Frying pans & skillets

Frying pans – for all your culinary projects in the kitchen

In our large assortment of good quality frying pans, you are guaranteed to find one or more of your favourites. While some are versatile and can be used for cooking a range of ingredients, others are more suitable for specific tasks such as frying pancakes or eggs. Here at Nordic Nest, we have a large selection of professional frying pans for a number of different kitchen tasks.

Cast iron skillets – long lasting and durable

A cast iron frying pan or skillet pan is an investment that, with the correct maintenance, can last a lifetime. This type of frying pan material withstands high temperatures and distributes heat evenly, making it the perfect surface for frying meat. Cast iron skillets are heavier than stainless steel frying pans and they also require more fat. Be careful not to expose the frying pan to large temperature fluctuations and heat the pan gradually to make sure that it stays seasoned.

Seasoning a cast iron pan

To create a protective layer on your cast iron frying pan and to bring back its sheen, it should be seasoned through a process of scrubbing, oiling and baking. This creates a natural non-stick cooking surface and helps prevent your skillet pan from corrosion. To season your cast iron skillet pan, you can follow these steps:

1. Wash the frying pan with dishwashing detergent to completely clean the surface. Normally cast iron should not be washed with dishwashing liquid but it is fine to use it when you are about to season the skillet.
2. Rinse the skillet and then dry it properly with a kitchen cloth or paper towels.
3. When the pan is dry, grease it with cooking oil until the frying pan has absorbed a large amount of oil. You can use a cloth or paper towel to coat the frying pan evenly.
4. Repeat the process until you feel that the frying pan has absorbed enough oil. Do not forget to coat the outside of the frying pan as well.
5. Place the frying pan upside down in the centre of the oven with a sheet of baking paper or aluminium foil to catch any dripping oil. Bake for about an hour.
6. Allow the frying pan to cool and wipe off any oil residue with kitchen paper.

Popular cast iron frying pans

Fiskars have some of the best cast iron skillets in a number of different sizes and styles. Two of their popular collections are Norden and Brasserie, which include oven safe cast iron frying pans with removable handles.

Stainless steel frying pans – the perfect frying surface

Stainless steel is a stylish and practical material that is also durable and can withstand high temperatures. They often require more frying fat, for example, than non-stick frying pans. For the perfect caramelised frying surface on your food, stainless steel pans are an excellent choice.

When you use stainless steel frying pans, you may find that as soon as you put the meat in the pan, it will stick to the surface, however, if you wait until it is nicely frying in the pan, the frying pan releases the meat allowing you to turn it over.

Popular stainless steel frying pans

In our assortment you will be able to find a range of stainless steel frying pans by highly appreciated brands. For some of the best frying pans in stainless steel we recommend brands including:

• Satake
• Demeyere
• Zwilling

Frying pans with non-stick or ceramic coating – versatile pans that require less frying fat

Foods that are fried in non-stick or coated frying pans require less frying oil or butter and are also easy to clean after use. These pans are versatile and can be used for cooking a range of ingredients. However, you should keep in mind that these pans do not handle heat as well as other frying pans and you should never use metal frying utensils in these pans.

Popular frying pans with non-stick or ceramic coating

In our assortment, you will find some of the best ceramic coated and non-stick frying pans by well known brands.

Tefal frying pans have a ceramic coating that gives meat and fish a crispy surface. Most of Tefal’s frying pans also have ThermoSpot heat indicators which turn red when the ideal cooking temperature has been reached so that your food has the perfect colour texture and taste. You can also buy frying pan sets from Tefal if you want to have matching pans in different sizes.

Copper frying pans – for even and fast heat distribution

Copper frying pans are excellent heat conductors, distributing heat evenly and quickly in the pan. They are also quick to cool once the heat is turned off giving you greater control over the temperature. However, they can change colour if they overheat and often require more oil or butter when frying. A copper frying pan can also be a stylish detail when stored in your kitchen, by hanging it on hooks or standing on an open shelf.

Popular frying pans in copper

Here you can buy frying pans that contain copper by several popular brands, such as De Buyer and Serax.

What frying pans work on induction hobs?

Induction hobs are becoming increasingly popular as they are energy-efficient and fast-heating, however they are not compatible with all frying pan materials. Be sure to check the product specifications when making your choice so you can specifically select a good frying pan that will work on induction hobs.

For a frying pan to work on an induction hob, it will need to have a magnetic base or have a layer with magnetic properties. Stainless steel and cast iron frying pans are the best for induction hobs, whereas copper should be avoided for this type of stove top.

Caring for your frying pan

If you take good care of your frying pan, you will ensure that it can be a good partner in the kitchen for a long time to come. Proper cleaning and maintenance of the frying pan is an important step to ensure this.

The right utensils for the right frying pan

One of the most important things to remember when using your frying pan, is that not all kitchen utensils are suitable for all frying pan surfaces. For a non-stick pan or other coated frying pans, metal utensils like spoons, spatulas and tongs should be avoided as they can damage the coating. Wood, plastic or silicone utensils are a good option for this type of pan. Stainless steel and cast iron frying pans can be used with all types of kitchen utensils including those made from metal.

Allow the pan to cool before washing

Before rinsing and washing the frying pan, it is important that it has enough time to cool down first, otherwise you run the risk of the temperature differences causing the pan to crack.

How to remove burnt food from the frying pan

Burnt food is easily removed by letting the pan cool, pouring water into the pan to cover the food, and then turning the heat on again.

If there is a lot of fat left in the pan you should remove this first with paper before washing the frying pan. This makes it easier to clean and is also better for the pipe in the sink and the environment.

Vinegar is a wonder remedy that can be used for a lot of cleaning in the home. To make stainless steel or copper frying pans shiny clean and also remove limescale residue, boil with water and a little vinegar and let it boil for a few minutes. If your copper pan has changed colour, you can sand it with vinegar and salt.

Washing your frying pan correctly

Different types of frying pans often require slightly different cleaning methods and you should be sure to check the product specifications provided by the manufacturer before cleaning it.

Stainless steel frying pans

These frying pans are among the easiest to clean and can often be washed in the dishwasher. For these pans to stay in good condition for as long as possible, it is best to wash them by hand with warm water.

Frying pans with non-stick and coated surfaces

Thanks to the coating on these frying pans, they are easy to clean. Although these frying pans can often be washed in the dishwasher, they will have a longer life if you wash them by hand with hot water and dish washing liquid.

Cast iron frying pans

When you fry cooking fat in a cast iron frying pan, a protective layer forms on the pan. This layer is protected if you use only hot water and a dish brush while cleaning cast iron pans, so these pans should not be washed with dishwashing liquid or cleaned in the dishwasher.

Copper frying pans

Copper frying pans are usually dishwasher safe, but it is usually recommended that they are washed by hand with regular dishwashing liquid as the dishwasher could affect the colour.