Learning Curve…

On my quest to explore my Southern passion, I guess I am having to learn a few tricks of the trade along the way.  I’m not afraid to admit my faults.  It’s all in the learning curve, right?  The one I am going to quickly discuss tonight…Don’t try to be a hero while using an uncoated pan (this would be the opposite of a non-stick in my book).

There are certain things that one should put in a non-stick pan, and certain things that are suitable for an uncoated pan.  I have this beautiful (well was, we will get to that in a minute) Emeril copper-bottom pan I bought myself at BB&B a few months ago. Of course I want to use it as much as possible…but, as I am finding, not all things are suitable for an uncoated pan.  I am also finding that to cook in one of these pans, it requires a lot of oil, butter, or some other fatty ingredient.  Honestly, I don’t cook with mounds of this stuff to begin with.  But, I do make exceptions in order to use my fancy dancy pan!

On to the reason it isn’t too beauteous anymore…I, being the ambitious woman that I am, decided to sear steaks for the maiden voyage of my brand spankin’ new pan.  To be honest, that’s what I bought it for.  So I heated up my oil to a high temp, and joyfully placed my steaks in the pan…oh my goodness!!!  It wasn’t long before the main room was filled with smoke.  The smoke detectors were going off, the husband was coughing and ran out the door to breathe, and the cat scurried away under the bed.  I, being the Captain of this smoking ship and taking responsibility for my actions, stayed behind to tend to my steaks.  I stayed there barely able to see, flipped my steaks when needed, took them out of the pan….and, immediately ran out the door to breathe.  We were hilarious.  Smoke was billowing out the doors.  I at the front door, and the hub at the back door creating a cross-breeze.  Once it cleared enough for us to breathe and only cough minimally at best, we proceeded to head back in and enjoy our dinner.  Truly a labor of love.

As much as I would love to tell you these steaks were the best thing that ever graced my lips…sadly, I cannot tell a lie.  Eh, they were edible…(If you’ve been reading since near the beginning, you would get the inside joke here…you can read that entry by clicking, https://theonyxplate.com/2010/11/21/eh-its-edible/).

Needless to say, the smell of the smoke and seared steaks didn’t clear out completely for a few days, and this preparation left my pan brownish and discolored in the bottom.  I later found out that in my attempts to be healthier and use EVOO, this doesn’t work well for searing.  It doesn’t have a high enough burning point I believe I was told…thus creating the smoke…ugh.

In closing, don’t be a hero when it comes to choosing your pan for the cooking.  Use your common sense people.  Most of us should know that eggs are best in non-stick pans.  And, if you’re super skilled, I bet you could master eggs in an uncoated pan……if you want to try to be a hero (if you figure this out, let me know…I’m dying to use my pan again!).

Here are a few pan pictures…including my Emeril pan, and the smoking culprit…it was only the beginning of the smoke…