cottonseed oil vs. peanut oil

p-nut for frying my turkeys, great taste

People who insist on peanut don't know what they're talking about. Cottonseed has a comparable smoke point and won't burn up like cheaper oils. you also can't go wrong with Canola. Both are cheaper than Peanut. If you're cooking 1 turkey go with cheap clear fry.

From a technical standpoint, similar smoke points, but peanut oil has a lower iodine value (chemical test that measures "stability" of the oil). The lower the IV, the longer the oil should last at temperature.

If you are frying one turkey, and have a thermometer, you definitely don't need Peanut Oil or Cottonseed Oil. The cheapest vegetable oil you can find will work fine as long as you keep your temperature 350F or below, and I'd challenge any one to take the Pepsi Challenge and tell me which one was fried in peanut vs. soybean or canola (vegetable) oil.

Lard would make a difference in flavor for sure as would beef tallow.

Cottonseed Oil's main distinguishing characteristic is that it gives you a consistent golden brown color throughout it's fry life. When using other oils fresh... your first batches are too light, and get too dark after multiple batches. Cottonseed oil solves that problem, which is why Cafe Du Monde swears by it for thier bengiets. Great for fish, fries, etc... when you start with fresh oil.

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If you're cooking 1 turkey go with cheap clear fry.

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I'm cooking 3 and price isn't relevant, anyway p-nut oil tastes much better

Cottonseed oil is very good oil. It has a unique smell. next time you open up a fresh jug,give it a smell. Smells like cake! And no,it does not add any flavor to food.

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If I fried 10 turkeys in Peanut Oil, Canola Oil, Soybean Oil, Corn Oil, Sunflower Oil... There is no way you'd be able to pick out the peanut oil in a blind test. It can't be done. I work for the largest producer of frying oil in the world, and have been selling food oils for about 15 years.

Lard and Tallow are a different story, but vegetable oils are so similar in taste profile, that flavor differences are completely negligible.

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Completely disagree, I'd take that challenge.

I eat very little fried foods now. I know that food fried in peanut oil will "sit" ok with my stomach. Other oils will make me ill. I can guarantee I'll tell the difference from 1 the smell coming off the fryer and 2- the taste. This is particularly true with french fries, but holds true on other foods as well.

I'm a regular gastronomical anomaly. If all oils are the same, why bother producing multiple types? Why not just produce the cheapest one that yields the largest profit margin?