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Published 17/09/2025

How to cook with stainless steel pans

Uncoated stainless steel pans are good at everything, from every day use to achieving those professional cooking results. With stainless steel, you can sauté vegetables, sear steaks, fry chicken, simmer stock and more – the world’s your oyster!

However, with the absence of a non-stick coating, many people worry about food sticking and burning to the surface of a stainless steel pan. The good news is that with proper cooking knowledge, and by knowing how to heat the material properly, you can enjoy hassle-free cooking and food that’ll release easily.

Step 1: Preheat the pan

Heat an empty stainless steel pan over a low to medium heat for a couple of minutes. Avoid putting the pans on a high heat when preheating as this can cause warping. Add a teaspoon of lukewarm water to the pan to test whether it’s warm enough. If the water gathers into a large drop that glides from one side of the pan to another, the pan’s ready. Wipe off the water or let it evaporate before adding the oil.

Step 2: Add oil or fat

Once the pan is hot enough, add the oil or butter and move it around the pan until it covers the surface entirely. When the oil or butter spreads around the pan easily, it’s reached the correct temperature. Let the oil shimmer or the butter foam subside before adding food — this creates a temporary non-stick effect.

Step 3: Cook with room temperature and dry foods

It’s important to bring the food to room temperature beforehand as cold food can lower the pan’s temperature and cause it to stick to the bottom. Room temperature food also cooks more evenly, helping you avoid patchy searing. Before adding, make sure to pat meat, fish, or vegetables dry before cooking — moisture causes sticking.

Step 4: Avoid overcrowding

Overcrowding the pan can cause the temperature to drop, breaking the stick-resistant surface and preventing crispiness. So, when cooking meat or veggies, work in batches and keep a couple of centimetres between the pieces. Make sure each piece is touching the bottom of the pan.

Step 5: Let it cook

Once your ingredients are sizzling, let them cook and give the ingredients enough time to brown. With stainless steel, don’t try to move your food too early. Meats, especially, will initially stick but release on their own once a proper crust has formed. Check whether it’s time to move or flip the ingredients by gently lifting the edge of the food in question. If the food sticks, then it needs more time. The food should lift effortlessly when it’s ready.

Step 6: Deglazing

After cooking, you’ll often have browned bits stuck to the pan — this is flavour gold. Add a splash of wine, broth, or even water to dissolve them into a sauce that can be used to create gravy, etc., which also helps clean the pan.

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