Frying Question

[lea_hazel]

I am a decent semi-cook. I can make a few things reliably, including a few steady mistakes. Recently I realized that my kitchen always gets slightly smoky when I fry pancakes or French toast. Not like billowing smoke, but enough for me to notice once I've gone into the other room and back.

I get the feeling that I am doing something basic wrong. That is, my basic frying-things-in-a-teflon-pan technique is flawed. Part of it is that I tend to have lousy timing, and flip the pancakes either too soon or too late. I think. Anyway, it strikes me as a beginner's question, so I'm posting here for tips or advice. Please save my tearing eyes from breakfast-for-supper. ;_;

Comments

[miome]

Do your pancakes or french toast taste burnt? If not, you might want to check the bottom of your pan, the burner and the tray below your burner. There may be some crumbs or something stuck to it and smoking.

[lea_hazel]

They don't taste burnt usually, I think it might be my frying pan. I always scrub it for ages, but somehow it never seems clean.

[miome]

Does it seem like the coating is damaged & flaking off? You don't want to be eating that stuff ...

[lea_hazel]

No, it doesn't flake, but it feels a little sticky even when there's no oil on it, and I scrub it carefully and soak it. I'm wondering if the oil somehow just won't come off and it's burning and giving off the smoke.

[flamewarrior]

Yes, this. It's the old, sticky oil that is likely making the smoke. I would suggest something acidic to clean with, but do check with the manufacturer to make sure it's not going to take off the non-stick coating.

For pancakes, always start with a clean pan, and use fresh oil - ideally rapeseed (= canola in American?), or something else with a high smoke-point (i.e. definitely not butter, margarine or olive oil). And soak and scrub pan as soon as it's cool enough to handle after use.

[cleverthylacine]

Hah, so basically no oil that I have in my house.