While most people cook the majority of their food on a stove, there also some appliances which are extremely useful in the kitchen for these purposes like a pressure cooker and a slow cooker. But nowadays with the advancement in science and technology, electric frying pans have also made their way into the kitchen of many households.
What is an Electric Skillet?
These are the frying pans of the 21st century. A frying pan’s capabilities are mixed with the convenience of ovens to cook healthy foods very easily. It is a very versatile kitchen appliance used for various cooking methods like chips, baked eggs, pork chops and others.
Electric skillets are usually square or rectangular with two handles on either side for moving. It needs to be plugged into an electrical socket to heat it. The temperature can be better controlled in an electric skillet than an oven on a stove due to an in-built heating element powered by electricity.
It is an extremely handy device as the unique powering system allows the skillet to perform independently of a stove. They have lids that help in maintaining the temperature during every cook.
Why Use Electric Skillet?
Cooking on stovetops has become common in every household in recent times. But with the development in technology, electric frying pans have become popular due to its versatile and user-friendly nature. There are several reasons why switching to an electric skillet can be the best move.
- Large cooking capacity: Pots and pans cannot prepare food for a large number of people. But electric frying pans have a large enough capacity to cook meals for up to 10 people.
- Steady temperature: The skillet can trap heat inside the chamber for large intervals of time due to its air-tight nature and can thus maintain a steady temperature for cooking. Thus the food gets properly cooked without coming in contact with air and losing its original flavours.
- Less heat production: This is one of the major benefits of having a skillet over a stove. It generates less heat than ovens without compromising the food quality and thus saves a lot of energy.
- Even heat distribution: The electric skillet keeps the heat stored inside the chamber, thus forcing the heat to distribute evenly throughout the area and reach every corner of the chamber. Thus the food is well-cooked.
- Easy to clean: These pans do not burn food and can be easily cleaned. Once the lid is closed, the liquid inside cannot escape and the food inside does not burn.
Health Benefits of Cooking In An Electric Skillet
- An electric skillet is an extremely versatile kitchen appliance that can be used for cooking a wide variety of food items like grilling a sizzling steak, baking potatoes, to steam vegetables or for other baking purposes. Thus it is the one-pot in the house which can be useful for all purposes.
- Although stove pans are very convenient to use, frying on them can turn out to be quite messy. Often there are oil splashes while cooking on a regular frying pan and the kitchen becomes quite dirty. But electric skillets are made to provide a mess-free cooking experience due to their non-stick surface areas, top lids and their round-cornered design. Thus cleaning them is also very easy and requires much less effort.
- Although fried foods taste delicious, it is not particularly a healthy food habit. It is not solely due to the oil used while cooking but also due to the manner of cooking. While cooking in a conventional frying pan, the food gets exposed to air and immediately gets oxidised. Thus the nutrients of the food suffer a degrade. Hence, fried food preparations are seldom known to be less nutritious than steamed or oven-baked ones. Electric frying pans on the other hand have lids on the top and prevent the air to come in contact with the food items. Thus the food items can hold onto their crucial nutrients.
- Healthy cooking involves cooking with no additional fats and not losing vital nutrients. The food becomes unhealthy when cooked in more water and fat as nutrients are lost in the water, and eventually, the fat increases the caloric content. As in electric frying pans, the food does not stick to the surfaces, there is no need for fat.
- While cooking multiple numbers of items in a pan, the flavours, as well as the nutrients, get mixed. The liquid from the water in vegetables seldom comes out and gets mixed with the rice or potatoes and thus none of the nutrients are lost. This is why such preparations like soups are very healthy for the diet.
- The cooking should not be done at higher temperatures as it damages the food quality. Besides heated fats become transfats at a certain temperature, which are carcinogenic in nature. Hence it is extremely unhealthy and such practices should be done away with.
- Electric skillets maintain a steady temperature and do not cook at high temperatures. Besides the heat generated inside the cooking chamber is evenly distributed across its every corner such that the food is well-cooked.
- There is also a temperature control feature that prevents the food from burning after cooked. So one can easily do their stuff putting the food to be cooked and then come back later after finishing their assignment.
- Some electric skillets have warming trays that keep the food warm even after cooking. So the food does not need to be heated before serving and it is ready to be served whenever one desires!
Final Thought
Electric frying pans are thus the most modern and easy-to-use appliance which can be used anywhere by just plugging into an electric outlet. It serves healthy and hygienic food without causing a lot of mess around and can even be easily cleaned. It is much an up-gradation to our traditional stoves and having a larger capacity, can even serve a large number of guests warm and healthy food.