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A frying pan, frypan, or skillet is a pan used for frying, searing, and browning foods. It is typically a 20 to 30 cm diameter (8 to 12 inch) flat pan with sides that are much lower than the pan diameter and usually (though not always) flared outwards, and no lid. In contrast, a pan of similar diameter with sides of height comparable to the diameter and a lid is called a saucepan.

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 aluminium and stainless steel. The materials and construction method used in modern frying pans vary greatly and some typical materials include:

• Aluminium
• Anodized aluminium
• Cast iron
• Copper
• Stainless steel
• Clad stainless steel with an aluminium or copper core

With the exception of cast iron frying pans, a polytetrafluoroethylene (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 proper use and so would not benefit from a Teflon coating.

Use and care

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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. Aluminium and stainless steel frying pans generally do not require much maintenance. Frying pans with non-stick coatings should not be overheated (such as using for searing) or else the coating will melt. Like deep-frying, pan-frying depends on conduction and convection. In pan-frying, a layer of oil has four functions: it lubricates the surface; increases contact between the food and the pan; reduces cooking time; and increases flavor and color.

When frying battered fish or chicken, the oil covers the pan but not the food, but when frying pancakes, the oil is but a thin film to keep the batter from sticking. Asian cooks fry rice with all kinds of meats, seafood, vegetables, and nuts. Chinese fried rice is pan-fried in a skillet or wok with very little oil, perhaps one tablespoon per cup of rice.

World's largest

The world’s largest functional frying pan—4.5 metres (15 ft) in diameter—adorns the Rose Hill, North Carolina, (pop. 1,330) town square and can fry 365 chickens at once during poultry festivals.

This frying pan beat out the previous world record sized frying pan that was produced by Mumford Sheet Metal Works in Selbyville, Delaware, in 1950. Made for the annual Delmarva Chicken Festival, it was used to fry over 100 tons of chicken. The pan measures 10 ft (3.0 m) in diameter, beating out the 9.6 ft (2.9 m) Long Beach, Washington, frying pan built in 1941 for their annual Clam Festival.

References

1. "Seasoning Frying Pans".
2. Emery, Carla (2003). The Encyclopedia of Country Living: An Old Fashioned Recipe Book. Sasquatch Books. p. 41. ISBN 157061377X.
3. http://www.americanprofile.com/tidbits/north-carolina/p/3.html

• Articles lacking sources from May 2007
• Cookware and bakeware