Can You Mix Oils for Frying and How to Do it?

Cooking oils get mixed by chefs around the world. They even get combined by home cooks who are almost out of one ingredient. You probably wonder if mixing oils is safe for your family and recipes no matter the reason, however. Thankfully, the information below can help you in knowing what to do.

Table of Contents

• The Best Oils Used for Frying
• Can You Mix Oils for Frying?
• Mixing Oils for Frying
  • Can You Mix Crisco and Vegetable Oil?
    • Making the Mixture
  • Mixing Vegetable Oil and Olive Oil
  • How to Mix Olive Oil and Canola Oil
  • Can You Mix Peanut Oil and Vegetable Oil?
  • Mixing Peanut Oil and Canola Oil?
  • Mix Coconut Oil and Vegetable Oil
  • Mix Bacon Grease and Vegetable Oil
  • Can You Mix Vegetable Oil and Avocado Oil?
  • How to Mix Sesame Oil and Vegetable Oil
  • Mix Butter and Vegetable Oil
• Is Mixing Oils Bad?
• What to Do with Oil When Done Frying
• Start Frying!
• FAQs

The Best Oils Used for Frying

Before discussing if you can mix cooking oils, you must understand the best available for cooking. The list below details some of the most popular which are also mentioned later in the article.

• Peanut oil
• Vegetable oil
• Canola oil

These are not the only cooking oils mentioned in the details below, however. This article will also discuss Crisco shortening, avocado oil, sesame oil, and even butter.

Can You Mix Oils for Frying?

Overall, it is okay for you to mix oils when cooking if you need to. The mixture will be ready for frying, however, when it reaches the lower temperature. It will not rely on the average of the two oils but the lower smoke point.

Mixing Oils for Frying

Below, you will find some of the most common oil combinations for frying. Each will describe in detail the steps you need to take and the best cooking temperature.

Can You Mix Crisco and Vegetable Oil?

Crisco shortening is technically hydrogenated vegetable oil. The latter is just the liquid form that exists at room temperature.

If you heat Crisco, it will immediately turn into a liquid. This change makes it easy to combine the two ingredients. Crisco will still have a lower smoke point than vegetable oil, however.

Making the Mixture

To create this mixture, you will start by melting the shortening. Place the Crisco on a pan on your stovetop on low heat. You want it to melt to ensure you have the amount you need.

Add the vegetable oil to the pan. Allow the mixture to reach the highest possible smoke point at 410 degrees Fahrenheit, then bring it back to a standard cooking temperature. Eventually, the two will blend as they should.

Mixing Vegetable Oil and Olive Oil

Olive oil has a higher smoke point than vegetable oil. Typically, it will reach anywhere from 374 to 405 degrees Fahrenheit.

Most individuals advise that you do not use extra virgin olive oil. This ingredient has a lower smoke point at only 350 degrees Fahrenheit. It makes it harder to combine the two oils, especially since vegetable oil, as aforementioned, has a much higher temperature.

How to Mix Olive Oil and Canola Oil

The mixture of olive and canola oil is commonplace among many food manufacturers. The latter has a light flavor, but it cooks faster than the former. It still allows the flavors of olive oil to come through in your food.

You want to wait until the temperature gets to at least 375 degrees Fahrenheit before adding your food. You will also want to put the canola oil in the deep fryer first because, as mentioned, it warms up faster.

Can You Mix Peanut Oil and Vegetable Oil?

When you mix peanut and vegetable oil, the smoke point will be the lower of the two. The former gets to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, and the latter 400. Your deep fryer should get to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

The smoke point of peanut oil does vary depending on the brand that you choose to use. Make sure to read the label of whatever you decide to purchase.

Mixing Peanut Oil and Canola Oil?

Peanut oil has a strong flavor that will come through when you mix it with canola oil. Both of the ingredients have a high smoke point that is well over 400 degrees Fahrenheit, however. They will cook well together overall.

Mix Coconut Oil and Vegetable Oil

The mixture of coconut oil and vegetable oil is one of the most difficult that you can make. The former is quick to burn, so you should never let it get to the smoke point of the latter.

Coconut oil has a smoke point of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Only let your deep fryer get to that temperature, meaning your food may take a little longer to cook. You must also understand that coconut oils do leave behind a nutty flavor.

Mix Bacon Grease and Vegetable Oil

You can mix bacon grease and baking oil if you focus on the former’s smoke point. It is around 374 degrees Fahrenheit.

When you cook with baking grease, you run the risk of making your food rancid. The particles left behind from the breakfast food may lead to inaccuracies in the temperature, making the oils break down. This mixture is best for baking or sautéing.

Can You Mix Vegetable Oil and Avocado Oil?

Avocado oil has the highest smoke point out of all of those mentioned up until now. The 25% fat in this ingredient reaches 520 degrees Fahrenheit.

You have to be careful when deep-frying vegetable oil mixed with avocado oil. You do not want to go above the smoke point of the former.

The mixture of avocado oil and vegetable oil may be best for sautéing. The high temperatures are best for this type of cooking.

How to Mix Sesame Oil and Vegetable Oil

Sesame oil is a common ingredient when sautéing Asian-infusion dishes. It reaches a smoke point of 420 degrees Fahrenheit.

When combining the two of these ingredients for deep frying, the temperature results are inaccurate. It is still a strong option if you want to create stir-fry, however.

Mix Butter and Vegetable Oil

The smoke point of butter is only 302 degrees Fahrenheit. It is near impossible to deep fry anything successfully at this low temperature. You would wait for a very long time, running the risk of burning the oil mixture.

Use the stovetop to pan-fry using the butter and vegetable oil mixture. Make sure to wait for the former to melt before you add the latter liquid.

Is Mixing Oils Bad?

When you purchase a pre-processed oil, you already have to work with a mixture. You do not have to worry, however, as these ingredients go through a variety of tests.

The manufacturers will test the smoke point and the performance of the oil you need to purchase to start. They will even experiment with its compatibility and taste to ensure they produce the best possible product.

Overall, however, it is not a bad thing to mix two oils. You will likely not notice a flavor difference unless you use a strong product like peanut or coconut oil. Remember, you will monitor the deep fryer to ensure it does not go above the lower smoke point of the two.

What to Do with Oil When Done Frying

When you finish frying using your mixture, you likely want to know how to dispose of your oil. Make sure you wait to let the grease cool down to start, however. If it is hot, it can cause damage and melt the surfaces in your home.

When the grease is cool, you will need to scrape it into a container you can put in the trash. Secure it in a plastic bag so that it does not leak. Grease can cause damage to the environment and animals.

Start Frying!

If you are low on oil, do not be afraid to combine two types. Make sure that your deep fryer only reaches the lower smoke point of the two, however, to prevent burning and enhance flavor. 

FAQs