From the French verb sauter meaning to jump, sautéing is to cook food quickly in hot, shallow butter and/or oil while turning and tossing it frequently so that it “jumps” about. It is a favorite method for browning meat as the flavors are locked in.
You can use almost any type of pan for this method of cooking, but most cooks use stainless steel sauté pans.
This is because steel sauté pans, like all other stainless steel items, are heavy-duty and resistant to stains, cracks and dents. |
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Steel sauté pans have deep straight sides that allow room for food to move without actually jumping out. The depth of these steel sauté pans allow you to brown meat or potatoes or to cook rice in them before you add liquids directly to the pans to cook dishes such as creamy risottos, pasta sauces, curries, hearty stews, and meat or fish in a light sauce.
These deep sides are also a safety measure to prevent
sauces from splattering out onto the stove as well as yourself.
When cooking with steel sauté pans, do not add too much food at once as this lowers the temperature in the pans and the food will end up stewing right away instead of sautéing first.
Of course, the other obvious solution to this is to buy a larger sauté pan! Otherwise, a 10 inch sauté pan that is about 3 inches deep will do nicely. |
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Look for steel sauté pans with handles made out of heat-resistant material. Those with long handles are easier to maneuver on the hob, while the ones with short handles can be used as serving ware since they will not get in the way on the dining table. The choice is entirely up to you.
Not all steel sauté pans come with lids. If you get a separate piece, try to choose a see-through one that has a heatproof grip, so you can monitor your cooking easily.
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