Nonstick: Eggs and Delicate Foods
**Eggs: Nonstick Excellence**
Eggs are nonstick pans' signature application. Professional breakfast service uses nonstick to produce hundreds of omelets, scrambled eggs, and over-easy eggs without fuss.
**Omelet Technique (Nonstick):**
1. Preheat nonstick pan on medium-low (60 seconds)
2. Add small pat of butter
3. Pour beaten eggs
4. Let set 30 seconds
5. Gently push cooked edges toward center, tilting pan
6. Add fillings, fold, slide onto plate
Time: 3-4 minutes, zero sticking
**The Convenience:**
Even beginner cooks produce perfect eggs in nonstick pans. No special technique required—just don't overheat the pan.
**Browning Limitations:**
Nonstick pans can brown food, but with limitations. Can't safely exceed 450°F, limiting maximum browning temperature. Professional searing happens at 500-550°F—impossible safely in nonstick. Additionally, nonstick surfaces seem to trap moisture between food and pan, creating steam that interferes with crispy browning.
Stainless Steel: Searing and Fond Development
**Eggs: Requires Technique**
Eggs in stainless steel require proper technique. Done wrong, you get scrambled egg cement welded to the pan. Done right, you get restaurant-quality results.
**Omelet Technique (Stainless Steel):**
1. Preheat pan until water droplets dance (375-400°F)
2. Add generous butter (more than nonstick requires)
3. Reduce heat to medium-low
4. Pour beaten eggs immediately
5. Use silicone spatula to prevent sticking
6. Work quickly—eggs cook faster on preheated steel
Time: 3-4 minutes, requires attention and practice
**Fond Development: Stainless Steel's Advantage**
Fond is the browned bits stuck to the pan after searing meat or vegetables. These bits contain concentrated flavor compounds (Maillard reaction products) that become the base for pan sauces.
**Steak Pan Sauce Technique:**
1. Sear steak in stainless steel (develops fond)
2. Remove steak, rest
3. Pour off excess fat, leave pan on heat
4. Add shallots, cook 30 seconds in fond
5. Deglaze with red wine, scraping fond
6. Reduce wine by half
7. Add beef stock, reduce to sauce consistency
8. Mount with butter, season
The fond provides 80% of the sauce's flavor. This technique is impossible in nonstick pans where nothing sticks to create fond.
**Professional Standard:**
Every professional kitchen uses stainless steel for sautés and pan sauces. Nonstick might be faster for protein cooking, but stainless steel's fond development is non-negotiable for sauce quality.
