Explaining Pan-Frying

• Pan-frying is a method of cooking food items in a shallow pan, typically with enough hot fat to come partway up the sides of the food without completely submerging it. Some cooks interchange the term with sautéing, though sautéing more often refers to cooking smaller pieces of food in less fat, and with periodic stirring. When pan-frying, on the other hand, it’s usually best to flip just once onto each flat surface of the food.

When to Pan-Fry

• A benefit of pan-frying is that the layer of fat promotes uniform browning. Cooking with fat also helps prevent food from burning too quickly because it prevents the food from resting directly on the pan. Breading food before frying prevents moisture loss, without sacrificing the crispy exterior. Accordingly, pan-frying is a good choice when you are seeking a moist interior and a crunchy coating, as with crab cakes or lean, breaded meats.

Explaining Griddles

• A griddle is flat, metal pan with either very low sides or no sides at all. As a technique, griddling is simply the act of cooking food on a griddle. A large, heavy skillet can substitute when a griddle is not available. With no rim to contain liquids, food cooked on a griddle typically requires little or no additional fat. Many griddles are meant for use on the stovetop like ordinary pans, but others have their own heating element.

When to Griddle

• The large, flat surface and rimless edge make griddles a convenient tool for cooking and flipping multiple items at once. Griddles are traditionally used for pancakes and flat, quick-cooking breads, such as tortillas. However, griddles work well for anything that you want to cook or sear with little or no fat, such as eggs, steak or sliced peppers and onions. Generally, griddles work best for cooking batters and foods that are quite moist, because they require minimal additional fat or liquid.