Why You Shouldn't Shake Your Pan While Cooking

If you’ve ever watched a cooking show (or cooking scene in a movie), you’ve seen this move: A chef, slaving away over a hot stove, picks up his or her skillet and shakes it back and forth over the heat. Sometimes flames are involved.

But, according to Ben Daitz, chef and co-founder of Num Pang Kitchen in NYC, this seemingly fine habit is actually bad for the finished product.

“Amateur cooks tend to shake their pans a lot because they see chefs doing that on TV,” he told us. “Shaking a pan to move things around actually cools down whatever you are cooking and prevents caramelization. Instead of getting a nice sear that’s crispy, you can end up steaming your food. Leave that pan alone!”

Less dramatic? Yes. Better results? You bet.

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