When it comes to cooking fish, you need to choose the right pan. Some pans are specifically designed to cook delicate seafood without it sticking or becoming overcooked. Additionally, there are some materials that are used to make pans that should be avoided due to health reasons, and frankly, 5 star chefs don’t use them so they must be on to something!
The best materials for the ideal pans for cooking fish are:
- Stainless steel pans are a great option it doesn’t react with acidic ingredients like lemon juice or vinegar.
- Ceramic also perform well when cooking fish, and offers chefs who are not yet used to cooking with cast iron a middle ground with it’s non-stick coatings.
- Cast iron gives a consistent high performance when cooking fish
For health reasons, avoid these types of pans for cooking fish and all other foods:
- Teflon or similar non-stick coated pans
Teflon and non-stick coatings and aluminum pans. that release PFOAs, which stand for Perfluorooctanoic Acid
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are lab made chemicals that have been used commercially since the 1940s.
Since these chemicals are quite stable, they do not interact with other chemicals, making them helpful at resisting oils, stains and heat.
What products still have Teflon in them?
In addition to being used as a coating on non-stick pans using the brand name Teflon and others, they are also used on products like:
- Carpeting
- Fabric they use for children’s pajamas which is fire resistant
- Waterproof clothing and furniture fabrics
- Self-cleaning ovens
- Microwave popcorn bags
- Pizza boxes
- Coatings for cardboard and paper packaging
- Fire fighting foams
- Different waxes
The health concern comes from the PFOA’s ability to not break down easily, so it can stay in the environment and in the body for a long time.
Studies have found them to be in a large percentage of people, in their blood. Higher levels are found in people who live near industrial sites, as PFOAs have been found in the water supply as well. There is a connection to PFOA exposure and cancer.
What do the experts say about Teflon?
Some scientists believe that Teflon coating release toxins when heated up. Since not cooking food in these types of pans is often recommended as one way to reduce cancer risks, people are understandably concerned.
Teflon coatings are toxic when used in cookware, and can release dangerous toxins (such as PFOA) when heated up. There is likely no one using Teflon coated pans and NOT heating them up, so using a Teflon coated pan in the way it was designed to be used is a cancer risk.
In fact, those who have birds as pets are told under no circumstances to have any Teflon coated pans in the house. Too many sad stories online describe how their birds dropped dead after being in a kitchen with a heated up Teflon pan. If this happens to birds, for many, this is enough reason to avoid them.
- Aluminum pans and all aluminum cookware
Why should we avoid aluminum cookware for health reasons?
Aluminum is a lightweight metal that is used in a variety of products, including cookware, baking sheets, and aluminum foil. While it is an effective conductor of heat, it can also leach into food, potentially causing health problems. Studies have linked exposure to aluminum to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders.
Additionally, aluminum has been shown to disrupt the body’s ability to absorb calcium, which can lead to bone problems. For these reasons, it is advisable to avoid using aluminum cookware, especially when cooking acidic foods like tomatoes or citrus fruits. There are a variety of alternative materials available, such as stainless steel, cast iron or ceramic, that can be used instead.
There are much better options for pans for cooking fish that add to your health and make them taste like they were made by a five star chef in a fine restaurant!
Let’s take a look at cast iron.
How can using a cast iron skillet benefit your health?
Cast iron skillets are a classic kitchen item, and for good reason. They’re practically indestructible and provide benefits for your health.
Cast iron skillets contain trace amounts of Iron, which is essential for human health. Studies have shown that those who consume enough Iron tend to have lower rates of heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes mellitus type 2, a chronic condition in which blood sugar levels stay high despite insulin treatment, asthma attacks and menstrual cramps. Cast iron pans provide trace amounts of iron which help prevent anemia and other blood problems as well.
Keeping in mind that we want to avoid Teflon pans and other non-stick coatings that produce toxins like PFOAs when heated, and aluminum pans, we ruled out all of those pans for cooking fish.
We stuck to the best stainless steel, ceramic and cast iron pans for cooking fish. We based these choices on the lack of toxic materials used in the manufacturing process, personal experience with all of the cookware types listed below, high ratings from others, and value:
1. HexClad 12 Inch Hybrid Stainless Steel Frying Pan
Good things to know about this fry pan:
- Unique hexagon design created through etching with a laser that results in both stainless steel and a non-stick surface. Use less oil while cooking.
