A frying pan is a lightweight metal pan that imitates the design of the strings of a plain grill on the interior and helps grill food effectively. The grooves on the pan leave their impression of char marks on the dishes which shows the dish has been grilled. Regular conditioning of your grill pan will enable you to use it at its optimum capacity.
- Mechanics
When you place your dish on the pan to grill it, that portion of your dish, which is in contact with the pan base is cooked due to the radiation of heat whereas that part that is not in direct contact with the pan is cooked due to the conduction of heat.
- Types
Grill pans are usually available in two forms. They are Ridged Bottom and Flat Bottom.
- Grooved Bottom – the elevated grooves on the inside of a frying pan evacuate the saturated fat and cultivate the ideal smoky taste in your dish giving it a BBQ taste.
- Weighty flat Bottom – This kind of base makes sure the radiation of the heat is even and thus helps the dish cook faster.
- Things you need to consider
1. Handgrip bar
The handgrip is a crucial trait to look out for when you are purchasing a frying pan. The longer the handgrip bar, the better because then it will be less hot. Nonetheless, they come with additional weight and it cannot be ignored. And some pans are available with dwarf, snake or loop hand grips as against long grips in order to enable easy handling.
2. Basic or Burnished
The most basic plan comes with no coating, which is why initially the food glues to the pan. Only when seasoned over and over again, the food stop getting glued to the pan.
On the other hand, it is to be noted that a burnished pan is cheaper than a basic pan. Contrarily, a burnished pan demands higher maintenance if you want the coating to sustain itself for a long period of time.
3. Deep ridges and Superficial ridges
Another prominent trait that cannot be ignored when buying a frying pan. It is common knowledge that frying pans arrive with deep ridges and superficial ridges. While pans with deep ridges give the food enough time to cook, they ensure that the food does not glue to the pan. On the other hand, pans with shallow ridges make sure the food cooking absorbs minimum oil. The char mark on the food cooked in these pans, like their name, will be shallow too!
4. Structure
Did you know that, unlike common belief, it would be ideal if you got a square-shaped pan rather than a circular one because the base area a square-shaped pan provides is more than what the circular pan provides? Also, the edges of a square pan enable better cooking than a round pan.
5. Outer Surface
Again, the ideal outer surface is the one that is polished and burnished to facilitate easy cleaning and burnishing bring about an elegant and superior look which also makes the pan aesthetic.
6. Type Of Grill
A grill pan is at its best when its grills and ridges are extensive downwards. At the ends of the frying pan, the ridges should be uncurved. They assist in draining excess fat from the dish and leave a perfect impression of grill marks on your dish. The end result is, they transmit the best taste.
If you are of the “home food is the best food” kind and you are also a fan of grilled delicacies at the same time, then bringing home a frying pan would serve you the taste you long for and what more! You get to relish it staying in the comfort of your home.
To make sure you do not feel ambiguous and embarrassed not knowing what choice to make when you walk into a retail pan store, this all-inclusive guide has been brought out. Do give it a read, before making your final choice.