Non-stick frying pans have many benefits - they are inexpensive,
widely available and do their job very well in preventing many food items from
sticking to the pan. Watch a professional chef, however, and you'll very rarely
see them using non-stick frying pans. Cast iron and steel are in constant use
in a professional kitchen, so is non-stick always the best?
As any good cook will tell you, it depends on a) what you're planning to cook in your frying pan, and b) how much heat you need to cook it. If you're not sure on which type of frying pan is best for your cooking job in hand, here's a brief way of deciding on non-stick or not:
Non-stick frying pans
These are best for cooking on a low or medium heat. The reason for this is that the non-stick coating will start to break down at very high temperatures and becomes less effective. If you're frying an egg, making a Spanish omelette or re-heating a sauce, a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat will serve you better than traditional steel or iron cookware. Despite the fact that they are called "frying" pans, frying is something better suited to cast iron or steel pans as they are not good at conducting high-temperature heat.
It's also worth pointing out that choosing to use non-stick frying pans depends on your chosen utensils. Wooden, plastic or silicone Kitchen utensils are all suitable for using with non-stick, however, metal ones may damage the surface.
Cast iron or steel frying pans
For searing or sautéing, nothing beats a cast iron or stainlesssteel pan. They have excellent heat retention, thereby reducing the risk of any hot or cold spots along the surface. To obtain an excellent crust on a well-seared steak, very high, consistent temperatures are needed and only a cast iron or steel pan can achieve this.
If you experience sticking on this type of pan, it usually means that you've not used enough fat, which acts as a barrier between the food and the pan, or haven't got the temperature high enough, thus closing the pores in the metal surface. Also, remember that a well-seasoned pan is essentially 'non-stick' by nature.
No matter what your preferred cooking style, there should be a frying pan - non-stick or otherwise, to suit you.
As any good cook will tell you, it depends on a) what you're planning to cook in your frying pan, and b) how much heat you need to cook it. If you're not sure on which type of frying pan is best for your cooking job in hand, here's a brief way of deciding on non-stick or not:
Non-stick frying pans
These are best for cooking on a low or medium heat. The reason for this is that the non-stick coating will start to break down at very high temperatures and becomes less effective. If you're frying an egg, making a Spanish omelette or re-heating a sauce, a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat will serve you better than traditional steel or iron cookware. Despite the fact that they are called "frying" pans, frying is something better suited to cast iron or steel pans as they are not good at conducting high-temperature heat.
It's also worth pointing out that choosing to use non-stick frying pans depends on your chosen utensils. Wooden, plastic or silicone Kitchen utensils are all suitable for using with non-stick, however, metal ones may damage the surface.
Cast iron or steel frying pans
For searing or sautéing, nothing beats a cast iron or stainlesssteel pan. They have excellent heat retention, thereby reducing the risk of any hot or cold spots along the surface. To obtain an excellent crust on a well-seared steak, very high, consistent temperatures are needed and only a cast iron or steel pan can achieve this.
If you experience sticking on this type of pan, it usually means that you've not used enough fat, which acts as a barrier between the food and the pan, or haven't got the temperature high enough, thus closing the pores in the metal surface. Also, remember that a well-seasoned pan is essentially 'non-stick' by nature.
No matter what your preferred cooking style, there should be a frying pan - non-stick or otherwise, to suit you.
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