Stop frying pan sticking with 1 natural item

A clever hack can help ensure meat doesn't stick when you're cooking using a stainless steel frying pan. It's all too easy when you're cooking to drop the ball and find the steak you'd been looking forward to is overcooked or has attached itself to the pan.

Not everyone will have non-stick pans, and there's a clever trick to help ensure you're dinner isn't ruined even if you're using a stainless steel one. The secret is what's called "seasoning".

This is when cooks create a shimmery patina of oil on the surface of the pan, but using the right kind of oil, and adding it at the right time is key.

Sous Chef, an online cooking products seller, gave some top tips for getting your pan perfectly seasoned, and a way to tell that the pan's ready for the oil to be added.

It recommends starting by heating your pan, but ensuring it's not too hot as this causes stickiness. The company then advises doing what's known as the "water test".

This involves adding a few drops of water to the pan and seeing if they form into little blobs that "dance" across the surface, a phenomenon known as the Liedenfrost effect that occurs at or above around 193C.

If this is happening, it's probably a good time to add the oil.

It recommends using a small amount of oil with a high smoke point, like vegetable or canola.

Sous Chef advises never to use olive oil, "which will catch at a low smoke point". Once that's in you just have to wait till the oil is shimmering, with the firm explaining that you will "see the texture of the oil slightly changes, and instead of a thick, smooth surface, it has a slightly rippled, or dappled appearance".

At that point you can smoothly place the cut into the pan - but try not to move it around once its in so it can sear, the website says. With chicken, it recommends starting with skin-side facing down.

Another phenomenon, called the Maillard reaction, will occur as the meat cooks. This browning process will make it easy to lift it from the pan with a spatula without any stubborn sticking.

If a crust has formed, it's normally a sign that it's time to turn the meat over and sear the other side, it adds.

You can find more tips for avoiding food sticking to pans on the company's website.