Nonstick skillets present the right slippery floor for eggs, delicate fish, and even pancakes. They require little or no oil or fats, and clean-up is easy. But they’re additionally a bit finicky in comparison with their sturdy counterparts, like chrome steel or cast-iron skillets. You would possibly’ve even been warned in opposition to utilizing them completely.
That’s as a result of nonstick skillets are historically coated with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) resembling Teflon, an artificial polymer. While a PTFE coating helps to offer a no-stick floor for sticky meals like eggs, it could actually degrade and pose dangers should you don’t use or take care of nonstick skillets correctly.
Here’s what to know.
Why nonstick skillets and excessive warmth don’t combine
Harmful fumes
“Nonstick coatings, especially PTFE like Teflon, start to break down at very high heat — think over 500°F,” says Julian Parker, culinary director at The Select in Charleston, South Carolina. “That’s when they can release fumes and lose their slick surface. I look at it this way: If you overheat it, you’re not just hurting the pan, you’re cutting its life short. Nonstick is perfect for eggs, pancakes, or a delicate piece of fish, but if I’m searing a steak I’ll grab something else.”
Heating PTFE-coated pans above 500°F truly breaks down the coating at “the molecular level, where the polymer chains begin to fragment and release various chemical compounds into the air,” explains Brad Lampe, principal analysis toxicologist on the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF).
“The breakdown of the PTFE coating may increase the risk of exposure to harmful substances.” These might embrace gaseous perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also called “forever chemicals,” which have been linked to a variety of poisonous results in people and animals.
Julian Parker, culinary director at The Select
“Even before the coating is damaged, high heat on a nonstick can give you hot spots and uneven cooking, burnt edges, and undercooked centers.”
— Julian Parker, culinary director at The Select
More instantly regarding, nevertheless, is the chance of one thing known as “polymer fume fever,” also called “Teflon flu,” which can happen when PTFE coatings are overheated and launch poisonous fumes. “This condition is commonly associated with fever, malaise, dyspnea, chest tightness, and a dry cough that may occur within a few hours after exposure, and can be fatal to pet birds due to their sensitive respiratory systems,” Lampe says.
Only a couple of hundred instances are reported yearly, although the National Capital Poison Center says the variety of calls have elevated over time.
Aside from doubtlessly dangerous poisonous fumes, there’s one other danger related to cooking nonstick over excessive warmth. Lampe explains that “the risk of exposure to heavy metals, PTFE nanoparticles, and microplastics also increases when the PTFE coating breaks down due to abrasion and excessive heat.”
Uneven heating
Potential well being considerations apart, you might also run into points with efficiency should you cook dinner nonstick over excessive warmth. “Even before the coating is damaged, high heat on a nonstick can give you hot spots and uneven cooking, burnt edges, and undercooked centers,” Parker explains. “Plus, intense heat can strip the subtle flavors from beautiful seasonal produce. I want my ingredients to shine, not taste scorched.”
That uneven cooking comes, partially, from the scale, or thickness, of many nonstick skillets. Most nonstick skillets are lighter than chrome steel ones, that are made with sturdier supplies like nickel, iron, and chromium, along with a cladding of aluminum or copper for improved warmth distribution. Nonstick skillets could also be made with chrome steel or aluminum, however they’re usually fairly a bit thinner than common chrome steel skillets.
“High, uncontrolled heat often leads to uneven cooking, creating hot spots that can burn food while leaving other areas undercooked,” explains Ryan Jones, cofounder and government chef of Free Reign Restaurantstogether with Honeysuckle Rose and At that timein Charleston. “Lowering the temperature allows for more control and a more even heat distribution, which helps prevent scorching and yields more consistent results. These issues are especially noticeable when cooking delicate foods like eggs.”
What skillets do you have to use for top warmth?
Most nonstick skillets shouldn’t be cooked over excessive warmth, and particularly shouldn’t be positioned below a broiler, which might expose the floor of the pan to temperatures even hotter than 500°F. Instead, use skillets that stand as much as very excessive temperatures, resembling cast-iron or chrome steel.
“When I really crank the heat — maybe I’m putting a deep char on peppers from the farmers market or searing a grass-fed steak — I go for carbon steel, cast-iron, or good stainless steel,” Parker says. “They can take the heat, they build flavor, and if you treat them right, they’ll last longer than most chefs’ careers.”
Jones recommends seasoning high-carbon metal skillets to reduce sticking. The identical is true for cast-iron skillets, which have a pure nonstick floor when seasoned properly.
Can you ever use a nonstick skillet over excessive warmth?
These days, sure nonstick skillets are developed particularly for top warmth. “If you want to go the true nonstick route, I recommend ceramic-coated skillets and pans, which perform well when cooking over high heat,” says Parker.
Regardless of what skillet you employ, Parker says it’s vital you’re taking excellent care of them to increase their life. “I always tell my cooks: Treat your pans like you treat your ingredients,” he says. “Buy the best you can, take care of it, and it will take care of you. It’s better for your food, better for your wallet, and better for the planet.”
