Non-stick pans have many benefits. They allow food to slide out of the pan easily, clean, and be used in a lower fat, oil, or butter ratio than traditional cookware. To ensure that your non-stick pans last longer than a year, it is crucial to care for them properly.
Non-stick pans are made of stainless steel or aluminium with a nonporous chemical coating that covers the interior. This creates a nonreactive, slick surface that prevents food from sticking to its bottom. It’s time for you to replace your cookware if there are any chips or scratches on the non-stick surface.
How to Use and Care for Nonstick pan
Home cooks tend to find skillets and saucepans the most useful for non-stick cookware. You can fry egg and cook delicate foods like fish by this pan. Non-stick pans can be used to cook rice and make custards. They are easy to clean.
Use your non-stick pans as the manufacturer intended to keep your cookware in top condition.
Don’t Use Metal On Your Non-Stick Pan
This is the most important rule. Metal utensils can easily scratch or ruin non-stick pans unless you have a thick, diamond-crusted pan. You should assume that you don’t own this.
You should not use metal knives to cut your food or use metal spatulas to turn your pancakes. Also, don’t use a metal fork or whisk to stir your gravies and vegetable mixtures. Instead, choose scratch-friendly materials like wood, rubber, and silicone or nylon.
Use A Scratch-Proof Scouring Pad to Clean Non-Stick Pans
This is another big deal. Non-stick surfaces can be sensitive to metal scouring pads, steel wool, sharp scrapers, and harsh cleaning detergents. You can either let the food sit for a while or deglaze the pan if it is sticking. You may not be able to see the non-stick coating in deep grooves if you use a metal scraper pad. However, it is slowly wearing the coating off. You can use non-stick pan-safe cleaning pans or a stiff sponge to clean them.
After Using Your Non-Stick Pans, Clean and Dry Them
Hand washing and drying non-stick pans are the best way to go. If you wait too long to clean your non-stick frying pan, or if you wash it in the dishwasher, there is a greater chance of oils sticking to the outside of the pan. Are you noticing caramel-colored stains on your pans? These are oil spots and baked grease. These are difficult to get rid of and can cause food sticking. To prevent rust formation, hand dry non-stick pans.
Avoid Extreme Water Temperature Fluctuations
Your frying pan can warp if it is subjected to extreme temperatures. This is more common with cheaper pans than with industrial-grade ones. Refrain from succumbing to the urge and do not try it. Allow your non-stick pan to cool down for a while before you use it. They can cause heat not to distribute correctly and are challenging to use.
Wash Your Pan Before Using It
To remove oils and residues from shipping and manufacturing, wash the non-stick pan in hot soapy water. Rinse thoroughly and dry completely. It is not necessary to ‘prime or cures’ non-stick. After its first wash, it is ready for use.
A Little Oil Is Needed
Some pans may have a label that says no oil or grease is required, but it can help prevent foods from sticking when you add a little bit of butter, margarine, or oil to the pan. Avoid cooking oil sprays as these often contain harsh additives that could cause non-stick coatings to stick.
However, some non-stick pans are more expensive and have enhanced coatings. Over time, I’ve noticed that even the most well-made pans can lose their non-stick properties due to small food residues affecting or marring the coating.
What should you do about non-stick pans? To prolong the life of your coating, oil them a bit before you use them.
Treat It Like Your Skin
Non-stick coatings are now less fragile than they were. It can even withstand rough treatment. It can even withstand abrasion from scrubbing pads or metallic utensils. They should not be used. This is something we would not recommend in an instruction manual. A pan can’t be used as a dish because even the most substantial non-stick coating won’t withstand knife cuts and scratches forever.
Avoid Acidic Foods
Flaking can be caused by cooking acidic foods in non-stick pans. This is a problem with expensive anodized pans, which can cost upwards of $60 each. However, I haven’t noticed it in the cheaper ones. Tomatoes and lemons are more likely to stick together and lose their non-stick coating. Some may be damaged after just one use.
Non-stick cookware may not be suitable for stovetop use. Non-stick baking dishes are also possible. One of my pans started to flake after just a few uses. It was because I used it for tomato-based dishes like lasagne. Keep any that are intended for bread in a single-use container. This will prolong their lives.
Never Use Aerosol Cooking Spray
Your pan and any other pan will be destroyed faster by any cooking spray, even if it is a pure vegetable. When heated, store-bought oil sprays can build up and coat the pan’s surface. This is not an immediate effect but what happens after repeated, prolonged use. It’s not clear what it is, but there’s something about how they are made that makes a difference. Use the self-pump oils instead. This applies to all pans. For situations that heat is not necessary, aerosol sprays are more suitable.
Keep Non-Stick Pans Clean
To prevent the bottom of non-stick fry pans from scratching each other’s coating, place a paper napkin between them when nesting them. This is also possible for non-stick cookware like griddles and bakeware. You can also separate the storage option for non-stick pan that will help you to keep clean your pan.
Conclusion
It can be challenging to remember the dos and don’ts when you have so many things on your mind. Bingo. These are the essential points. Non-stick pans are great to have in your kitchen. If you know how to use a non-stick pan and take care of them well, they can last for many years or even decades.