In the world of cookware, where precision can make all the difference in your culinary creations, the choice between two seemingly similar pieces – the skillet and the fry pan – can leave even the most seasoned home cooks unsure which is best for their needs.
After all, while these kitchen essentials share some common traits, they excel in their own distinct ways. From the shape of their sides to the materials used in their construction, each detail impacts the way they distribute and transfer heat, create textures, affect flavours, and ultimately determine how the recipe turns out.
Each piece of cookware comes with their own unique set of advantages and intended uses, ultimately complementing one another. From searing a steak to perfection to preparing delicious breakfast dishes, our skillets and fry pans have emerged as staples across households. Whether you start your Le Creuset collection with one or the other, it likely won't be long until you have both in your kitchen arsenal.
Iron Handle Skillet
The Iron Handle Skillet, deemed the ultimate kitchen workhorse, excels at a number of cooking techniques, opening up the culinary possibilities. But what exactly is this versatile piece of cookware, and how can it be used?
An iron handle skillet, often referred to as a cast iron skillet, is a versatile piece of cookware, ideal when searing, frying, and baking. What sets it apart from other cast iron skillets is its matte black interior enamel that develops a natural patina over time, creating an easy-release surface.
Our Iron Handle Skillet is built to last a lifetime, going from the stovetop and oven to the table with ease. Available in a range of bold colours and two different sizes, Le Creuset’s Iron Handle Skillet injects some much-needed personality into everyday meal preparation.
Beloved for its ability to strike the perfect balance between a crispy golden crust and a soft, fluffy interior, our Iron Handle Skillet has everything you need when tackling new baking techniques, notably for cornbread and cookie recipes. In many ways, no kitchen is complete without this skillet.
The Iron Handle Skillet epitomizes versatility in the kitchen, ensuring you can expand your repertoire of recipes and cooking techniques. This piece of cookware particularly excels at searing ingredients, offering superior heat retention and even heat distribution. In fact, its matte black interior enamel develops a natural patina over time simplifying searing on high heat, delivering a flavorful, caramelized crust.
The Skillet can also be used for stovetop frying given its excellent heat retention properties, exposing ingredients to a consistent heat source. Whether you are frying chicken, tempura, or falafels, this piece of cookware has you covered. Oven-safe up to 260ºC / 500ºF, our Iron Handle Skillet is an excellent option for roasting and baking, from cornbread to fruit cobblers.
Finally, this versatile skillet is equally suited when sautéing and stir-frying, making it a welcomed addition to any cookware collection. Beginner-friendly and built to last, our Iron Handle Skillet is a great way to familiarize yourself with recipes of all sizes.
Our Iron Handle Skillet has been carefully designed to offer home cooks and professional chefs alike complete control and flexibility in the kitchen. Crafted with enamelled cast iron, this piece of cookware is built to deliver restaurant-worthy results time and time again.
Featuring drip-free pour spouts on either side of the skillet, this staple piece of cookware embodies innovation, elegance, and versatility. Its black interior has also been specially formulated for higher temperatures, eliminating the need for seasoning. The end result is an improved patina with each use over time, delivering many of the same benefits of nonstick cookware.
Our Iron Handle Skillet also comes equipped with a convenient helper handle, ensuring you can easily transfer this piece of cookware from the stovetop to the table with ease. Best of all, this piece of cookware is compatible with all cooktops, including induction, blending seamlessly with your existing kitchen setup.
Fry Pan
While very similar to the Iron Handle Skillet, the fry pan excels at different cooking techniques and features a slightly different design. But what exactly is a frying pan and why do you need one?
A fry pan is a flat-bottomed piece of cookware with low, sloping sides and a long handle, and is typically available in a number of different materials, from toughened nonstick to stainless steel. Le Creuset currently offers a range of frying pans depending on your cooking preferences, with each coming with their own set of advantages.
Our Stainless Steel Fry Pan, for example, has the unique ability to withstand higher temperatures, providing superior heat retention without scorching. The Toughened Nonstick Pro Fry Pan, by contrast, is perfectly suited for tackling those more delicate recipes, providing an easy-release nonstick surface. We also offer a Toughened Nonstick Pro Deep Fry Pan as well as Toughened Nonstick Pro Stir Fry Pan, highlighting the various options at your disposal.
Each fry pan has been carefully designed with longevity and top-quality performance in mind, emerging as indispensable additions to any cookware collection, whether you are just getting started, or looking for that final piece.
The cooking techniques best suited for a fry pan depend on the material and design of the pan you choose. It is typically recommended to tailor your cookware collection based on what you intend on cooking the most, simplifying everyday meal preparation.
Perfect for shallow and deep frying, a Fry Pan allows you to achieve crispy, golden-brown results with foods like chicken, potatoes, or fish. Additionally, the broad cooking surface and sloping sides of a fry pan make it ideal for quickly cooking and stirring vegetables, meats, or seafood in a small amount of oil or butter.
