fat
Neutral oil
Canola, sunflower, or grapeseed — for pan greasing.
About
Neutral oil — canola, sunflower, grapeseed, or refined avocado — is the right choice for greasing Detroit and Sicilian pans, where smoke point matters more than flavor. Olive oil's smoke point sits around 375–410 °F; canola is closer to 425 °F and grapeseed 420 °F, so they hold up better at the bottom of a 525 °F pan without scorching. The lack of flavor is the point: you want the dough's flavor on the bottom, not olive oil's. Some Detroit operators (Buddy's tradition included) use a butter-flavored or pure-shortening blend for the same heat tolerance with a touch more browning.
Substitutes
- Extra-virgin olive oil — expect more browning and flavor