Thanks guys, lots of good tips here.
Why SS when I have cast iron? Erm, no good answer to that. I was just trying to rotate SS pans into all the various methods of cooking that I do. Did a steak on it... had to give it 1.5mins on each side and all around the rest of the pan it started turning brown then black.
I use E.V. Olive Oil, sometimes with butter added, tend to add oil to a medium warm pan, then add in food when the oil viscosity looks good long before it nears smoking point, then cook the food. Please chip in if I'm doing anything wrong here.
I'll try lowering the heat after the target temp is reached. I'm using 2 All clad irregular copper cores (the lovely copper band on the outside has tarnished already), one a frypan and the other a saute.
So what types of cooking are SS pans best suited for? I use my non-stick scanpan for eggs/fish, Japanese cast iron wok for stir frying, used to use heavy cast iron for steaks (think I'll go back to that now), so the SS pans need to find a role in the kitchen. Advise?
Question summary:
1. What tasks are SS pans good for?
2. Deglaze with vinegars post cooking always? Or what do you recommend deglazing with from a cleaning standpoint (not recipe)
3. Always cook with a lower temp on stainless? I'm used to very direct heat transfer due to woks and I use high heat. I use much lower heats with nonstick.
Thanks guys. Yeah I use Jif (same as comet cream cleanser I think, Cif). Can't find barkeeper's friend or flitz locally. Don't dare to try the more aggressive metal polishes - not sure if it is a good idea with food pans.
Ok here goes: EVOO for cooking = waste of $$. Heating EV to any great degree will remove any nice flavours that you may associate with it. For cooking, if you want to to have the benefits of olive oil and and a higher smoking point, look for 'olive pomace oil' Neutral taste, same health benefits, higher smoking point, kinder on your wallet.
If you want to add butter during cooking, add the oil before the butter cos butter will burn. Otherwise, use clarified butter or ghee.
As for what SS pans are good for, sauteing and sauces would be the most common uses. It all depends on the dimensions and weight of the pan. You can also use them for displaying a centrepiece like a whole roast, pasta on a bed of nice sauce and such. Think of it more like a Chinese wok. High temp, oil in, food in, toss, food out. Less of a long time of cooking. I believe that the problem you had while cooking the steak was that the fats of the steak rendered out that is what caused the burning.
Deglazing with vinegars post cooking is not always a must. Depends on how dirty it is. For cleaning, I would go with vinegars or any EDIBLE acids like lemon juice and such. I've seen people go with industrial oven cleaners, bleach and such and they are effective. Industrial oven cleaners USUALLY denatures into non-harmful substances when heated above a certain temperature, but for safety sake, always go with something that is edible. Especially at home. For me, I add a small amount of white wine vinegar to some water and boil. That kills bacteria and removes the black bits all in 1.
You have the correct idea in much lower heat with non-stick. And it is not a rule to cook at lower temp on stainless. Depends on your burner. Some burners focus the heat on a small area of the pan and some over a larger area. Your food should always be in the area where the burner's heat is concentrated.
Hope this helps