Updated on August 12, 2022
Wondering how to season a stainless steel pan? From chicken breasts to scallops, a stainless steel pan will be your best friend. Unfortunately, one of the reasons people find stainless steel to be intimidating is that food has a tendency to stick if the pan isn’t used properly. This can be affected by the lack of seasoning on the pan and the way the pan is used.
If you have a high-quality stainless steel cookware set and you want it to be non-stick, you probably want to know how to season a stainless steel pan. The process is super simple!
Seasoning your stainless steel pan can be done by getting the pan super hot, adding oil and letting it cook into the metal, then letting it cool. Once the pan has cooled completely, you simply wipe it clean and you are good to go! If done correctly, you’ll be able to fry an egg without it sticking at all.
Seasoning a Stainless Steel Pan
When you are shopping around for stainless steel cookware, you may see in reviews that people run into the issue of their food sticking to the pan. This is a product of a misused and under-seasoned pan. If you know what you are doing, your stainless steel pan will perform better than a Teflon or ceramic pan! Here are two easy ways to season your new stainless steel cookware.
Stovetop Seasoning
Being able to season your pan on the stove is super easy and the perfect seasoning method for summer since you are only heating one pan on the stove. It’s also great because if you have a variety of pan that has stay-cool handles, you don’t have to worry that you are going to burn your hand.
- Heat your pan over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add about a tablespoon of a high-smoke oil such as coconut oil and let it melt in the pan.
- Swirl the oil around, allowing it to coat the entire inside of the pan. Leave the pan on the heat until the oil smokes.
- Once the oil is smoking, remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool completely.
- After the pan cools, pour out the remaining oil and wipe the pan with a paper towel to remove any excess.
Oven Seasoning
This is a more simple method because you just have to set a time and let the oven do the hard work for you.
- Wipe your pan down with canola oil, coconut oil, or vegetable oil. Basically just pick a neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point.
- Put it in the oven and let it bake for 30 minutes.
- Let the pan cool and repeat another 2-3 times to build up a natural non-stick coating.
Conclusion
All in all, making your stainless steel pan non-stick is super simple! Whether you want to season your pan in the oven or on the stove, your pans will be non-stick in no time.
