How to Season a Stainless Steel Pan
Use the hot-pan-cold-oil trick., Adjust your cooking temperatures., Warm foods previous to cooking., Do not overfill your pans., Avoid PAM and other non-stick sprays., Always maintain a Teflon coating., Use stainless steel pans for sauces, liquids...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use the hot-pan-cold-oil trick.
The best way to keep items from sticking when cooking with stainless steel pans is to start by preheating the pan.
Preheat over medium heat, never high heat, and pour in butter or oil just before adding your food., Cooking at too high a temperature can easily cause food to stick to a pan.
Remember: the HIGH setting on your stove is for boiling water and deep frying but not much else.
Lower the temperature at which you cook food to avoid sticking and burning. , Cold food on a hot pan will often cause it to stick.
Avoid this issue by taking food out of the refrigerator before you cook it and allow it to come to room temperature.
Just don't leave it out for too long! , Putting in too much food can really mess with the the temperature balance of your pan, creating sticky situations.
This can also cause your food to cook unevenly! , These sprays can leave behind a residue which creates a lot more stick than it solves, especially around the edges of a pan where the spray is not burned off. , If your pans have a non-stick coating, you need to work to maintain that coating.
Never use metal tools on a non-stick pan, don't use too high a heat, and never, EVER scrub the pan with abrasive materials like a scrubbing sponge or metal sponge. , Stainless steel pans work best when cooking sauces, reductions, and other liquid food items.
They are also useful for acidic foods, since non-stick and other types of pans will react with acidic foods and degrade over time. , Teflon, cast iron, or carbon steel pans (the last two of which should be seasoned) are the pans that you should use for sticky items like meat, eggs, and pancakes. , Copper pans are best for items that are very heat sensitive or need to get very hot (high heats are unsafe for other types of pans).
They need to be properly oiled first but these are the pans that you should use for quick sautés and other high-heat foods. , Put a few spoonfuls of salt in the bottom of the pan. , Add in a high-heat oil, like peanut oil. , Heat the pan on high heat until the oil smokes. , Turn the heat off and allow it to cool. , Once the oil is safe to handle, pour it out and wipe down the pan with a paper towel or a cloth.
Remember, once a pan is seasoned it should never be washed. -
Step 2: Adjust your cooking temperatures.
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Step 3: Warm foods previous to cooking.
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Step 4: Do not overfill your pans.
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Step 5: Avoid PAM and other non-stick sprays.
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Step 6: Always maintain a Teflon coating.
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Step 7: Use stainless steel pans for sauces
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Step 8: liquids
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Step 9: and acidic foods.
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Step 10: Use non-stick pans for eggs and similarly sticky items.
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Step 11: Use copper pans for high heat meals.
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Step 12: Put salt in the bottom of the pan.
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Step 13: Add in oil.
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Step 14: Heat the pan.
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Step 15: Let it cool.
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Step 16: Wipe it out.
Detailed Guide
The best way to keep items from sticking when cooking with stainless steel pans is to start by preheating the pan.
Preheat over medium heat, never high heat, and pour in butter or oil just before adding your food., Cooking at too high a temperature can easily cause food to stick to a pan.
Remember: the HIGH setting on your stove is for boiling water and deep frying but not much else.
Lower the temperature at which you cook food to avoid sticking and burning. , Cold food on a hot pan will often cause it to stick.
Avoid this issue by taking food out of the refrigerator before you cook it and allow it to come to room temperature.
Just don't leave it out for too long! , Putting in too much food can really mess with the the temperature balance of your pan, creating sticky situations.
This can also cause your food to cook unevenly! , These sprays can leave behind a residue which creates a lot more stick than it solves, especially around the edges of a pan where the spray is not burned off. , If your pans have a non-stick coating, you need to work to maintain that coating.
Never use metal tools on a non-stick pan, don't use too high a heat, and never, EVER scrub the pan with abrasive materials like a scrubbing sponge or metal sponge. , Stainless steel pans work best when cooking sauces, reductions, and other liquid food items.
They are also useful for acidic foods, since non-stick and other types of pans will react with acidic foods and degrade over time. , Teflon, cast iron, or carbon steel pans (the last two of which should be seasoned) are the pans that you should use for sticky items like meat, eggs, and pancakes. , Copper pans are best for items that are very heat sensitive or need to get very hot (high heats are unsafe for other types of pans).
They need to be properly oiled first but these are the pans that you should use for quick sautés and other high-heat foods. , Put a few spoonfuls of salt in the bottom of the pan. , Add in a high-heat oil, like peanut oil. , Heat the pan on high heat until the oil smokes. , Turn the heat off and allow it to cool. , Once the oil is safe to handle, pour it out and wipe down the pan with a paper towel or a cloth.
Remember, once a pan is seasoned it should never be washed.
About the Author
Emma Stewart
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in practical skills and beyond.
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