Eggs in a 'Stick Pan'- cookware question

[Anonymous]

I've only ever cooked on a non-stick pan until now. I've been given a gift - Wolfgang Puck cookware. No matter what I try, my eggs stick horribly to the pans. French toast is just as bad. I can make them swim in butter and/or olive oil and they still stick. What am I doing wrong?

Help!

 

[WhoKnew]

Eggs in a 'Stick Pan'

In addition to using enough butter/oil/etc. the only other wway I've found that works is to heat up a heavy, thick bottom pan slowly (burner on med or med/hi at most) until it's very hot. Then add butter/oil, followed by the eggs. This should work. I've been able to cook eggs over easy with little sticking this way.

 

[leigh]

Hi, New Guy! You are probably not doing anything wrong - you've just got a new skillet that hasn't learned yet how to conduct itself in the better circles. I'm not familiar w/Wolfgang Puck pots and pans, but if your skillet is ovenproof, including the handles, you can season it as if it were made of cast iron. Otherwise, get yourself a can of Crisco butter spray and spray your skillet generously before breaking the eggs into it. Since I've begun doing this in my own oh-so-stick little skillet, I've even learned how to flip eggs over easy without a spatula. (And BOY, do I think I'm the hot stuff!! ) Anyway, give it a try and let us know what happens.

PS Crisco butter spray tastes--to me, anyway--exactly like unsalted butter. Makes me feel (almost) like I'm back on the family farm, cooking with all that fresh milk, butter, cream . . .

PPS For over easy, I also spray the top of each egg right after it goes in the pan.

 

[kitchenelf]

I'm not sure about "seasoning" a pan like that leigh - at least I think! LOL

A friend borrowed one of my Calphalon pans and gave it back to me "seasoned" like you would do cast iron - I had to work my tail off to get that stuff off. It does not react like cast iron unfortunately.

The best way to create a non-stick surface is hot pan, cold oil, i.e., heat pan first, when hot add cold oil - just like WhoKnew said.

However, I bought a little non-stick surface pan just for eggs. I do like my cookware without a non-stick surface as a rule though. You just have to remember hot pan, cold oil. And, if you have anything that sticks to the bottom after cooking the best way to unstick it is to remove the food and deglaze your pan - if you're not going to make a sauce or gravy then just use water - add the water to the hot pan and stir with a wooden spoon. Those bits will come right up.

 

[leigh]

Oh dear - not to mention Oops . Hope nobody has tried my not-so-bright idea! Getting baked-on oil off a pan is a chore that shouldn't be wished on anybody (well, almost anybody lol).

Glad to see you back, elf!!! It has been--as Snoopy would say--a dark and lonely night on this board!!

 

[kitchenelf]

Thanks for the welcome back leigh!

LOL - when I got that pan back it was a glued on mess of sticky oily yuck! LOL We've had some severe storms here and since my husband is an insurance adjuster and I do the typing we have been extremely busy AND on top of that my computer keeps locking up. I've tried everything so I guess it's time to reformat the hard drive.

 

[carnivore]

hi Kitchenelf,
you could reformat the hard drive....or you could just buy a Mac.

sorry, I'm a huge Mac lover, so I had to throw that in there....back to the drinking, now.

 

[Anonymous]

I love Big Mac's too carnivore :P

 

[Lou_Toth]

First get your pan HOT.
Then get your butter/oil/bacon fat HOT.
Then add eggs (or whatever)
Lou

 

[plasma]

I've only ever cooked on a non-stick pan until now. I've been given a gift - Wolfgang Puck cookware. No matter what I try, my eggs stick horribly to the pans. French toast is just as bad. I can make them swim in butter and/or olive oil and they still stick. What am I doing wrong?

Help!

here you go try this link [link removed]

 

[Bangbang]

Ok...I see no need to cook eggs on anything but Non-Stick. Its way easy and easy to clean up.

 

[Bangbang]

Check this out.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/eggs.htm

 

[Barbara L]

Thanks for the egg site Bangbang. It has some great information.

Barbara

 

[vantage]

I do not have "non-stick" pans in my kitchen as I dont care for them. I have a separate cast iron skillet that I use for such as eggs and french toast.

I learned from an elderly cook on my first job how to care for an egg pan. The first rule is to not wash the pan. Let me explain. You do not want to soak the pan in hot soapy water. I wipe/wash mine out with a soapy wash rag then rinse with cold water and dry.

The next thing is to never boil, braze, or steam in the pan. Next dont cook meat in it.

To get a seasoning started on the pan, use pam or other cooking spray later using a combination of butter and veg oil should be fine.

I also find that corn oil does not treat an egg pan well.

After cleanig spraying or wiping with oil is a goog idea. The idea of seasoning in the oven is also a good one if the handle can take this.

 

[Psiguyy]

OK, I'm going against what others have suggested by saying this.

I'm assuming the pan is stainless steel with either an aluminum or copper bottom or lining sandwiched between the stainless steel.

Your pan is probably too hot. Keep the heat lower than you normally use it. I wouldn't go above a medium heat setting. Be generous with the oil.

It's essential that the pan be absolutely clean and smooth. If you had boiled any water in it, chances are there's a mineral coating in the pan that will cause the eggs and other foods to stick. You need to wash and polish the surface using a stainless steel cleaner such as Bar Keepers Friend, Cameo, or any similar none or low abrasive powder cleaner.

There is no need to season stainless steel pans. In fact, seasoning and stainless steel just don't go together. It is, however, essential that the pans are absolutely clean and smooth.

 

[plasma]

I've only ever cooked on a non-stick pan until now. I've been given a gift - Wolfgang Puck cookware. No matter what I try, my eggs stick horribly to the pans. French toast is just as bad. I can make them swim in butter and/or olive oil and they still stick. What am I doing wrong?

Help!

Try this and all your problems it will be solved [link removed]

 

[Michael in FtW]

Wolfgang Puck's stainless is basically like Emeril's - SS with an encapsulated aluminum disk on the botton.

First - NO - DO NOT try to season it like cast iron - you'll only mess it up and make things stick. As someone noted - SS has to be spotless to be non-stick.

Second - this stuff is a little tricky until you learn how to use it ... it's real easy to over heat it. Keep your temp to medium or below. I usually go somewhere between low (egg scrambles) and a little less than medium (fried eggs).

Repeat after me .... "Hot pan + cold oil .... food will not stick". How many years did the Frugal Gourmet try to drum that mantra into our heads, gang?