Can I Cook Fish in Stainless Steel Pan? (Easy How To Step By Step)

Fish is one of the most popular types of seafood around the world. However, cooking delicate fish in a stainless steel pan can be tricky because it sticks to the pan.

This is how to cook fish in stainless steel pan:

Bring the fish to room temperature, and then pat it dry.
Make sure that the pan is hot enough.
Season and cook skin-side down.
Don’t move the fish until the time.

What are the details of the above steps? And why should we do that?

Table of Contents

Why Does Food Stick to Stainless Steel Pan?

The surfaces have tiny pores and crevices, despite appearing to be glossy and smooth.

When the pan is heated, the pores contract and expand when it cools or comes into touch with cold food.

Food will stick if you don’t maintain a constant temperature and adequately grease the pan to fill the tiny gaps and create a frictionless barrier.

Lean, delicate foods with proteins like eggs and fish are more likely to stick to the pan because they do not contain enough fat. Unfortunately, they also fall apart easily when they stick.

Below are the four main factors contributing most to food sticking.

Modern stainless steel pans for cooking fish. Credit: canva

Too Much Heat

Food might get stuck to the cookware if it becomes too hot.

Why? Do not forget that heat closes the pores on a hot pan. When a cold piece of food hits the hot pan, the drastic temperature difference causes the pores to open and hold onto the food quickly.

Not Enough Heat

On the other hand, cooking at low temperatures is sometimes problematic.

When you add oil to a hot pan before adding the food, there is a reaction between the oil and the food’s moisture. When you put food on the pan, listen for a sizzling sound.

Cooking the “Wrong” Types of Food

Protein-rich foods, like eggs, chicken, and steak, are prone to sticking because the proteins create strong bonds with the metal atoms in your pan.

Eggs and fish are susceptible to friction and fall apart.

Improper Cleaning

Do not use rough scrubbing pads and harsh chemicals on your pans.

If you don’t clean your cookware, food will be left on it. As a result, it can burn when you cook again. Burned bits make it harder for food to cook and also make the food taste bad.

Can I Cook Fish in Stainless Steel Pan?

Deep-frying fish on stainless steel pan. Credit: canva

Now that you know what causes food to stick, how can you avoid it? Here are the steps to keep food from sticking to your cookware.

Preheat the Pan

Let it heat up for 3-4 minutes. Keep in mind that it’s during this time that the pores are contracting.

Test to Make Sure the Pan Is Hot Enough

To check if your pan is hot enough, run this quick test. After preheating but before oiling, put a small drop of water in the pan. Water should make little balls and roll around when the pan is at the correct temperature.

Start on Medium Heat and Adjust Accordingly

If you are not sure, start on medium and then adjust. Every pan is different, so find the one that works best for you.

How To Season a Stainless Steel Pan

Seasoning the pans are essential. This prevents the food from sticking and makes it easier to clean afterward.

It can create a frictionless surface that helps cook food. The best oils for this purpose are olive oil, grapeseed oil, butter, and avocado.

Bring Food to Room Temperature Before Adding it to the Pan

Always bring the food to room temperature before cooking.

This is because it makes the oil colder (which means there will be less steam). But unfortunately, it also causes pores in the cooking surface to open up and latch onto the meat.

Dry The Food Before Adding It to the Pan

When you are cooking, make sure the ingredients are dry. If they’re wet, it might be hard to cook them. As a result, it raises the likelihood of food adhesion.

Don’t Overcrowd The Pan

Like my last point, the steam barrier won’t hold when this happens, and food won’t lift from the pan’s surface.

Don’t Move the Food Too Frequently

To prevent food from sticking, do not move the food around. So instead, grab a pair of tongs and gently pick it up. If it doesn’t come off, wait more time.

Clean Appropriately

It’s essential to clean it properly.

It’s best to wash it by hand. Even though other brands say they are dishwasher-safe, you should always try to wash it by hand.

Non-Stick Pan for Problem Foods

Protein-rich foods such as eggs and fish are tougher to work with. Use a non-stick pan for these types of foods.

How to Cook With Stainless Steel Pan

Cooking salmon in stainless steel pan. Credit: canva

Here we’ll use salmon fillets to illustrate how. Of course, you can also use any other white fish. Follow these steps for perfectly crisp skin results.

Bring fillets to room temperature.

Remove the piece of fillets from your refrigerator about 15-20 minutes before you start cooking so it is closer to room temperature.

Dry the fillets before cooking

Before you cook the salmon, use a paper towel or dishtowel to dry and remove excess moisture.

Preheat until the pan is boiling

Keep the flame medium to medium heat when cooking, but let the pan get hot for a minute before adding anything.

Use water to test

Flick a few droplets of water into it. If not, let it heat up for another minute and check again.

Add oil to the pan

Add some oil to the pan. Make sure it is thin.

Season the salmon

Always Start with the Fillets Skin-Side Down

You can cook the salmon on both sides. But for fish with skin, always start by putting it in the pan with its skin down. The skin is tough and durable.

Don’t move the fish until the time.

This is the hardest part of cooking salmon.

This will come to a total time of 8 to 9 minutes for thick fillets and 6 to 7 minutes for thinner fillets.
Let the color of the meat change from dark pink to a lighter color to find out if it is done cooking.
Once the color change has moved up about three-quarters of the way from the bottom, it’s time to flip.
If you want to cook salmon, turn the fillets over and cook for a few more minutes. Use a spatula to flip the fish away from you.
Cook for 2 minutes more if it is a thicker fillet and 1 to 2 minutes more if it is a thinner fillet for crispy skin and golden brown.

Remove the salmon from the pan.

Transfer the fish to a plate lined with paper towels.

Rest the fillets

Rest the fillets for about 3 minutes before serving.

Best Pan For Cooking Fish In Stainless Steel

It is superior to nonstick for high-heat cooking, such as boiling. Cookware is commonly used in restaurants because of its durability and ease of maintenance.

Here are a few more reasons:

Better for Your Food

A low and long simmer in a pan made with a reactive substance, like aluminum, copper, or cast iron, may sometimes create an unpleasant metallic flavor in your food.

A damaged nonstick coating is suitable for just about nothing.

Even Cooking

The material has good heat transfer. But it can be improved when aluminum is added.

Pay attention to the bottom of the pan. The best pans will be made with a lot of metal and heat evenly on both the top and bottom.

Easy Maintenance

Stainless steel pots and pans are easy to maintain and clean. You can’t do this with a cast-iron skillet.

It is safe to put in the dishwasher. But please don’t do that. The detergent will leave a film, making it not shiny.

If you wash your cookware with an automatic dishwasher, it might even end up with little scratches on the surface.

FAQs

How do you keep fish from sticking to stainless steel pans?

I am preparing the pan with oil. The hot surface of a well-prepared skillet will create steam that separates your food from it, preventing any sticking.