Frying pans, Paella pans, Woks... To stick or not to stick?

[Kermit power]

What do you look for in a pan?

I've got a non stick saucepan for doing scrambled eggs and it's brilliant, but I'm really not convinced about them for anything that involves frying.

Non-stick in a frying pan, Wok or whatever just seems to rob food of flavour. I reckon you need those little burnt bits that you just don't seem to get with a non-stick pan.

Then again, my wok and my Le Creuset pan both are now effectively non-stick, as they've absorbed enough oil over time. They still give all the taste without the hassle.

Just asking as I'm about to buy a paella pan, and was surprised at just how many of them seem to be non stick.

[BorkFactor]

I am far from an expert, but I prefer the sticky ones! Nicer to cook with, I don't really know why.

Non stick ones always seem to give an "oily" feeling if that makes sense?

[Pferdestarke]

I prefer non stick. The regular steel pans take too much flavour from the item you're trying to brown and it tends to stick and burn. Unless you're deglazing I find that annoying.

I've yet to find a pan Im truly satisfied with. And that includes two non stick Le Creusets and a set of DeBuyer carbon steel jobbies which appear to impart a metallic taste to my food.

[Hoover.]

depends what I'm cooking........

I generally use non stick for fry up, omellets and fish ....... but for browning stuff for stews etc I have a large stainless pan, which is big enough to actually big enough make stews/curries in as well (saves on washing up).

Paella I would think stick pan, as part the flavour comes from it sticking at the bottom.....


Slightly off topic, But could also be factors

Non stick has moved on a tad over the last few years..... with all different types of coating, especially the move to more environmental coatings........ just got some thermolon coated ones instead of the normal PTFE coated ones... still to road test..... and contemplating a marble coated non stick wok
........so the coatings may have affect on flavour.

Also interestingly pans seem either to be ally of stainless depending on what they are used... from what I have read (could be horse st .... but appeared on a few sites I was reading when buying my new pans)

[bint]

Interesting, everything I have except the paella pans are non stick. I couldn't find non stick paella pans!

Work well on a BBQ too.

[dudleybloke]

Cast iron.

[21TonyK]

For Paella a traditional thin steel pan is what you want.

[redtwin]

Sticky for me. Non stick pans require the use of plastic or wooden implements which I am not a fan of as they are far too bendy or fragile to really use with vigour. The clanging of steel on steel when doing a stir-fry is also part of the fun.

[GCH]

Cast iron for almost everything

[JimM169]

Cast iron for steak & sealing meat
Non stick for scrambled egg
Well seasoned wok for stir fry (it's now virtually non stick)
Stainless for everything else

[Mobile Chicane]

Don't buy a 'paella pan' until you've at least considered the Le Creuset cast iron 30cm shallow lidded casserole.

It works as a paella pan, a frying pan, a gratin dish and a roasting pan.

[bomb]

regarding a wok - a very well qualified Chinese gent once told me a well seasoned wok will last you for life. He also added, ' the blacker your wok, the better.

[dudleybloke]

My cast pans are about 40 years old and will outlast me.

[Pints]

Given how many comments indicate a preference for cast iron or "normal" pans, I'm surprised by how many votes have gone the way of non-stick.

[redtwin]

Pints said:

Given how many comments indicate a preference for cast iron or "normal" pans, I'm surprised by how many votes have gone the way of non-stick.

The shame of using non-stick prevents them from revealing their identities by commenting.

[craigjm]

bomb said:

regarding a wok - a very well qualified Chinese gent once told me a well seasoned wok will last you for life. He also added, ' the blacker your wok, the better.

And he would be right

[truck71]

How are you all looking after your wok's, do you wipe clean or wash? I'm new to using mine and would like to do it right. I'd also give a positive feedback on the creuset pans, if you get it really hot before adding meat etc it sticks and flavours up nicely and will sort of self de glaze when you add a stock/ wine etc. I wash this each time as it is used for oven and frying use and therefore gets heavy residues sometimes.

[RizzoTheRat]

I'll defend the honour of non-stick. Cheap non stick is generally pretty rubbish but a decent heavy non stick pan can be brilliant. I've got a wok and a frying pan from Run cookware, they weigh a ton but the amount of metal means they heat up nice and evenly, and after 3 or 4 years use the non stick coating still looks good as new.

[JimM169]

truck71 said:

How are you all looking after your wok's, do you wipe clean or wash? I'm new to using mine and would like to do it right. I'd also give a positive feedback on the creuset pans, if you get it really hot before adding meat etc it sticks and flavours up nicely and will sort of self de glaze when you add a stock/ wine etc. I wash this each time as it is used for oven and frying use and therefore gets heavy residues sometimes.

I just give my wok a wipe round after use with a damp cloth, it never goes near a washing up bowl.

[Bonefish Blues]

Used to be sticky, am now non-sticky, and am careful not to overheat the coating.