Does cooking food without having it stick to the pan seem like an impossible task? We hear you. If you are like most people you heat up the pan for a few minutes, add oil then proceed cooking as usual. Herein lies the problem: your cooking vessel hasn't reached the ideal heat.
What’s the secret?
This holds true for both stainless and nonstick pans. So what's the secret to reaching the perfect temperature? It all boils down to the Leidenfrost point (named after the famous Leidenfrost effect), which requires a temperature of about 320F (depending on the pan) and optimizes browning, frying and prevents sticking.
How to test
To test whether your pan has reached the Leidenfrost point just sprinkle a few drops of water in it. If the water droplets roll around in the skillet you are golden. Just pour out the water droplets and proceed cooking as usual. You'll end up with perfectly cooked food that doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. It's a technique that works extremely well with sautéing and shallow frying. Here's the Leidenfrost effect in action:
