I’ve stopped buying any nonstick pans. The ones I do have are either Scanpans or hard anodized, which supposedly means they are better than traditional teflon pans. With our remaining wedding gift cards, I finally splurged and got my first All-Clad triply stainless steel skillet. And although I’ve had it for weeks now, I’ve been terrified of using it. It was exactly how I felt as when I first used my cast iron pan.

I used the method of heating the pan on medium heat, then waiting until a droplet of water would roll around easily. If the water sits on the pan, then the pan is too cold for food to be placed on top. If the water immediately evaporates and sizzles, then the pan is too hot and needs to have the temperature lowered. If the droplet rolls around, it means that it’s “non-stick” ready and you can add the oil. Then, once the oil is heated, you can add your food. It’s sort of like the Goldilocks approach.

I did this today and browned my Turkish-spiced turkey meatballs, and they came out very well. It’s one of those times when facing your fears is worth it. 🙂