The French National Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a bill aimed at restricting the manufacture and sale of products containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — also known as PFAS or “forever chemicals.” The MPs, backed by the government, voted to exclude kitchen utensils from the scope of the text.
Thanks to an intense lobbying push, manufacturers of frying pans and saucepans — including the SEB group, which owns Tefal — are exempt from this ban under the proposed law penned by French Green MPs.
Majority groups initially tried to delay the ban on kitchen utensils until 2030 — a timetable refused by the French Green MPs who instead suggested an exemption until 2026.
To avoid stuff sticking to stainless steel, is the secret heating up the oily pan to a high temperature before adding the ingredients?
Not quite that simple, but
Actually, you heat the pan without oil first - this is important. To test the temp, you can add a splash of water. The perfect temp is when the water pools together and bounces around. Once the pan is nice and hot, add oil. Let it get hot - use med-high heat. From there it is non-stick and you can adjust to your cooking temp. If you are dealing with really sticky food, you can throw out that initial hot oil, then add some fresh oil, bring it just to cooking temp and add your food. It sounds slightly complicated and takes a little practice, but if you do this, your stainless steel pans will work better than non-stick pans. Also, for deep cleaning your pans, you can soak with spent lemons or oranges and rinds. Can also add baking soda for extra cleaning power. For the outside of your pans, use barkeeper’s friend once a year. Incorporate all this and you have excellent buy it for life stainless steel pans.
Any tips for eggs? I can’t keep eggs from sticking to save my life when using stainless, even with generous oil and/or butter.
Turn down the heat
Moar butter
Add water and poach
Try the methods I explained and play with the temps. You may need to get it hotter before the oil, or after you put the oil in. Try getting the oil super hot, tossing it and then putting in new oil and getting that hot. Try messing with the temps each time until you figure it out. Once you do, you’ll get a feel for it and have way less trouble. The thickness of your pan plays into how quickly it will heat. I do this same method for my wok but since it’s so thin and less conductive, it instantly heats.
Are you struggling with fried eggs or scrambled?
Hmm, yeah I’ll have to experiment. Fried eggs I’ve mostly got, but scrambled just ends up leaving a thin stuck mess every time.
Don’t give up! Fried eggs are much easier. I’ve got mine on lock. I’ll sometimes do the double oil trick with scrambled eggs. I cook mine low and slow, which I think is a little more difficult to get the oil just right. When I do a faster cook and constantly move them, I’ve had better results.
I find it much easier to cook scrambled eggs in a well-seasoned carbon steel or cast iron pan. You can do it in stainless, but it’s definitely more finicky.