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Non-stick pans were a game changer in the kitchen when they were introduced and are a common tool in many homes today. They make cooking easier eggsflip pancakes or omelettes without mess and prepare to clean child’s play. This does not mean that these pans are suitable for cooking everything. If you use them to cook certain foods, you might end up with a lackluster meal.
The problem comes down to heat and chemistry. Nonstick pans are designed for low to medium temperatures, so they can’t achieve the high heat needed for good browning. When you try to enter a steak or chicken breast in a nonstick pan, you’ll get pale, steamed meat instead of the caramelized, flavorful crust that develops thanks to the Maillard reaction. That golden brown exterior isn’t just about looks: it’s where much of the flavor lies.
Beyond the disappointing results, improper use of non-stick pans can damage them. High heat and metal utensils gradually degrade the coating, shortening the life of the pan and potentially introducing coating particles into your food. We all love easy cleaning as much as the next guy, but most of your cooking projects come out better stainless steelcarbon steel or cast iron. These pans transmit high surface heat, giving foods char, depth and flavor development. I asked a career cooking teacher to come up with the ultimate list of banned nonstick products.
Richard La Marita is a chef-instructor in health-centered culinary arts at Culinary Education Institute in New York. LaMarita describes nonstick cookware, including ceramic, as “niche.”
“Scrambled or fried eggs, pancakes, and fried tofu are perfect for cooking in nonstick pans,” LaMarita told me via email. “Those sticky foods should come out completely without leaving any remnants in the pan. Nonstick pans are popular, easy to clean, and convenient, and I recommend every cook to have one.”
So, what foods should never be cooked in non-stick cookware? Here’s what Chef LaMarita says.
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1. Most meats and fish
Properly searing steak, pork chops, chicken or fish is almost impossible in a non-stick pan.
First there are foods that require or want to be seared externally. When you’re looking for a deep, good-colored caramelized crust, like on a steak, chicken breast, or piece of salmon, you won’t get the color you want with a nonstick pan. Nonstick is not designed to tolerate the high heat required to achieve the desired crust and its surface is not oriented toward developing that crust due to the coating on the pan.
2. Most vegetables
Cast iron is ideal for cooking vegetables.
Just like meat, vegetables need a bit of char for maximum flavor and you just won’t get that with a non-stick pan. For zucchini, carrots, onions, asparagus and bok choy, opt for a stainless steel or cast iron pan for best results.
3. Foods you want to caramelize
A cast iron skillet or stainless steel skillet is ideal for properly caramelizing an onion or creating a base (leftover caramelized food).
Do you know the condition? These are the caramelized, crispy bits of food that remain on the pan after searing and are the key to great flavor (and happiness). The stock is used to make pan sauces. The food is first seared, then scooped, and these beautiful, tasty bits of food are incorporated into the sauce. To make fondant, a non-stick pan will not be useful. There just isn’t enough heat on the surface.
4. Acidic foods
Highly acidic foods such as tomatoes and wine or vinegar-based sauces can corrode the surface of a nonstick pan.
Cooking highly acidic foods in non-stick pans is not a good idea. Acidic foods include tomato sauce or a dish with a high level of vinegar in the pan, such as braised cabbage, or if there is lemon juice in the cooking process. “Ratatouille is a dish I wouldn’t cook in a nonstick pan,” says LaMarita. “The acids in this and other recipes will corrode the delicate nonstick surface over time.”
5. Stir-fries, soups, sauces
Recipes that require constant stirring or whisking, such as Chinese stir-fries or a delicate sauce, are not good candidates for a nonstick pan.
Along the same lines as surface wear, avoid cooking foods or dishes that require a lot of stirring. A stir-fry, sauce or dish that requires a lot of stirring and mixing could quickly wear down the surface. “I find that non-stick surfaces eventually wear out, even if used correctly, so why speed up that process?”
To find out more, here how to know if your teflon pans are safeand a suit guide to reheating all types of leftovers.
