Frying Pans

Janetew

I never seem to be able to keep my frying pan in good condition and am not sure why!

One side of it always ends up burnt and I end up taking the non-stick off with over-vigerous cleaning.

I don't think I've ever spent more than £10 on one.

Should I invest in a good quality one?

I know this is the most boring thread ever but would appreciate any help you can give me!

Sagaris

We've got the Tefal Preference pan set (wedding present from work colleagues)) and they are the best set of pans we've ever owned - the frying pan was so good I went and got a small omlette pan too!

The small one is 20cm I think, and I got in Debenhams in one of their sales - it cost around £22 IIRC?

I always used to go for cheap and cheerful (think Woolies LOL), expecting them not to last - and they didn't - I'll never have to go back to those again, hopefully!!

markie1980

I agree with Sagaris.
I have a tefal and highly recommend them.

I got it from Tescos when they were reduced. It might be worth checking if they still are?

tanith

I use a non metallic scourer (plastic) and washing up liqued to clean my nonstick pans, with the frying pan you need to be especially diligent in cleaning any fat off the underside as it will just burn on next time you use it if you don't get it all off each time... you should only either wipe the inside with kitchen roll if its not too dirty (I do this if I have just fried an egg for instance) or with the plastic scourer gently if its really mucky , rinse with clean hot water and bobs your uncle...
Invest in a good one then clean as above and it should last for years and years..mine do..

Mum_of_3_3

I got this one from my Mum a while back http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Jamie+Oliver+30cm+hard+anodising+frying+pan/114254206,default,pd.html?cm_mmc=affiliates-_-google-_-feed-_-at_home

I was going to reccommend it, saying it was fab and cleans really really easily and doesn't need scrubbing, just a wipe over with a cloth. It's also great of rmaking things like risotto etc in, but now I've seen the price I'm not surprised! :eek:

Mind you she did buy me this stellar cassarole dish http://www.cookware-online.co.uk/shop/pots-and-pans/stellar-1000/stellar-1000-24cm-4-35l-cass-255252.html and I can't reccommend this enough. It cleans soooo easily & even baked on onions etc come off with just a bit of washing up liquid & a j-cloth

I must say I do notice the difference between the pans she has bought me & the rubbsihy cheap pans I buy myself.

I know that the pans my Mum bought me are really expensive, but I don't think I will ever have to replace them which if you look at it like that makes them a good buy.

I wouldn't say break the bank to buy a frying pan (there are MUCH more exciting things to spend you money on), but I would say buy the best that you can afford.

HTH

M_o_3

TimBuckTeeth

I never got on well with non-stick pans, so now use stainless steel ones, things don't stick if you use a small amount of oil. If anything does burn, unlike non-stick the pan will not be destroyed but can be cleaned easily by soaking and scouring pad.

If you want a non-stick pan don't get the standard teflon (PTFE) type as even the best quality will wear over time and if it gets too hot it will be ruined. There are health concerns over PTFE as chemicals can get into the food being cooked - maybe scare stories, I'm not sure.

There are newer ceramic based non-stick coatings like Thermolon which seem to be better, more durable and stable up to much higher temperatures. I would choose one of these.

wallbash

AS tanith said,

wipe the inside with kitchen roll if its not too dirty

Pro chefs Never srub/clean their frying pans!!

Its a wipe clean with a piece of kitchen paper.

Shimmyhill

I use Anolon pro pans and they are awesome but not cheap, i have some Tefal red dot frying pans and they are not bad but the non stick does go after a while - but cheap enough to replace.

I always found cheap non stick pans are rubbish and a false economy over the years. But never clean with any kind scourer - get some nice rubber spatulas to get all the food out in the first place and then there will be nothing to dry onto the pans !!

dwarvenassassin

wallbash wrote: »

AS tanith said,


Pro chefs Never srub/clean their frying pans!!

Its a wipe clean with a piece of kitchen paper.

The reasons for this are:
a] To fry properly, the pan should be hot enough to kill any nasties before the food goes near it
b] It protects the finish
c] It adds to the flavour ofthe food over time (Woks are never washed for this reason too)

It is a proven technique and I agree with the other here that it should be the way to go.
I would also recommend getting a pan with a nice thick base and sides as these are less prone to heat loss when adding cold food or removing from the heat for a short period.
More heat = fast cooking = less fat absorbtion, less burning, easier job, etc. etc.

dwarvenassassin

oh, and always get your pan nice and hot BEFORE adding the oil and use as little oil as possible to do what you need to.

Fire_Fox

If you are burning food onto the pan you are overheating the pan, with standard non-stick finishes this is not recommended as it damages the finish and may release plastic into the food. In general the more expensive the pan the more layers of non-stick finish are applied. Teflon Professional non-stick is very good, available in some of the IKEA pans, QVC Cooks Essentials and other ranges. Cheap, lightweight pans don't conduct heat well leading to hotspots, warped bases and burning.

You can use metal utensils on Teflon Pro if you are careful. In general tho, try only to use wood, nylon, melamine, silicone or wire utensils. If you want to fry very hot you should be trying one of the newer non-stick finishes as mentioned in an earlier post, such as Thermolon found in the Green Pan range. You might also try a good anodised non-stick finish such as Stellar. Best place to get either of these ranges cheap is TK Maxx.