How to Cook with Uncoated Stainless Steel Pans

Andrew Bluett-Duncan
Director

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Master The Art Of Cooking Without Non-Stick Coatings

Essential Principles

The Golden Rule: If food sticks, it's burning - and burning makes it stick
More Layers = More Forgiveness: 3-ply is good, 5-ply excellent, 7-ply fantastic for heat distribution
Temperature is Key: Medium heat works for most tasks - higher isn't always faster
The Water Test: Mercury-like water droplets indicate perfect searing temperature
Uncoated Advantage: You can't damage the pan - only the food, so practice makes perfect

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Frying Basics Level 1: Simple Frying Level 2: Searing Meat Level 3: Eggs & Fish Sauciers & Sauté Saucepans Cleaning & Care

Why Uncoated Stainless Steel?

Most of us have used non-stick coated pans for years and have little knowledge of cooking in uncoated pans. The truth is, neither our grandparents nor Auguste Escoffier had "non-stick" pans, and they cooked very well indeed.

With uncoated pans, the worst that can happen is you burn the food and ruin it - but you can try again, and crucially, you have NOT damaged your pan. This guide will help you navigate cooking with uncoated stainless steel with confidence.

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Understanding Pan Construction

The construction of your pan significantly affects your cooking experience:

3-Ply Construction

Very good heat distribution. Three layers of metal provide reliable performance for most home cooking tasks.

5-Ply Construction

Excellent heat distribution. Five layers offer more forgiveness and better temperature control, ideal for developing your skills.

7-Ply Construction

Bloody fantastic (pardon our French). Seven layers provide exceptional heat distribution with maximum room for error. The thick construction allows for techniques like melting chocolate directly on the hob.

The main difference: The thicker a pan is, the more room for error in heat distribution it will allow you. This means you have more control and less chance of hot spots causing burning.

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Frying Level 1: Simple Frying with Oil

Perfect for: Sausages, bacon, onions, mushrooms, omelettes

Understanding Oil Behavior

When you put oil in a cold pan, it's rather thick and moves about slowly. As it heats up, it looks "thinner" and moves about faster. This visual cue is your friend.

The Method

Put your pan on the hob at medium to medium-high temperature
Add your fat (oil or butter) to the pan
Watch the oil - when you see it moving quicker, add your food
The food should gently sizzle - NOT spit and splash about
Reduce heat if necessary

Temperature Reality Check

The official temperature of frying is 180°C - which is not a lot. Many of us have been led to believe that higher heat creates quicker cooking, but that's not always the case. Patience and proper temperature control yield better results.

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Frying Level 2: Searing Meat & Making Pancakes

The Science of Searing

To get a juicy steak, we need to sear it to create an outer crust that hardens and keeps all the juices inside. This requires a very high initial heat.

The Water Droplet Test

This is your most important technique for perfect searing:

Put your pan on the hob at maximum strength
Have a glass of water nearby
As the pan heats, flick a bit of water into the pan
Too cool: Water evaporates in a mini cloud of steam
Perfect: Water turns into little balls that roll about like mercury - they don't evaporate

Surface Temperature	Droplet Behavior
Too Hot	Droplets divide into smaller droplets and move rapidly around the pan
Too Cold	Droplets bubble and evaporate rapidly
Perfect Temperature	Droplets remain whole and move around like mercury balls - no evaporation

Searing Your Meat

Once you achieve the perfect temperature (mercury-ball water), add your steak, chicken breast, or pork chop
Use a fork to press the meat ensuring it touches the pan evenly
CRITICAL STEP: Immediately reduce heat by about 1/3 (e.g., from 9 to 5-6 on an induction hob)
Don't panic! The meat will stick to the pan initially - this is good sticking
Wait and observe - after a few minutes, the sides of the meat will lift up gently
Test with a fork or fish slice - if it lifts easily, it's ready to turn
If it doesn't lift easily, wait longer
If juices are dark brown, reduce heat further
When you turn it over, you'll see a lovely golden seared surface

The Good Stick

When meat first hits the pan at proper searing temperature, it will stick completely. This is intentional and correct. The meat will naturally release when it's properly seared. Trying to force it off early will tear the surface and ruin your crust.

Perfect Pancakes (Crêpes)

I always cook crêpes in uncoated pans because the result is nicer.

