You Need to Let Your Food Stick | Techniquely with Lan Lam

Summary by Krater

This video explains the science of food sticking to cookware, why it happens, and how to prevent it or embrace it depending on the dish being prepared. It covers French toast baked on a sheet pan, smashed burgers in a cast-iron skillet, pan sauces, and an ice cream cake with a chiffon cake layer.

From the video

Answers: Why does food stick to cookware and how do you prevent or use it?

• food sticking to cookware
• protein bonds in cooking
• lecithin cooking spray
• pan sauces from fond
• smash burger technique
• ice cream cake construction

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 8 slices bread
• custard
• egg milk mixture
• oil
• 2 ounces ground meat
• American cheese
• salt
• pepper
• ice cream
• shiffon cake
• chocolate sauce
• Oreo
• whipped cream

What it concludes

• Proteins in food change shape as they cook and form bonds with metal, causing food to stick.
• Cooking spray containing lecithin reduces oil surface tension to form a thin, even barrier that prevents egg and milk mixtures from sticking to sheet pans.
• Pan sauces and gravies rely on fond left behind from searing meat in unlined stainless steel or cast-iron skillets.
• Smash burgers require a dry skillet without excess oil so that proteins can bond and create a lacy, textured crust.
• Allowing chiffon cake layers to stick to the sides of a springform pan during baking prevents the cake from caving in as steam condenses.