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Push's avatar

"And contrary to what just about everybody thinks, EVOO’s “smoke point” (the temperature at which an oil starts to smoke and break down) is about 410 degrees Fahrenheit, which is plenty hot to fry foods."

Why is this? Why have we heard over and over for decades that EVOO's smoke point was low? Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't you espouse this idea in the past?

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TC Luoma's avatar

I just came back to your last comment. I misunderstood it the first time. No, I don't ever think I told people that the smoke point of EVOO was low. I did do a minor "study" on the smoke points of different olive oils. Even so, I found even then that EVOO held up quite nicely. Maybe that article is what you're remembering?

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Push's avatar

I'm thinking it was on T-N that I read this: Use EVOO for your salad dressings and such and use refined (regular) olive oil for frying and such. Due to smoke point concerns.

I know I didn't make that up. As a result I've been adhering to it for a long time.

If it's wrong it's wrong, fine by me.

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TC Luoma's avatar

It's possible I said that, but I really don't remember. Also, I had to look up "refined" olive oil because I wasn't (or I forgot) sure what the exact meaning was.

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TC Luoma's avatar

I have no idea why this olive oil low-smoke point started. Now, it's true that conventional olive oil might have a lower smoke point, but not EVOO. Weird.

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Aubrey Was Her Name's avatar

I had a skunk I named Push. 🥰

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Push's avatar

Well, I have been compared to Pierre Le Pew off and on over the decades.

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Aubrey Was Her Name's avatar

Pepe. =)

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TC Luoma's avatar

Pee pee? What, do you have Tourette's???? (Har Har)

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Aubrey Was Her Name's avatar

lol. No. The skunk in question is named Pepe (not Pierre). It’s pronounced pep-ay. He’s a hilarious Looney Tunes character.

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Push's avatar

Dang, I know. Didn't how to edit! Crapola schmacknola!

(Shoulda claimed Pierre was Pepe's cousin)

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BMoore's avatar

Heya,

You'd think someone would have synthesized olive oil by now, I mean Test, HGH, etc. have been synthesized, WTAF? I guess us "meatheads" only get the good stuff, right? :P

I will say that we only use the best olive oil we can find (another outstanding TC article), and IF we go down the road of "fried food", it's using said olive oil in an air frier.

Having owned restaurants and fast-food places for decades, I can attest that even the best owners don't control their managers/staff 24/7, and what can happen is not a good thing, to put it mildly.

As the old saying goes "buyer beware".

Have a great weekend all, take care.

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TC Luoma's avatar

I suspect it would be harder to do olive oil because its health effects are largely due to the polyphenols it contains and synthesizing them would take the collective might of all the AI in the world! (What kinds of places did you own?)

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BMoore's avatar

Heya,

Fast food wise it's currently McDonald's, Burger King, Dairy Queen, we have in the past had others, and for various reasons sold them. Mostly for the franchisee fees being changed, and other factors involved in making it harder on the owner, a special FU to Subway.

A couple Perkins Restaurants, Cracker Barrel, and some of our own with liquor licenses, along with some bars that had a VERY rough go/closed during the Pandemic.

We also have a number of non-food-based businesses (lumber yards, equipment/heavy equipment rentals, HVAC, etc.)

Today's market isn't what it was "back in the day", so we've been extremely lucky to get in when/where we did.

Have a great weekend, always appreciate the articles.

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David Alastair Hayden's avatar

For a week in college I worked at a restaurant that specialized in fried chicken wings and tenders. The frying oil was only changed on Thursday morning and Monday morning. It was a disgusting black sludge.

So I think requiring oil to be changed out more often would be of much better benefit than beef tallow nonsense.

Peanut oil might be better. It makes for tastier fried fast food in my opinion and it would support American farmers.

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TC Luoma's avatar

Let me ask you this: Do you ever eat deep fried stuff from restaurants, knowing what you know?

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David Alastair Hayden's avatar

Yes. And I hate myself for it. I ate fried chicken yesterday because I was bored and lazy. I rarely eat out, once a month tops, and even more rarely have fried food. I paid for this sin, and I’m done. This time is the last. I know I’ve said this before. Many times. Because every time I eat something fried this happens. But this time I’m truly done.

French fries don’t count. 😅

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Aubrey Was Her Name's avatar

Is it even possible? Somehow I feel like we wouldn’t have enough beef tallow for all the frying we do. Why doesn’t he just force them to swap oil out sooner. That would be expensive, but physically possible.

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