Put butter in your pan at medium-high temperature
Use a brush or kitchen paper to coat the whole surface
Pour a small quantity of mixture
WAIT until the sides start to lift off
Use a fish slice to turn it
Watch your pan temperature - too hot will burn and stick

The First Pancake Rule

I was always taught that the first pancake tends to go wrong - that's because we need to find the right temperature for our specific pan and hob combination. Don't be discouraged!

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Frying Level 3: Eggs, Fish & Breadcrumbs

These are the situations where coated pans prove excellent. Remember that non-stick coatings are NEVER designed for very high heat, but they do have their place.

However, our grandparents and Auguste Escoffier managed without non-stick pans. Here are techniques for mastering these trickier foods - be kind to yourself and allow learning time.

Fried Eggs

Eggs are the natural glue of the food world. You must ensure fat covers the entire cooking surface.

For White, Soft Fried Eggs

Use medium temperature (as in Frying Level 1). Ensure generous fat coverage and gentle heat.

For Crispy, Golden Fried Eggs

You need enough fat in your pan and very hot temperature. Drain finished eggs on kitchen paper to remove excess fat.

Fish

Unless extremely fresh off the boat, fish will easily flake, stick, and break up as you try to unstick it.

Solution: Cook fillets with the skin on.

Use high temperature with enough oil and a bit of butter
Cook skin-side down first
Reduce heat when flipping over
The skin protects the delicate flesh and provides structure

Food Coated in Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs will come off the food and likely burn in an uncoated pan.

Two Options

Without added fat: Use your oven, not your frying pan.
In a frying pan: Use generous oil or butter on medium heat.

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Sauciers and Sauté Pans

General Approach

Start on medium/medium-high temperature with oil and/or butter, and observe what's happening in your pan. If food starts to stick, reduce the heat.

Example: Building a Chicken Pie

Brown a few onions
Add bacon (if honey-cured, sugar content might cause sticking)
Sweat some leeks
Add butter and flour
This combination often starts sticking - don't panic!
Reduce heat
As you add liquid to make the sauce, it naturally deglazes the pan
Those browned bits become pearls of flavor adding taste to the whole dish

Melting Chocolate Directly on the Hob

With 7-ply Demeyere pans, you can melt chocolate without a bain-marie:

Use the smallest heat possible
Check with your hand that you can still touch the pan body
Remember: chocolate melts in your mouth (body temperature)
If too hot to touch, it will separate your chocolate
The thick 7-ply construction allows safe direct melting

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Saucepans and Casseroles

Waterless Vegetable Cooking

If you have Demeyere Atlantis saucepans, you can cook with just a few tablespoons of water - thanks to the thick base and well-fitting lids that prevent water loss.

The Method

Put rinsed vegetables in your saucepan
Add ½ inch to 1 inch of water
Place on hob and wait for water to boil
Put lid on and reduce heat by half
If you see steam escaping, reduce heat further

Why This Works

The thick base and perfectly fitting lid retain all the water content from the ingredients themselves. Your vegetables will be even more delicious than if you'd steamed them - truly worth trying.

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Cleaning & Care

After Medium Heat Cooking

Very easy! Uncoated pans wash well in the dishwasher, or with a sponge or scourer with washing-up liquid.

After High Heat Cooking

Step 1: Deglaze

On medium heat, add liquid (water, white wine, or stock). Use a small spatula to gently help welded bits unstick, creating a jus that can be poured on meat or used as sauce base. The pan looks almost clean before it reaches the washing-up bowl!

Step 2: For Stubborn Oil Deposits

After deglazing, use Demeyere cream cleaner with a strong scourer. The scrubby sponges we stock work wonderfully on stainless steel (and on steel or uncoated cast iron).

Step 3: For Burnt Food

Good old soaking works wonders. One beauty of Demeyere's patented Silvinox stainless steel finish: even when you burn food, the pan comes back as new.

Dealing with Marks After Cleaning

White Marks

Deposits of mineral salts from food (particularly mushrooms or meats). Clean easily with lemon juice or vinegar - just add a little and gently rub with a sponge. No elbow grease needed!

Blue Marks

Natural reaction of well-cooked starchy food on stainless steel. These disappear on contact with lemon juice or vinegar.

⚠️ Important Warning

Never leave a pan unattended on high heat. It's a fire risk, and in extreme cases may distort the base or body.

I've only seen this happen twice in 25 years - both times someone left a pan steaming at high temperature and left the house for 3+ hours. The pan bases significantly bowed.