Best pan for cooking steak?

[kitchengoddess8]

I pan fried a 6 ounce sirloin medallion in a 12" stainless steel Farberware sauté pan and it was impossible to clean even after soaking it in warm water overnight and scrubbing it with Barkeeper's Friend powder. I made sure that I heated some sunflower oil in the pan before adding the meat, so I don't understand why the pan was so hard to clean. I cooked the meat on medium-high heat for three minutes on each side.

Should I have used a nonstick pan? Does anyone have a suggestion for a reasonably priced pan that can be used to pan fry a small piece of steak and is easy to clean?

 

[Andy M.]

I pan fried a 6 ounce sirloin medallion in a 12" stainless steel Farberware sauté pan and it was impossible to clean even after soaking it in warm water overnight and scrubbing it with Barkeeper's Friend powder. I made sure that I heated some sunflower oil in the pan before adding the meat, so I don't understand why the pan was so hard to clean. I cooked the meat on medium-high heat for three minutes on each side.

Should I have used a nonstick pan? Does anyone have a suggestion for a reasonably priced pan that can be used to pan fry a small piece of steak and is easy to clean?

Cast iron is the best for cooking steak. When you had cooked the steak, you should have added some water to the pan to deglaze it. that would have made it easy. Get the pan hot again and add water to it. Use a plastic or wood spatula to scrape the residue off as the water continues to boil.

 

[taxlady]

I pan fried a 6 ounce sirloin medallion in a 12" stainless steel Farberware sauté pan and it was impossible to clean even after soaking it in warm water overnight and scrubbing it with Barkeeper's Friend powder. I made sure that I heated some sunflower oil in the pan before adding the meat, so I don't understand why the pan was so hard to clean. I cooked the meat on medium-high heat for three minutes on each side.

Should I have used a nonstick pan? Does anyone have a suggestion for a reasonably priced pan that can be used to pan fry a small piece of steak and is easy to clean?

I love my Lagostina SS cookware. I've never had that problem with it. Plain old cast iron would be good if properly seasoned.

When something gets really stuck, I fill it with water and then sprinkle baking soda - a lot and bring it to a simmer. I let it go for a long time and add more baking soda and more water as needed. I poke at it with a wooden spoon or silcone spatula to see how it's doing. It does a great job on enamelled cast iron too.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

I love my Lagostina SS cookware. I've never had that problem with it. Plain old cast iron would be good if properly seasoned.

When something gets really stuck, I fill it with water and then sprinkle baking soda - a lot and bring it to a simmer. I let it go for a long time and add more baking soda and more water as needed. I poke at it with a wooden spoon or silcone spatula to see how it's doing. It does a great job on enamelled cast iron too.

Wow I checked the prices on Lagostina, and it's way out of my price range. Does anyone have a less pricey alternative?

 

[kitchengoddess8]

Cast iron is the best for cooking steak. When you had cooked the steak, you should have added some water to the pan to deglaze it. that would have made it easy. Get the pan hot again and add water to it. Use a plastic or wood spatula to scrape the residue off as the water continues to boil.

I used to have a cast iron pan but it was hard to use because of my arthritis, very painful to lift and move around. I ended up giving it away.

 

[Hoot]

When you had cooked the steak, you should have added some water to the pan to deglaze it. That would have made it easy. Get the pan hot again and add water to it. Use a plastic or wood spatula to scrape the residue off as the water continues to boil.

This works. I would also refer you to Chief Goodweed's tip of the day about seasoning metal cookware. Great advice!

 

[taxlady]

Wow I checked the prices on Lagostina, and it's way out of my price range. Does anyone have a less pricey alternative?

I didn't realize it was that expensive. Stirling bought it in 1989 and it still looks and cooks great.

A cast iron pan should be a lot cheaper and good for even longer than the Lagostina.

Oops, just noticed you mentioned that CI wasn't good for you.

 

[Andy M.]

The weight can be a real problem. Does your SS pan have a multilayer bottom?

I've cooked a lot of steaks in SS and they come out great. You started with a hot pan and hot oil which is right on. If you follow that up as I said with water in the still hot pan it should clean up easily.

Also consider getting a can of Barkeepers Friend. It's the perfect scouring powder for SS cookware.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

The weight can be a real problem. Does your SS pan have a multilayer bottom?

I've cooked a lot of steaks in SS and they come out great. You started with a hot pan and hot oil which is right on. If you follow that up as I said with water in the still hot pan it should clean up easily.

Also consider getting a can of Barkeepers Friend. It's the perfect scouring powder for SS cookware.

I did use Barkeeper's Friend as I said in my original post, but what I didn't do was deglaze the pan with water after cooking.

 

[Andy M.]

This works. I would also refer you to Chief Goodweed's tip of the day about seasoning metal cookware. Great advice!

She has a stainless pan. You don't season stainless.

 

[Andy M.]

I did use Barkeeper's Friend as I said in my original post, but what I didn't do was deglaze the pan with water after cooking.

Clearly have to work on my reading comprehension.

 

[Hoot]

She has a stainless pan. You don't season stainless.

Regardless, Andy....Chief Longwind makes a point I can't argue with.
I never fretted about seasoning anything but cast iron..or carbon steel. But I cannot categorically state that the same procedures don't help. Mind you now...this is simply my humble opinion.

 

[Oldvine]

I've never had good lucky frying a steak in a stainless pan. I'm lucky enough to have a Wolf stove and a steak would be cooked on high heat in a cast iron frying pan that I put on top of the stove with both my arthritic hands. If stainless was my only choice, I would plan to have a box of SOS pads on hand for clean up.

 

[Dawgluver]

Simmer it with a bunch of white vinegar and baking soda. I've resurrected a few pans with this. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat. I use both SS and CI for steaks.

 

[Hoot]

For reference, as I was too foolish not to post a link to the good Chief's advice...
For your consideration:
Chief Longwind's Tip of the Day

 

[Hoot]

Ahem...I beg forgiveness from all concerned. My post should have read Chief Longwind. I have corrected my error and apologize for any inconvenience. I gotta get my eyes checked one of these days!

 

[Andy M.]

For reference, as I was too foolish not to post a link to the good Chief's advice...
For your consideration:
Chief Longwind's Tip of the Day

The chief doesn't mention stainless in his seasoning cookware post. If he did, I'd respectfully disagree with him.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

The chief doesn't mention stainless in his seasoning cookware post. If he did, I'd respectfully disagree with him.

Yes, I'm wondering if I should switch to nonstick since I would prefer not to use a heavy cast iron pan.

 

[Dawgluver]

Yes, I'm wondering if I should switch to nonstick since I would prefer not to use a heavy cast iron pan.

Seriously. Try the vinegar, it always works for me.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

Seriously. Try the vinegar, it always works for me.

Do you dilute it with water?