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Comparison: Why a coated pan is indispensable when cooking
A coated pan is suitable for searing meat, fish and vegetables
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Whether it’s fish, meat or vegetables: the pan is coated with stainless steel or aluminium, ceramic or Teflon to ensure that no leftover food sticks to the surface during preparation. You can read about the differences between the materials and the features of a good pan as follows.
Apart from the fact that a non-stick coating is indispensable when preparing food in a pan, far less oil is required for frying than with an uncoated model (e.g. made of cast iron). In addition, most frying pans can easily withstand high temperatures. The question arises: How do you recognize a good pan, how do common coatings differ – and how do you clean them properly? We got to the bottom of the questions.
What distinguishes a coated pan?
From a purely visual point of view, frying pans don’t take much: Most models have a classic (round) shape and a long handle. However, depending on the manufacturer, the size of the frying surface, the type of coating and the height of the rim can vary. But what indicators then speak for good quality? The following characteristics can be understood as a kind of guide:
- Surface: The frying surface of a normal pan should always be smooth and even so that the oil is evenly distributed over it and does not collect in the middle, as is the case with a wok, for example.
- Edge: A high rim is essential so that food can be distributed and swiveled well in the pan. It promotes evaporation so that less water collects in it.
- Weight: A good pan should be well balanced in weight so that you can easily pick it up by the handle and swivel the food in it without straining.
- Warmth: A pan that distributes high temperatures evenly ensures optimal frying results – and increases durability. However, the coating degrades faster.
Induction: When buying, make sure that the selected frying pan is also suitable for an induction cooker (if you own one). Aluminum pans, for example, are not recommended here.
This is where the coatings differ
There are different non-stick coatings for pans. We will briefly introduce you to the common materials:
stainless steel/aluminium
Stainless steel or aluminum frying pans are plentiful: there are uncoated models, which are intended for quick searing – however, a lot of oil is required here so that the food does not stick to the surface. And desserts such as pancakes can also be prepared well in it. A coated one Pan made of stainless steel or aluminum on the other hand, is corrosion-resistant and has the advantage that low-fat dishes can also be fried with little or no oil. In addition, cleaning is much easier afterwards. But it can also be scratched more easily. The weight is mostly in the normal to light range.
pottery
One Pan with ceramic coating easily withstands temperatures of up to 400 degrees. They are therefore also ideal for searing fish, meat or vegetables (with little fat). The scratch-resistant non-stick effect is usually just as good as that of a stainless steel pan – but unfortunately it is still sensitive to metal objects. Included in the ideal ceramic pans no environmentally harmful plastics such as PTFE (Teflon) or PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), you should pay attention to this in the material description. With proper care, the robust material is extremely durable.
cast iron
The special one cast iron skillet is that it can withstand extremely high temperatures. It is therefore particularly suitable for searing meat (especially steaks) – or for flambéing. However, most models are very heavy in the hand and difficult to clean: After the normal rinse cycle, the pan is cleaned with fat that is burned in with heat. In addition, cast iron can rust.
teflon
This is a plastic coating, called PFTE for short. Depending on the manufacturer, most models can withstand temperatures of up to 270 degrees, although tiny particles can be released from 200 degrees – if they get even hotter (about 360 degrees), even toxic fumes are said to be produced. Apart from that, the surface is much more sensitive to scratches. The biggest advantage of this type of coating is that you need little oil and can therefore cook with little fat: Poultry, fish and egg dishes can be prepared well in a Teflon pan.
How to clean and care for coated pans
It is generally not recommended, regardless of the type of coating, to clean a pan in the dishwasher. The aggressive cleaning agents and the machine salt attack the materials and shorten the service life many times over. When rinsing, you should also not use abrasives, but instead only use hot water and a little washing-up liquid. Afterwards you can oil the coated pan with a little rapeseed or sunflower oil (two to three drops are enough) – but this is not a must.
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