Interesting article on stainless steel pans

[K Frame]

I've never used stainless pans much, greatly preferring cast iron, carbon steel, or teflon, but there's some good information in here that I never knew.

https://www.popsci.com/diy/make-stainless-steel-non-stick/?utm_source=pocket-newtab

[charby]

I have several stainless pans; I've always brought them up to temp before adding foods. I use lots of butter and other fats too. Never really had a problem with things sticking.

I'm going to have to try the sauerkraut method to deglaze the pan sometime as in the article.

[K Frame]

My guess is it's the acid in the sauerkraut breaking the bonds between the burned on food and the pan.

[Ben]

I have that pork loin and sauerkraut recipe I posted here that I regularly make. I always cook the sauerkraut and apple mix in my large stainless pan, and at cleanup, the pan comes out looking shiny and new.

[Northwoods]

I’ll stick with cast iron and carbon steel.  I have stainless too, but I like the others so much better anyway.  The stainless pans I do have aren’t a great shape for 90% of what I cook.

[Bogie]

I've been on the lookout for heavy stainless pans - My mother had a set that she bought back around 1968 or so, that were very heavy, with heavy well-sealing lids... I've seen similar stuff demo'd at home shows, etc... Most of my current cookware has come from Aldi, so is mostly nonstick.
 
I had a bunch of calphalon, both anodized and nonstick, but a bunch of them, along with some of my good knives, were destroyed when Jen decided she wanted munchies at 1ayem and started hacking at stuff.

[charby]

I've been on the lookout for heavy stainless pans - My mother had a set that she bought back around 1968 or so, that were very heavy, with heavy well-sealing lids... I've seen similar stuff demo'd at home shows, etc... Most of my current cookware has come from Aldi, so is mostly nonstick.
 
I had a bunch of calphalon, both anodized and nonstick, but a bunch of them, along with some of my good knives, were destroyed when Jen decided she wanted munchies at 1ayem and started hacking at stuff.

All-Clad pans. I got a thick stainless 10" wok. They aren't cheap but check on ebay.

I also have a stainless Cuisinart saute pan that I'm learning to like.

[K Frame]

The set of stainless I have is Farberware. I got it maybe 10 - 15 years ago. It's good stuff -- heavy, well made, and it wasn't all that expensive.

Extra bonus is that it works with my induction burner. Whatever they use in the base as the heat distribution disk is iron-based instead of the more common aluminium.

I have a nice large  sauce pan and an 12" skillet (chicken fryer, maybe) from the Wolfgang Puck set that I bought my Mom for Christmas many years ago. Equally good construction, but they don't work on my induction burner.

Interesting. I just found the Amazon order for my Farberwear Millennium cookware, which I bought in September, 2007. According to the product description, it is "18/0 stainless steel with encapsulated aluminum base for perfect heat distribution."

That should mean that it wouldn't work on my induction unit, but it certainly does. And I know it's not the stainless steel itself because a magnet won't stick to the sides of the pans, only the base.

[Bogie]

They probably added some magnetic steel for the base, just to make sure it would work on those stoves.
 
FWIW, 416 is magnetic.
 
I used to get "at-a-boy" rewards when I was with the big drug company - I made a lot of PhDs very happy. And they would be accompanied by a gift card to the mall across the highway. And there was a Williams Sonoma in the mall. I still have the little All-Clad stainless sauce pan that I use for melting butter, and a 6" All-Clad omelet pan that is currently out in the workshop with some muzzle brakes in it...

[K Frame]

Beats me, but sees that they would have been crowing about "induction burner" ready because they were the up and coming thing back then... not to mention expensive as hell.

I, however, am just glad that they work with my induction burner. I've really grown to love that thing.

[charby]

I was at Walmart last night, checked out their pots and pans, because I was there. They did have some decent heavy stainless pots made by Cuisinart, but they were $45 and up per pot.

[French G.]

All Clad wok is 22 years old and takes a beating. Most used pan by far. One other All Clad frying pan gets used some. Lots of cast iron, trying to banish the last non stick but people like their easy eggs. The new contender is a Le Creuset frying pan that is about 20lbs but we treat that thing like taking the Porsche out for a weekend motoring.

I need to try the sauerkrat thing, my current stainless cleaning believes mostly in the power of bar keeps friend.

[Bogie]

Right now my favorite non-stick is a frickin' white thing I got at Aldi... Omelets just slide...

[French G.]

I don't buy the article thing on the stainless pores closing when the pan heats. if anything they get bigger and the thin hot oil adheres to the surface better. But whatever it is heating the pan first really works. Also the thermal shock thing is big, we are conditioned these days to think our food instantly rots when it leaves the fridge, meats work so much nicer at room temp.

[Northwoods]

I don't buy the article thing on the stainless pores closing when the pan heats. if anything they get bigger and the thin hot oil adheres to the surface better. But whatever it is heating the pan first really works. Also the thermal shock thing is big, we are conditioned these days to think our food instantly rots when it leaves the fridge, meats work so much nicer at room temp.

What’s also interesting is I’ve found meet stays food safe for an incredibly long time in a fridge so long as it NOT covered.  Raw poultry will desiccate before it rots if you keep airflow around it.  Wrap it in plastic and you’ve got maybe a couple days, tops before bacteria proliferate to the point of spoilage.

[K Frame]

"What’s also interesting is I’ve found meet stays food safe for an incredibly long time in a fridge so long as it NOT covered."

Bacteria need moisture to grow. You provide airflow and it removes the moisture needed for the bacteria to reproduce. That's why dry aging huge cuts of beef works so well.

[Northwoods]

"What’s also interesting is I’ve found meet stays food safe for an incredibly long time in a fridge so long as it NOT covered."

Bacteria need moisture to grow. You provide airflow and it removes the moisture needed for the bacteria to reproduce. That's why dry aging huge cuts of beef works so well.

That’s where I got the idea.  Don’t know that it benefits the flavor much, but it satisfies my need to sometimes not package and freeze chickens and turkeys right away after slaughter.

[K Frame]

Dry aging poultry apparently works much the same way that it does for beef. Concentrates natural flavors and allow amino acids and enzymes to do their business.

[Northwoods]

Dry aging poultry apparently works much the same way that it does for beef. Concentrates natural flavors and allow amino acids and enzymes to do their business.

Cooked a turkey after leaving it in the fridge for nearly 2 weeks.  Not substantially different flavor or texture from the ones I’ve only aged just long enough to let rigor mortis pass.