Stock pots, soup pots, Dutch ovens, saucepans, and skillets: If you have these in your kitchen, you also have their corresponding lids. And sometimes, it seems like that stack of lids is doing nothing more than taking up room in your cabinets.
So, how often should you really be using them? Some recipes tell you when to put a lid on a pan, but others are silent on the matter. By following a few simple guidelines, you can hone your cook's instincts and stop wondering whether you should simmer with the lid on or off—and learn which route to take when sautéing, boiling, and more.
Surprising Ways to Use Everyday Kitchen Items, From a Cast Iron Skillet to a Teaspoon
Always cover your pot if you're trying to keep heat in.
Simmering and Boiling
Keep the lid on if you want to bring something to a simmer or a boil for two reasons. "One, heat escapes through an open lid, so it would take longer for water to come to a boil," says Ronna Welsh ofPurple Kale Kitchenworks. "And two, water escapes in the form of steam, reducing the amount that was originally in the pot."
In the event that your goal is to keep moisture in—like when your pot of soup, stew, or sauce is already at the right consistency, but you want to keep cooking the vegetables and melding the flavors—leave the lid on to keep any more liquid from evaporating.
Braising
Braising is the go-to cooking method for tougher cuts of meat, like brisket, chuck, pork shoulder, and short ribs. Keep the lid on when braising meat, as it needs moist heat over a long period of time to break down the collagen and connective tissues for fork-tender results. "Pot covered, the ingredient you are braising gets continuously bathed in these steaming and simmering liquids, which the item flavors in turn," says Welsh.
Steaming
Like braising, steaming is only effective when both heat and moisture are trapped in the pot. Steaming foods like vegetables, tamales, seafood, and grains with the lid on supplies gentle, moist heat that will cook these foods to perfect tenderness without drying them out. "When you steam vegetables, you want the lid to trap the evaporating liquid in the pot, sealing the steam inside," says Welsh.
When to Keep the Lid Off
Leave the lid off of your pot any time you want to keep moisture out of your pot or pan.
Thickening Ingredients
To thicken a soup, stew, or sauce, leaving the lid uncovered is ideal. "It must be off, or semi-covered, if you are slowing down the reduction process," says Stephen Chavez, chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education. "You are trying to evaporate some of the excess liquid when you are reducing or thickening liquids. If the lid stays on, the liquid water turns to steam, condenses back to liquid on the lid, and drops back into the sauce."
The longer you cook your dish, the more water that will evaporate and the thicker the liquid becomes—that means the flavors become more concentrated, too.
Searing
You should also leave the lid off whenever you're trying to achieve a beautiful sear. Searing takes place in a very hot pan and serves to create a flavorful, caramelized crust on the exterior of steaks, duck breasts, lamb chops, tuna, and more. Moisture is the arch nemesis of pan searing, as it creates steam and prevents a crisp coating from forming. "If the steam released when searing food gets trapped by a closed lid, that steam will fall back into the pan as liquid and dilute any browning achieved," says Welsh.
Frying
Moisture also interferes with creating a caramelized, crispy surface on stir-fried and deep-fried foods. All foods give off some steam when cooking, so it's important to leave the lid off the pan during frying so the steam evaporates rather than collecting on the lid and dripping back into the hot oil. "If you cover a pot of hot oil and add food to cook, the food still gives off steam (that’s all the bubbling and popping when you add the food)," says Chavez. "The steam will condense and will drip back into the hot oil which will cause popping and splashing and will become more dangerous than if left uncovered."
In the event that your goal is to keep moisture in—like when your pot of soup, stew, or sauce is already at the right consistency, but you want to keep cooking the vegetables and melding the flavors—leave the lid on to keep any more liquid from evaporating.
Then, as the heat from the pot cooks the food, the heat passes into the air, creating steam. That steam is hot, and that heat goes out of your kitchen exhaust as waste. But when you put a lid on, the heat stays in the pot.It helps cook your food faster.
