A commercial kitchen would be incomplete without frying pans or saute pans. These pans have a unique all-purpose form that makes them great for pan-frying, scrambling, sautéing, or searing. Their structure combines the traditional circular shape of a skillet with reasonably high, slightly slanted edges. Fry pans are available in various sizes and materials, the most common being aluminium, stainless steel, and copper.
Thoughts on Buying Frying Pans
When shopping for a suitable frying pan, think about the material, pan thickness, and handle style.
Several Distinct Frying Pan Construction Materials
Different fry pans are made from other materials and have different coatings and handles. Brands offer the ideal fry pans for your industrial kitchen, whether you’re looking for non-stick omelette stations or traditional searing pans with a natural finish.
- Aluminium: Its low thermal conductivity and resistance to corrosion make it an excellent material for many applications.
- Stainless steel: It is an excellent material since it is resistant to rust and corrosion, conducts heat well, and is induction-ready.
- Tri-Ply: This material comprises three metals linked together for maximum durability and optimal heating.
Some benefits of stainless steel and aluminium cookware are excellent heat conduction, induction-ready, rust and corrosion resistance, and dishwasher safety.
Excellent heat conduction is achieved using copper and stainless steel.
Carbon steel is induction-ready and produces good heat conduction.
Cookware designed to work with induction hobs is often constructed of steel or iron, both magnetic materials. Induction cooking utilises magnetic energy to heat the cookware instead of the stovetop, unlike more conventional techniques of cooking, where heat is generated on the stovetop and transferred to the cookware by direct contact. This means the utensil will heat up quickly, use less energy, and make the kitchen safer.
Frying Pan’s Thickness
Aside from the quality of the materials used, the thickness of the frying pan you buy should also be carefully considered. The question is, how can you relate to how thick something is? Cookware thickness is often expressed in gauge or mils; the way these numbers are interpreted is crucial: 1 mil is equivalent to 1/1000; hence a more excellent mil value indicates a thicker metal.
But the gauge operates in the reverse direction; the more significant the gauge, the thinner the metal. The majority of cookware you come across will have a thickness ranging between 10 and 22 gauges. The thick metal is usually better for frying pans, but there are always trade-offs to consider based on the specific use case.
Various Types of Frying Pan Handles
Stainless steel pan handles are preferable since they don’t become as hot as the pan and because they don’t transfer heat as efficiently as aluminium. You might also try to find metal handles drilled or otherwise hollowed down to provide a cooling effect. Similarly, silicone handles are excellent choices since they provide a firm grip even after prolonged usage and can be removed without much effort. However, certain silicone handles are not intended for usage with high temperatures and may need the installation of a pot handle holder to ensure the safety of your employees.
Frying Pans with a Non-Stick Coating vs Those with a Natural Finish
Both non-stick and natural-finish fry pans may be used for many dishes. Frying pans with a natural finish can be all you need to cook your meals. However, non-stick fry pans are preferred by many cooks due to their numerous valuable features and their usage in searing food.
How is it seasoned?
Vegetable oil should be used to gently grease its interior before using it. This applies to non-coated aluminium, stainless steel, or carbon steel pans. Then, place the pan on the stove and cook it for 5-10 minutes over medium heat or until smoke or heat waves begin to emerge. Turn off the heat when the food reaches a dark amber colour. After cooking, remove the pan from the stovetop and wipe it with a paper towel to remove any remaining oil.
