How to cover pan without lid? It’s one of the most common tasks that people face on a daily basis. And how many times do you find yourself frustrated in the kitchen because you can’t cover pan without a lid? In this blog, we also have an article about pan lid that you might want to read about it.
A lid, also known as a cover, is part of a container, and serves as the closure or seal, usually one that completely closes the object.”
wikipedia.org
What is Pan Lid
A pan lid is a part of the cooking pot that covers the pan when you are cooking. The lid is usually made of aluminum or stainless steel. There are different types of lids available in the market, depending on the type of cooking utensils you are using. Lids with handles can be used with pans that have handles, while those without handles can be used with pans that do not have handles. We also have an article about how to measure pan lid size that you might want to read about it.
The lids of which we are talking about are technically cooking optimizers, they allow you to cook without fat and preserving the organoleptic qualities of the food.”
Carmen Granata, author from homexyou.com
Benefits of pan lid
- Easy to clean: You don’t need to wash your pan after every time you use it if there is a lid over it. If you want to remove all the food from the pan, just lift the lid and pour out the water. It saves time and energy for you.
- Keeps heat inside the pan: The more air around an object, the faster it loses its heat. When you cover the pan with a lid, you trap the heat inside the pan. This keeps the food warm throughout its cooking process.
- Allows easy access to the contents: Some cookware comes with no handle at all; but they still have a good quality lid. So instead of having to reach into the pan, you can easily move the lid around. This makes it easier to add ingredients to the pan.
- Protects the interior surfaces of the pan: As mentioned before, the more air around an object the lower its temperature becomes. A lid helps keep this heat inside. On top of that, the lid protects the bottom surface of the pan from burning.
- Prevents spilling: If the contents spill out of a container with no lid, then how will you stop it? If you put a lid on it, you will never worry about it.
- Helps release steam: When you make something like stew or soup, it might produce a lot of steam as it cooks. If you do not have a lid, all that steam goes up and escapes through the sides of the pan. With the lid placed on top of the pan, the steam stays inside.
- Improves the flavor: When you cover a meat or vegetable with a lid, the flavors stay in longer. In addition, the aroma gets trapped inside the container. All these factors work together to give a great taste.
- Controls splashes: Water in a hot pan will evaporate very fast, which means it will form a large amount of steam. If you do not place a lid over the pan, the steam will escape out through the sides and may splash onto other things nearby. However, if you place a lid over the hot pan, the steam condenses quickly, thus avoiding any splashing.
How To Cover Pan Without Lid
A Frying Pan
Perhaps you’ve already attempted this one to cover a pan with out lid? You may simply place a frying pan of similar size over the pot. It won’t provide a particularly snug fit, but if it isn’t critical to the dish you’re working on, don’t sweat it.
A Baking Sheet
Do you have a sheet pan on hand? Simply place it on top of the pot. It’s little larger than a standard pot lid, but it’ll suffice. It’s a time-honored test kitchen and restaurant trick for when the appropriate-sized lid is unavailable or non-existent.
Foil
When you need a tighter fit than a sheet pan or frying pan provides, a double sheet of foil works nicely as a cover. It’s somewhat more difficult to manage than a lid, but it’s just as good in trapping heat and moisture.
Parchment Paper
Even if you already have a lid, having parchment paper on hand ensures a snug fit. Essentially, you may cut a circle of parchment paper and place it on top of the dish you’re attempting to cover—this method works especially well with sweating veggies. You can also place the same circle under a standard pot top to prevent moisture from escaping from your food as it cooks, such as during a lengthy braise in the oven.
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