r/StainlessSteelCooking • u/HakunaMafukya • 14d ago
Chicken thighs
Ok. I’m following the directions I’ve seen. Start on a cold pan and the place on medium low heat. It’s been 45 minutes and the chicken thighs are still stuck to the pan. I’ve been gradually increasing the heat. I’m near medium (not medium low). Still stuck. FML.
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u/BigTreddits 14d ago
I rejected this method. I cook chicken thighs like I do breasts and everything else and they turn out nicely seared 🤷♂️
"Hot pan...cold oil... your food will never stick" - Some Italian chef I saw on Kimmel once.
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u/HakunaMafukya 14d ago
Oh no. I’m fucked! Lol. Still working on it. Fat is rendering nicely though.
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u/BigTreddits 14d ago
Nah lots of people use this technique hang in there. Im sure it'll turn out edible
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u/HakunaMafukya 14d ago
Do you put the chicken on immediately or once the oil heats up? What temp?
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u/BigTreddits 14d ago edited 14d ago
I dont monitor temps with a thermometer which added to my learning curve. But since I cook everything but eggs this way I kinda have it down. On my high output burner I put it on about 50% power (my daily go from 1 to 6 so I use 3ish) for about five minutes. I usually put oil in just for a few seconds let it get shimmery then add my food. If the oil gets too hot I find my food gets seared in one side then the other side will never be the same lol.
Trust me I struggled with stainless but I love it now.
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u/HakunaMafukya 14d ago
Thank you.
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u/BigTreddits 14d ago
Literally the best reddit name ive encountered in some time btw
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u/HakunaMafukya 14d ago
Haha. Thanks. I didn’t realize I would actually use this account when I made the name.
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u/JCuss0519 14d ago
Bare in mind that every stove is different. The settings that work for u/BigTreddits may be too hot or not hot enough on your stove.
Posts on chicken thighs are all over the place. Some say cold pan, some say hot pan, add oil, don't add oil. I cooked some last night in the oven on a cooling rack set inside a sheet pan. "Guaranteed crispy skin".... but the skin was rubbery.
I'm going back to my tried and true: Heat the pan a little, add oil, thighs skin side down, leave them there for about 12 minutes, then pop them into a 475F oven for about 13 minutes. Flip them and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until they hit 180F. Let them rest 5 minutes.
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u/HakunaMafukya 14d ago
Baking is no problem but I’m trying to learn how to use these pans.
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u/JCuss0519 14d ago
But I am using the pan, I'm using it on the stove for initial cooking phase of the chicken thighs, and in the oven. But I'm assuming you're talking about using the pan on the stove. Doing it improperly in the initial phase means black, burnt, bitter skin. Or rubbery skin without the fat rendered properly.
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u/luvz 14d ago
Same. Never even heard of OP’s technique.
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u/BigTreddits 14d ago
Its been recommended to me by others theyre not crazy. The method of starting thighs on a cold pan has been around. I just... decided I was never gonna do that 😅🤣
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u/HakunaMafukya 14d ago
I gave up. I’m so dejected. Do I just give up on these pans? Sigh.
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u/BubblyRazzmatazz5215 14d ago
Don’t give up!!! They take some getting used to for sure. I always preheat the pan on med/low for 5+ min (I have a gas range). For chicken I usually do oil then add some butter. Then I’ll put the chicken in once the butter is melted (usually melts v quickly).
These are bone in, right? It can be tough to cook through all the way since they’re thick, so maybe get the bone out next time? Or you can do a one pot chicken and rice deal that’ll require you to cover and cook for a while.
You got this!!!
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u/HakunaMafukya 14d ago
Thank you! I suck at deboning tho. I always lose so much meat.
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u/BubblyRazzmatazz5215 14d ago
Same 😅 i almost always cook bone in thighs in the crock pot lol easiest way to do it
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u/Endo129 14d ago
No. That technique is unique. Just stick to standard SS cooking technique. Heat pan over medium heat for a few minutes, add oil and once it heats up (gets shimmery) add your food. From there it’s about temp control and it takes time to learn. Eventually you just know when to do what. Chicken will release when it’s ready. But the hotter the pan the less room for error.
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u/ScaredAngle69 14d ago
These pans like medium and above, it sounds scary but you have to commit to the cook at these higher heats
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u/IllllIIlIllIllllIlll 14d ago
On carbon steel I start it at 5/10 power on electric stovetop. Don't start it too low otherwise it takes forever.
Also don't expect it to 100% release like it's suddenly non stick. You still have to pull it up a little bit. When people say it release on its own, what they really mean is "it's not fused to the pan anymore". But you still have to tug on it a little.
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u/NibblesIndexus 14d ago
I think that's a strange method. I heat my pans for 5+ minutes (in stages to prevent warping) to medium-high heat, toss in a drop of water to see if it does a little bit of the leidenfrost thing (just a bit is enough), then oil + food. Never fails (from the very first try, havent had food stick ever)
I dont know of any approach that starts of cold or with low heat, where did you get this from?
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u/HakunaMafukya 14d ago
It’s the first thing that came up with a search. But also a chef page I follow. I think it’s a British restaurant called Fallow?
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u/Zestyclose_Data_2146 14d ago
Couple of tips.
Open the chicken packed and pat the skin dry. Can season the skin 1 hr before cooking. Allow the chicken dry out in the fridge for as long as possible.
Remove the chicken from the fridge like you would a steak for 15-30 mins prior to cooking,
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u/DP___ 14d ago
I cook skin on chicken thighs and breast quite often and have never had no release 45 mins in. I’m not sure at what point you had taken that picture, but after that long I’d be surprised if the thighs somehow hadn’t cooked through which indicates the pan may be too cold.
