What is a good oil to use in the deep fryer? I never use mine because the oil I use spreads a greasy smell in my house. What should I use?
Kitchen Witch is right, you need to choose a fat with a high smoke point. Smoke point is the temperature at which the fat breaks down, imparting bad flavors to your food. All fats smoke at different temperatures, so choosing one that will survive long periods of high heat is important.
Smoke point of oils: Cooking oil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Then, decide if you want to impart flavor or not with the oil. Peanut oils is a great choice because of high smoke point, but also adds great flavor to fried foods.
Also, make sure you have a thermometer to tell the precise temperature of the oil when frying. Be careful of moisture in high fat, it can burst into flames. NEVER put something frozen into heated fat unless you’re trying to cash in your homeowners insurance.