Tiffany Haney
Whether you want a saute pan depends on your cooking needs. Saute pans are large, flat-bottomed pans with straight sides and a helper handle. They are typically used for sauteing, a stovetop cooking technique where ingredients are cooked in a small amount of fat over moderate heat. Saute pans are ideal for shallow frying, braising, and recipes that require transferring between the stovetop and oven. However, some chefs prefer using skillets for sauteing due to their slanted sides, which make it easier to stir, flip, and toss ingredients. Ultimately, the decision to purchase a saute pan depends on your specific cooking requirements and the types of dishes you plan to prepare.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Use | Sautéing, stir-frying, searing, shallow frying, braising |
| Pan shape | Wide, flat bottom, tall, straight sides |
| Pan size | Larger than a skillet of the same diameter |
| Weight | Heavy |
| Handles | Helper handle opposite the primary handle |
| Material | Copper, aluminum, cast iron, stainless steel, ceramic |
| Heat conduction | Responsive to heat, gets hot quickly and cools quickly |
| Non-stick | Non-stick options available, but stainless steel or cast iron is better for frying or braising |
| Color | Light-colored surface |
| Cleaning | Clean before first use to remove manufacturing or packaging residue |
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$69.95
What You'll Learn
Saute pans are great for shallow frying or braising
Saute pans are excellent for shallow frying or braising. They have a flat, wide cooking surface and straight, relatively low walls, which make them perfect for these cooking techniques. The straight sides of a saute pan allow you to fit more liquid into the pan without it splashing out, which is ideal for shallow frying.
The wide surface area of a saute pan is great for browning off a lot of meat and then braising it in a single layer. Braising involves transferring the pan between the stove and the oven, and the straight sides of a saute pan make this easier. The sides also allow the lid to fit more tightly, minimising evaporation during braising.
Saute pans are also good for searing meat and pan-frying. They are typically used for stovetop cooking with a small amount of fat over moderate heat. The large surface area and low walls of the pan encourage browning.
When choosing a saute pan, look for one with a helper handle opposite the primary handle to assist with lifting and moving the pan. Stainless steel or cast iron pans are better for frying or braising, especially when searing meat to create a pan sauce. Stainless steel pans can be heated hotter, giving a better sear, and are more versatile.
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They are also ideal for cooking with liquids
A sauté pan is a shallow pan with straight sides, a wide, flat bottom, and a large surface area. It is generally considered an essential piece of cookware for certain cooking tasks, especially those involving liquids.
The straight sides of a sauté pan are ideal for containing liquids such as broth, oil, or sauce, preventing them from splashing outside the pan. This makes the sauté pan perfect for shallow frying, braising, and cooking dishes like dirty rice, braised meats, or pasta sauces. The wide, flat bottom and large surface area allow for even cooking and browning of ingredients.
When using a sauté pan, it is important to preheat the pan and add a small amount of fat, such as butter, olive oil, or schmaltz, before adding your vegetables, proteins, or other ingredients. For best results, ensure that your ingredients are uniformly sliced, chopped, or diced and fit in a single layer across the pan to avoid steaming.
While a skillet or frying pan may be more versatile for tasks like stir-frying or sautéing due to its slanted sides, the sauté pan's straight sides make it a better choice for cooking with liquids. The tall, straight sides of the sauté pan also make it easier to move the pan between the stovetop and the oven, making it a versatile tool for various cooking techniques.
Overall, a sauté pan is an excellent addition to your cookware collection, providing a specific function that other pans may not offer, especially when it comes to cooking with liquids.
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Saute pans are generally considered essential cookware
A saute pan typically has a large surface area, straight sides, and a helper handle, while a frying pan has slanted sides. The straight sides of a saute pan make it better suited for cooking with liquids, as they prevent splashing, while the slanted sides of a frying pan make it easier to toss, flip, and stir ingredients. Additionally, the larger surface area of a saute pan makes it ideal for cooking larger quantities of food.
The material of the saute pan is also an important consideration. Saute pans are available in various materials such as copper, aluminum, cast iron, stainless steel, and ceramic. It is recommended to choose a material that is responsive to heat, heating up and cooling down quickly. The different metals conduct heat differently, but the more conductive the material is, the better it will distribute heat evenly throughout the food.
While some people may find that they don't use their saute pan frequently, it is still considered a valuable piece of cookware for certain tasks. For example, one person mentioned that they use their saute pan for most of their cooking, especially when they need full contact between the pan and the stove. Another person noted that a saute pan is ideal for cooking long pasta flat and with minimal water, which is difficult to do in a frying pan.
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They are available in standard cookware materials
Saute pans are available in all the standard cookware materials, such as copper, aluminum, cast iron, stainless steel, and ceramic. The right material for your pan depends on the kinds of dishes you tend to cook. For instance, stainless steel or cast iron is better for frying or braising, especially when searing meat to create a pan sauce. Stainless steel is also great for monitoring your cooking progress due to its light-coloured surface.
If you are looking for a pan that heats up quickly and cools down just as fast, you should choose a material that is responsive to heat. The more conductive the material, the better it will be at distributing heat evenly throughout your food. For instance, anodized aluminum is a good option for a saute pan as it heats up quickly and evenly.
Non-stick cookware is another popular option, but it can be tricky. There is a growing body of research confirming that a group of human-made chemical ingredients called PFAS, found in 95%+ of non-stick cookware, can leach into our food.
Ultimately, the type of material you choose for your saute pan will depend on your specific needs and preferences. Each material has its own unique properties and characteristics that can affect the cooking process and the final outcome of your dishes.
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Saute pans are heavier than skillets of the same diameter
A sauté pan is a shallow pan with straight sides, a wide, flat bottom, and relatively tall, vertical sides. On the other hand, skillets have slanted sides that flare outward at an angle. The difference in shape means that a skillet will have 30% less cooking area than a sauté pan of the same diameter. This means that a 12-inch skillet will have a cooking area of 10 inches, while a 12-inch sauté pan will have a cooking area of 12 inches. This extra volume in a sauté pan is useful for recipes that involve liquids, such as shallow-frying meatballs in oil or braising chicken in wine. The straight sides of a sauté pan also make it less likely that liquid will splash out when moving the pan around or transferring it to and from the oven.
Because of its wider base, a sauté pan is significantly heavier than a skillet of the same diameter. This often means that a "helper handle" is added to the opposite side of the main handle to make it easier to lift and move the pan.
While a sauté pan is heavier than a skillet of the same diameter, it is important to note that skillets are generally lighter and easier to manoeuvre. The sloped sides of a skillet make it ideal for tossing, flipping, and releasing food. For example, if you are scrambling eggs, a non-stick skillet is the best option. If you are stir-frying vegetables or sautéing chunks of meat, a skillet is also a better choice as it is lighter and easier to handle.
In summary, while a sauté pan is heavier than a skillet of the same diameter, skillets are generally considered more versatile and easier to use for a variety of cooking tasks. Sauté pans are bulkier and heavier, but they are useful for certain tasks that require a larger cooking area or the containment of liquids.
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Frequently asked questions
A sauté pan is a large pan with a wide, flat bottom and straight sides. They are generally considered an essential piece of cookware and are available in materials such as copper, aluminum, cast iron, stainless steel, and ceramic.
Sauté pans are ideal for cooking with liquids due to their straight sides, which prevent splashing. They are also good for transferring between the stovetop and the oven. The wide, flat bottom of a sauté pan is good for cooking long pasta flat and in minimal water to develop starches.
Sauté pans are heavier and less manoeuvrable than skillets, which have slanted sides. Skillets are better for cooking that involves stirring, flipping, and tossing ingredients.
