How to Cook with Uncoated Stainless Steel Pans

Overview

Most of us have spent years cooking with non-stick coated pans and have little experience of uncoated cookware. The truth is, neither our grandparents nor Auguste Escoffier had non-stick pans, and they cooked very well indeed. With uncoated stainless steel, the worst that can happen is you burn the food, but you have not damaged your pan. That asymmetry is worth remembering as you learn.

• Construction matters: The more layers (plies) in your pan, the better the heat distribution and the more room for error.
• Temperature is the key variable: Medium heat is correct for most tasks. Higher is not always faster, and it is rarely better.
• Watch the fat: How oil behaves in the pan tells you whether it is ready. Moving quickly and thinning out means it is hot enough for most frying.
• The water droplet test: For searing, water droplets that bead up and roll like mercury indicate the perfect temperature.
• Sticking is informational: If food sticks and won't release, it is either burning or not yet ready to turn. Learn to read the difference.

Understanding Pan Construction

The construction of your pan significantly affects your cooking experience. The key factor is the number of bonded metal layers, which determines how evenly heat spreads across the base and sides.

The principle is simple: the thicker the pan, the more gradually it responds to heat changes, and the less likely you are to scorch food accidentally.

Frying Level 1: Simple Frying with Oil

Good for: Sausages, bacon, onions, mushrooms, omelettes.

Understanding Oil Behaviour

When you put oil in a cold pan, it moves slowly and looks thick. As the pan heats up, the oil thins and moves more freely. That visual change is your cue to add food. The food should sizzle gently when it goes in, not spit and splash.

The Method

1. Place your pan on the hob at medium to medium-high heat.
2. Add your fat: oil, butter, or a combination.
3. Watch the fat. When it thins and moves more freely, add your food.
4. The food should sizzle gently, not spit aggressively.
5. Reduce heat if necessary.

Frying Level 2: Searing Meat and Making Pancakes

Searing Your Meat

1. Once the water droplets behave correctly, add your steak, chicken breast, or pork chop.
2. Press the meat down with a fork to ensure even contact with the pan surface.
3. Immediately reduce the heat by around a third. On an induction hob, for example, drop from 9 to 5 or 6.
4. The meat will stick to the pan. This is correct. Do not try to move it.
5. After a few minutes, the sides of the meat will begin to lift. Test gently with a fork or fish slice.
6. If it lifts easily, it is ready to turn. If it resists, wait a little longer.
7. If the juices are dark brown, reduce the heat further.
8. When you turn the meat, you will find a golden seared surface underneath.

Perfect Pancakes (Crêpes)

Crêpes cook beautifully in uncoated pans, often producing a better result than in non-stick.

1. Place the pan on medium-high heat and add butter.
2. Use a brush or folded kitchen paper to coat the whole surface.
3. Pour in a small quantity of batter.
4. Wait until the edges begin to lift away from the pan.
5. Use a fish slice to turn it.
6. Watch your temperature throughout. Too hot and it will burn and stick.

Frying Level 3: Eggs, Fish and Breadcrumbs

These are the situations where non-stick coatings perform well, and it is worth being honest about that. That said, our grandparents managed without them. The techniques below work. They simply require more care and a willingness to learn.

Fried Eggs

Egg is essentially a natural adhesive, so fat coverage across the entire cooking surface is essential.

Fish

Unless extremely fresh, fish fillets will stick, flake, and break up if you try to cook them skinless or without enough fat. The solution is straightforward.

1. Use high heat with enough oil and a little butter.
2. Cook skin-side down first.
3. Reduce heat when flipping.

The skin provides structure and protects the delicate flesh throughout cooking.

Breadcrumbed Food

Breadcrumbs will shed from the food and are likely to burn in an uncoated pan on high heat. You have two options! Either add generous oil or butter and cook on a medium heat. Or, if you want to avoid extra fat in your cooking, wack your breadcrumbed food in the oven.

Sauciers and Sauté Pans

General Approach

Start on medium or medium-high heat with oil and butter, and observe what is happening in the pan. If food begins to stick more than you want, reduce the heat. Sticking during sauce-building is not always a problem. It often produces better flavour.

Example: Building a Chicken Pie Filling

1. Brown some onions over medium heat.
2. Add bacon. Note that honey-cured bacon has a higher sugar content and is more likely to catch.
3. Sweat in some leeks.
4. Add butter and flour.
5. At this stage, the mixture often begins to stick. Reduce the heat rather than panicking.
6. As you add liquid to build the sauce, it will naturally deglaze the pan.
7. Those browned bits dissolve into the sauce and add depth of flavour to the whole dish.

Saucepans and Casseroles

Waterless Vegetable Cooking

If you have Demeyere Atlantis saucepans, the thick base and close-fitting lids allow you to cook vegetables with just a small amount of water, since almost no steam escapes during cooking.

1. Place rinsed vegetables in the saucepan.
2. Add roughly 1–2cm of water.
3. Place on the hob and bring to the boil.
4. Put the lid on and reduce the heat by half.
5. If steam escapes from the sides of the lid, reduce the heat further.

The combination of thick base and well-sealing lid retains the water content from the ingredients themselves. The vegetables cook in their own steam and the results are noticeably better than standard boiling or steaming.

Cleaning and Care

After Medium-Heat Cooking

Straightforward. Uncoated stainless steel pans wash well in the dishwasher or by hand with a sponge and washing-up liquid. There is no coating to protect, so you can use a scourer without concern.

After High-Heat Searing

Deglaze the pan before washing. On medium heat, add a splash of water, white wine, or stock and use a spatula to work any stuck residue loose. The pan will look almost clean before it reaches the sink, and the deglazing liquid makes an excellent base for a jus or sauce.

For stubborn oil deposits after deglazing, use a stainless steel cream cleaner with a firm scourer. The cream cleaners we stock work well on stainless steel and on uncoated cast iron too.

For burnt food, soaking works reliably. Leave the pan with warm soapy water for an hour or two and most burnt residue will lift without scrubbing.

Marks After Cleaning

White marks are mineral salt deposits from foods such as mushrooms or meat. A small amount of lemon juice or white vinegar rubbed gently with a sponge removes them without effort.

Blue marks are a natural reaction between stainless steel and starchy foods at high heat. They respond to the same treatment: a little lemon juice or vinegar and a light rub.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I've used it and don't like it?

Return it anyway...

How long does delivery take?

Standard delivery...