How to Keep Your Food From Sticking to Stainless Steel  

This is why professional chefs always say heat the pan first. You're saving meals across America with this tip.😊

I can't even pretend to know how long it's been since I actually saw something useful on the internet. Until now. Thanks for sharing😊

I’ve had stainless steel for 20 years and have never known how to use them properly. Thank you.🙏

Girl, you just FIXED AN ISSUE I've been having for 25 YEARS!!! I think I love you. ❤

I wish I had saw this last night my poor hash browns 😭

This is the Leidenfrost effect. When the pan is hot enough (but not overly hot), at about 193 °C (379 °F), the water boilson contact and creates a layer of vapor that makes it levitate and not touch the pan. That's what makes food not stick to the pan! (to my best knowledge, stainless steel pans don't have "pores")

Love your clear, non-nonsense presentation style.

No music, no dancing, no crazy talking, quirky phrases. No over editing, multiple shots and special effects, just pithy clear direct instructions. Excellent! Nicely done, thank you kindly.

I'm old as dirt and never new this Wow. I Appreciate Thank You ❤

Thanks for the demonstration! :) a little correction for the reasoning: The "pores" open up, not close, when heated, creating more surface for the cooking oil to steep into. Now for the water test: The reason the water floats is that the pan is so hot, that the water immediately evaporates upon contact, and the escaping steam under the droplet keeps the bulk of the water "afloat". It's called the Leidenfrost effect. That's also what happens to your food, which, along with the "pore" opening helps with the non-stick effect.

Hum, I have always known to heat my pan first, but apparently, I didn't let it heat up enough! Thank you for that important information 😊

I learned this saying, "Hot pan, cold oil, food won't stick." This method of the water test is also a good way to test stainless steel.

Great tip! That’s the Leidenfrost effect :) The surface is so hot that it “produces an insulating vapor layer that keeps the liquid from boiling rapidly. Because of this repulsive force, a droplet hovers over the surface, rather than making physical contact with it.” (I’m quoting Wikipedia, here).

Thank you, girl.I always messed things up in my stainless steel pans. You are saving a lot of people from making that big error. Good job!

Thank you so much for explaining this! Perfect fried eggs here I come!!!

"Mercury ball" - PERFECT description!❤

Thank you so much!!! 63 yrs young and learned something new!!!!!!!!

Thanks!!!!! That's why I never bought stainless steel...bc I didn't want my food to stick. Great tip!!!!!!👏

My mom died 4-1/2 years ago. When making Christmas breakfast she would get frustrated and perplexed when the eggs stuck. Every time I make eggs I now know the importance of letting the pan heat up (and when to add the oil), so things don’t stick. Each time cook now I wish I had chance to tell her the secret. Miss you mom.

That is one HOT pan. Be sure what you’re cooking can be made quickly and at a high heat. Tip from a California culinary school graduate.

This worked. Did protein pancakes with no oil in the pan. Thank you!!! I hate to use a nonstick pan due to possible chemicals

Also the pan should be on medium high. The food will stick again and you need to wait until the pan releases it. Therefore the pan cannot be too high!

The skittering drops of water demonstrate the Leidenfrost effect, which for water occurs when the pan is at least 379°F.

Nopoooo way. Oh my gosh. Never knew that. You are amazing.. Thank you sooo much.💜💜🌿🌿

Yup i have these expensive pans for about 6 yrs. Took me so long to leanr to cook with them. Thanks to internet saw this lil over year ago and it has changed ny life lol.

This is actually the leidenfrost effect. Basically the pan is hot enough that a thin layer of steam is separating the food/water from the pan. I don't think it has anything to do with pores in the pan, but I could be wrong.

Wow...I've never heard this! I just put off frying fish for dinner tonight because I didn't want to deal with the sticking. Can't wait to fix fish for dinner tomorrow...with NO sticking! Thank you for this great tip!

