Stainless-Steel Pan is NON-STICK | The Water Test | The Prince Eats

[@stevemcneil4012]

What you're doing is what we call where I come from is called the sing and dance test,if the water droplets only sing,let the pan heat longer and if they dance your pan is ready.thank you for helping me relearn this basic lesson again.sometimes you gotta go back to the basics.that is a good thing

[@theprinceeats]

Absolutely! Back to basics sometimes is the best way to learn. Thanks for watching :)

[@ddsmitty1]

Excellent demonstration of the Leidenfrost effect. The same principle protects the feet of fire walkers

[@yasmindurrani5718]

I have stainless steel pan I cooked rice in it and it Stuck and burnt then I didn't use again. I am in the process of buying new pans have another stainless steel pan. I did this test and lo and behold it actually works when I cooked a curry it didn't stick. Thank you for sharing this tip.

[@theprinceeats]

I'm glad it worked for you. I cook rice in stainless steel sauce pans all the time. One tip I use when preparing rice in stainless steel sauce pans is pouring in a bit of oil and letting the rice come to a rapid boil prior to covering and reducing the heat to low. I find that it works well.

[@sydleeful]

Hey- short and sweet! This was exactly what I was looking for- Thank you!

[@theprinceeats]

you're welcome. I'm glad you found this helpful. Thanks for watching :)

[@kellyschultz5431]

Thanks so much!!! Heard about "water test" and came across your video and you explained/showed so well!!!

[@theprinceeats]

You're welcome, Kelly. Glad I could help. Thanks for watching.

[@dnycolewallace2771]

This was extremely helpful! Thank you! I've been cooking for years and stainless steel has intimidated me because I couldn't get it right. Lol. I'll give it another try

[@theprinceeats]

Nycole I’m sure you’ll hit it if you give it another try. I used to not like stainless steel pans until I learned this trick. Burned plenty premium meats before 😂

[@amandadonnelly9425]

This is so helpful! Thank you!!

[@theprinceeats]

You are very welcome. Thanks for watching.

[@nicolemclaughlin9858]

Thank you, it was so well explained.

[@theprinceeats]

You are so welcome! Thanks for watching :)

[@andiwallace]

No way! I didn’t know this!! Thanks

[@theprinceeats]

Glad you found it as cool and fun as I did :)

[@jessicahonsalek3151]

This was very helpful! I make scrambled eggs on my stainless steel pan a few times a week. This technique made a huge difference. I am still getting a rim around the sides of the pan though where eggs are sticking. I guess the sides aren’t getting hot enough. Any tip for this problem??

[@theprinceeats]

Hi Jessica - thanks for watching. Congratulations to you for basically mastering the non-stick ability of a stainless steel pan. A feat not taken lightly. From a physics and scientific perspective the sides of the pan aren’t going to maintain heat as consistently as the center of the pan which receives the most consistent, direct heat. The sides have a tendency to vary in temperature throughout the cooking process. I always recommend using nonstick pans when frying or scrambling eggs considering the yolk runs and has a tendency to touch the sides of the pan. A nonstick pan is so much more forgiving. However if you must use stainless steel allow the egg to come to room temperature and cook one at a time, two max. This way you can keep the egg positioned in the center of the pan where the heat is more consistent after the water test.

[@PanBubbles]

Nice Pan Bubbles!!!

[@Herbivor7]

Thank you 🫡

[@theprinceeats]

You are welcome.

[@SchnuffiJames]

once I find the correct temperature I will just use my Infrared Thermometer thanks

[@theprinceeats]

This works well, too. I don't use my infrared thermometer as much in the kitchen however thanks to you I will do so more often.

[@Kindred192]

Let us know how that goes. Infrared thermometers don't really like reflective surfaces

[@theprinceeats]

@@Kindred192 will do :)

[@Kindred192]

@@theprinceeats sorry Prince! I was intending to give a smartass response to Mr. I'll Use My Thermometer 😂 But if you DO try it out, please let us know what the results are! From my experience with infrared tech, I'd expect you get really unreliable results that should vary a lot based on the angle you point from, because the reflective surface will act like a mirror and give you reflected readings from the surfaces nearby.

