How To Season Stainless Steel Cookware​

Do you use the newly bought stainless steel pan directly or season it? Obviously, it is a big mistake to use it directly for two reasons. First, during the manufacturing process of stainless steel pans, industrial oil will be used on their surface. These industrial oils will penetrate into the pans a little. It is not safe to use them directly or after cleaning with detergents. Second, stainless steel pans, especially stainless steel pans, will inevitably stick to the pan during use. If you skip the seasoning step, the more you use it, the stickier it will become, and the pan will not be able to be maintained.

But do you know how to season a stainless steel pan? It doesn’t matter if you don’t know. I will summarize the methods of opening the pan and the key points of maintaining the pan.

How To Season Stainless Steel Cookware

1. Wash and dry the cookware. Thoroughly clean the stainless steel cookware with mild detergent and warm water.
2. Put the stainless steel cookware on the stove, add 80% of clean water, then pour white vinegar into it, and then turn on the fire and boil it over high heat. After the white vinegar water in the cookware boils, you can turn off the heat. White vinegar here plays the role of deodorizing, sterilizing and descaling. After the water becomes warm, wipe it with a cloth, pour out the water, and then pour warm water to clean it.
2. Apply oil to the cookware. After the cookware is completely dry, heat it on the stove. Then add a little oil. It is best to use oil with a high smoke point, such as sesame oil, vegetable oil, peanut oil and soybean oil. After heating on medium heat, use a ball of paper towel to evenly apply the oil to the surface of the cookware.
3. Cool the cookware. When the cookware is hot and starts to smoke, remove it from the stove and let it cool. After the cookware cools, you can wash the pot.
It is best to use oil to maintain it once a month. Food is not easy to stick to stainless steel cookware.

How to maintain stainless steel cookware

In addition to opening the pot and maintaining the pot before using it for the first time, you should also pay attention to the following points when using stainless steel pots.
1. Stainless steel pots cannot be dry-burned for a long time to avoid deformation of the pot, damage to the material, and shortening the life.
2. When using a stainless steel pot, the stove fire should not be too big. Because stainless steel pots conduct heat very quickly, the stove fire should not exceed the bottom of the pot.
3. Like using a non-stick pot, when using a stainless steel pot, you also need to cool it down before cleaning, or wash it with hot water without cooling it down to prevent damage. In addition, when cleaning a stainless steel pot, it is not recommended to use hard utensils such as cleaning balls, otherwise it is easy to scratch.
4. After cleaning the stainless steel pot, wipe the water inside and outside the pot dry, otherwise it is easy to leave traces of water stains, affecting the appearance. If the pot surface has ugly water stains, you can wipe it with lemon juice or white vinegar.
5. When using a stainless steel pot, you cannot put salt directly into the pot to prevent salt from corroding the pot body and causing white spots. Putting salt in the last stage of cooking can effectively avoid it.

What is the best oil to season a stainless steel cookware?
The most suitable oil for seasoning stainless steel cookware is oil with a high heat smoke point. Some of the best seasoning oils include peanut oil, vegetable oil, and grapeseed oil. You need to avoid using oils that tend to smoke at high temperatures, such as coconut oil, canola oil, and olive oil.

FAQ

How do I prevent food from sticking to stainless steel?

To prevent food from sticking to stainless steel cookware, the secret lies in a few key steps: First, hot pan and cold oil, which is the golden rule for stainless steel pans. Many people often pour oil while heating the pan, and then add ingredients when the oil is hot, which often results in sticking to the pan. The correct way is to heat an empty pan on high heat for about 3 minutes to fully heat the bottom of the pan. You can check whether the pan is hot enough by using the water spray test method, that is, drop a drop of water into the pan. If the water droplets can roll in a ball shape, it means that the pan is heated through. This step is crucial because it can form a dense protective layer on the surface of the pan. It is this “film” that makes the pan non-stick. Next, turn the heat to medium-low heat and pour in an appropriate amount of vegetable oil to ensure that the oil can evenly cover the bottom of the pan. In this process, the oil will fill the small pores in the bottom of the pan that are difficult to see with the naked eye, forming a natural non-stick layer. At this time, the food will not stick to the pan easily when it is fried or boiled.

Are there any tips for cooking with stainless steel?

First, make sure the pan is fully preheated before adding oil, so that the food will not stick to the bottom of the pan easily. Secondly, it is advisable to use medium or low heat when heating, and the flame should not exceed the bottom of the pan to ensure that the bottom of the pan is evenly heated. Following these tips, you can also easily make delicious non-stick dishes.

How to start cooking with stainless steel?

The first use of stainless steel cookware is very important. The correct steps can extend its service life and keep it shiny. Before the first use, a thin layer of vegetable oil should be applied to the surface and dried on the fire. After this treatment, a protective film will form on the surface of the stainless steel cookware, which is easier to clean after use and can prevent food residues and stains from adhering.

Do you use oil when cooking with stainless steel?

Yes, whether you are frying or stewing food with a stainless steel pot, you must add water and oil first to ensure that the stainless steel pot is dry-burned.