Techniquebeginnerdraft
Preheating the pan properly
Also searched as: water droplet test, is the pan hot enough, Leidenfrost test, mercury ball test
In short: A pan is hot enough when a drop of water dances across it as a little ball instead of evaporating with a hiss.
Picture it
Like an air hockey puck: above a certain heat, the drop floats on its own cushion of steam.
What happens
At medium heat a drop evaporates at once with a hiss. If the pan is much hotter, a layer of steam forms under the drop and it glides on it. With stainless steel this is also the moment from which meat and fish stick less.
Why it matters
The most common cause of grey meat and sticking fish is a pan that is too cold.
How it’s done
Sequence · Step 1 of 4
Heat the empty pan over medium-high heat for 3–5 minutes.
All steps as a list
- Heat the empty pan over medium-high heat for 3–5 minutes.
- Flick in a few drops of water.
- If they dance as little balls, it is ready. Wipe away the water, add oil and wait briefly.
- Do not overheat non-stick pans while empty; preheat those only with oil.
Related entries
Steak turns grey instead of brown
Fish sticks to the panSources · 1
- Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004), Kapitel Fleisch