Cooking
Ghee Smoke Point | Cooking, Tadka & Deep Frying Guide
Ghee's smoke point is around 250°C (482°F) | Why it outperforms butter and cooking oils for high-heat cooking, tadka, roasting, and deep frying.
By Farm Dip dairy team4 min read
Key takeaways
- Ghee smokes at about 250°C, butter at about 150°C.
- Removing milk solids is why ghee handles high heat.
- Ghee's saturated fat makes it stable when heated.
- Use buffalo ghee for heavy frying and cow ghee for finishing.
What is smoke point?
Smoke point is the temperature at which a fat starts to give off visible smoke. Past it, the fat begins to break down, tastes acrid and produces irritating compounds. Choosing a fat with a smoke point above your cooking temperature keeps food tasting clean.
Ghee compared with other cooking fats
| Fat | Approximate smoke point | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Ghee | 250°C (482°F) | Tadka, sautéing, roasting, deep frying |
| Butter | 150°C (302°F) | Baking, low-heat cooking |
| Cold-pressed mustard oil | about 250°C | Pickles, tadka, frying |
| Refined sunflower oil | about 230°C | Frying |
| Extra virgin olive oil | about 190°C | Dressings, low to medium heat |
| Cold-pressed coconut oil | about 175°C | Medium heat, South Indian cooking |
Smoke points vary with quality and freshness, so treat these as guides.
How to cook with ghee
- Tadka: heat ghee until it shimmers, then add cumin or mustard seeds. They should sizzle at once.
- Deep frying: ghee is stable and reusable a couple of times if strained and stored dry.
- Roasting: toss vegetables in melted ghee before roasting at 200 to 220°C.
- Finishing: a spoon of cow ghee over hot dal or rice adds aroma that high heat would lose.
Frequently asked questions
What is the smoke point of ghee?
About 250°C (482°F). Removing the milk solids during cooking is what gives ghee a much higher smoke point than butter.
Can ghee be used for deep frying?
Yes. Its high smoke point and stable saturated fats make ghee good for deep frying. Strain and store it dry to reuse once or twice.
