Cooking on a stainless steel frying pan can feel tricky at first — especially if you're used to non-stick. But with the right approach, stainless steel becomes one of the most versatile and rewarding tools in your kitchen. It’s all about understanding heat, timing, and technique.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to fry an egg without it sticking — a simple but powerful example. Once you’ve mastered the method, you’ll be able to cook just about anything on stainless steel with the same confidence and control. Whether you’re flipping fish or searing veg, it all starts here.
The Method: How to Cook Without Sticking
1. Preheat Your Stainless Steel Pan (on Low Heat)
Stainless steel pan takes time to distribute heat across the surface. The Season Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Frying Pan has aluminium core and stainless steel layering, heat distributes much faster and more evenly across the base, meaning you won’t have to wait around. If you place oil or food on a cold (or unevenly heated) pan, parts of the food may stick instantly while others remain uncooked.
A Little Science: Why Preheating Matters
When you heat stainless steel, the metal expands. This expansion closes the tiny microscopic pores on the pan’s surface. When these pores are closed and the pan is hot enough, the food doesn’t get trapped in them and is far less likely to stick.
How to do it:
Set your pan over low to medium-low heat for around a minute.
Let it heat over medium heat for another 1-2 minutes, or until it feels warm when you hold your hand a few inches above.
Don’t rush this. It’s worth it.
2. Do the Water Bead Test
This is the easiest way to tell if your pan is ready.
Once your pan feels evenly warm, sprinkle a few drops of water onto the surface. If they evaporate instantly, the pan is too hot. If they sit and bubble, it’s not hot enough. But if the droplets glide across the surface like little silver balls— your pan is ready.
This is called the Leidenfrost effect , and it’s your best visual cue that the stainless steel is preheated properly.
What to look for:
The water beads up and glides, rather than fizzling or flattening.
You should be able to tilt the pan and watch the droplets roll.
Important:
Once you’ve confirmed the pan is ready, carefully remove the water. Never add oil while water is still in the pan—it can cause sputtering and potentially dangerous oil splatter.
3. Add a Sufficient Amount of Oil (High Smoke Point Oil)
This is where the real barrier is formed between your food and the pan. Oil not only helps transfer heat evenly to the food, but it also creates a slick surface that prevents sticking.
But not just any oil will do.
Choose an oil with a high smoke point :
Avocado oil
Vegetable oil
Ghee
Sunflower oil
Avoid oils with low smoke points like extra virgin olive oil or butter on its own—they can burn quickly and cause off-flavours.
How much to use?
Enough to coat the pan generously, with a thin but visible layer. 1–2 teaspoons depending on pan size. You can always drain the excess.
4. Place the Ingredient into the Pan and Lower the Heat
Once the oil is hot—but not smoking— placing your food into the pan gently. If you’re worried about shells or a messy yolk, crack it into a small bowl first.
Immediately lower the heat to low.
Why? You’ve already preheated the pan and added hot oil, so the surface will stay hot. Keeping the heat low now helps:
Prevent the whites from bubbling aggressively
Stop the edges from burning
Avoid the dreaded rubbery whites
You want the surface to settle gently, cooking from underneath without rushing. You can also season it at this stage.
Pro tip: Tilt the pan slightly and let the ingreduebt settle in the centre where the oil pools, then flatten it again to let it spread.
5. Release the Food Gently With a Turner or Spatula
Once the food surface is partially set (this usually takes 30–60 seconds ), it’s time to check for release.
Use a heat resistant silicone turner if you’re playing it safe, or a metal fish spatula for more control. The key is to slide it gently underneath the food, starting from the edge and moving inward.
Cleaning Up Afterwards
The good news? If you’ve done it right, clean-up is easy . Most of the time, a quick wipe with a paper towel or a rinse under warm water does the job.
If you’ve got any light browning, sprinkle a little baking soda and warm water, let it simmer for a few minutes, then scrub with a sponge or brush.
Still stubborn? This is how you deep clean your frying pan.
Common Mistakes When Cooking on Stainless Steel
1. Not Preheating the Pan Properly
It’s either under heating or overheating. Stainless steel needs to expand evenly before it becomes semi non-stick. If you skip the preheat or start cooking too soon, your ingredients will stick to the surface. But if the pan is too hot and you’ll burn the oil before you even begin. If your pan is smoking, it’s too hot resulting in unpleasant taste from the oil.
2. Using Too Little Oil
Stainless steel doesn’t have a coating to help you out, so you’ll need a proper amount of oil to create that protective barrier between your food and the pan.
3. Moving Food Too Early
Give it time. Whether you're cooking eggs, fish, or vegetables, allow the food to naturally release before flipping or stirring. If it’s clinging to the surface, it probably needs another minute.
4. Adding Food Before Spreading the Oil
Adding ingredients before the oil is hot—or worse, before spreading it evenly—can lead to sticking and uneven cooking. Make sure your pan is properly preheated, then add your oil and swirl or brush it to coat the entire cooking surface .
If the oil is just pooling in the centre, anything you add to the edges will likely stick. And if the pan's too hot, especially for delicate foods like eggs or fish, you'll burn the bottom before the top even sets.
