Nonstick pans are a staple in most kitchens. They make it easy to cook up delicious eggs, and flip pancakes without getting stuck … but they're not suitable for every food. While it's tempting to use them for everything, you can end up with food that just isn't quite what you wanted.
The issue comes down to heat and chemistry. Nonstick pans are designed for low to medium temperatures, so they can't achieve the high heat necessary for proper browning. When you try to sear a steak or chicken breast in a nonstick pan, you'll end up with pale, steamed meat instead of the caramelized, flavorful crust that develops through the Maillard reaction. That golden-brown exterior isn't just about appearance -- it's where much of the flavor lives.
Beyond disappointing results, misusing nonstick pans can damage them. High heat and metal utensils gradually degrade the coating, shortening the pan's lifespan and potentially introducing coating particles into your food. We all love easy cleanup as much as the next bloke, but most of your culinary projects fare better in stainless steel, carbon steel or cast iron. These pans impart high surface heat, giving food char, depth and flavor development. I asked a career cooking teacher to compile the ultimate nonstick no-go list.
Richard LaMarita is a chef-instructor of Health-Centered Culinary Arts at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. LaMarita describes nonstick cookware, including ceramic, as "niche."
"Scrambled or fried eggs, pancakes and fried tofu are great for cooking in nonstick pans," LaMarita told me via email. "These sticky foods must come out completely without leaving remnants in the pan. Nonstick pans are popular, easy to clean and convenient, and I recommend every cook have one."
So, what foods should never be cooked in nonstick cookware? Here's what Chef LaMarita says.
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1. Most meat and fish
Getting a proper sear on steak, pork chops, chicken or fish is next to impossible in a nonstick pan. Brian Bennett/CNET
First are foods that require or desire searing on the outside. When you're looking for a deep, caramelized crust with good color, such as on a steak, chicken breast, or a piece of salmon, you won't get the color you want from a nonstick pan. Nonstick is not made to tolerate the high heat required to achieve the desired crust, and its surface is not geared toward developing that crust because of the coating on the pan.
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