Coconut oil is a famous alternative to butter for its physical properties. Solid in bellowed room temperature and liquid at room temperature. For people who don’t want to consume animal fat, coconut oil can be a solution.
The fact can take place in your mind while cooking with coconut oil. Does it burn in the oven? No, coconut oil doesn’t burn in the oven unless it goes over the smoking point. The smoking point of unrefined coconut oil is 350°F, and refined is 450°F.
What is coconut oil?
Coconut oil is an edible plant oil made from coconut flesh. Firstly white coconut flesh is removed from the coconut shell, then dried out properly, and then the oil is extracted from the dried flesh. There are primarily two types of coconut oil 1. Unrefined coconut oil, and 2. Refined coconut oil.
Unrefined coconut oil is also known as virgin coconut oil; it is more natural and less processed. Thus it contains a bit of raw smell when refined but is not contain the raw smell.
Let’s look at the table to understand the values of coconut oil.
| Physical properties | properties | Characteristics\Values |
| Physical state <75°F | Solid | |
| Physical state >75°F | Liquid | |
| Color | Clear | |
| Odor | Slight characteristic odor | |
| Melting point | 76°F | |
| Smoke point | 350°F to 450°F | |
| Flashpoint (flammability) | 563°F | |
| Storage stability | Stable | |
| Nutritional facts | Energy | 892Kcal |
| fatSaturatedUnsaturated | 100%82.5 gm\100gm7.4 gm\100gm | |
| Protein | 0 gm\100gm | |
| Carbohydrate | 0 gm\100gm | |
| Cholesterol | 0 gm\100gm | |
| Vitamins | 0 gm\100gm | |
| Fiber | 0 gm\100gm | |
| Sugar | 0 gm\100gm |
Does coconut oil burn in the oven?
Coconut oil is 100% fat, including saturated fatty acid, monounsaturated fatty acid, and polyunsaturated fatty acid. Oven heat impacts the fat. It melts the fat and can burn the fat at rising temperatures.
Then the common question is, does coconut burn in the oven? No, coconut oil doesn’t burn in the oven until it reaches the pick of the smoking point. If you set the oven temperature up to 350°F for unrefined oil and 400°F for refined oil, it will not burn. Still, prolonged time can raise the temperature as well.
Is coconut oil flammable in a broiler oven?
No wonder you want to cook with coconut oil upon direct heat. Grills and barbeques mostly cook with direct fire that gives them authentic texture. In that case, you should select refined coconut oil because of the smoking point. We already know that coconut oil is flammable. Once you reach the flash point of coconut oil (563°F/ 295°C), it’ll burn like a fire. At temperatures above 563°Fahrtenheit, it catches fire to burn.
A broiler oven is an oven feature that has direct heating ware or medium. This direct heat is used for broiling, which brings the intensity of grill, roast, and steak. For safety, don’t go temperature beyond 450°Fahrenheit while using a broiler oven.
Can high heat change the taste of coconut oil in the food?
High heat does not affect the taste of coconut oil during food processing. But once you cross the temperature of 450°F, which is the smoking point of coconut oil, it will start to turn brown. At that time, it can taste bitter and ruin the whole dish.
It usually happens when you heat only to oil. Still, food usually doesn’t change taste so easily because we cook in a proper process by experience or by following expert guidelines.
What changes take place in coconut oil due to high heat?
High can damage the physical properties of coconut oil. Thus it does not contain many nutrients, so there are almost zero effects on nutritional value. Therefore, only fat can burn due to high heat. Over and overheating can cause oxidation and can produce free radicles. Free radicles can damage tissues and propagate the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, skin wrinkles, dull skin, etc. Also, prolonged high heat tends to reach a flash point.
Unrefined coconut oil is not referred to use under high heat because of its low smoking point.
Is coconut oil is prone to burn on a gas stove than in an oven?
Coconut oil is much more prone to burn on a gas stove than in an oven. The reason behind that could be that it is impossible to control the temperature in the gas stove, but the range is designed to maintain the temperature.
