Use the water-drop test to check if a pan is hot enough
Flick a little water into the pan: if it beads and skates around, the pan is hot enough to add oil.
Add a small amount of water to the pan. If it just sizzles and boils off, it’s not hot enough; if it forms a bead/ball that moves around, you’re ready for oil.
The short version
- Sizzle/boil-off = not hot enough.
- Beading/skating = ready for oil.
How to do it
- 1
Preheat the empty pan.
Watch this step - 2
Add a small splash/drop of water to the pan.
Use only a little water; you’re testing, not deglazing.
Watch this step - 3
If it only sizzles/boils off, keep heating; if it beads into a ball and moves/skates around, add oil.
Watch this step
What goes wrong
Assuming sizzling water means the pan is ready
Wait for the water to bead and move around before adding oil.
Why it works
Beading/skating indicates a sufficiently hot surface compared to simple sizzling/evaporation, signaling higher pan temperature.
Put it to use
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