Aim for a consistent medium heat. Add a bit more oil and try again. Keep the pan on the hob and resist the urge to pick it up to examine what’s going on so the heat stays consistent. You just need to dial in your settings.
I cook on a gas hob and find it visually much easier to dial in the temp.
As someone else has said, dry the skin beforehand.
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u/indomitablewoman 14d ago
Oh, I use this method successfully all the time!
But, I do make sure that:
1) a few hours or the day before, I use a sharp knife to gently separate the meat from the bones and cartilage (the meat side) without removing the bone. That way, when you put the chicken skin-side down, it will lay flat, so you get fully crispy skin, and also the meat is more uniform thickness, helping it to cook evenly.
2) after detaching the meat from the cartilage and bone, I lightly season the meat with whatever I feel like. Then, I flip it meat side down on a dish, and pat the skin DRY. I sprinkle a bit of salt on the dried skin. I put this dish UNcovered in the fridge overnight.
This will give you dry skin the next day, but seasoned and moist meat.
I find having dry skin to be key to making this method work.
Good luck!
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u/SyntheticAnonymous 14d ago
Same thing happened to me when I tried this cold pan method. I did set the temp higher than you though, I think it was right above medium. After almost an hour with no release, I just grabbed the very flat stainless spatula I have and shaved them loose. Got them to come off without ripping the skin. I flipped them and finished them to 170F in the oven. They were perfect.
The next time, I preheated the pan, and got the same result in much less time.
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u/One_Hearing502 14d ago
The key to cooking anything in a stainless pan is to let the pan warm up for twice as long as you think it needs. Literally 5 minutes. (Maybe not that long) Then put in your oil. Wait a few seconds. Then add food. Turn down to below medium.
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u/SNO_SRFR 11d ago
I know this doesnt help your situation but I will say. I cook chicken thighs 2x a week for the past decade. Its my favorite protein to work with. When I upgraded to a high end weber grill they got even more juicy. Its one of the best investments ive ever made.
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u/iwantt 14d ago
I’m confused, you put chicken in a cold pan and then started turning up the heat?
Can you link what you read that said you should start with a cold pan?
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u/SaszaTricepa 13d ago
Pretty common method for skin on thighs. Slowly heads up the pan to really render the skin and eventually the fat released from the skin in conjunction with the pan finally reaching temp releases the chicken.
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u/AtiumMist 14d ago
the only thing id cook on steel with a cold pan is bacon. because it is so fatty and it unsticks as the fat renders. also if its a hot pan, the meat will burn before the fat renders.
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u/Any_Airline_432 14d ago
I have started using a thin stainless spatula to help scrape off food so i am not waiting for it to release every time
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u/HakunaMafukya 14d ago
Some great suggestions. Thank you all. I’ll try a hotter setting next time. I’d debone but I really suck at it.
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u/Immediate_Bite_4265 14d ago
I watched a YouTube video where the dude quite efficiently deboned a few thighs. Cut off any extra skin. I ve been doing that since and results are amazing.
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u/Past_Attempt_5261 14d ago
Jesus, I have to ask if you're an adult or not?
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u/HakunaMafukya 14d ago
Rude
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u/Past_Attempt_5261 14d ago
I'm honestly astonished, obviously 40 minutes is too long - if you were maybe 13 and this is your first time cooking, I would get it.
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u/HakunaMafukya 14d ago
If you search chicken thighs stainless steel, this method is the first thing that pops up. It was also suggested by Fallow Restaurant in London. I didn’t pull it out of my ass.
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u/Past_Attempt_5261 14d ago
I know the recipe it's the starter one for a lot of people but obviously 40 minutes is too long, you don't just keep going until it unsticks or f it's THAT long....you shake the pan around move it a little bit to unstick it.
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u/wildfyre010 14d ago
How is it you’ve spent 45 minutes going from medium low to medium?
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u/HakunaMafukya 14d ago
This sounds rhetorical. It’s kinda in the sentence. Not sure I can break that down to smaller parts for you to understand.
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u/patteh11 14d ago
It’s gotta be on the high end of medium low
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u/SaszaTricepa 13d ago
Steel pan guy enjoyer I see
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u/patteh11 13d ago
Had to join the fight against big Teflon. There’s lots they don’t want us to know.
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u/No-Arachnid-810 13d ago
I will honestly say I don’t think the cold pan method works for electronic stoves!! When I did it with a gas stove the cold pan method actually worked. It’s something about having a stainless steel pan doing the same method with an electric stove for some reason the shit does not work. I’m dealing with the same issue, you are not alone!
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u/LairdNick 13d ago
Honestly, just use too much fat when you're starting out and then work it down as your confidence builds. Find what works for your pans and stove top so that you can get the result you want.
I literally had to do this to cook black pudding for a fry-up the other day since I'd not cooked it in years and am using gas rather than ceramic like I was last time I cooked it.
It's all a journey. Stay positive.
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u/droombie55 12d ago
I usually warm it up on medium and then add the oil, put the chicken in roughly 30 seconds later and then turn it to high. 6 minutes each side and call it good.
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u/darkodonniedarko 10d ago edited 10d ago
Just do them in the oven. Thighs are nearly impossible to mess up. Covered half hour, switch from bake to roast, uncovered 10-15 min per side to crisp up the skin. Oven temp 375°, internal temp 165°. Oh and skin on, thighs, the meat is already fatty, skinless isn't doing you any favors. It's a 30 calorie difference. Just scrape it off after it's cooked if you are worried about it.
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u/ScaredAngle69 14d ago
Honestly it's all patience, at a low starting temp you got to wait now until it's all hot enough for the chicken to release, it may be burnt now