8 Best Oil For Griddle Cooking

Griddle cooking is one of the best ways to prepare delicious meals from eggs, pancakes, french toast, burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches and even steaks.

A cast iron griddle pan is an excellent piece of kitchen equipment that you can use for cooking meat, vegetables and anything in between. And in all these cookings, choosing the right oil is essential to achieving healthier and tastier results.

There’s a wide variety of “best oils” for griddle cooking, and in this guide, we will touch on which oil is best for the specific cooking method.

Best Oils for Griddle Cooking

Avocado Oil

Avocado oil has one of the highest smoking points compared with other cooking oils. It is considered the ultimate oil for cooking at high temperatures. This is also one of the reasons why we think that this is the best oil for griddle cooking.

Because of its high smoke point, you can use it for almost any high heat cooking that uses cast iron griddles such as barbecue and frying among others. You can also use this high heat cooking oil for baking, dressing, marinades and for making homemade dressings.

For the most part, it has a neutral flavor especially if you compare it with olive oil. However, it may have light notes of avocado flavor and grassiness.

Smoke Point

Refined avocado oil has a high smoke point of 520°F (271°C) which makes it ideal for cooking methods that require high temperatures.

Nutritional Value

Avocado oil has many health benefits. An article published by Healthline listed down some of its essential nutritional components which include heart-healthy oleic acid and unsaturated fatty acids. It is also high in lutein, an antioxidant that works for the eyes.

Moreover, because of the basic component of this high heat cooking oil, it is the best oil for griddle cooking if you are into Keto and Paleo diet.

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Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil is a high-grade cooking oil made from extracting the juice of olives by crushing. Most often, it is made without using industrial processes and chemicals.

This oil is popular for adding a unique flavor profile to the food, something you can’t get from other oils. Because of its low acid content, it is great for bean dishes, pasta, stir-fry vegetables and grilled fish. You can also use it to season vegetable salads.

As to using extra virgin olive oil for griddle cooking, there’s a lot of opinions out there mainly because of the low smoke point. Because of that, it is not the most ideal for very high-temperature cooking.

Smoke Point

The oil smoke point of extra virgin olive oil is 405°F (207°C) while most frying just requires 350-375°F (177-191°C).

Nutritional Value

According to an article published by Web.MD, a tablespoon of olive oil contains 126 calories and 14 grams of fat, mostly monounsaturated fats which make it great for your heart health. Moreover, virgin olive oil also provides about 13% of your DV for vitamin E and 9% DV for vitamin K.

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Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is one of the most popular cooking oils over the past decade as it is said to have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also known for its rich flavor which imparts delicious taste to the food you are cooking.

This high heat oil is extracted from the meat of a matured coconut. Refined oil from coconut can be used for sautéing, stir-frying, frying and baking. Aside from its cooking applications, the oil from coconut is also used in many bathroom products.

Smoke Point

The smoke point of the refined version is 400°F (204°C).

Nutritional Value

Coconut oil is high in saturated fat. According to MyFoodData.com, one tablespoon contains 11.2 grams of saturated fat. This fat content equates to 121 calories which is 6% of the Daily Value (DV).

Of the total fats, 90 percent are saturated. Also, 40 percent of the total fat content is saturated lauric acid. Studies show that lauric acid helps increase HDL in cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein, also called “good” cholesterol) which in turn helps reduce your risk of heart disease.

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Sunflower Seed Oil

There are different types of sunflower oil, and they are classified based on their quality. There is unrefined, semi-refined, and neutralized or dewaxed. Each of these classifications has a varying nutritional value and smoke point.

Refined sunflower oil works great for low to high temp cooking on a cast iron griddle pan or grill’s surface. The unrefined version, on the other hand, is a popular traditional salad dressing in Eastern European cuisines.

Sunflower oil is pressed from sunflower seeds and has a neutral taste profile. Aside from its cooking applications, it is also a common ingredient in cosmetic products as an emollient.

Smoke Point

The unrefined sunflower oil has a smoke point of only 225°F (107°C) while the refined version (high oleic) has a high smoke point of 450°F (232°F).

Nutritional Value

Sunflower oil is high in linoleic and oleic acids which are monounsaturated fats that help keep your heart healthy. Also, it is a rich source of vitamin E.

