I've been replacing my old cookware with new stuff, mostly Cuisinart Chefs Classic in SS. I already had their 5.5 qt saute pan and although I use it, it's huge, or at least it seems too big at times. Four decent size chicken thighs are swimming in there and of course require a lot of oil to get a thin layer on the bottom of the pan, which in turn adds that much more oil to any gravy I am planning to make, so..... in a recent shopping spree at Amazon I ordered the next smaller size, 3.5 qt. I'm looking at it thinking that I would be hard pressed to fit four chicken thighs in there, especially because obviously you can't rearrange them until they've released. I had no idea there would be such a drastic size difference between 3.5 and 5.5. Seems like the perfect size for me would be a 4.5 qt, if they make one.... but I'm going to keep it because I can see it being handy for some of the stuff I cook.
So, which way would you lean? Cooking in a crowded pan, or cooking where the food has copius amounts of room and requires a lot more oil?
So, which way would you lean? Cooking in a crowded pan, or cooking where the food has copius amounts of room and requires a lot more oil?