What Is a Skillet and How Is It Used?

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced home chef, you may be wondering, “Exactly what is a skillet?” What makes it different than a frying pan or a sauté pan? This multi-purpose pan is used for frying, sautéing, browning, baking and more. With all of these roles, it’s easy to see why this jack-of-all-trades could be mistaken for a frying pan, a sauté pan or another type of cooking vessel.

To help alleviate kitchen confusion, we’ve put together a guide to clear up any questions you might have, including the most important one, “What is a skillet?”. The next time you reach for a pan to prepare a roast, fry a batch of bacon or brown a pound of ground beef, you’ll know exactly which one to choose.

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• What is a Skillet Pan?
• Types of Skillets
• Skillet vs. Frying Pan: What’s the Difference?
• What to Cook in a Skillet

What is a Skillet Pan?

Just what is a skillet pan? A skillet is a pan that can be used for a wide range of cooking tasks, including searing, frying, sautéing and baking.

What Does a Skillet Look Like?

If you're wondering "What does a skillet look like?" there are a few types of skillet designs, though typically a skillet has a wide and flat bottom, sloped sides that curve outward and a long handle that makes it easy to flip, fry, turn and toss ingredients.

What is a Skillet Used For?

What is a skillet used for in the kitchen, you ask? Skillets are perfectly designed for a variety of culinary tasks, from frying bacon and tossing a platter of pancakes, to stir-frying chicken and vegetables and sautéing fish.

What is a Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet?

What is a skillet with seasoned cast iron? It's simply a skillet made from cast iron. Think of your grandmother’s collection of heavy pans hanging on the wall. Cast iron is incredibly popular and long-lasting, but it needs to be seasoned before cooking. If you’re wondering how to season a cast iron skillet, it requires a few simple steps. You’ll need to thoroughly wash and dry the pan, brush it with a neutral oil and then “bake” it. This process seals the pan to prevent rust from forming and food from sticking. It also provides a reliable layer of durability and water resistance.

Types of Skillets

Cast Iron Skillet

What are the uses for a skillet made of cast iron? Cast iron skillets take a while to heat, but they retain that heat very well. This makes them an excellent choice for sautéing, frying and searing. Cast iron is one of the oldest materials used for cooking utensils. It’s not recommended for use with delicate foods that can stick, like eggs or crêpes.

It's important to know how to clean a cast iron skillet to keep it in top condition. Cast iron needs to be hand-washed. It also needs to be seasoned routinely, but will last forever provided it's maintained properly. Cast iron is heavier than many other materials, so if you have problems with lifting, you may want to choose a material like aluminum.

Stainless Steel Skillet

In your quest to discern what a skillet is, you will likely come across numerous materials, including stainless steel. A popular material for cookware, stainless steel cooks food evenly and holds heat extremely well. Most stainless-steel skillets are safe for use in the oven as well as the stovetop, just make sure there aren’t plastic pieces on the pan if you intend to use it in the oven. Being able to use a skillet for both cooking methods saves time as you don’t have to wash two pans, which is perfect if you're asking what a skillet is to save time and effort in the kitchen!

Non-Stick Skillet

Another material you'll want to consider while discerning what a skillet is and which is right for you is non-stick. What is a skillet that's non-stick good for? This type is perfect to use for delicate foods like eggs and crêpes. The surface is coated with a non-stick material that allows food to slip off quickly and evenly. This results in healthier cooking options since you won’t need to use cooking oil. The surface is acid-resistant, so it’s safe for cooking with wine, fruit or tomato-based sauces.

Aluminum Skillet

Aluminum is lightweight, affordable and easy to clean. It's definitely a material to consider when working out what skillet is a good addition to your kitchen arsenal. It heats up quickly and cooks evenly. Non-stick pans are typically made of aluminum. Since aluminum is reactive to acidity, an aluminum skillet should not be used to cook tomatoes or wine-based foods.

Skillet vs. Frying Pan: What’s the Difference?

What is a skillet and how is it different to a frying pan? It's a common question. Many think skillets and frying pans are the same thing. After all, you can fry things in a skillet. However, a few subtle differences make each better suited to certain tasks.

Skillets have taller sides and are deeper than frying pans, which are more on the shallow side. The taller sides allow a skillet to be used for stir-frying vegetables. Skillets usually have lids, whereas a frying pan is typically used without a lid. Even if you don’t use the lid, at least you have the option when sautéing or frying foods that spatter.

What to Cook in a Skillet

What is a skillet used to cook? Incredibly versatile, skillets can be used to cook steak, sautéed vegetables, salmon, chicken, stir-fry, pancakes and omelettes. They are also an excellent option for recipes like skillet breakfast potatoes, Marry Me Chicken and skillet pork chops.

What Can You Cook in an Electric Skillet?

What can you cook in an electric skillet for a delicious and nutritious meal? Electric skillets are just like a regular skillet except they have a power cord and temperature regulator to control the heat. This makes them easy to transport to other locations for a camping trip, vacation getaway or a potluck dinner party. Anything that can be cooked in a traditional skillet can be cooked in an electric skillet. Make recipes such as burgers, roast beef or paella. You can even make pizza and skillet spaghetti in an electric skillet. Check out cooking classes near you and online cooking classes to discover a wide variety of recipes you can prepare using skillets of all types.

This guide was designed to help answer the question, “What is a skillet?”. When it comes to cooking, using the proper pan allows you to put together a delicious one-pan meal or multi-course menu. By knowing what makes a pan a skillet, you’ll be able to choose the perfect recipes to prepare based on the pan’s materials and characteristics. We hope this guide has helped you work out what a skillet is and which type will best suit your home kitchen. It's a valuable tool to have on hand, and with the help of this guide, you can purchase the right type to support your culinary endeavors.

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