Benefits of oven-safe skillets (and which to choose!)

We are so used to using only molds, trays or occasionally a casserole in the oven, that we often stop making the most of many utensils we have in the kitchen.

Today I want to talk to you about pans that can go in the oven. These are pans we normally use on the stovetop, but which because of certain characteristics can also go in the oven. It's an added value they have since they have a lot of advantages. I'll tell you about them in this post.

Advantages of pans that can go in the oven

What do oven-safe pans allow you to do?

• You can prepare an entire recipe in it (yes, you can roast a chicken or some drumsticks with shallots, garlic and boletus in a pan, if you want!), allowing an original presentation at the table and convenience when serving (thanks to their low sides).
• You can make recipes that first require a sauté, a stir-fry or some initial cooking on the stove, then transfer to the oven, without having to change containers. You get less dirty and save time.
• You can finish a recipe in the oven, such as a gratin.
• If you have prepared your recipe on the stove a little earlier, you can give the food a blast of heat with the oven to warm it up, without needing to turn the stove on again (reducing the risk of burning it underneath) or without changing containers (which you would have to do if you wanted to heat it in the microwave).
• In some cases, they allow you to save space and money if you were considering buying two utensils, one for the stove and another for the oven.

Things we should consider about oven pans

Let it be clear: not all pans are oven-safe. Although it is true that there are many pans on the market that can go in the oven up to 120 and 150º for a few minutes. You can check the manufacturer's recommendations for the pans you have at home. All of these will at least allow you to give your recipes a blast of heat to warm them, if that is what you are looking for.

Now then, there are pans that have been designed to go both on the stove and in the oven, and that's what today's post is about. First of all, keep in mind:

• There are oven-safe pans made of stainless steel, iron and non-stick.
• If used in the oven, they may be subjected to very high temperatures (from 180 to 250º). Therefore, the quality of the pan is very important:
• they will be pans that do not have plastic or wood parts (they could melt or burn).
• in the case of non-stick pans they must be of very high quality, so as not to deteriorate and not to pose a health risk.
• The pan must fit in the oven (in the case of very wide pans they should, apart from being oven-safe, have a removable handle).
• We should always handle them with gloves or oven mitts, since they will reach high temperatures.

Which pans can go in the oven?

1. Stainless steel pans

Any stainless steel utensil can go in the oven as long as it does not contain wooden or plastic parts. Thus, stainless steel pans (as well as pots) can safely go in the oven. Some examples of them are:

• The WMF pan or the De Buyer stainless steel
• The beautiful Affinity frying pan by De Buyer
• Stainless steel sauté pans, with straighter and slightly higher sides, like the Le Creuset

Affinity Frying Pan by De Buyer, Le Creuset stainless pan and Le Creuset sauté

2. Iron pans

Things get interesting: iron is an excellent heat conductor, and it also performs very well at reflecting heat. So being able to cook in iron and in the oven guarantees you excellent roasts! (aside from being able to do many other things in it).

The iron pans we recommend for use both on the stove and in the oven are:

• Le Creuset skillet pan: it's a skillet made entirely of enameled cast iron (it's exactly like a casserole, but lower and with a handle instead of side handles), built to last a lifetime in your kitchen. And it's gorgeous! If you're thinking of using it in the oven, we recommend pairing it with a protective cover, either the cotton like the silicone one, which will help you handle it (under no circumstances can the covers go in the oven).
• De Buyer pan with removable handle: You already know how in love we are with De Buyer pans, for the old-time flavor they impart for griddle cooking and frying. If you want to put it in the oven, you can do that too!, as long as you have the version with a detachable handle (this one)
• De Buyer pan with stainless steel handle or the French Collection: the classic Mineral pan also exists with a stainless steel handle, both the "standard" and in its more French version (with a Tower of Eiffel-shaped handle, also made of stainless steel). In these cases, you can also prepare your recipes in the oven with full confidence of excellent results without risking damage to the pan.

Le Creuset skillet pan, De Buyer pan with stainless steel handle and the French Collection

3. Non-stick pans

We enter the most delicate area. Non-stick pans are the lightest and most comfortable to use, but many have handles that cannot go in the oven. For this reason, we will only recommend pans designed to go in the oven, without materials that can melt:

• Bra Infinity pan: undoubtedly my first choice when recommending an oven-safe non-stick. Its handle is removable precisely to allow that use. In the same way you can use the Infinity grill pan in the oven.
• De Buyer non-stick pan: Its stainless steel handle is more than suitable for the oven.
• Le Creuset non-stick pan: just like the De Buyer, you can safely put it in the oven. As well as its sauté version (beautiful and with higher sides that will allow you to work with larger quantities of food or liquids)

Bra Infinity pan, Le Creuset non-stick pan and Infinity grill pan

Ideas for using your pan in the oven

• Roasts: arrange the ingredients in the pan, from the meat to its accompaniments (garlic, onion, tomato, carrot...), salt, pepper and a good glug of oil. Enjoy!
• Chicken or drumsticks with lemon, orange, wine... there are a thousand ways to prepare chicken and you can make many of them in a pan.
• Pizza! After preparing the dough with its topping put the pizza in the pan, and straight to the oven. Time to enjoy Saturday night.
• Baked fish: roast some onion and sliced potatoes a bit in the oven, and when they are partially done place some white fish fillets on top. A super healthy and super quick meal to make.
• Cookies. If you want to know how to make them you can see this recipe: giant cookies.
• Gratins: from cannelloni and macaroni to gratinated vegetables... what you would do on a wide baking dish for a family meal, you can do day to day in a pan.
• Fideuá: Has anyone told you that you can't prepare it in a pan and give it the final touch in the oven?
• Frittatas: there is an indecent amount of ingredients you can use to prepare a tasty frittata, and making it in the pan is optimal. What do you have in the fridge today?
• Sautéed vegetables with egg in the oven: sauté the vegetables on the stove (onion, asparagus, mushrooms...) and when they are ready, crack an egg on top, season and put the pan in the oven until set. Remember to bring bread to the table.
• Bread: there are many breads you can prepare and bake in the oven in a pan.

I hope these ideas have sparked your imagination! Because there are countless recipes you can prepare in your pan despite often seeing them in other utensils: a ratatouille, some spatchcock chickens with mustard and honey, some meatballs with sauce, some tomato clafoutis (or if you prefer sweet, a strawberry one) or even a tarte Tatin (doing the first steps on the stove and the final ones in the oven).

Grab the pan and turn on the oven!