Guides
Can stainless steel pans go in the oven?
The short answer: yes, a stainless steel pan with a metal handle can go in the oven, and most are safe to at least 200°C. The steel itself copes with far more heat than any domestic oven produces. What sets the limit is the handle, the lid, or any coating, so check the stated figure. Season Tri-Ply pans are oven safe to 240°C, and the saucepan lids to 180°C.
What sets the oven limit
| Part | What to check |
|---|---|
| Pan body | Bare stainless steel or tri-ply: no practical limit in a home oven. |
| Handle | Riveted stainless handles are oven safe. Plastic, silicone-wrapped or wooden handles are not, or only to a low temperature. |
| Lid | Glass lids and lids with plastic knobs have lower limits than the pan. Check them separately. |
| Coating | A non-stick lining usually has its own lower limit. Bare stainless has no coating to worry about. |
If the maker states a figure, that is the number to work to. Stay under it, and do not put a pan under a hot grill unless the maker says it is suitable.
Handles get hot: use oven gloves
This catches out everyone at least once. After 10 minutes in a 200°C oven, a metal handle is at oven temperature, and it stays hot for a good while after it comes out. Use dry oven gloves or a folded dry cloth (a damp one passes heat straight through). A good habit from restaurant kitchens: as soon as the pan comes out, drape a cloth over the handle or sprinkle a little flour on it, so nobody grabs it bare-handed. Lift with both hands if the pan is full.
What to cook: hob to oven
The great advantage of an oven-safe pan is that you can start on the hob for colour and finish in the oven for gentle, even heat, with no change of dish.
Finishing a thick steak. Sear a 4cm steak hard on each side for 2 minutes, then move the pan to a 200°C oven for 4 to 8 minutes depending on how you like it. Rest for 5 minutes. Full method in how to cook steak in a stainless steel pan.
Frittata. Soften onions, peppers or potatoes in the pan, pour in 6 to 8 beaten eggs, cook on a low heat until the edges set, about 5 minutes, then bake at 180°C for 8 to 10 minutes until just set in the middle. A well-oiled, properly preheated pan releases it cleanly.
Crispy chicken thighs. Render the skin on the hob, then finish at 200°C. See how to cook crispy chicken thighs in a stainless steel pan.
Roasting. A large frying pan makes a good small roasting tin: a few sausages, a pork tenderloin, halved tomatoes, wedges of fennel or a tray of root vegetables at 200 to 220°C.
Keeping a sauce or braise warm in a saucepan in a low oven, around 100°C, lid on, while you finish everything else.
The bonus: the pan comes out with a layer of browned juices on the base. Put it back on the hob (handle still hot, gloves on) and make a pan sauce in two minutes.
Looking after the pan
A long spell in a hot oven can leave a golden or rainbow tint on stainless steel. It is a thin oxide layer, harmless, and comes off with a splash of white vinegar. More in why does stainless steel go rainbow-coloured? Let the pan cool before plunging it into cold water; a sudden temperature change is hard on any pan.
The tool for it: Season Tri-Ply
Season Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Frying Pan, £50 to £75, in 22cm, 26cm, 28cm and 30cm, is all stainless with a riveted stainless handle and is oven safe to 240°C. The Season Tri-Ply Saucepan, £60 to £70, is oven safe to 240°C with its lid safe to 180°C. Both are stainless steel bonded around an aluminium core that runs up the sides, work on all hobs including induction, are dishwasher safe and come with a 10 year warranty. New to it? Start with what is tri-ply cookware?
Questions people ask
Can I put a stainless steel pan under the grill? Only if the maker says so. A grill delivers intense direct heat to the handle and rim, so check before you do it.
What temperature can stainless steel pans go in the oven? It depends on the handle and lid. Season Tri-Ply pans are oven safe to 240°C; saucepan lids to 180°C.
Can I put the lid in the oven too? Check the lid's own limit, which is often lower than the pan's. Season Tri-Ply saucepan lids are oven safe to 180°C.
Will the oven damage my stainless steel pan? No. At most it may tint the surface gold or blue, which is harmless and cleans off with vinegar.
How long does the handle stay hot? Long enough to burn you several minutes after it comes out. Treat it as hot until you have checked it with your hand held near it, not on it.
Cook like it matters.
From the cooks at Season, a London cookshop since 2005.