How to Achieve the Right Oil Balance

Oil pan
Photo by Kukuvaja Feinkost on Unsplash

When cooking anything on a heated wok or pan, chances are you’ll come to a crossroads. It’s a crossroads that every chef faces time and time again: the question of how much oil to put on the pan. Well-experienced chefs are used to adding the perfect amount, but amateurs have a harder time finding that perfect balance. Here are some tips for making sure you don’t overdo it with the oil you add to the pan.

Natural Juices

Let’s talk a little bit about the natural flavors that come from food. There are so many delicious tastes that come naturally from food, but even more importantly for this scenario, natural juices. For instance, when cooking a raw hamburger, you don’t need to add that much oil because the hamburger itself has so much internal juices that’ll get released the second you turn on that grill. Too much oil isn’t healthy, so that’s another thing to take into consideration.

Achieving the Perfect Balance

At the end of the day, it’s all about knowing about the food you’re making, as well as your specific pan. Pans that are non-stick, for instance, require less oil, while ones that aren’t non-stick need a solid amount of it, lest you end up finding yourself scraping your pan in the sink for five whole minutes. When in doubt, start with a small amount and slowly work your way up until it feels right.