It also greatly helps to quit using plant oils and start cooking with animal fats. The oil turns to glue as it heats up, but fats just melt and become slippery. Bonus: fats are better for your body too.

Its simple. Season yiur staonless steel pots and pans. Heat them up. Add some coconut oil. Turn the burner off, and let it cool all the way. Get rid of the excess oil and wipe it out with a papertowl. Now yiu are ready to cook.

It's not the pores of the metal causing this leidenfrost effect. Good Greif if you want to explain something do it properly.

I learned something new. Thanks.

it is because of the leidenfrost effect, which she demonstrated perfectly with the bouncing water, is the only way to stop stainless steel from sticking,

No joke I've been to culinary school I have been a private Chef a personal chef now I own my own restaurant and I just want to say that no one ever teaches you how to heat the pan they just tell you to get it ripping hot😂😂😂 so you're doing a real service here❤

Hi Legenia! 😊 A while back, I attempted to cook potatoes on stainless steel after watching your video. They turned out absolutely amazing! Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Seriously, the best country potatoes I've ever made! I wanted to make potatoes for brunch today, so I scolled through my Food playlist to find that I forgot to save this short! I searched and searched RU-vid and was relieved to find it again! Thank you for this amazing video! This is a life-changing tip and the best explanation I've come across! ❤

awesome. I was about to buy a nonstick, which I really don't want to use. I'm going to use this method. Thank you!!

Just use a microwave. You don't even have to take the food out of the plastic bag. No pan to warsh.

omg , 45 years old and now I am just learning this? I literally have never seen this woman before or any of her videos but I am subscribing since she has proven to know things I need to learn.

Why would pores close when hotter? Shouldn't they expand even more?

Thank you!! This explains so much.

MAJOR HELPS🎉 Is there a particular heat gas or electric to set the stove top at?

Finally a video that explains this perfectly. Thank you for sharing

I'm proud that the city of my birth, Sheffield, England, UK invented stainless steel.

It's not the pores. Because of the high heat of the pan, the water is evaporating so fast that it's levitating on the steam being created.

Only cook with stainless steel..nothing else .maybe cast iron

What if you have to turn the heat down to let something cook a little slower? Will it still be non stick?

What a drivel. Pores? It's all about temperature of the surface

Yes, I used to hate using them, too. But after learning this trick, I would never use anything else except cast iron

wow I had no clue and never bought a ss pan for this reason! NICE tx

It also works to not add your oil until it's hot and don't move the food until it's developed a crust and it'll unstick itself. I feel like with some things if you let it get this hot it'll just burn

Wow I didn’t know so many ppl didn’t know this. As a follow up to avoid any confusion you want to get it hot enough to pass this test. That does not mean you have to cook your food that high of heat. Once it passes this test if you don’t want the heat to be that high take it off the burner let it come down slightly and use it. Just always make sure you use this test each time you fire it up. Also please know what kind of stainless steel pan you have. Some can go in the oven, some can’t. Some have designated handles so you can hold it without burning yourself, some don’t 😊

Wow, this is great haha. I've watched like three videos on this so far but this one clicked for me. Ty, subscribed!

It has nothing to do with "pores" opening and closing...😑🙄😒

This may be a dumb question but at that point you’d add the oil, right? Or do you need to heat up the oil along with the pan?

🤷🏾‍♀️Well ~The more you know!🌠

Thankyou! Will be testing my first stainless steel pan today haha. So this is handy to know!

I’ve tried that water test and the food still stocked to the pan .

This is HUGE!! Thanks for sharing!!

The pores thing is...not how it works. You're just heating the molecules in the steel up enough that they generate a boundary layer of gas that pushes the food away from the surface like a hovercraft. That's why the drop floats. It's called the Leidenfrost Effect and it's pretty rad.

I can’t wait to see the mercury ball! What an amazing tip, thank you 🙏🏾

the problem is you always have to cook in that hell heat

That was great! Thank you 😎

How long do you have to heat the pan and what temperature

The pore won't close when temperature is high, it is the opposite, it is the oil that sip into the pores when the pores are open that make the food not stick.