[@theprinceeats]

@@Kindred192 no problem at all lol. I get it. The infrared readings can also be a bit inconsistent depending on hot zones on the pan surface. I probably won't rely on it too much lol.

[@leauxdesignco]

This is so cool 🤭

[@theprinceeats]

thank you!

[@mateo_edward]

Hey Prince great video. At the end when you say if the pan gets to hot after the water test is successful it will lose its non stick ability. So what I assume your saying is once the test is successful is to start cook immediately and start lowering the temperature a bit. but if you lower it too much will it start loose the non stick ability. Seems like there's a real fine line in keeping it non stick.

[@theprinceeats]

Hi Mateo! Great question. You got it! There is a series of actions which one must take in order to maintain the appropriate temperature in the pan. That includes regulating the fire, as appropriate and ensuring that the food you're cooking is at room temperature prior to cooking. You can imagine how quickly the pan will lose temperature if placing for instance a cold, 4-inch steak in the pan. This test works great when cooking meat proteins where you need to get a good sear by letting the protein sit in the pan, untouched, for 2-5 minutes. Thanks for watching :)

[@b374mxg]

You are right on the money sir

[@theprinceeats]

thanks my friend! thanks for watching!

[@Speed-rt4bc]

So i tried this trick since many many videos give the same tip and the comments agree with them as well but when i tried it.. the moment it was just hot enough for the water to bead up, i added the peanut oil and it immediately started smoking and giving off a burnt smell and my eggs are like instantly burnt and i do lower the heat immediately on my induction stove. I tried it seven times to make a fried egg (no joke) and i am just curious why this tip works for most people and not me. Is it the exact material of the pan??

[@theprinceeats]

Thank you for commenting. I'm sorry you're having this challenge. One thing to note is as long as the pan is over the heat, the temperature of the pan will continue to increase until the heat is reduced or the pan is removed. If the pan gets too hot it will exceed peanut oil's smoke point. One thing you need to do is reduce the heat once the pan gets hot enough and do some trial and error to determine the "sweet spot" temperature-wise. The water test literally can be a series of trial and error tests until you figure out what works best for your pan, your stove, and your cooking style/ability. However, I'll have you know one of the more difficult foods to cook in a stainless steel pan is fried egg.

[@orenharris3281]

Great video - thank you! Once you get the water bead and put in the oil, should you reduce heat if cooking something like eggs? Feel like high heat will burn eggs quickly.

[@theprinceeats]

Hi! Yes, definitely reduce the heat depending on what you're cooking. Unless you have a really seasoned skillet, lots of fat (oil) and the egg is at room temperature (a cold egg will drastically reduce the temperature of the pan) I wouldn't recommend frying an egg on a stainless steel skillet.The conditions have to be ideal for that kind of success to fry an egg lol

[@frankrizo5387]

I have an 8" Meisen stainless steel pan. I have given up trying to season it with grapeseed oil. It turns yellow and sticky. I have tried the water test several times. Food still sticks. What coul be the problem? I need a nonstick pan.

[@theprinceeats]

I feel your pain. Sometimes stainless steel pans over time can be damaged with too much surface scratching. Seasoning a stainless steel pan in my opinion is unnecessary considering the amount of durability built into the pan (dishwasher safe, metal utensil safe, etc.) unless you plan to season it after every use. When it comes to needing the true capability of a non-stick pan, a non-stick pan is your best bet. Nothing beats it and in fact most modern non-stick pans are built more durable than older generations. I do recommend that everyone purchase a good, high-quality non-stick pan if their budget allows. Especially if you can afford one of the newer proprietary pans which dual purposed (stainless steel and non-stick ability).

[@frankrizo5387]

@theprinceeats Thank you. I have ordered a pricey nonstick pan. This stainless pan I will use only to heat up tortillas.

[@theprinceeats]

@@frankrizo5387 sounds like a win-win situation. Thanks for chiming in here and happy holidays.

[@alf.quijano7582]

Thank you so much for this info. Would also be helpful to see what the water looks like when you over shoot the heat. Still, a very helpful video.

[@theprinceeats]

Great question. When that happens the water will virtually disintegrate upon contact. At least as far as the water test is concerned. However in a practical sense if the stainless steel pan is too hot it almost inevitably will burn whatever touches it and it would be the opposite of non-stick. This is also because stainless steel pans are relatively thin compared to others and it undergoes drastic temperature changes.

