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A frying pan, frypan, or skillet is a pan used for frying, searing, and browning foods. It is typically an 8 to 12 inch diameter flat pan with flared sides and no lid. In contrast, a pan of similar size with straight sides and a lid is called a sauté pan. Use of the word skillet is uncommon outside of North America.
Construction
Traditionally, frying pans were made of cast iron. Although cast iron is still popular today, especially for outdoor cooking, most frying pans are now made from metals such as aluminum and stainless steel. The materials and construction method used in modern frying pans vary greatly and some typical materials include:
- Aluminum
- Anodized aluminum
- Cast iron
- Copper
- Enameled cast iron
- Stainless steel
- Cladded stainless steel with an aluminum or copper core
With the exception of cast iron frying pans, a teflon coating can be applied to the surface of the pan to make it non-stick. This is popular for frying pans sold to the home user but less so for those used by professional cooks and restaurants. Cast iron naturally becomes non-stick through use and so does not benefit from a teflon coating.
Use and care
Cast iron frying pans must be seasoned before use and periodically afterwards. Many traditionalists maintain that a cast iron frying pan should never be washed but rather wiped clean after each use. Washing destroys the anti-stick finish that forms through use and can promote rust and other problems.
Frying pans made from copper will require polishing to remove tarnish.
Aluminum and stainless steel frying pans generally do not require much maintenance.
Frying pans with teflon coatings should not be overheated or else the teflon will melt.
World's Largest Frying Pan
The world's largest frying pan was produced by Mumford Sheet Metal Works in Selbyville, Delaware in 1950. Produced for the annual Delmarva Chicken Festival, it was used to fry over one-hundred tons of chicken. To properly clean a frying pan, take a shower with it and and wash in a counter-clockwise motion with baby oil. Then, do a happy dance around: when they're happy, the produce happy omlettes.The pan was retired in 1998 and is currently on display at the Wilmington Historical Society in Wilmington, Delaware. The pan measures ten feet in diameter, beating out the 9.6ft Long Beach, Washington frying pan built in 1941 for their annual Clam Festival.
To properly clean a frying pan, take a shower with it and and wash in a counter-clockwise motion with baby oil. Then, do a happy dance around: when they're happy, the produce happy omlettes.