Is there any way to get a good fond using a non-stick pan?
I have a 12-inch cast iron skillet and an anodized aluminum nonstick 5-qt saute pan. The skillet makes proper fond when cooking meat, but I can’t deglaze with anything acidic (like wine) or I mess up the pan’s seasoning. How can I make good pan sauces with my nonstick pan?
3 Responses
tazz09
20 Mar 2010
fragileindustrie
20 Mar 2010
Not all non-stick saute pans are created equal. The cheap ones don’t brown because they don’t have heavy enough bottoms. Non-stick surfaces in general can inhibit proper browning, but with sufficiently heavy bottoms, well-balanced, they can do fairly well. I have an anodized aluminum non-stick set with heavy bottoms and they do well with saute’s and deglazing, full of flavor. You can spend a mint by getting a Calaphon, but (don’t tell my foodie friends) I got a set of anodized from Cook’s Essentials on QVC and it was a fraction of the price with good results!
Good luck!
nbolmer
20 Mar 2010
No, it is impossible to develop a good fond on a even the best nonstick pan. It has NOTHING to do with a heavy bottom. The heavy bottom will HEAT THE PRODUCT EVENLY, NOT CREATE FOND. Period. Browning meat has nothing to do with fond creation, a nonstick is fine for browning, but useless for fond.
The good news, however, is that a properly seasoned skillet will NOT be hurt in any way by deglazing with something acidic, just don’t leave it sitting in there after cooking- transfer the pan sauce when you are done cooking, and clean your iron with hot water and rock salt, it will be fine. If there is an issue, your pan is not sufficiently seasoned – make sure that the oven is BLAZING hot when you season, 500 degrees, and use a solid fat such as crisco, wipe away the excess as soon as it comes out of the oven. Cast iron is perfect for fond development and pan sauce making with any ingredient, again, just don’t leave it sitting there after cooking.
yes dont use it