Advantages of oven-safe pans (and which one to choose!)

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

Today I want to talk about pans that can go in the oven . These are pans that we normally use on the stove, but due to certain characteristics they can also go in the oven. This is an added value that they have since they have a lot of advantages. I will tell you about them in this post.

Advantages of oven-safe pans

What do oven-safe pans allow you to do?

• You can prepare an entire recipe in it (yes, you can make a roast chicken or some thighs with onion, garlic and boletus in a pan, if you want!), allowing for an original presentation on the table and convenience when serving (thanks to its low walls).
• You can make recipes that require first a stir-fry, a sauté or some initial cooking on the stove, and then transfer it to the oven , without having to change the container . You make less mess 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 while beforehand, you can give the food a quick blast of heat in the oven to warm it up , without having to turn the heat back on (reducing the risk of it burning underneath) or without changing the container (which you would have to do if you wanted to heat it up in the microwave).
• In some cases, they allow you to save space and money if you were considering buying two utensils , one for the fire and another for the oven.

Things to consider when it comes to oven pans

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

Now, there are pans that have been designed to go both on the stove and in the oven , and these are 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 they are to be baked, they are likely to be subjected to very high temperatures (from 180 to 250º). Therefore, the quality of the pan is very important:
• These will be pans that do not have plastic or wooden elements (they could melt or burn).
• In the case of non-stick coatings, they must be of very high quality , so as not to deteriorate and not pose a risk to health.
• The pan must fit in the oven (in the case of large pans, apart from being oven-safe, they must have a removable handle).
• We should always handle them with gloves or oven mitts, since they will reach high temperatures.

What pans can go in the oven?

1. Stainless steel pans

All stainless steel cookware can be put in the oven as long as it does not contain any wooden or plastic parts. Thus, stainless steel pans (like pots) can safely go in the oven. Some examples of these are:

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

De Buyer Affinity frying pan , Le Creuset stainless steel frying pan and Le Creuset sauté pan

2. Iron pans

Things get interesting : iron is a great heat transmitter, and it also performs a great function when it comes to reflecting heat. So being able to cook in iron and in the oven ensures you get great roasts! (apart from that to be able to do so many other things in it).

The iron pans that we recommend for use on the stove or in the oven are:

• Le Creuset skillet: this is a pan made entirely of vitrified iron (it's exactly like a cocotte, but low and with handles instead of knobs), designed to last a lifetime in your kitchen. And it's beautiful! If you plan to use it in the oven, we recommend that you add a protective cover, either cotton or silicone , to help you handle it (in no case can the covers go in the oven).
• De Buyer frying pan with removable handle : You already know how much we love De Buyer frying pans, because of the old-fashioned flavour they leave behind when grilling 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 removable handle ( this one )
• De Buyer frying pan with stainless steel handle or the French Collection : the traditional Mineral frying pan is also available with a stainless steel handle, both the " standard " version and in its more French version (with an Eiffel Tower handle, also made of stainless steel). In these cases, you can also prepare your recipes in the oven with complete confidence of great results without the risk of damaging the pan.

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

3. Non-stick pans

We are entering 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 be oven-safe , without materials that can melt:

• Bra Infinity frying pan : without a doubt my first choice when it comes to recommending a non-stick pan suitable for the oven. Its handle is removable for just that purpose. You can also use the Infinity grill pan in the oven.
• De Buyer Non-Stick Frying Pan : Its stainless steel handle is more than oven-safe.
• Le Creuset Non-Stick Frying Pan – exactly like the De Buyer, you can put it in the oven with confidence. Just like its sauté version (beautiful and with higher sides that will allow you to work with larger quantities of food or liquids)

Bra Infinity frying pan , Le Creuset non-stick frying 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 accompaniment (garlic, onion, tomato, carrot...), salt, pepper and a good splash of oil. Enjoy!
• Chicken or thighs with lemon, orange, wine... there are a thousand ways to prepare chicken and you can make many of them in a frying pan.
• Pizza! After preparing the dough with its seasoning, put the pizza in the pan and straight into the oven. It's time to enjoy Saturday night.
• Baked fish : roast some onions and sliced ​​potatoes in the oven, and when they are slightly cooked, 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 gratin vegetables... what you would make on a large tray at a family meal, you can do every day in a frying pan.
• Fideuá : Has anyone told you that you can't prepare it in a frying pan and then bake it in the oven?
• Frittatas : There are an indecent amount of ingredients you can use to make a delicious frittata, and making it in a skillet 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 with salt and pepper and put the pan in the oven until it sets. Remember to bring bread to the table.
• Bread: There are many breads that you can prepare and bake in a pan.

I hope these ideas have sparked your imagination! Because there are endless recipes that you can prepare in your frying pan despite being often used in other utensils : ratatouille , squabs with mustard and honey , meatballs with sauce , tomato clafoutis (or if you prefer it sweet, strawberry clafoutis) or even a tarte tatin (doing the first steps on the stove and the last in the oven).

Get the frying pan and turn on the oven!