Sauté pans are very versatile, as their shape allows them to hold liquids. This means they can be used for making sauces in addition to braising, poaching, shallow-frying, searing, and pan-frying (if the ingredients don’t often need to be flipped).
Can a sauté pan be used as a frying pan?
You use a sauté pan for sautéing and pan frying (just like a skillet), but you can also use it for liquid cooking methods and those that require a lid: think poaching, braising, and cooking down big batches of greens.
What is a sauté pan and what is it used for?
What is a Sauté Pan? The sauté pan comes from the French word “Sauter”, meaning “to jump”. This pan is designed to cook a larger volume of ingredients without overcrowding. A sauté pan is used by tossing ingredients back and forth into the air and is used on high heat with oil or fat.
What can I use instead of a sauté pan?
If you don’t have a casserole dish or the right size baking dish for a recipe, a baking pan or oven-safe Dutch oven or sauté pan can be used.
Do frying pans have lids?
Skillets are not designed to hold much liquid; as you point out, the curved sides are optimized for easy flipping and turning (i.e. with a spatula). They also normally do not come with lids; I’m sure there are some out there, but even my All-Clad skillets didn’t.
Do I really need a sauté pan?
If you’re stir-frying vegetables or sautéing chunks of meat, a skillet is lighter and easier to maneuver. Cooking tasks that don’t involve much liquid are well-suited to a skillet or fry pan. … When frying, a sauté pan keeps the oil contained but allows for easier access to the food than a Dutch oven.