01
Lard
6.7best for frying7/8 cup : 1 cup
Same solid fat texture and very high smoke point; makes exceptionally flaky pie crust
6.7
shortening substitute
for frying.
Frying at 350-375°F demands shortening's hydrogenated stability — its trans-fat reduction (post-2018 in the US) put modern shortenings closer to 365°F smoke point, still sufficient for chicken fry but worse than lard's 400°F. Solid fat at room temp means it stores cleanly between fry cycles without rancidity from oxygen exposure. Substitutes must clear 350°F and tolerate 4-6 fry sessions; liquid oils at 0.75:1 by volume work because they pour denser without trapped air.
top substitutes
adjustment for frying
Use 0.875 cup lard per 1 cup shortening — lard's 400°F smoke point clears deep-fry territory at 350-375°F with 25-50°F of headroom. Strong tradition in fried chicken, doughnut, and tortilla frying. Strain through fine mesh after each fry session; lard's 40% saturated fat resists oxidation across 6-8 cycles versus shortening's 4-6.
02
Cooking And Salad Oil
3.3best for frying1 cup : 1 cup
Use 7/8 cup liquid oil per cup shortening; works in quick breads and cakes, not flaky pastry
3.3
adjustment for frying
Use 7/8 cup neutral cooking oil per 1 cup shortening for deep-frying at 350-375°F. Canola or refined soybean oil holds 400°F+ smoke point and tolerates 5-6 fry cycles. Replace when oil darkens to amber or smells fishy; free fatty acid count climbs past 1.5% as a sign of breakdown.
03
Ghee
3.3best for frying1 cup : 1 cup
Adds nutty flavor, slightly softer pastry texture
3.3
adjustment for frying
Ghee at 1:1 cup substitutes for shortening in shallow frying — its 485°F smoke point gives 110°F of headroom over a 375°F fry. Stable across 5-6 cycles. Skip for deep-frying donuts or churros; ghee's nutty flavor reads as caramelized in savory items but off in sweet fried doughs.
show 6 more substitutes
04
Avocado Oil
3.33/4 cup : 1 cup
Use 3/4 cup liquid oil; best for quick breads
3.3
adjustment for this dish
Use 0.75 cup avocado oil per 1 cup shortening for deep-frying — refined avocado's 520°F smoke point is the highest of the listed substitutes, tolerating 6-8 fry cycles. Cost runs 3-4x shortening per quart, so reserve for lighter-batch home use. Slight grassy note in virgin avocado; pick refined for neutral fryer use.
05
Vegetable Oil
3.33/4 cup : 1 cup
Use 3/4 cup oil per 1 cup shortening; works in quick breads and cookies, not flaky pastries
3.3
adjustment for this dish
Use 0.75 cup vegetable oil per 1 cup shortening — vegetable oil blend (soy/canola) at 400-450°F smoke point covers shallow-fry and deep-fry at 350-375°F. Most common commercial fryer fluid for this reason: cheap, neutral, 5-6 cycle life. Discard when foaming aggressively at food entry or smelling rancid.
06
Butter
6.71 1/8 cup : 1 cup
Use equal amount butter; adds richer flavor and golden color to baked goods and pie crusts
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Use 1.125 cups butter per 1 cup shortening only for shallow pan-frying at 325°F max — butter's 350°F smoke point caps frying temp 25°F below standard. Milk solids brown to nutty (good in fish, chicken cutlets) or burn black (in extended fry). Don't deep-fry in butter; it foams and burns within 4 minutes.
07
Coconut Oil
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Same solid texture, works well in baking
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Use 1 cup refined coconut oil per 1 cup shortening for deep-frying — refined coconut's 400°F smoke point clears 350-375°F fries with margin. Lauric acid (45%) gives unusual stability across 5-6 cycles. Refined for neutral, virgin only if tropical-coconut flavor suits the food (Caribbean-style fish, coconut shrimp).
08
Palm Oil
5.01 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Same semi-solid consistency
5.0
adjustment for this dish
Use 1 tbsp palm oil per 1 tbsp shortening for deep-frying — palm's 450°F smoke point and 50% saturated fat profile match commercial deep-fryer requirements (palm is the global #1 fryer fat by volume). Sustainably-certified palm oil only; deforestation-linked supply has driven scrutiny on this category.
09
Margarine
3.31 cup : 1 cup
Softer texture; chill before cutting into pastry dough, works 1:1 in cookies and cakes
3.3