Wondering which oil to use for griddle cooking? Here are top high-smoke-point oils that deliver great flavor and performance.
Key Takeaways:
Griddle cooking has become super popular lately, and it’s easy to see why! Whether you’re making pancakes for breakfast, burgers for dinner, or grilled veggies for a healthy snack, a griddle helps you cook a lot of food at once with that tasty, crispy finish. But to get the best results, you need the right oil.
The oil you use can affect how your food tastes, how well it cooks, and even how easy cleanup is afterward. In this article, we’ll walk you through the best oils for griddle cooking and help you avoid the ones that don’t work so well.
Griddle cooking means using a flat, heated surface to cook your food. Griddles can be built into a stovetop, plugged in as electric appliances, or placed on a grill. Because the surface is large and evenly heated, it’s perfect for cooking foods like pancakes, bacon, eggs, burgers, and even vegetables all at the same time.
Unlike pans with high sides, a griddle gives your food lots of space to spread out and cook evenly. You don’t need a lot of oil — just enough to prevent sticking and help create that golden, crispy outside. Using the right oil is important for both flavor and cooking, especially with the high heat of a griddle.
When picking an oil for griddle cooking, one of the most important things to consider is its smoke point — the temperature at which the oil begins to smoke and break down. Griddles often get very hot, so using an oil with a high smoke point helps prevent burning.
Cooking with the wrong oil, especially one with a low smoke point, can lead to several problems. The oil may burn quickly, which would cause your to taste bitter or unpleasant. It can also create smoke and leave behind a sticky residue on your griddle.
Related: What are High Heat Cooking Oils?
Want a better griddle-cooking experience? These oils have high smoke points. Check out our top five picks:
Algae cooking oil has the highest smoke point among all cooking oils (535°F) making it a great option for griddle cooking. It has a very light, neutral flavor that won’t compete with your food. Use it for a wide variety of griddled meals like crispy hash browns, seared chicken breasts, or vegetable stir-fries. It handles heat beautifully and leaves no oily aftertaste.
Related: 6 Health Benefits of Algae Oil
With a smoke point of 480-520°F, refined avocado oil is suitable even for the hottest griddle sessions. It has a mild, buttery flavor that pairs especially well with savory dishes. It’s a great choice for cooking juicy burgers, grilled salmon, or fajita veggies.
Related: The Best Avocado Oil Substitute and Other Alternatives
Safflower oil is practically flavorless , so it won’t affect the taste of your food, and has a smoke point of 510°F. However, as a seed oil, some people prefer to limit its use due to concerns about processing and omega-6 fatty acid content.
Sunflower oil has a smoke point of around 450°F, which makes it suitable for most griddle cooking tasks. This oil is ideal for cooking foods like grilled cheese sandwiches, French toast, or sautéed vegetables. It’s another refined seed oil, so some health-conscious cooks may choose to use it in moderation.
Due to its smoke point of 420°F, grapeseed oil is appropriate for moderate to high griddle heat. It has a clean, slightly nutty flavor that works well with many foods. Use it for griddling lighter meals like quesadillas, stir-fried noodles, or fish fillets. Like other seed oils, though, it’s more processed and higher in omega-6 fats, so it may not be the best everyday choice.
Not all oils hold up well to the high temperatures of a griddle. Oils with low smoke points can burn quickly, such as:
Algae cooking oil and refined avocado oil are top picks due to their high smoke points, neutral flavors, and versatility. They’re also rich in beneficial monounsaturated fats, which support heart health.
Avocado oil, flaxseed oil, and algae cooking oil are popular choices for seasoning, thanks to their ability to polymerize and create a durable non-stick coating when heated.
Lightly oil your griddle before each use to prevent sticking and promote even browning.This applies to all types of griddles. If your griddle is cast iron or carbon steel, re-seasoning occasionally also helps maintain the surface.
Using the right oil can completely change your griddle-cooking game. Oils with high smoke points — like algae, avocado, safflower, sunflower, and grapeseed — help you cook delicious meals without smoke, bitterness, or mess.
Want the smoothest griddle cooking experience? Try algae cooking oil from Algae Cooking Club. With the highest smoke point of all our picks, it’s clean, neutral, and made to handle the heat.
Tiffany Joy Yamut is a registered nurse with a focus on health and wellness. With over 10 years of writing experience, she combines her expertise in diet and nutrition coaching to help others adopt healthier lifestyles through balanced eating habits. A foodie at heart, Tiffany believes that food is essential to feeling your best.
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