Which pan for which job
Aluminum and copper move heat fast, so they warm up and cool down quickly. Cast iron heats slowly but stores a lot of heat, so it stays hot when cold food lands. Good stainless pans hide aluminum inside, because plain stainless conducts heat poorly.
Match the pan to the job
Use cast iron or heavy stainless steel for searing steaks and chops. Use nonstick for eggs and delicate fish, on medium heat or lower. Use a thin, light pan for sauces, where you want the heat to change fast.
Test yourself
Questions from the interactive lesson, with the answer and the why.
You add cold steaks to a thick cast iron pan and a thin pan, both preheated. Why does the cast iron sear better?
It holds more heat, so it barely cools when cold meat lands. Thick iron has heat to spare, so the surface stays near searing temperature.
True or false: A thin, light pan holds its temperature as well as a heavy one when cold food goes in.
False. Less metal means less stored heat, so a thin pan's surface drops fast when cold food lands.
What went wrong? You try to sear a steak in a thin nonstick pan on high heat. The coating starts to smoke.
The coating breaks down at very high heat. Nonstick breaks down near 260°C (500°F), so sear in cast iron or steel instead.
Fill the blank: A thick pan has more metal to ___ heat, so its surface barely drops when food lands.
A thick pan has more metal to store heat, so its surface barely drops when food lands. More metal holds more heat energy, ready to refill the cooled surface.
You turn the burner from high to low. Which pan cools off fastest?
A thin aluminum pan. Little metal means little stored heat, so it follows the dial quickly.
