Best Oil For Grilling Steak
Grilling steak is one of the most popular ways to cook this delicious cut of meat.
There are a few different methods you can use, but choosing the right oil for grilling steak will have a big impact on the quality of your meal.
What is most important when choosing an oil is the smoke point of the oil.
When we say “low smoke point,” this means that the oil has a lower smoking point than other oils.
This means it burns too quickly, which creates more smoke and it can add a bad flavor to your steak.
We are looking for high smoke point oils. This means the oil doesn’t burn as quickly, which will prevent it from creating smoke and adding a bad taste to your steaks.
So, what oil is the best for grilling? Here are four different choices to help you decide which oil is best for you.
1. Avocado oil
Avocado oil can be the best choice for high heat grilling because it has a high smoking point.
Just remember not all oils are created equal and if you can get an expeller pressed oil that’s best.
Avocado oil has a smoke point as high as 520°F, because of this high temp it makes it probably the best choice of all the options that I’m gonna provide you.
Besides smoke points, one of the best things about avocado oil is it has such a neutral flavor, so it doesn’t interfere with the taste of the steak.
The use of the oil is pretty much to help it from sticking to the grill grates and it also helps with the browning of the steak.
Avocado oil can be used in recipes at high, medium-high, and medium heat.
This is the oil I prefer when making my steak quesadillas.
2. Grape seed oil
Grapeseed oil is a healthy cooking oil with a high smoking point. This is not an oil that I’m highly familiar with because I don’t use it often I’ve only used it a few times.
Grapeseed oil could add a flavor to your steak so you might want to try it out before you use it, It doesn’t have such a weak flavor as avocado oil.
Just like the other oils, you wanna try to purchase one that is cold-pressed, expeller pressed so it’s not processed using solvents.
I’m also trying to provide you with what I think are the healthiest alternatives.
The smoke point can go above 420゚F.
3. Peanut oil
Peanut oil is not a very popular oil to use when grilling steak but again it has a high smoke point like the rest of them.
Again we’re talking a smoke point well over 450゚F depending on the quality of the oil.
Peanut oil could also add a bit of flavor to your steak and depending on how you like your steak this might not be desirable.
But with all grilling, I really recommend people to try things out and use different oils just make sure they have a high smoke point so you don’t get a bad flavor to your steak.
High-quality peanut oils are a lot more common with deep-frying things.
Peanut oil is a cooking oil that has a high smoking point and is perfect for steak.
4. Extra virgin olive oil
Extra Virgin Olive oil has a smoke point between 350°F and 410°F. Not all of the oils are of the same quality that’s why the variation in smoke point.
Lower-quality olive oils have such a low smoke point so they’re not a good option for grilling a steak.
This is by far my go-to oil for cooking so a lot of the time my steaks will get this oil on them.
If I’m grilling really hot then I will skip the extra Virgin Olive oil and go with avocado oil because I know it has the highest smoke point of the oils I cook with.
Oils not recommended for grilling steak
There are multiple reasons I do not recommend these oils for grilling a steak.
One of the reasons could be the flavor that it adds to your steak another thing would be the low smoke point of the oil.
Another reason Is simply the quality of the oil… A lot of these oils have a bad process of extracting the oil using solvents that are really not good for you you.
- Canola oil
- Vegetable oil
- Soybean oil
- Safflower oil
Cooking oil smoke points
Cooking Oils | Smoke Point |
---|---|
Avocado Oil | 520°F |
Grapeseed Oil | 420°F |
Peanut Oil | 450°F |
Extra Virgin Olive oil | 375°F |
What’s The Best Oil For Grilling Steak?
Avocado oil is by far the best oil to not impart some weird flavor to your steak and it also has a really high smoke point.
Steaks can be cooked with a variety of oils, but those with a high smoke point (able to withstand high temperatures without breaking down) are best.
The neutral flavor is important, as is a light color so that the steak doesn’t turn dark during grilling.
Another great tip for grilling steak is to know how to tell when your grilled steak is done.
Can You Cook Steak Without Oil?
You can cook steak without oil, but it is not the ideal method. If you don’t want to add oil to your steak you could also add the oil to the grill grates so that the steak doesn’t stick.
Also depending on the fat content of the steak, will determine whether you need to use an oil or not.
If you’re using a steak with a high-fat content like a new york strip or a rib-eye steak the fat is going to render and prevent the steak from actually sticking to the grill.
There are a variety of oils that you can use, but we recommend using an oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado or grapeseed oil.
What is the best oil for grilling steak?
The best oil for grilling steak is one that has a high smoke point, meaning that it can withstand high heat and still maintain its taste.
I personally will use Avocado oil if it’s going to be really hot!
You might also be wondering how long to leave steak out before grilling.
FAQ
You want to cook your steak on high heat to get those great grill marks and to retain the moisture within the steak.
Grilling steak at a high temperature produces a fantastic contrast between its brown exterior and tender interior.
This high heat creates the Maillard reaction – which triggers the taste of browned food – which happens with avocado oil when it’s cooked at high heat.
It is not bad to use olive oil on grilled steak. If you are using the right kind of olive oil, it can actually be quite good for grilling a steak.
The key is to use olive oil that is made for high heat cooking. This means the best extra virgin olive oil will be more stable and won’t break down at a high temperature.
Avocado oil is the best oil for searing steak. It’s often recommended that the best options for this purpose, because of its real high smoke point.
The other benefit is it’s not gonna impart some flavor to the stake other than the grilling of the steak.