Skillet

A skillet is a frying pan: a round, flat pan with low sides that slope outward and one long handle. The low, sloped sides let steam escape, so food browns instead of stewing, and they make it easy to flip food and slide it onto a plate. In the UK it is called a frying pan. In the US, "skillet" and "frying pan" mean the same thing.

How to use it

1. Heat the pan for a minute or two before adding fat, and let the fat get hot before the food goes in.
2. Leave space between pieces of food so moisture can escape.
3. Let food sit until it browns and releases on its own before you turn it.

Materials:

• Cast iron. Heavy, holds heat well, great for searing and oven work. Needs seasoning.
• Carbon steel. Like cast iron but lighter and faster to heat. Needs seasoning.
• Stainless steel. Browns food well and builds a good fond for pan sauces. Food sticks unless the pan and fat are hot.
• Nonstick. Best for eggs and fish at low to medium heat. Not for high-heat searing.

Sizes are measured across the top rim. A 25 cm (10 in) pan cooks for two, and a 30 cm (12 in) pan cooks for four. Most cooks own one of each.

Common mistakes

• Using a pan that is too small. Food crowds, releases water and steams.
• Adding food to a cold pan. It sticks and does not brown.
• Moving food around too soon. Meat and fish stick until a crust forms, then let go.
• Using a nonstick skillet at high heat for searing.
• Putting a hot pan under cold water. It can warp.
• Grabbing a handle that has been in the oven. Leave an oven mitt or a dry towel over it as a reminder.

In recipes

"Large skillet" usually means 30 cm (12 in), and "medium" means about 25 cm (10 in). "Ovenproof skillet" means one with a metal handle, often cast iron. A recipe that needs liquid to simmer with a lid may do better in a sauté pan, which has taller straight sides.