Pan frying

Pan frying is a form of frying characterized by the use of minimal cooking oil or fat (compared to shallow frying or deep frying); typically using just enough oil to lubricate the pan (although, in the case of a greasy food such as bacon, no oil or fats may be needed). As a form of frying, pan frying relies on oil as the heat transfer medium and on correct temperature to retain the moisture in the food. The exposed topside allows, unlike deep frying, some moisture loss and contact with the pan bottom creates greater browning on the contact surface. Because of the partial coverage, the food must be flipped at least once to cook both sides.

The advantages of using less oil are practical: less oil is needed on hand and time spent heating the oil is much shorter. The chief disadvantage of using less oil is that it is more difficult to keep the oil at an even temperature. The moisture loss and increased browning can be beneficial or detrimental depending on the item cooked and its preparation and should be taken into account if there is a choice to be made between pan frying and deep frying. Especially when high-temperature frying with lots of oil, it may be advisable to use a splatter guard.

Generally, a shallower cooking vessel is used for pan frying than deep frying. Using a deep pan with a small amount of oil, butter or bacon grease does reduce spatter but the increased moisture around the cooking food is generally detrimental to the preparation. A denser cooking vessel -- the pan should feel heavy for its size -- is necessarily better than a less dense pan since that mass will improve temperature regulation. An electric skillet can be used analogously to an electric deep fryer and many of these devices have a thermostat to keep the liquid (in this case, oil) at the desired temperature.

Sautйing

Sautйing is a method of cooking food, that uses a small amount of fat in a shallow pan over relatively high heat. Ingredients are usually cut into pieces or thinly sliced to facilitate fast cooking. The primary mode of heat transfer during sautйing is conduction between the pan and the food being cooked. Food that is sautйed is browned while preserving its texture, moisture and flavor. If meat, chicken, or fish is sautйed, the sautй is often finished by deglazing the pan's residue to make a sauce.

Sautйing is often confused with pan-frying, in which larger pieces of food (for example, chops or steaks) are cooked quickly, and flipped onto both sides. Some cooks make a distinction between the two based on the depth of the oil used, while others use the terms interchangeably. Sautйing differs from searing in that searing only browns the surface of the bath. Olive oil or clarified butter are commonly used for sautйing, but most fats will do. Regular butter will produce more flavor but will burn at a lower temperature and more quickly than other fats due to the presence of milk solids, so clarified butter is more fit for this use.

The French word sautй is a past participle of “to jump”. This refers to the need to have pan and fat, or oil, to about 250°C (500°F) or higher. Whole butter and many oils will not withstand this amount of heat without reaching their “smoking point” meaning the temperature that they begin to burn. When ingredients are added to this amount of heat they hop and “jump” around in the pan confirming that you have begun with a sufficient amount of heat. Always heat your pan and fat or oil first before adding the ingredients. True Sautй can be performed without even moving the pan at all. Movement of a pan is referred to as “flipping the pan” and is not required in true Sautй. “Flipping a pan” or movement is just a professional term for ingredient agitation without the use of utensils.

A sautй pan must be large enough to hold all of the food in one layer, so steam can escape - which keeps the ingredients from stewing, and promotes the development of fond. Most pans sold specifically as sautй pans have a wide flat base and low sides, to maximize the surface area available for heating. The low sides allow quick evaporation and escape of steam. While skillets typically have flared or rounded sides, sautй pans sold for home use also typically have straight, vertical sides - this keeps the ingredients from escaping as the pan is jerked or stirred.

Only enough fat to lightly coat the bottom of the pan is needed for sautйing; too much fat will cause the food to fry rather than just to slide, and may interfere with the development of fond. The food is spread across the hot fat in the pan, and left to brown, turning or tossing frequently for even cooking.