Advantages of Avocado Oil For Grilling and Baking

I was introduced to avocado oil by Chosen Foods who sent me a sample of their spray and cooking oil. While I am an avocado fiend, I was honestly a Little reluctant to switch from olive oil initially. However, after trying it on a few different recipes I am completely hooked! While there are other advantages, the biggest single one is the higher smoke point, which means that my pans are cleaner and stuff is less likely to turn brown / black in the pan.

Why I Love Avocado Oil for Grilling

When it comes to mastering the grill, your choice of oil can make or break your barbecue experience. After years of experimenting with different options, I've discovered that avocado oil is an excellent choice for grilling chicken and vegetables. "The same goes for searing steaks or pan-frying fish; it's my favorite high-heat oil to use," says Julian Plateado of Nordic Catch.

Unmatched High-Heat Performance

Let's talk about what truly sets avocado oil apart: its remarkable smoke point of 500°F (260°C). This high smoke point means you can sear steaks at intense temperatures without the oil breaking down or creating bitter, acrid smoke. While olive oil starts smoking around 400°F and extra-virgin olive oil falters at just 220°F, avocado oil keeps its composure even when your grill is cranking out serious heat. This means you can achieve that perfect crusty sear on your meats while maintaining a clean, pure flavor.

Health Benefits That Stand Up to Heat

Most high-heat cooking oils force you to compromise between heat tolerance and health benefits, but not avocado oil. It maintains its nutritional integrity even at high grilling temperatures, delivering a rich source of monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. The oil's stability means you're not just getting better flavor—you're also getting more nutritional value from every drop compared to oils that degrade under high heat.

Versatility Across Your Grilling Adventures

The beauty of avocado oil lies in its adaptability. Use it to brush directly onto vegetables before they hit the grates, whisk it into marinades for your favorite meats, or create high-heat grilling sauces that won't burn. Its neutral flavor profile means it enhances rather than masks the natural flavors of your grilled foods, while its excellent heat distribution ensures even cooking. Whether you're grilling delicate fish, robust steaks, or colorful vegetable skewers, avocado oil handles it all with aplomb.

This article was originally published almost 10 years ago, so it's very interesting to see how well-accepted avocado oil is today. At the time, Chosen Food's avocado oil was pretty much the only game in town. It was very expensive and relatively difficult to find. Today thankfully there are a lot of different options but I still prefer to use a high-quality brand like Chosen Foods that I know I can trust. Today they have the cooking oil and spray oil that I used for the original review as well as mayonnaise, dressings, spreads, and even squeeze bottles that make it easy to add avocado oil to whatever you're cooking.

Yeah this sounds promotional but this is truly my go-to cooking oil. While I still like olive oil for some things depending on taste, the reality is that my only negative before was the price ... and that's been largely eliminated. For example, based on MSRP - Bertoli Olive Oil in a similar size is about $0.60 per oz, while Chosen Foods Avocado Oil is $0.75. That leaves Chosen Foods at a significantly higher price point but far from one that will prohibit you from choosing to use avocado oil in situations like high-temp baking where it is simply the better choice.

Avocado oil is also great for baking. It offers a unique combination of high heat stability and a neutral flavor, making it an excellent choice for a variety of baked goods. When baking, the high smoke point of avocado oil ensures that your creations rise beautifully and bake evenly without the risk of developing burnt or unwanted flavors. This is particularly advantageous for recipes that require a quick, high-temperature start, such as quick breads and certain types of cakes.

Moreover, the neutral taste of avocado oil allows the true flavors of your ingredients to shine through, whether you're working with rich chocolates, zesty citrus, or aromatic spices. Unlike other oils like coconut or olive oil, avocado oil won't overpower or mask these delicate flavors, ensuring that each bite is a delightful experience.

Additionally, the health benefits of avocado oil extend to your baked goods. It is rich in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, providing a healthier option without sacrificing taste or texture. Whether you're substituting it for butter or other cooking oils, avocado oil provides a moist, tender crumb to cakes and muffins while supporting your overall well-being. Its versatility means you can confidently use it across a wide range of baking recipes, from savory to sweet, knowing that it will enhance the final texture and flavor of your baked goods.

High Heat Stability Means Better Baking

Unlike many traditional baking oils, avocado oil maintains its structure at high temperatures, with a smoke point around 500°F (260°C). This means your muffins, cakes, and breads bake evenly without any unwanted smoke or off-flavors. I've found this particularly helpful when making quick breads that need higher temperature starts to achieve that perfect rise.

Neutral Flavor Lets Your Ingredients Shine

Despite coming from flavorful avocados, the oil itself has a wonderfully neutral taste. This allows the real stars of your baking—whether it's dark chocolate, fresh berries, or warm spices to take center stage. Unlike coconut oil or olive oil, avocado oil won't compete with or mask the delicate flavors in your baked goods.

Health Benefits of Avocado Oil:

Avocados are a miracle fruit. It's a great source of Oleic Acid and omega-9 EFA that is highly resistant to oxidation, it also has a very high concentration of beta-sitosterol, a type of cholesterol that helps our bodies convert less healthy fats into more usable and less damaging forms. Avocado oil is also a great source of Vitamin E that can help with the immune system, improve memory, mental acuity, and help support the digestive track. It's also a fantastic anti-inflammatory that can help lower the risk of heart disease. There are a ton more benefits as well.

High smoke point isn't just cosmetic. In fact, when you cook with oils above their smoke points it actually can create trans fats. This means that not only is avocado oil more healthy for you than many other cooking oils ... it's even more healthy since you are less likely to push it past the smoke point. In addition to creating trans fats, this burned oil also creates toxins, radicals, and decomposed materials that are the result of an oil that has broken down into unhealthy components.

It Tastes Great and is As Versatile as Olive Oil:

While I LOVE my avocados, I was a little concerned initially that everything would taste like them by using this oil. However, I was pleasantly surprised that the flavor is very mild and honestly I wouldn't have immediately identified it being avocado. I've used it to completely replace Olive Oil in cooking and butter / cooking spray for coating a pan during baking. Though I have not tried it as a dressing or for dipping bread I've been told that it works great that way too.

Health Benefits of Avocado Oil for Men

Avocado oil delivers powerful health advantages for men who grill and bake, reinforcing key aspects of physical wellbeing:

• The high concentration of monounsaturated fats in avocado oil actively supports healthy testosterone production and maintenance, enhancing muscle strength and energy levels - this is especially valuable since the oil's molecular structure remains stable during high-heat grilling.
• Men's prostate health benefits from avocado oil's abundant vitamin E content, which provides antioxidant protection that is particularly relevant during high-temperature cooking methods that might compromise other oils.
• The oleic acid in avocado oil promotes cardiovascular health by supporting optimal blood pressure and cholesterol levels, addressing a primary health concern for men in their middle years and beyond.
• Avocado oil packs a powerful combination of vitamins K and D, supporting bone density and strength—critical nutrients for men over 40 who face natural bone density changes with age.
• The stable lutein content in avocado oil, preserved even at high cooking temperatures, protects eye health and helps guard against age-related macular degeneration, which is also particularly relevant for men with significant screen time.

Incorporating avocado oil into your grilling and baking routines strengthens your body's core health systems while elevating your culinary results.

With all of this said, I'm not suggesting that you switch from avocado oil exclusively - I used lots of different cooking oils and fats to flavor my food differently. This includes olive oil as well as sesame, grape seed, even lard in my kitchen. What it comes down to for me is simply expanding what I use and how so that I can deliver the best tasting, healthiest cooking experience for myself and my family!