- High quality materials, PFOA-free, oven safe up to 500 degrees
- Consistent, even heat
- Proper care and seasoning instructions
- Lifetime warranty
- No Teflon
- Stainless steel is a great pan for cooking fish because it doesn’t react negatively with acidic ingredients like lemon juice. Fish and lemon go together like two peas in a pod!
- Our family uses the whole set of these Hexclad pans. We use this 12” pan often for searing fish, and it provides an ideal result.
- Company headquarters in Los Angeles, CA
- Highly rated on Amazon
2.TUMIDY 8 Inch Frying Pan Nonstick Skillet with Ceramic Coating Oven Safe
Good things to know about this pan for cooking fish:
- 3-ply bonded construction of stainless steel encapsulating an aluminum core for even heat distribution and a ceramic non-stick surface for cooking on.
- Ceramic non-stick coating is long lasting, BPA and PFOA free
- Use safely up to 500 degrees use on stove top and in oven.
- Use some oil, and fish cooks perfectly, evenly and without sticking, so you can have a finished product that is all intact and visually appealing.
- Cooks fish faster and more evenly than a typical pan.
- Riveted stainless steel handle, designed to stay cool.
- Hanging hole for storage
- Dishwasher safe, but handwashing is recommended
- Highly rated on Amazon
3. Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron Rectangular Grill Pan
Good things to know about this pan for cooking fish:
- Made of pre-seasoned, healthy cast iron
- At the wellthieone.com, all of our favorite pans are cast iron!
- Roomy cooking surface that uses a single stovetop burner
- Cast iron provides superior heat retention and heat distribution to evenly cook delicate fish
- Creates grill lines on your fish, steaks, chicken which is so appealing
- Safe in the oven up to 500 degrees
- Chip resistant, long lasting
- Easy to clean. Let it cool, then wash with warm and soapy water.
- Note: cleaning this cast iron pan in the dishwasher will strip its seasoning, which is what cooks want in a good pan.
- A dishwasher will strip its seasoning, but do not despair! Simply season your pan again.
- Ideally, you do not want to use soap on your cast iron pans.
- If you need to scrub your cast iron pan after cooking fish or other foods, using coarse salt works well. Once rinsed, dry well. Putting your wet pan on a burner on the stove will ensure it dries well, because as we all know, water is an enemy of iron!
- Most great restaurants only use cast iron cookware. It creates a flavor and quality cooking essence like no other.
4. Outset 76376 Fish Cast Iron Grill and Serving Pan Black
Good things to know about this pan for cooking fish:
- Preseason for a natural nonstick surface, this pan gets better and more flavorful over time
- With proper care, this will last decades
- Use on cooktop, transfer to oven if desired
- Great for cooking fish, sauteing vegetables
- Handwash and dry immediately. You will want to go the extra step with this pan because it produces such a lovely and tasty meal that is unrivaled by other cooking materials. Cast iron pans and cookware are found in the best restaurants for good reason!
- A dishwasher will strip its seasoning, but do not despair! Simply season your pan again.
- Ideally, you do not want to use soap on your cast iron pans.
- If you need to scrub your cast iron pan after cooking fish or other foods, using coarse salt works well. Once rinsed, dry well. Putting your wet pan on a burner on the stove will ensure it dries well, because as we all know, water is an enemy of iron!
- Measurements- This decorative cooking and serving pan weighs 4.08 pounds
- Measures 18.9 x 7.28 x 0.98 inches
- Highly rated on Amazon
How to season a cast iron pan?
StatUpBox shows you how to professionally season your new cast iron pan in his 7 minute video. This method can also be used if you need to re-season a pan you already have to get it in tip top condition for cooking your fish and making it taste like you ordered it from a 5 star chef!
If you have an old cast iron pan that has some rust on it, you can scrub that off, reseason it and get it back to fully functioning in no time with this technique!
Concluding Thoughts
Our family eats a decent amount of fish. We cook heartier fish like salmon as well as more delicate fish like rockfish. We use all of these types of pan variations in our own kitchens. We also travel in our RV with a travel friendly ceramic set and 1 cast iron pan that we have used with open fires.
Cast iron pans offer a ton of value when it comes to cooking meat, especially fish, evenly and perfectly. We keep a set of the HexClad pans in our kitchen at home and have been using them for about 3 years with no complaints whatsoever!
We hope you use the best pans for cooking fish for your next meal from the sea!
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