You can simmer with the cookware lid on or off, simply follow your recipe instructions. Keep in mind that when using a cover, you'll want to set your stovetop to a low setting as it can reach a simmer faster than without a cap. When you're not using a lid, adjust your stovetop setting to medium.
If you prefer a tender and moist result, covered baking will be the better option. If you're desiring a crispy exterior and bolder flavors, uncovered baking is best.
Cooking a soup, stew, or sauce uncovered allows water to evaporate, so if your goal is to reduce a sauce or thicken a soup, skip the lid. The longer you cook your dish, the more water that will evaporate and the thicker the liquid becomes—that means the flavors become more concentrated, too.
Moisture also interferes with creating a caramelized, crispy surface on stir-fried and deep-fried foods. All foods give off some steam when cooking, so it's important to leave the lid off the pan during frying so the steam evaporates rather than collecting on the lid and dripping back into the hot oil.
Covering a skillet, saucepan, or pot while cooking helps maintain temperature control, which is important for even cooking. It helps bring liquid to a boil faster, too (which uses less energy, aka, it's more cost efficient, too). Covering the pot keeps steam from escaping, too.
Reduction is performed by simmering or boiling a liquid, such as a stock, fruit or vegetable juice, wine, vinegar or sauce, until the desired concentration is reached by evaporation. This is done without a lid, enabling the vapor to escape from the mixture.
Cook the beans uncovered until they're tender. Some foam might gather on top of the pot; skim it off with a spoon as necessary. If the water level drops below the beans, add more water so the beans are covered at all times.
Once the sauce has reached a simmer, turn the heat down to low and continue cooking slowly. This allows the flavours to blend together and the sauce to become thicker and tastier. A really simple - but effective - trick is to always keep the lid on, so as to preserve the aroma.
Stopping evaporation – got a saucy dish that's the perfect consistency but the veggies aren't cooked through (think stews, casseroles, or soups)? Cover with a lid and it will stop the liquid from evaporating allowing you to retain the consistency while still cooking the vegetables.
A basic saying to guide your use of papers in the kitchen: "Sweet treats need parchment sheets; grill or broil, go with foil," says Weaver. Foil conducts and distributes heat, making it able to withstand high temperatures from baking, broiling, roasting, or grilling. For anything above 400 degrees, use foil.
It's okay to put a lid on the pot while you are waiting for the water to boil. However, after it starts to boil and you add the pasta to the water, you should remove the lid to prevent the water from bubbling over.
Cooking with the lid off allows the steam (aka liquid) to evaporate out of the pot, thus reducing the amount of liquid in the pot. We cook with the lid off when we want something to thicken (for example: no-stir risotto after it comes out of the oven if it's still liquid-y).
Stirring with a wooden or stainless steel spoon can bring down the temperature of your dish and help prevent simmering from progressing to a boil. You can avoid overheating your dish by periodically removing the pot from the stovetop, then slightly lowering the heat before returning it to the stovetop to simmer.
Reducing – if you're trying to thicken a sauce or soup, keep the lid in the cupboard. Evaporation is key in the reduction technique, so you want to allow that moisture to escape.
Cooking in a pan with the lid on traps the heat, which means food cooks more quickly, or without having the hob turned up so high. This uses 30% less energy than cooking in an uncovered pan, according to Dr Reynolds.
If you're thinking of leaving your food uncovered in the microwave to speed up the cooking process, that's a no-no. The dish should be covered, as the steam formed under the cover will help kill bacteria and ensure even cooking.
The heat doesn't build up and intensify the way it would if the lid was down. Thin pork chops, shrimp, and burgers tend to cook quickly. Leaving the grill lid up will slow the cooking process by reducing the temperature around the meat. For thicker cuts, you want to close the lid to keep the temperature high and even.
Introduction: My name is Arline Emard IV, I am a cheerful, gorgeous, colorful, joyous, excited, super, inquisitive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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