Cooking halloumi/wet food on stainless steel without sticking
I've got a set of all-clad stainless steel pans I've been able to master cooking most foods without sticking and too much burn remains. Even eggs I've got right.
One thing I constantly struggle with is haloumi. I pre heat the pan for 2mins. Water drops dance on the surface. I add some olive oil (about 2tbsp in a 24cm skillet). Stir it around and let it heat then add my halloumi cheese. And it consistently sticks leaving a mess on the pan. I leave it for a minute or too and it never releases. And just becomes completely burnt.
I know halloumi is rather wet cheese so I've tried paper toweling it dry before adding to the pan. Same result.
So how do I cook wet foods like this on stainless pans without sticking?
Best Answer
First things first, make sure you're keeping that pan on high while the haloumi is in there... you can get the pan as hot as you want, but the water in that cheese will cool it off right quick.
Though in my experience, sometimes halloumi just sticks. When I'm cooking something potentially sticky, I always have a nice-quality, even, sharp fish spatula on hand in case I need to save it. If you really put some pressure on it, scraping along the bottom of the pan like you're removing a sticker from a window with a razor blade, you should be able to save your nice sear. As long as you're applying even pressure and using a flat bottomed pan and have a nice quality fish spatula, you 'shouldn't' gouge it... though that's the reason I use heavy commercial steel cookware from companies like Winco, which I could replace pretty easily and cheaply. ;-)
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Quick Answer about "Cooking halloumi/wet food on stainless steel without sticking"
no oil; pre-heated pan vs. cold pan. I found that you need to use a much lower heat when you're cooking the halloumi in stainless steel, and a dash of oil was helpful to stop the cheese from sticking.How do you cook halloumi without it sticking?
Preheat a skillet on medium heat. If you're using non-stick, there's no need to add oil to the pan, but if not, add a dash of olive oil. Add halloumi slices to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes until golden brown, then flip and cook the other side for another 1-2mins.Do you have to use oil in stainless-steel pan?
Although seasoning isn't required with stainless steel pans, it is possible to season your favorite skillet to create a non-stick layer. Heat the pan over medium-high heat for about two minutes. Add a thin layer of vegetable oil to the pan (about 1/8 inch).How do you grill halloumi pans?
Heat a little olive oil in a pan and arrange the halloumi sticks in one single layer. Cook on each side for 1 to 2 minute over medium-high heat, managing the heat down as needed, until all sides have crisped and turned a nice golden brown. Garnish and Serve immediately!A TRICK EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW | How to make any stainless steel pan non-stick | THE MERCURY BALL TEST
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