Pan frying

Pan frying cooks food in a shallow layer of hot fat in a pan, usually turning it during cooking. It browns the food’s exposed surfaces through direct contact with the hot pan and fat.

Maillard reaction: A set of reactions between amino compounds and reducing sugars that produces browning and complex flavors during heating. It creates much of the brown crust and savory flavor on pan-fried foods.
Frying: A cooking method that uses hot fat or oil to transfer heat to food. Pan frying is one form of frying, distinguished by its shallow fat layer.
Deep frying: A cooking method in which food is submerged in hot fat or oil. Unlike pan frying, it surrounds food with a deep bath of hot fat.
Breaded cutlet: A thin piece of meat or another ingredient coated in breadcrumbs and cooked until crisp. Its thin shape and coating suit quick pan frying and develop a crisp exterior.
Heat transfer: The movement of thermal energy between or within materials by conduction, convection, or radiation. The pan and hot fat conduct heat into food, shaping its cooking rate.
Cooking oil: A liquid fat used to prepare food, transfer heat, or add flavor. It fills gaps between the pan and food and helps conduct heat.
Sautéing: A quick stovetop method that cooks small or thin pieces in a little hot fat while moving them frequently. Sautéing typically uses smaller pieces and more frequent movement than pan frying.
Fried egg: An egg cooked in a pan with its yolk and white largely intact. A shallow film of hot fat cooks the white while allowing the yolk to remain soft.
Smoke point: The temperature at which a cooking fat begins producing a continuous visible stream of smoke. Exceeding a fat’s smoke point can cause unpleasant flavors and excess smoke.
Cast-iron cookware: Cookware made from cast iron, valued for heat retention and durability. Its heat retention can support steady browning during pan frying.

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