Knives, pans and ovens
6 short explainers. Read them in order, or jump to the question you have right now.
- 49Why a sharp knife is saferA sharp blade slices with light pressure and stays on the line you aim at. A dull one needs a hard push, and that force makes it skid off slippery skins…
- 50Which pan for which jobAluminum and copper move heat fast, so they warm up and cool down quickly. Cast iron heats slowly but stores a lot of heat, so it stays hot when cold food…
- 51Preheat pans and ovens fullySteak, fish and vegetables dropped into a cold pan heat up slowly with it, leaking juice instead of browning. A pan hot enough to sizzle on contact browns…
- 52Brown food in batchesMushrooms are about 90 percent water, and most foods release plenty. In a packed pan that water can't boil off fast enough, so it pools and the food…
- 53Test your oven temperatureHome ovens often run 10 to 25°C (20 to 45°F) off the dial, and the temperature swings as the element cycles on and off. An oven thermometer that costs a…
- 54Caring for cast ironSeasoning is oil heated until it turns into a hard, slick, plastic-like layer bonded to the iron. Every time you cook with fat in a hot pan, you add a…
