Pan-fry

To pan-fry is to cook food in a skillet (frying pan) with enough fat to coat the bottom, usually over medium to medium-high heat. Each side sits in the fat until it browns, then you turn it, and the food cooks through in the same pan. It suits chops, fish fillets, chicken pieces, burgers, eggs and breaded cutlets. It uses less fat than shallow-frying and moves the food less than a sauté.

How to do it

1. Pat the food dry and season it.
2. Heat the pan over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil, or enough to coat the bottom. It should shimmer but not smoke.
4. Lay the food in, away from you, with space between pieces.
5. Leave it until it releases easily and the underside is golden brown, usually 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Turn it once and cook the other side. Lower the heat for thicker pieces so the middle cooks before the outside burns.

How to tell it is done

Both sides are evenly browned. Fish flakes and turns opaque. Chicken reaches 74°C (165°F) inside and pork chops 63°C (145°F). Breaded cutlets are crisp and the coating no longer looks wet.

Why it works

The fat fills the small gaps between the food and the pan, so the whole surface touches hot metal and browns evenly. Turning only once gives each side time to build a crust.

Common mistakes

• A cold pan. The food sticks and turns gray instead of brown.
• Crowding. Too many pieces drop the temperature and the food steams.
• Moving the food too soon. It tears and leaves the crust in the pan.
• Using butter alone over high heat. It burns. Start with oil and add butter near the end for flavor.
• Pieces of uneven thickness. Pound them flat or cut them to match.

In recipes

"Pan-fry until golden, about 4 minutes per side" is the common form. Many recipes say only "fry", which usually means pan-fry unless they mention a lot of oil.