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What is the best oil for wok cooking? I read that peanut oil is used by Chinese chefs and that a high smoke point is important. Would canola oil work?

Open Office Hours

Eric Wynkoop - Open Office Hours

Recorded

This event was on November 29, 2022

Join Chef Eric Wynkoop in his virtual office as he welcomes all of your questions. This event was created for you and we encourage you to ask anything – from cooking techniques to course-specific questions, to how to turn your cooking passion into profit or simply hearing the perspective of a professional chef, Chef Eric is ready to answer them all.

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Question

Mitch Miglis

What is the best oil for wok cooking? I read that peanut oil is used by Chinese chefs and that a high smoke point is important. Would canola oil work?

Answer

I think the high smoke point is going to be the most important thing and yeah historically peanut oil has been pretty popular among Chinese Cooks refined peanut oil has a pretty high smoke point. I mean these days there are other refined oils that have high smoke points. Avocado oil has a smoke point in the neighborhood of 500 degrees Fahrenheit if I recall let's see you ask about canola oil canola oil is Is a little bit less than that, but, you know, give it a try. Okay and see if it does the work that that you want it to and you know, keep in mind that you've always have something like peanut oil or avocado oil to to lean on if necessary. But the main thing is going to be refined oil with a high smoke point. Okay. Thank you.

Eric Wynkoop

Director of Culinary Instruction

Eric Wynkoop previously served as a founding faculty member at The International Culinary School, instructor in anthropology at Portland State University, and Senior Instructor at the Le Cordon Bleu program at Western Culinary Institute, in Portland, Oregon. He holds Master’s Degrees in postsecondary education and cultural anthropology, as well as credentials in Ayurveda wellness and cooking. Eric has spent more than twenty years in the food and beverage industry. His experiences include banquet management, catering, personal chef, winery cellar hand, educator, textbook contributor, consultant, and ethnographer. He also brings food and cultural insight from nearly a decade of residence in Japan, studies in Mexico, and research in India as a Fulbright Scholar. After graduating from the University of Oregon with a dual degree in Japanese and Asian Studies, he went on to receive his formal culinary training at Western Culinary Institute, in Portland, Oregon. Eric’s role with Rouxbe is central to enhancing the student experience through quality course content and new course development at Rouxbe. Eric is also the lead instructor in Rouxbe courses, a role which he has enjoyed since 2016.