Skip to content

Stainless Steel

Becoming more popular as people move away from non-stick coated cookware due to the risks of the PFAS they contain or that are produced in their manufacture.

Care

To preserve the life and appearance of (typically expensive) stainless steel cookware;

  • use a low or medium heat
  • don't add butter or oil until the pan or pot is hot
  • equally, don't let the pan or pot overheat before adding butter or oil
  • to prevent sticking ensure you add enough butter or oil, especially when cooking protein - avoid using spray oils
  • the chloride in salt can damage the chromium oxide surface of stainless steel (which prevents rusting). Whilst this doesn't affect the performance of a pan or pot, it can look unappealing and the damage may increase over time. To avoid this you should;
    • never put salt directly on the surface of an empty pan or pot
    • never add salt to cold water or liquid in a pan or pot; wait for it to heat up so the salt dissolves and does not sink and rest on the surface of the pan or pot
  • if possible, deglaze your pan or pot to remove any food stuck to it's base
  • let the pan or pot cool slowly and naturally - do not cool it rapidly with or submerge it in water

Metadata

Created: 2026-08-18

Last Updated: 2026-08-18