Comments on: My frying pan is holey...

Question: My frying pan is holey...

katrielalex — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 04:12:19 -0800

What is this frying pan with holes in the raised center? I'd like to replace it but I can't find one on the Tubes.

I have one and it's good for stir-frying things, but is getting old and the non-stick coating is flaking off. Ideally I'd like to replace it, but as a start is there a good name for it? Google seems to think maybe "convection frying pan", but that doesn't lead anywhere.

It was originally bought as some sort of "health-o-pan" that let you use less oil while cooking, I think. It has a lid, which I vaguely remember was part of the health spiel.

(I'm in the UK.)

By: duckstab

duckstab — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 04:46:36 -0800

looks like it's called a 'dry fry' frying pan, or 'dry cooker'. here's one on ebay in the UK.

By: slkinsey

slkinsey — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 05:36:31 -0800

Question: what's so good about it for stir-frying things that you couldn't find in a pan without a weird gizmo in the middle?

By: Tanizaki

Tanizaki — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 05:47:41 -0800

The purpose of the pan is to allow you to "fry" while using zero oil, not less oil, so if you are using oil you are doing it wrong. That's why it is called a "dry fry" pan, as duckstab identified.

If you simply want to stir fry things, get yourself a round-bottomed wok. Its design is made for stir frying with a small amount of oil.

By: katrielalex

katrielalex — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 05:48:47 -0800

@slkinsey: my dad says it doesn't seem to need much oil.

By: sourwookie

sourwookie — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 07:27:40 -0800

These used to be all over U.S. television in "Only On TV" ads in the late 80's.

By: easily confused

easily confused — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 08:56:56 -0800

The idea of the raised area with the holes was, when you had the lid on? The pan acted as a steamer, which --- with the no-oil idea --- is where the 'healthy!' bit comes in.

By: slkinsey

slkinsey — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 12:15:20 -0800

Right. If you want to a actually stir fry, I would suggest a moderately heavy frypan. If you want to steam, why not just get a steamer basket?

By: Joe in Australia

Joe in Australia — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 19:21:03 -0800

They used to be heavily advertised here on TV. The rationale is that a crispy surface will be created by a flow of super-heated air from the gas flames under the pan, just as a crispy surface is created by super-heated oil when deep frying. I don't know how well they work, but I have a fan-forced oven and it doesn't create a deep-fried-like surface even when the temperature is all the way up.