Is coconut oil suitable for pan frying?
most, if not all nut oils, burn when you try to fry with them. they have a very low burn point and you have to watch them like a hawk. I have not tried coconut oil specifically, but when you fry with peanut oil, it helps to add a little bland, or tasteless oil with a higher smoke heat, such as vegetable oil.
It’s out of question that whether you can use coconut oil for pan-frying or not. Most important is whether you like taste and smell of food which you are going to prepared in coconut oil?? Some people like it while some found that its smell is a kind of strong smell. Anyone can able to judge that certain food prepare in coconut oil. No doubt it’s a good alternatives to your regular sunflower or soybean oil but its regular use is not recommended as coconut oil has cholesterol-forming precursors in higher amount. Not good for health. Yes you can use this oil for pan frying……………
The smoke point of coconut oil is 350°F, about the same as butter. For your reference, here is a list of the smoke point of various fats.
Pan-frying with coconut oil is fine at low to moderate temperatures. If you really like to crank up the heat like I do much of the time, I would recommend a fat with a higher smoke point, such as ghee.