HEATING YOUR PAN CORRECTLY
It's important you heat your pans correctly. By heating correctly, you give your pans an extra long life in the kitchen, a long-lasting nonstick effect and easy cleaning. In this blog post we explain how.
A pan that has been thoroughly heated through will hold its temperature better when you add meat or vegetables. Once the pan has been thoroughly heated, add your fat and continue cooking at a lower temperature (approx. 2/3 of the original heat).
Turn the heat down from full, so that the pan's temperature doesn't overheat while you prepare the food, or if you get distracted by your phone, for example. On an induction hob, this can be a matter of seconds if the pan is on full heat.
OVERHEATING YOUR PAN
Overheating typically happens when oil or fats get too hot, not the pot or pan. If the oil gets too hot, it can burn and stick to the nonstick coating, which then deteriorates over time.
Correctly heating your pans is all about timing, so if you choose to heat using high temperatures, make sure it's only for a few minutes at a time.
HEATING FOR INDUCTION
You have to be careful of heating pans for induction hobs as they heat up faster than traditional hobs.
You can heat a dry pan on high heat on an induction hob, but only for 2-3 minutes at a time. Then turn down the heat to 2/3 and add any oil or other fat, if required. If you 'overheat' for a long period of time, the fat will burn to the base of the pan and will, over time, destroy the coating, which becomes discoloured both inside and out. To give your pans the best chance of a long life in the kitchen, it's important you heat them correctly as stipulated in this blog post.
SCANPAN's nonstick* cookware can handle temperatures higher than 95% of the fats used in the kitchen! Shop pots and pans here.
*SCANPAN's nonstick coating is available in select products.