Finding the ideal frying pan can make all the difference when it comes to your cookware collection. From solo cookouts to feeding an entire family, having the appropriate Frying Pan size will enable effortless meals with minimum maintenance needs.
Frying Pans are shallow flat-bottomed skillets with low, outward flaring sides – unlike Sauté Pans which feature straight, high sides.
Cast Iron
Cast iron makes an excellent frying pan for browning, searing and roasting as its heat retention properties ensure an even cook. Furthermore, unlike non-stick pans which expose food to carcinogenic perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, C8) containing chemicals used as non-stick coatings – cast iron does not expose its users to this carcinogen.
Los Angeles-based blogger of The Hungry French Girl uses her cast iron skillet to sear steak and other foods with ease, while it also allows food direct contact with a hot surface that allows it to become crispy on both the bottom and sides.
Le Creuset is well-renowned for their enamelled cast iron cookware, available in an array of colours. Additionally, they sell uncoated cast iron pans which require more care and seasoning but still make delicious dishes and baked desserts. Uncoated models take longer to heat up and cool off than coated models but retain heat more effectively.
Stainless Steel
Professional chefs understand the necessity of having stainless steel cookware in their repertoire for creating various dishes. Its durable surface can easily searing or browning meat while also being great for saucy vegetables or scrambling eggs – and its easy transition from stovetop to oven makes this durable metal even more essential.
Most stainless steel pans are constructed by interweaving multiple layers of highly conductive metal or copper between layers of stainless steel to increase heating quickly and uniformly. This helps the pan heat quickly.
Before using a stainless steel frying pan to prepare food, it’s essential to preheating it first. Aim for 350 degrees Fahrenheit using the water drop test; when one drop of water makes a “TSS” sound and shimmers it indicates preheating of your pan and can prevent metal sticking when adding food to it. Cooks should use lower heat when working with meat so the Mallard reaction occurs on its surface.
Non-Stick
Professional chefs rely on non-stick pans every day when it comes to creating fluffy omelettes and thin crepes, among other delicate dishes.
Older non-stick pans could expose users to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), known as the “forever chemical.” Newer models are made without this compound but still achieve excellent non-stick performance; however, non-stick surfaces should not be heated to high temperatures as this could damage them over time and scratched by metal utensils.
Home testers were pleased with the performance of this non-stick pan, from cooking eggs and sausage sautéing to thick sauce addition. Furthermore, it felt sturdy and oven safe up to 500 degrees; just be mindful when using metal utensils on such pans as this could compromise their coatings; additionally this model is both PFOA-free and dishwasher safe!
Copper
Imagine your ideal kitchen and it might feature copper cookware hung from the ceiling or lined along an island. Copper has long been considered a material of choice among professional chefs as well as serious home chefs alike.
Copper is an exceptional heat conductor and responds rapidly to changes in temperature fluctuations, making it the ideal material for delicate preparations such as making sauce or sautéing lean proteins.
Copper cookware is not naturally non-stick and reacts negatively with acidic foods, so most pieces need to be lined in order for it to function effectively. Newer pieces typically feature stainless steel lining, which is durable enough to stand up against utensils that might damage it; older pieces were usually covered with tin which deteriorates over time requiring frequent reminting sessions.
Conclusion
- Mauve’s copper fry pan features an innovative multi-ply construction that features layers of stainless steel and copper to provide even heating, as well as being hammered for added style and texture.
