You may have heard of seasoning a pan before. And, you may be wondering what exactly is meant by seasoning a pan. Seasoning a pan means making the pan non-stick, which helps to reduce the use of oil and butter when cooking in the pan.
The question is: you’ve recently purchased a new titanium pan and you are wondering if you should season the pan or not? And, what are the benefits of seasoning a titanium pan?
It is not required to season a new stainless steel pan or a titanium pan. This is because titanium pans are corrosion-resistant. However, seasoning non-stick cookware may help the cookware to last longer. While titanium pans are excellent non-stick pans, the non-stick surface may wear off after a few years.
How to season titanium pan
The first thing to keep in mind is that seasoning titanium cookware is not required. This is an optional step and up to the preference of the owner. The next few steps will highlight what you need to do with a new titanium pan and how to go about seasoning your new pan, if you choose to do so.
Wash your titanium pan
The first thing you should do is to remove any impurities or oils that may be on the surface of your new titanium pan. You can do this by washing the pan with a good quality detergent and then rinsing the pan off with clear warm water.
After washing your pan, place it on the stove top and fill the pan with a little water and vinegar solution. Bring the solution to a quick boil and then turn the stove off. This helps to remove any additional impurities such as metals or other oils.
Keep in mind, and as previously mentioned, titanium is an excellent conductor of heat. This means that your pan will heat up very quickly. Don’t leave it on heat for more than two minutes at most, during this process. It may cause discoloration on the bottom of the pan.
Season your titanium pan
Remove the water and vinegar solution and place the pan back on the stove. Then, switch the stove on again. It should be warm. Proceed to take oil or lard and evenly spread it over the internal wall of the pan until the entire inside surface of the pan has been lightly coated.
Once you have coated the inside of the pan, switch the oven off and leave the coating in the pan for up to eight hours. You could leave it for longer to obtain even better results if you prefer.
How to achieve better results by seasoning your pan
Some home cooks prefer to quickly season a titanium pan before using the pan. Especially to enhance the non-stick functions of the pan. Coat the inside of the pan with your preferred oil. Remember to keep the coating light and thin. Place a few drops of oil inside the pan and swirl it around until it covers each part of the pan.
Then, place the pan on the stove and switch the stove on. Keep the pan on the stove until the oil reaches its smoking point. Once the oil has reached it’s smoking point, remove the pan from the stove-top and use a cloth to wipe away any excess oil.
Don’t worry, this process won’t burn your pan. It may cause some discoloration at the edges of the pan but it is not damaging to the pan or dangerous to you. Furthermore, this seasoning process will not blacken your new cookware.
When you have completed the process, the cookware will have bonded with the oil and your cookware is now seasoned and ready to be used for non-stick cooking.
A side note
Avoid using non-stick spay on your titanium pan. The pan already has a non-stick coating. Using non-stick spray may end up causing a build up on your pan.
Tips for cleaning your new titanium pan.
Your titanium pan is not only an investment, but it will also save you money on energy. Titanium is a great conductor of heat. In fact, titanium pans have excellent thermal conductivity. You will save both energy and time when cooking with this type of cookware.
Cleaning the inside of your titanium pan is quite simple if you use it every day. Especially if there are no visible stains on the pan. Simply wipe down the pan with a clean rag and rinse the pan with clear water.
Remember, the inside of the pan should ideally only be cleaned using a soft dish cloth and with a scouring pad as this may damage the pan.
Additionally, your pan should not be used in the oven. You should always use the pan on the stove-top instead.
Cleaning oil stains on your titanium pan
Cleaning your titaniam pan properly is key to the longevity of your pan. If you notice burn stains at the bottom of your pan, place the pan in hot water and add detergent to the pan.
Then, clean the inside and outside of the pan by vigorously scribing the pan using a scouring pad. Alternatively, you could add a water and vinegar solution to the pan and allow it to sit before washing the pan with detergent.
After cleaning the pan, store it in a clean dry place.