[@kittylanghorne1004]

NICE!

[@theprinceeats]

Thank you and thanks for watching :)

[@lynnellenWolf-er4mc]

It worked for scrambled eggs. I feel like a superstar!

[@theprinceeats]

I'm so glad this worked for you. Thanks for watching :)

[@DeadBeatDeeBo]

I love that little bead of water rolling around. This is becoming a food and science show👨🏾‍🍳👨🏾‍🔬

[@theprinceeats]

Sometimes I regard cooking as a science taking into consideration things such as temperature and other metrics. Thanks for watching :)

[@Wish7711]

It would help if you gave a number that your pan is set to

[@theprinceeats]

What number do you normally set your pan to?

[@quantumxfluxmd6821]

Video starts at 0:34

[@kybuschfan4]

What kind of pan is this?

[@theprinceeats]

hey, thanks for watching. It's a stainless steel pan by Viking brand.

[@ddev96]

Could somebody please tell me the exact temperature?That pan needs to be at so that I do not have to sit here for a long time waiting

[@theprinceeats]

Hello. The purpose of the water test eliminates the need to know a specific surface temperature in your pan before cooking. Moreover, each pan is varies and different foods require different cooking temperatures. I recommend giving the water test a try and see how much it well it works for you. It isn't a long process to perform. Thanks for watching.

[@calmarcalmar]

thanks capo.

[@theprinceeats]

thank you

[@Jairo-d1f]

What about on stove stop

[@theprinceeats]

it should work.

[@ya_boi_nugget863]

But if its on med high/high heat, wouldnt my food burn when i add it? Or not cook fully in the middle?

[@theprinceeats]

It would depend on what you are attempting to cook. I recommend beginning your cook with room temperature food so that the surface temperature of the pan doesn't alter too much. Keep in mind this non-stick method is for quick cooks. Longer cooks would make it more difficult to maintain the heat and therefore risk the pan losing its non-stick capability.

[@MarvelousMarv760]

I like the flax seed oil treatment better... sorry!

[@theprinceeats]

No need to apologize. Happy Holidays!

[@MarvelousMarv760]

Happy Holidays and ha e an awesome New Year.. 👍🏾

[@theprinceeats]

@@MarvelousMarv760 Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to you :)

[@jean2023jean]

Didn't work.

[@theprinceeats]

Oh nooo! How did you conduct the test?

[@jean2023jean]

@@theprinceeats I put the frying pan on to heat up to the point where the water turns into small spheres, as you showed. I slightly reduced the heat, added the oil and waited a few moments for it to heat up. I added the eggs, but they stuck to the bottom. I think there must be a very narrow temperature point so that it doesn't stick. I'll try again.

[@theprinceeats]

@@jean2023jean yes, please give it another try. Just know that testing the non-stick ability with an egg has to be the most challenging of all tests considering eggs are high in protein and the structure changes when it touches the hot pan. Also, keep in mind that the temperature of the egg itself also plays a roll in how much the pan maintains it heat. A cold egg could change the core temperature of the pan.

[@abdullahamir2940]

My food just got stick to the pan and burned. Thanks

[@theprinceeats]

You're welcome :)

[@Metalmachine18]

What if the water evaporates instantly lol

[@theprinceeats]

If the water evaporates instantly, the pan is way too hot. Try taking the pan off of the heat to lower the temperature, reduce the heat, and try the test again.

[@lindarouse3055]

Still sticks!

[@theprinceeats]

oh no! :( Are you going to give it another try?

[@lindarouse3055]

@@theprinceeats why bother?

[@theprinceeats]

@@lindarouse3055 Linda are you able to try again? Do you cook often or eat out often? If you want to cook more I have a bunch of videos that might be able to help you gain more confidence in the kitchen.

[@enricodetrizio]

this!

[@theprinceeats]

:)

[@KillerMillerQue]

Man stop it! I ain't never seen that before! Smh... now you over here making me feel bad Prince! Luckily I catch on fast but dam, how I not know bt that? Good looking on the info bro!👊🏿💯💯

[@theprinceeats]

All these science experiments in cooking lol. Thanks for the continued support bro.

[@MineiroX3]

so força muito doido