A new material developed by researchers from University of Toronto Engineering could offer a safer alternative to the nonstick chemicals commonly used in cookware and other applications.
With pans that have a non-stick coating, you want to add your fat (butter or oil usually) before you heat the pan.
With stainless steel pans, it is the opposite. You want to heat your pan up and then add your fat.
If you do either of those in the wrong order, you’ll get food sticking to your pan.
That really covers most people’s problems when cooking with stainless steel. They don’t wait long enough to have their pan heat up before they add their butter or oil.
They don’t wait long enough to have their pan heat up before they add their butter or oil.
That’s the real problem there. The oil should smoke a little when you add it, that means the pan is hot enough. You can check by flicking some water in the pan; if the water drops bead up and skate around the pan like they’re on ice (Leidenfrost effect), it’s ready. If it immediately fizzles and evaporates it’s not hot enough.
With pans that have a non-stick coating, you want to add your fat (butter or oil usually) before you heat the pan.
With stainless steel pans, it is the opposite. You want to heat your pan up and then add your fat.
If you do either of those in the wrong order, you’ll get food sticking to your pan.
That really covers most people’s problems when cooking with stainless steel. They don’t wait long enough to have their pan heat up before they add their butter or oil.
That’s the real problem there. The oil should smoke a little when you add it, that means the pan is hot enough. You can check by flicking some water in the pan; if the water drops bead up and skate around the pan like they’re on ice (Leidenfrost effect), it’s ready. If it immediately fizzles and evaporates it’s not hot enough.