When to add oil to the pan?

Summary

The video explores the debate over whether to add oil to a cold or hot pan when cooking. It presents arguments from culinary experts like Samin Nosrat and Harold McGee, examining the effects on fat degradation, food sticking, and cooking efficiency. The video debunks myths about preheating, suggesting that the pan's temperature is more important than whether it's preheated or not. While preheating is essential for certain high-heat techniques like searing, for most cooking, it's a matter of preference. Ultimately, the video encourages viewers to weigh the pros and cons of each approach based on their cooking style and equipment.

Takeaways

• 😀 Preheating your pan before adding oil is recommended by some chefs, but not universally necessary depending on the cooking method.
• 😀 Samin Nosrat argues that preheating reduces fat degradation and prevents food from sticking, but this is a debated point.
• 😀 Fat degradation only occurs when cooking above the oil's smoke point. As long as you're below this temperature, timing the addition of fat doesn’t matter much.
• 😀 The temperature of the pan is more important than whether it is preheated, especially for preventing food from sticking.
• 😀 When searing or wok-frying, preheating the pan is essential to avoid oil degradation and ensure proper cooking.
• 😀 For deep-frying or pan-frying, oil should be added immediately to a cool pan to avoid dangerous situations and ensure even cooking.
• 😀 Non-stick pans should generally not be preheated, as high heat can damage the coating and cause it to break down.
• 😀 Whether or not you preheat a pan depends on the type of cookware used, such as stainless steel, cast iron, or non-stick pans.
• 😀 For delicate cooking tasks like sweating vegetables, you can add oil and ingredients to a cool pan without preheating.
• 😀 The Leidenfrost effect, which occurs when water beads up on a hot surface, can be used as a safer alternative to checking oil temperature.
• 😀 Cooking methods, the specific equipment you’re using, and the context (home vs. professional kitchen) should guide whether or not to preheat the pan.

Q & A

What are the two sides in the debate about when to add oil to a pan?

One side argues that oil should be added when the pan is still cold, while the other side argues that oil should be added only when the pan is extremely hot, making the oil run like water.

What is Samin Nosrat's advice on preheating a pan, and what reasons does she provide for it?

Samin Nosrat advises always preheating the pan before adding cooking fat, citing two reasons: to prevent fat degradation and to reduce the likelihood of food sticking to the pan.

How does fat degradation occur, and when is it a concern?

Fat degradation happens when the fat is heated above its smoke point, which can lead to flavor loss, the release of toxic chemicals, and food sticking. This is only a concern if the fat is heated beyond its smoke point, which is typically not an issue in normal cooking temperatures.

What does J. Kenji Alt-Lopez argue about the timing of adding fat to a pan?

Kenji Alt-Lopez argues that it doesn't matter when fat is added to a hot pan, as the fat will degrade once the pan is above its smoke point.

What does the script suggest about food sticking to the pan, and how is this related to the pan's temperature?

The script suggests that food is more likely to stick to a cold pan, but it is not necessarily about preheating the pan. What matters is whether the pan is hot enough when food is added, as this prevents sticking.

Is there any evidence supporting the argument that preheating a pan leads to more even cooking?

The script presents a test showing that preheating the pan or adding oil right away does not lead to a significant temperature discrepancy across the pan. Both methods result in the center being hotter than the edges, contradicting the argument that preheating ensures more even cooking.

What does the script say about the argument that preheating a pan closes its pores?

The script debunks the idea that preheating closes the pores of a pan. It explains that whether the pan is preheated or not doesn't matter; what matters is that the pan is hot enough to cook the food properly.

When is it absolutely necessary to preheat a pan?

Preheating is necessary when cooking above the fat's smoke point, such as when searing meat or stir-frying in a wok, to avoid degrading the fat before the food is added.

Why is preheating not recommended for non-stick pans, according to the script?

Preheating non-stick pans is not recommended because they heat quickly and high dry heat can damage their coatings, leading to a breakdown of the non-stick surface.

What is the role of the Leidenfrost effect in cooking, and how does it work?

The Leidenfrost effect occurs when water drops placed on a hot pan dance around and vaporize instead of evaporating immediately. It is used as a safer method to test the pan’s temperature before adding oil or food. When the Leidenfrost effect happens, the pan is at the right temperature for cooking.