What this guide covers: Seed oil usage in Culver's fried menu, based on Culver's own Quality Ingredient Guide.
Culver's fries its crinkle-cut fries and other breaded items in refined canola oil. Canola oil is a seed oil.
What oil is in Culver's fryer
Culver's own documentation states its fries are "Cooked in Canola Oil": specifically refined canola oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness, and dimethylpolysiloxane added as an anti-foaming agent. The same oil is shared across Culver's fried menu, including cheese curds, onion rings, and chicken tenders.
Contains seed oil: per Culver's own documentation
Fryer oil: refined canola oil (with TBHQ, citric acid, dimethylpolysiloxane). Shared across fries, cheese curds, onion rings, and chicken tenders.
What about the frozen custard?
Culver's Flavor of the Day frozen custard varies by specific flavor. Some mix-ins contain soybean oil, for example candy pieces or novelty chocolate components in certain flavors, per Culver's own Flavor of the Day Quality Ingredient Guide. This isn't a blanket statement about all frozen custard; the base custard recipe and specific mix-ins should be checked per flavor.
Our Pick
EPIC Grass-Fed Beef Tallow
Beef tallow is a traditional animal fat with a high smoke point, historically used in commercial cooking before the widespread adoption of seed oils. For at-home cooking reference.
Frequently asked questions
Does Culver's use seed oils?
Yes. Culver's cooks its crinkle-cut fries, cheese curds, onion rings, and other breaded items in refined canola oil (with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness, and dimethylpolysiloxane as an anti-foaming agent), per Culver's own Quality Ingredient Guide. Canola oil is a seed oil.
Is Culver's fryer shared across menu items?
Yes. The same canola oil is used across Culver's entire fried menu, including cheese curds, onion rings, and chicken tenders, per Culver's own documentation. Any of these items carries the same seed-oil exposure, plus potential cross-contact with wheat, milk, and other allergens.
Does Culver's frozen custard contain seed oils?
It depends on the flavor. Culver's Flavor of the Day custard mix-ins vary by recipe; some contain soybean oil (for example, in candy or novelty-chocolate components), which this guide covers per flavor rather than as a single blanket statement about all frozen custard.
Sources
- Culver's -- Flavor of the Day Quality Ingredient Guide -- Official source for Flavor of the Day custard ingredients
- Frypedia -- Culver's crinkle-cut fries: ingredients, oil, kosher status, sourced -- Quotes Culver's own "Cooked in Canola Oil" fryer statement
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