Differentiating between a skillet and a frying pan can be a bit confusing.
These terms are often used by a lot of people interchangeably, while other cook enthusiasts believe the frying pan is actually different from a skit. Whether you’re new to cooking or a veteran, these two cookware will always come in handy in your kitchen for handling a wide range of tasks.
The prime difference between frying pans and skills is that frying pans are not as deep as skillets. Hence, skillets are ideal for braising curries and sauces and include a lid. While this cookware is available in several material options, most skillets are made of cast-iron.
Knowing which cookware is best for sauteing, frying, or braising is crucial to achieving delectable meals. However, choosing the right pan for your cooking has to do with understanding which one of the cookware to use.
Now, let’s consider the difference and similarities between frying pan and skillet to help make the right choice.
Skillet
As said earlier, skillets are usually made from cast iron. Still, others might be crafted from less-traditional materials such as aluminum, stainless steel, carbon steel, and as well as copper.
When it comes to skillets, cast iron models offer the most superior and even heat distribution with easy food release without worrying about the nonstick coating. This is always a big concern for a lot of people since the nonstick coating tends to peel easily at extreme temperatures.
Hence, we strongly advised cook lovers to opt for cast iron skillets. However, this type of skillet requires seasoning for long-lasting top-notch performance. Also, owning a cast iron skillet brings another advantage to the table, it’s oven safe. They come with cast iron handles that are equally oven safe.
The cast-iron skillet offers incredible heat retention with decent weight for easy handling. They are designed to outlast anyone, as this cookware can last about 35 years without deteriorating performance.
Frying pan
One of the cookwares that easily becomes your best friend in any kitchen is the frying pan since it’s capable of handling a wide range of tasks. To begin with, the frying pan allows fast, speedy cooking.
Frying pans feature shallow depth and relatively reduced thickness, which allows them to heat up slightly quicker. Also, it offers more even heat distribution across the cookware for a perfectly cooked meal.
Asides from frying pan heating up quickly and nicely, it helps lock more flavor in for a delectable meal. On top of that, the frying pan’s shape lets users do more than with a skillet. However, frying pans feature a nonstick coating for easy food release and use less oil to make a safer, healthier dish.
Characteristics of a Skillet
One of the most obvious traits of this cookware is its slanted sides. Its cooking surface is a bit smaller than the saute pan but has a versatile design to allow the pan to serve different purposes in any kitchen.
Skillets are conveniently available and allow users to cook just about any food with ease. This cookware will stir-fry, cook meat, or make an egg, thanks to its fantastic cooking surface area for yummy cooking. This pan can withstand extreme temperature, which permits grilling sauces and steaks.
You should lean towards a skillet for those looking to cook frittatas since it allows flipping without any hassle.
However, skillets are crafted from different materials, and in this section, we’ll consider the strength and weakness of the most commonly used pans.
Cast Iron Skillets
we’ve discussed this skillet option’s durable and robust design. Cast iron skillet can be a one-time investment with proper maintenance and care. Although they require frequent seasoning to prevent food from sticking to the cooking surface, using them is hassle-free, as well as cleaning them afterward. Cast iron skillets come with longer handles, which makes maintenance a bit challenging.
Aluminum with a Nonstick Coating or Ceramic
Let’s take a look at an aluminum frying pan, which is best used for cooking quick, low-heat foods such as eggs and bacon. When it comes to extreme cooking temperatures, this pan tends to develop hot spots and terrible dishes.
The nonstick cookware can offer a lifetime impressive cooking surface, as long as you take proper care of it. It’s important that you don’t toss these pans in your dishwasher to prevent the coat from deteriorating.
In short, aluminum frying pans are ideal for people looking for budget-friendly models.
Stainless Steel
Last on the list is stainless steel frying pans, which still remains a favorite amongst cook enthusiasts and chefs. If you love to cook, then you want to own one of these pans. They are incredibly durable, easy to clean, and tolerate higher cooking temperatures.
Keep in mind that stainless steel has different grades, and you should only invest in pans crafted from the highest quality materials.
We’ve discussed the essential traits of a skillet and frying pan. Now, let’s talk about how to make the right call between these two options.
Frying Pan vs. Skillet – which should you buy?
Choosing the perfect cooking equipment always boils down to your cooking style and what you intend to use the equipment to cook. This topic is one of the most debatable, and most people often make the wrong call assuming both cookwares are the same.
Obviously, frying pans are good options considering the number of functions they serve in a kitchen, which usually makes them a must-have. However, the cast-iron skillet brings something unique to the table.
Cooking with a skillet feels special and a go-to for people looking to prepare a special meal. So, if you want a piece of very versatile cooking equipment, then purchasing a high-quality frying pan is a decent choice. However, if you want a pan that serves a particular function, you want to opt for a skillet. They are an ideal pick for people looking to make fancy meals on special occasions.