Tip is right, her science is wrong.

I thought the test was the first bit

Thank you for this!!!!!! My food sticks EVERY time and I’m so sick of it!!!🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

Thanks Ma i learned something new today and will use it from now on

Awesome! Nice presentation & incredibly helpful information! THANK YOU!!

What did you wipe on the pan?

WOOWWW!! YOURE A LIFE SAVER MA'AM. THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!

Thank you for this video! PLEASE!!! do more of this content AND ALERT PEOPLE ABOUT PFAS ON TEFLON PANS 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

Thank you for EXPLAINING what happens...I totally get it now...

OF COURSE. You clearly WIPED OIL ON IT !!!! Of course it’s gonna bead up after that. 😅😂 Slick move lady.

Now you can up your cooking language...The Leidenfrost effect. The Leidenfrost effect is a phenomenon where a vapor layer insulates a liquid from a surface, preventing rapid boiling. The insulating vapor makes liquid droplets hover over very hot surfaces.

Omg! Making this much COMPLICATED.. Just make sure your pan is really hot b4 putting what ya bout to cook. 🤦

Finally... let's stop eating Teflon with excuses. Stainless steel works perfectly!!! 🤗👍⚘️

God promise things that used to baffle us will become intuitive.THANK U

Wow!! Thanks so much!!! Finally found someone and the solution to cook properly with a stainless steel pan!! Will share this video with as many people as possible. Will definitely do this!!!!😮😊 Please post more smart hacks videos!! Will greatly appreciate it. 🙏 😊

I’m sorry to be that chemistry guy but the pores do not close up by getting them hotter. If anything, the molecules expand from the heat and open the pores more. HOWEVER!!! The Lindenfrost effect is what you’re looking for, and demonstrated fantastically. There is an instant barrier of steam between the pan and food that keeps your food from sticking as bad. Great job demonstrating the importance of having enough heat though!!!

Im a welder. METAL EXPANDS WHEN HEATED and it SHRINKS WHEN ITS COOLING. ADVICE IS MADE TO SOUND SMART BUT SHE DONT KNOW

My sister loves SS. I have always hated it. Until now. Nonstick training wheels now off!!!!!!

Thank you, darling. Sending you love and hugs from Pretoria, South Africa 🇿🇦

Thank You!! Learn something new every day. Amazing!!😊😊

Stainless steel is amazing cookware and once you learn how to use it there’s no turning back 🎉 Ive had my Wolfgang Puck set for 19 years and it’s still good as new. It’s nonstick, doesn’t transfer flavors and cleans up nicely. I’ve purchased & thrown away a few nonstick sets in the same time period. Now, I’m stainless steel & cast iron. You can cook everything with those pans!

This method never worked out well for me. It could be the type of cheap stainless steel pan that I have, Cusin Art, with a welded bottom. I would use avocado oil and preheat my pan to about 100°C. Once up to temperature I would put the avocado oil in the pan. Something crazy would happen. The temperature of the pan quickly rose to over 200°C about right at the smoke temp of the avocado oil, requiring me to wait until the pan cooled back down to cook temperature. I’m an engineer so yes I have a heat gun. I like real numbers not nuance. The method that I found worked for me was to go ahead and put the “butter” in the pan while it’s cold. Butter works better than avocado oil for some reason. Then heat the pan until your butter becomes “frothy”. Then you can cook your egg and have it slide like butter. The butter will show you when the pan is ready via its frothiness, but if you’re not using butter, I guess you can use this videos strategy. Just watch out for that oil smoke temperature. It will tell you when it’s hot enough, but it won’t tell you when it’s too hot.

Wow. Never had that explained before!!So if I want to cook something at a low temp, say scrambled eggs, do I preheat at low temp and just wait a bit longer for the mercury dance? (or go high, till it dances, then lower temp) When is it not be ready anymore?) sorry, hope this makes sense...

