Nothing is more frustrating than trying to cook delicious food that sticks to the bottom of the pan. A well-seasoned or seasoned pan will make cooking more fun, easier to clean, and create better-tasting food. There is a saying in the restaurant business; Hot pan – Cold oil. Which means never putting oil in a cold pan and then heating it up. By heating the pan first and then adding the oil, then immediately the food, it will stick much less. Also, if you season your pan when you first buy it, you’ll get even better results.
Cured by metal types
Stainless Steel – Unfortunately, stainless steel cannot be seasoned due to the hardness of the metal. In fact, I don’t know of a single restaurant that uses stainless steel trays. They’re great for storing food because food won’t react with metal, but horrible for cooking. My advice is to just stay away from them entirely.
Aluminum: First wash the pan with soup and water with a sponge or cloth (not a steel wool). Rinse and dry well. Heat the skillet until hot, and then add two ounces of oil to the skillet. Carefully move the pan so that the oil coats every part of the pan. Let the pan cool. Remove the oil and repeat the process one more time. From this moment on, do not use soap again. Wash with lukewarm water and pat dry with a paper towel. If any food does hit us a little salt with oil and a paper towel to remove it.
Teflon and other nonstick surfaces: Nonstick technology has come a long way over the years, and there are dozens of infomercials to prove it. But the truth is, even nonstick pans will eventually stick. Follow the steps for seasoning aluminum pans and your nonstick pans will last longer and work better. Remember after the first time, never wash down with soup again.
Cast Iron and Wok – For cast iron and wok, the process is similar, but due to the nature of metal, it will heat the pans to a much higher temperature. First wash the pan with soup and water, and then dry it well. Heat the skillet until very hot. Add two ounces of oil and shake to coat all sides. Let cool and remove excess oil. Reheat the pan until it starts to smoke. Add more oil and repeat the process until you have done this three times. Never wash again and always store your pans at any angle or by hanging them so they don’t rust.
By taking the time to properly season your pans, you’ll enjoy cooking that much more and increase the life of your investment. I recommend spending a little extra money and buying good quality pans and taking care of them, you will be much happier in the long run. Another piece of advice is never to buy pans with plastic or wooden handles because they cannot be put in the oven. As your cooking skills increase, you’ll find that many recipes start on the burner and then move into the oven. With an all-metal tray, this transition is seamless.