrogenated oils, which do not contain trans fats. Nevertheless, the interesterification process used to create spreadable shortening may have potential health risks, according to some studies.

Alternatives to Shortening

Due to its high price, you may consider using alternatives to shortening in your recipes. Butter is a popular alternative as it is solid at room temperature and adds a rich flavor. Coconut oil and palm oil are also suitable replacements as they are naturally high in saturated fat and have a solid, spreadable texture. However, coconut oil may impart a nutty or coconut flavor to your dishes, and the harvesting of palm oil has been criticized for its negative environmental impact.

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