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I tried to make chicken fajitas yesterday and the chicken came out gray and not all all browned.
My understanding (from the great folks on CD!) is that All-Clad pans are not supposed to be used on high heat (due to warping and other issues)? If so, then how does the meat ever brown?
I put my 5 quart AC saute pan on my glass top stove. Turned burner to medium. Let pan get hot for about 2 minutes. Added butter and safflower oil. Dumped my marinated chicken slivers in. Then they all just sort of poached in the butter and oil.
In addition, I thought these pans were tremendous heat conductors? Yet the outer parts of the pan were not sizzling?
Sounds like your just "boiling" your chicken. Get the pan HOT, dry off the chicken, just a touch of oil, and don't stir while is't cooking until it's browned on one side.
High heat, once pan is smoke'n hot add a bit of oil then in with chicken. don't flip till chicken has released from the pan.
Make sure no sugar in marinade as that will tend to burn.
I use high heat on my All-Clad. That being said I don't let the pan stay dry on high heat for very long. So I heat my pan up for a minute or so, then add oil or if it's a burger or steak that has fat then just the meat, I keep the heat on high and cook. I adjust the temperature for the food not for the pan. I have never had an All-Clad warp. Many professional kitchens use All-Clad and they don't baby their pans, high heat, into the oven, under the broiler are all normal uses.
If you google high heat and All-Clad you will get lots of tips on cooking properly.
Here's a video that explains how to cook a steak on All-Clad. I didn't find one that dealt specifically with chicken. How big were your pieces of chicken, and did you dry them and put them in the pan separately?
Having everything ready and then heating up the pan so water beads like mercury are essential. So is leaving the piece of meat in place until it is cooked on one side.
I think the lesson here is don't cook everything on high all the time, but also remember that there's a whole range of temperatures between medium and high. If medium isn't hot enough to brown your chicken, feel free to turn it up some. But if you try to cook everything on high, you're going to end up with overcooked and/or burned food.
No I did not dry the chicken pieces, they were still full of marinade. And I did not get the pan hot enough. And I flipped the chicken too soon. Thanks all!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think the lesson here is don't cook everything on high all the time, but also remember that there's a whole range of temperatures between medium and high. If medium isn't hot enough to brown your chicken, feel free to turn it up some. But if you try to cook everything on high, you're going to end up with overcooked and/or burned food.
Very true, temp control is key. BUT, if it looks/smells/sounds like it might be burning...take the pan off the heat or add oil or water to control temp...or both. water will evaporate quickly, just don't add too much.
Good luck, OP! Takes time and practice. I still burn things, just call it "caramelized". LOL!
We've got all-clad pots and pans that have been used regularly for over 20 years. I start off on high almost every time and then dial back as needed for what I'm doing. None of them are warped.
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