More specifically, our Stainless Steel Fry Pan is best used when searing and pan-frying ingredients on high heat, making it particularly ideal for tackling meat dishes of all sizes. Our Toughened Nonstick Pro Fry Pan, on the other hand, is equally versatile, excelling at cooking delicate egg dishes, pan-frying, sautéing, and even baking.
A fry pan's design and construction ultimately determine its suitability for various cooking techniques, dictating which recipes you can easily tackle.
All of Le Creuset’s Fry Pans combine premium materials and expert craftsmanship and have been designed and produced to be kitchen staples for years to come. Key fry pan features include a flat and broad cooking surface, often made from materials such as stainless steel, aluminum, cast iron, or non-stick coatings, ensuring even heat distribution and easy food release.
Most fry pans also include ergonomic helper handles for a comfortable grip and are compatible with various cooktops, including induction. Depending on the design, fry pans can come equipped with taller sides, much like our Toughened Nonstick Pro Deep Fry Pan, providing extra depth and capacity guard against spills. When coupled together, these features ensure our frying pans offer exceptional heat control, durability, and versatility, making them the perfect choice for all your cooking needs.
Recipes
Here are fun easy-to-make recipes perfect for your skillet and fry pan. From the classic Margherita Pizza to our very own Blueberry Dutch Baby Pancakes, these dishes are a great addition to any dinner table.
Piri Piri Spatchcock Chicken
Our Iron Handle Skillet is tailor-made for this Piri Piri Spatchcock Chicken recipe, delivering a rich blend of Portuguese flavours in no time. This recipe comes together quickly, offering a hassle-free weeknight meal, ideal for last-minute family dinners.
Begin by marinating the spatchcock chicken with a fiery Piri Piri sauce and a mix of herbs and spices, before searing it in the Iron Handle Skillet. Once the surface of the chicken has been appropriately seared, transfer the skillet to the oven and roast it until it is golden brown, occasionally basting with the pan juices. Finish by cutting the chicken into pieces and serve with the shallots and pan sauce!
This recipe serves up to four people at a time, pairing exceptionally well with a side of Perfect Rice for a well-balanced meal for the whole family.
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Margherita Pizza
Our Margherita Pizza is yet another convenient and delicious recipe you can prepare in the Iron Handle Skillet, offering the perfect dish for intimate dinners or an upcoming date night. The key to this recipe, however, is to start by preheating your skillet before carefully laying the dough inside.
This step ensures that every part of the dough will be evenly exposed to the skillet’s heat, delivering a crisp crust. Next, spread the tomato mixture atop the dough along with mozzarella pieces and your preferred set of toppings before transferring the skillet to the oven. Bake the dough on the top rack until the pizza crust is golden brown around the edges and cheese is bubbling. And voilà – host your very own homemade pizza night with the Iron Handle Skillet!
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Blueberry Dutch Baby Pancakes
This Blueberry Dutch Baby Pancakes recipe comes together in four simple steps, offering a great dish to elevate your breakfast routine. The Iron Handle Skillet’s versatility is once again on display, going from stovetop to the oven with the minimum of fuss.
Begin by melting three tablespoons of butter in the skillet until it bubbles before introducing the batter. Next, transfer this versatile piece of cookware to the oven and bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes until puffed and golden. Finish by drizzling lemon juice over the top, adding blueberries and dust with icing sugar. This recipe goes from skillet to table in just under 30 minutes, serving between four and six portions at a time.
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Seared Tuna with Seaweed Salad and Crispy Pancetta
The Seared Tuna with Seaweed Salad and Crispy Pancetta recipe is a culinary delight that balances flavors and textures perfectly. The Iron Handle Skillet is the only piece of cookware you need for this recipe, delivering superior heat retention and superior heat retention. This ensures the tuna steaks are cooked to a beautiful, tender pink center.
Start by searing the tuna steaks to perfection in the Iron Handle Skillet, achieving a delicate crust while maintaining its succulent interior. The tuna is then served alongside a refreshing seaweed salad and crispy pancetta, serving up to two people at a time. Perfect for an intimate date night, where the flavours of the ocean meet the sizzle of the skillet.
View the recipeSkillet vs. Fry Pan
The choice between a Skillet and a Fry Pan often depends on your specific culinary needs. Whether you are after the robust sear of a skillet or the swift sauté of a fry pan, both have their rightful place in any kitchen, ensuring you are well-equipped for culinary adventures of all sizes.
Skillets are often made from cast iron, excel in retaining and evenly distributing heat, making them the go-to choice for searing meats and achieving that perfect caramelized crust. Fry pans, on the other hand, are available in various materials from stainless steel and toughened nonstick pro, and are all about versatility, excelling at cooking techniques such as sautéing, shallow frying, and creating delicate dishes like omelets.
From their key differences and intended uses to the different cooking techniques they can be used for, it is ultimately not a question of the skillet vs. fry pan, but rather, recognizing each of their strengths and making the most of them. For more inspiration, be sure to visit our blog, or our very own Cooking School, where we break down the most common cooking, baking, and knife techniques.
