I just ordered my first stainless steel pan and I’m kind of nervous about using it. I think I’ve hyped it up in a head a bit. I’ve been watching soooo many videos about the leidenfrost effect when heating up stainless steel pans but not ONE video where they explain why it’s nonstick even after lowering the temperature after attaining the effect. I saw someone say that the expanding of the metal from the heat makes it nonstick but that still doesn’t explain how it remains so even after turning it back down to low.
In: Physics
It doesn’t.
The leidenfrost effect has nothing to do with making a cooking surface non stick, it’s basically an interesting science experiment with no use in cooking. It would be like trying to make soup by putting all the ingredients into a vacuum flask and then sticking the entire thing into an oven. You are insulating what you are trying to cook from heat.
To create a non stick surface you need to polymerize a layer of oil onto the surface, this is best sone by using a high smoke point neutral oil, like ground nut, wiping the surface of what you want to make non stick with a fine layer and getting it very hot.
This causes the oil to polymerize onto the surface and creating a barrier that helps prevent food to stick.
Check out videos or instructions on seasoning cookware for an in-depth dive on how to do this.
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