Apartment Therapy Re-Nest | Product Review: Cuisinart Green Gourmet Skillet

During the holidays, we mentioned wanting this Martha Stewart EcoCook Fry Pan. Instead, Santa brought us this Cuisinart version, and we're loving it. Get a photo of our recent frittata experiment, below...

posted originally from: TheKitchn

See, we'd struggled with an old non-stick skillet for a while, one that had lost its slip and non-stickiness. It was a good time to get an upgrade, and this pan is made with non-toxic chemicals that don't release icky junk into our food when it heats up.

We use a non-stick pan primarily for eggs. A non-stick coating is not ideal for getting a sear on meat or browning ingredients. But we've noticed that this one isn't bad. You won't get a crusty, brown fond on the bottom of the pan that you can deglaze as with a stainless skillet. In fact, this thing is so slippery that we frequently have ingredients careening over the sides while we stir. But when sautéeing leeks for the frittata above, they definitely got good color and developed a little crust.

The pan works well in the oven. The frittata slipped out effortlessly, and we've also made a few rounds of eggs and omelettes that have cooked perfectly. It's pleasantly heavy and has a nice, comfortable handle. The only thing we can't attest to is the longevity of its coating, as we've only had it for a month. But so far, we're big fans.

You can find these pans at varying prices. Here are a few resources, with prices for a 10-inch skillet:
• Amazon, $36.96
• Chefs Catalog, $49.95
• Bed, Bath, & Beyond, $49.99

(Images: Chefs Catalog; Elizabeth Passarella)

I went and I read this post, and the original "frittata incident" on the kitchn. I wish I had seen the original post, because I worked in a higher-end culinary store for years.

ALL non-stick pans will eventually lose their non-stickiness. The coating's molecular structure eventually degrades (or something equally as chemistry-specific, I have an art degree, so I didn't follow so carefully). The max life span you'll get out of a non-stick pan is 5-10 years, even if it is the best pan on the market. The rub is this -- if you get a cheap pan the coating will scratch off too easily. If you get a great pan, the coating stays on better, but will eventually be a straight out "sticky" pan.

Honestly, I don't use any coated pans, preferring high quality multi-layered stainless steel pans, which reduce sticking because of even heating, or cast-iron from lodge. I can't see how any non-stick coating is green, considering the chemicals that go into manufacturing -- even if they don't off-gas during cooking.

Plus, rebuying non-stick cookware every few years isn't green either.

posted by mniche on February 3rd 2009 at 3:05pm
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