you’ve got a skillet that can retain heat for maximum
browning and will distribute that heat evenly over its entire
surface, eliminating hot and cold spots.
All-Clad is the benchmark for great tri-ply cookware, but
it can be prohibitively expensive. In side-by-side tests, I’ve
found that Tramontina-brand All-Clad knockoffs perform
almost as well for every task, at about a third of the price.
The choice is a no-brainer.
- A 10-Inch Cast-Iron Skillet
Nothing beats cast iron for searing a steak or a nice skin-on,
bone-in chicken breast. I actually keep a collection of cast-
iron skillets in all sizes so that I can do everything from
frying a single egg and serving it directly from its tiny skillet
to baking pies, but the one I use most is my 10-inch pan. It’s
just the right size to sear a couple of steaks for me and the
wife (I’ll sear in batches or use two pans and two burners if
I’ve got more people to cook for, to maximize heat transfer
to the steaks), it’s just the right size for corn bread, it’s a
beautiful serving vessel. The possibilities are really limitless.
If you don’t have a well-seasoned cast-iron pan passed
down by thoughtful grandparents, Lodge brand is the easiest
to find. If you’re hunting at antique stores and flea markets,
Griswold and Wagner are the best. - A 10-Inch Anodized Aluminum or Tri-Ply Nonstick
Skillet
People will tell you that a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet
that’s properly seasoned will be as slick as a true nonstick
skillet. Heck, I’ve probably said the same thing myself.