The open/closebof pores isbwhy alot of dishes, especially plastics, get stained. If the kids or my husband heats up the leftovers in the container, like spaghetti in the tupperware, i always fill it with hot sospy water lid on but not snapped closed, just covered. Then i microwave it for a minute or 2 in intervals of 30-45 seconds at a time, and ill carefully scrub with a brush while the item is hot but cooling off, because the heat is opening up the pores loosening the debri & the cleaner is getting into the locked in staining. I also "cook" my dish scrubber in some water & cleaner for 30 seconds for 2 minutes so it doesnt overflow. The steam will also loosen the debri in your microwave making it easy to wipe out without scrubbing harshly and when the cup is cooled down you just dump the water and sqeeze the scrubber and airdry. This santizes the sponge if its still new but doesn't look/smell like its only a day or 2 old!! (Obviously this isnt a tip for keeping your dish scrubber in use for weeks or anything, just occasionally)

TIP #2: I’ve had a set of stainless steel pans for 41 years and they still look great despite the fact I use them practically every single day! Tip is, never ever use metal utensils in your pans, only wood!! I have a selection of wood spatulas and spoons of all types. Wood saves your pans from scratches that can contribute to food becoming stuck and they prevent grooves that give bacteria a foothold as well as they prevent toxic micro metals from getting into your meals via unintended shavings as a result of metal on metal scraping. TIP #3: Always hand wash your pans. Never put them in the dishwasher….or the refrigerator. Extremes in temperatures can open cracks which contribute to food sticking and can cause potential rust issues as well. Dry with an absorbent towel and let completely air dry before storing. Following these tips will add decades to your stainless cookware, I guarantee it!!

Exactly this. I have both cast iron and stainless steel skillet, I was mad because things kept sticking until I remembered a key thing my dad's ex taught me: HEAT THE PAN and test it with water.

I've cooked in restaurants all my professional life and Never heard this. Thank you😮🎉❤❤❤

This is hella helpful. I just bought some Caraway pots (and their amazing), but I have a designated stainless pans for my husband who experiments 😂

Add oil of course

Wha- the WHAT?! This is the first I've ever heard this! Thank you so much Pretty Lady!!!

OK, this is going to be a really niche question, but can anybody tell me an audible way to do this. I'm blind, and of course I cook. I just don't really know when the water starts splattering around like that. It kind of sounds the same with the water bubbling against the steel. I honestly just oil everything before I use it. I usually use a neutral oil with a high smoke point so that the sticking never happens. And if it does happen, I use barkeepers friend. But I don't like using that too much, because I'm scared I'm gonna scratch the stainless steel. I have a really good set of pots and pans, and I don't wanna mess them up.

Very nice video but this has nothing to do with “pores”. What you’re observing is the Leidenfrost effect. When you pour water in a surface that is hot enough, the layer of water molecules touching the surface will boil and create a vapor barrier. The water droplet will eventually be suspended by a layer of vapor, so actually no water in liquid form touches the heated surface, creating the “dancing droplet” effect.

Omg! Where have you been all my cooking life. I was just fixing to throw out all my stainless and keep my non-stick and cast iron

Stainless steel, cast iron, ceramic, baking...pre-heat! Then add fat of your choice, then add meat. Leave it alone for a minute and allow it to cook, the food will release to be flipped when ready. And stop taking your meat straight from the fridge and putting it in the pan, it drops the pan's temperature more and can contribute to uneven cooking. They need to bring back home economics.

This works for cat iron skillets, too!! Please wash, dry, and put away without seasoning them! Who wants to have old oil in freshly cooked food? I know I don't; however, you do you boo.

SUPER helpful!! I've had a stainless steel set for about 5 years and was just about to go buy a non stick skillet. Let me try this first 😊

The way she explained everything so effortlessly, I had to subscribe!!!!😊