Smoke point
烟点
The temperature at which a fat breaks down visibly and starts giving off acrid volatiles. Refined oils sit higher (rice bran about 490 °F, avocado about 520 °F) and unrefined ones lower (butter about 300 °F, unrefined coconut about 350 °F).
In the kitchen
Ghee at 460 °F smells nutty and does not smoke, which is why it is the fat used for scallops in this bench. The same pan with butter would have burned before the first flip.
Common misreading
Smoke point is not a ranking of quality and it is not the same as the temperature you should cook at. Butter at 300 °F is exactly right for a griddled sandwich and useless for a 480 °F sear.
Runs that use it
- IFX-016Blistered green beans: dry 8 in skillet for 90 seconds before the oil
- IFX-014Seared scallops: a 20 minute dry brine against a wet surface
- IFX-012Fried rice in a 12 in skillet: 500 °F surface against a crowded pan
- IFX-010Shallow frying in a 10 in skillet: oil depth against temperature recovery
- IFX-007Pancakes on a flat cast-iron griddle: 335, 355 and 385 °F with butter
- IFX-004Fried egg in an 8 in skillet: 300, 340 and 380 °F surface
- IFX-002Smash burger: pressing at 5, 15 or 30 seconds in a 10 in skillet
- IFX-001Preheat window of a 12 in skillet: 5, 8 or 11 minutes