Why does nobody talk about preheating your pans for roasted vegetables?

I noticed a lot of home cooks just toss raw veggies into a cold pan and hope for the best. I started preheating my cast iron skillet in a 425 degree oven for 10 minutes before adding the oil and veggies, and the caramelization is so much better. Has anyone else switched to this method and seen a difference?

3 comments

3 Comments

kim.xena18d ago

Preheating the pan dry like that isn't the best idea for cast iron.

hollyg5918d ago

Oh man, I did the same thing once and it was a total disaster. I cranked the heat up to get a good sear on some steaks and the pan started smoking like crazy. Then I threw the steaks in and that smoke detector went off for like 20 minutes. I had to open all the windows in the middle of winter. Now I always do a slow warm up on medium low for at least 5 minutes before I even think about adding oil or food. Have you ever had the seasoning come off from doing it too hot too fast? I ruined a whole pan's seasoning that way once because I was in a hurry and didn't know any better.

rowanellis14d ago

I ruined a batch of roasted potatoes once because I forgot the pan was preheated and dumped the oil in too fast, which sent a hot splash straight onto my arm. @hollyg59 your seasoning worries are real, I've had that happen too after getting impatient and cranking it too high.