Skillet vs. Frying Pan

Main Difference

The main difference between Skillet and Frying Pan is that Skillet is deep with high sides, whereas Frying Pan is a shallow pan with low sides.

Difference Between Skillet and Frying Pan

Comparison Chart

Skillet vs. Frying Pan

After the discovery of fire, man has learned that food becomes best after cooking. The heat gave rise to different flavors of various ingredients and used to enhance the taste of food. It began several thousand years ago, as evidenced by cooking stoves and ovens found in Europe and the Middle East. There are different ways of cooking food, either directly putting it on heat or by using different types of utensils that depends upon the type of food cooking. Skillet and frying pan are also two of them that are most widely used today. They are similar and have many same functions, but there are also wide differences between them. Skillet is two inches deep like a saucepan with high sides; on the other hand, the frying pan is a shallow pan with low sides. Skillet is used for both deep fry and shallow fry food, on the flip side, the frying pan is only used for shallow frying. Skillet shows slow cooking due to its structure, on the flip side, frying pan shows fast cooking because of the reduced thickness and its design that is shallow and wide. This allows spreading the food evenly throughout the pan. Time taking cooking in skillet reduced the flavor of food. Conversely, fast cooking in the frying pan does not let the flavor escape and increases the taste of food. Cooking in skillet requires less attention to avoid from burning due to its slow speed, on the other side, fast cooking in a frying pan requires more attention to avoid from burning. Skillet has a lid on it; on the other hand, frying pan does not have a lid. Skillet is best for sautéing, grilling, stewing, and roasting, etc. whereas, frying pan is used for frying searing and browning food.

What is Skillet?

A skillet is a two inches deep pot with high sides and is used for cooking different types of food. It is made with a lid on it and is usually used for deep frying, but it is also used for shallow frying. This is a very important kitchen tool because it has many uses. Besides frying, it can also be used for sautéing and baking. Grilled meat, fricassee, and stews can also be cooked in a skillet. Skillets are made from various materials. The most popular are cast iron which is also a material used in the manufacture of most frying pans. Being made from cast iron, when the skillet is heated it is essentially non-stick and avoids the risk of contamination of food.

What is Frying Pan?

The frying pan is a flat frying pan that is used for frying, searing, and browning food. It has a low side, long handle, and is without a lid. Apart from cast iron, frying pans can also be made up of aluminum, stainless steel, copper, or a combination of these different materials. There are different types of pans such as non-stick pans which are very popular and very comfortable to use because food ingredients do not stick to the pan. The frying pan is not good for deglazing if the residue from browning will be used later. In using a frying pan for cooking, it is first coated with oil, which allows better contact between food and pan. This improves the taste and color of the food and reduces the amount of time needed to cook food.

Conclusion

Above discussion summarizes that the skillet is a pot that is deep with high sides and lid and is used for frying, sautéing, grilling, stewing, and roasting, etc. whereas, frying pan is a shallow pan without lid and is used for frying, searing, and browning food.