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Sesame Oil

The sesame oil that you can find in most supermarkets can either be unrefined or semi-refined with the latter having a high smoke point.

Sesame oils are great for slow to medium heat cooking on indoor or outdoor griddle cooking. At high temperatures, it easily breaks down, leaving that sesame seed taste in your food. Unless you want that sesame seed taste, it’s best to stay at medium heat.

Moreover, it can also be used for baking, sautéing and salad dressings.

Smoke Point

The unrefined oil has a smoke point of 350°F (177°C) while the semi-refined version has 450°F (232°C).

Nutritional Value

This oil contains a significant amount of vitamin K which is about 17% of the DV per 100 grams of oil. The same amount of this oil also contains 884 calories, oleic acid and linoleic acid which all contribute to boosting your overall health.

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Flaxseed Oil

Popularly known as linseed oil, flaxseed oil is a colorless to yellowish oil extracted from the dried and ripened seeds of the flax plant. This oil is a great option for those who are looking for vegan omega-3 rich oil.

Flaxseed oil has a very low smoking point so it is more ideal for griddle seasoning. It creates a “solid layer” on the pan, protecting your food and preventing burnt food especially if the pan does not have a non-stick surface.

Smoke Point

Flaxseed oil has a low smoking point of only 225°F (107°C).

Nutritional Value

Flaxseed oil contains many essential fatty acids. According to Wikipedia, it is a good source of omega-3 fatty acid, linoleic acid and oleic acid, each of which offers health benefits. A tablespoon of flaxseed oil contains 126 calories.

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Vegetable Oil

Vegetable oil is perhaps one of the most popular and widely available cooking oils for a variety of cooking methods using flat-top grills or griddle pans. You can use this best oil for griddle when cooking at medium to high heat.

We like the versatility of vegetable oils which can be attributed to their relatively neutral flavor and high smoke point.

This high heat oil is great for roasting, frying and baking. In baking, it is mostly used as a shortening to give your pastry a crumbly texture. You may also use it to season your griddle.

Smoke Point

The maximum temperature that this oil can handle without affecting its quality is 428°F (220°C).

Nutritional Value

Vegetable oils contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids as well as monounsaturated fats. One tablespoon of vegetable oil contains about 120 calories.

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Canola Oil

Another best oil for griddle cooking is canola oil. It is available in unrefined, refined and expeller-pressed quality of which the refined version has the highest smoking point.

Just like vegetable oil, this best oil has a neutral taste and does not affect the taste of the dish.

It is important to note though that when exposed to high heat for a long time, canola oils tend to release unhealthy compounds as part of a chemical reaction. That is why it is not ideal for long cooking at high heat. You can use it for quickly sautéing or frying meat or vegetables on top a flat top grill. You can also use it to season your griddle.

Smoke Point

The smoking point of canola oils are 225°F (107°C), 400°F (204°C) and 375–450°F (191–232°C) for the unrefined, refined and expeller pressed, respectively.

Nutritional Value

A tablespoon of canola oil contains about 124 calories.

Canola oils have a low amount of saturated fat and a good amount of monounsaturated fat. In 2006, canola oil was awarded a qualified health claim by the USDA for its ability to lower the risk of coronary heart disease.

Canola oil contains 22% of DV for total fat of which 5% is from saturated fats.

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Cooking Oil Labels

When you are buying different oils for cooking, you will notice that many of them are labeled as either cold-pressed or expeller-pressed oil. These two refer to how the oil was extracted.

The oil extraction process greatly affects the overall quality of the oil. Check out their differences to understand the best product for you.

Expeller Pressed

An expeller press, also known as a screw press, is a machine that presses nuts and seeds using intense pressure and friction to extract oil. The seed passes through a barrel-like cavity where the temperature can rise up to 210˚F even if no actual heat is added.

Just like the cold press, processing oil using an expeller press does not use any chemicals.

Cold Pressed

A cold press is another type of machine used to extract oil without adding heat or chemical treatments. This method of extracting oil retails more nutrients and antioxidants than other methods.

FAQs

Conclusion

The oils that we have listed above are great for cooking in a griddle, grill or any cast iron cookware especially those with a non-stick surface.

It’s important to remember that cooking oils for griddle cooking aren’t created equal. They greatly vary in terms of smoking points and nutritional components. Knowing those characteristics, you can now choose the best oil for your cooking needs.