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Preheating an iron skillet before cooking is a common practice in cooking, and it is based on several scientific principles that improve the cooking process. For one, it allows you to have better control over the cooking temperature. To elaborate on this further, when you place a cold skillet on the stovetop, it takes time for the pan to heat up evenly. If food is added to the pan during this time, it can start to cook unevenly or stick to the pan. Preheating ensures that the entire surface of the skillet is at the desired temperature before you start cooking.
Since cast iron skillets tend to retain the temperature pretty effectively, the Maillard reaction – a chemical reaction that occurs when proteins and sugars in food are exposed to high heat occurs – resulting in adding colour, flavour and changing the texture of the food being cooked. It is not only responsible for the browning and development of complex flavours in food, but also ensures that the surface of the pan is hot enough to initiate this reaction when the food is added, resulting in better colour development in your dishes.
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Preheating your skillet also helps to evaporate any surface moisture or water droplets that may be present on the skillet, which might bring down the temperature of your pan and limiting the capacity for your ingredients to cook the way you want them to. When food is added to a hot, dry surface, it creates better contact between the food and the pan, which is essential for achieving a good sear and preventing sticking. Iron skillets are known for their excellent heat distribution properties and so, preheating the skillet allows it to absorb and distribute heat evenly across its surface, preventing hot spots and cold spots.
Preheating also helps create a thin layer of oil or fat on the skillet's surface and so, when food is added, this layer acts as a non-stick barrier, making it less likely for the food to adhere to the pan. It can also save the time and energy it would otherwise take to throw together a recipe, thereby reducing the cooking time, since the pan is already at the desired temperature. This can be especially important for recipes where precise cooking times are crucial. Preheating an iron skillet before cooking is a fundamental technique that optimizes heat transfer and plays a significant role in achieving better overall cooking results for dishes that are prepared in cast iron skillets.
