Skillet
/ˈskɪlɪt/
nounA2
Definition
A skillet is a type of frying pan. It is usually made of metal and has a handle for holding. People use it to cook food like eggs, meat, or vegetables by frying or sautéing on a heat source.
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See It in Action
Cooking pan used for frying or sautéing
- •She heated the skillet before adding the vegetables.
- •The steak cooked quickly in the hot skillet.
- •I like to use a cast iron skillet for making cornbread.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "skillet" like "pan" (A1 word), but usually heavier and stronger, often made of cast iron
- ✓Picture a flat, round pan with a long handle sitting on a stove, sizzling food inside
- ✓It's the feeling of cooking breakfast with warm smells of frying eggs and bacon
- ✓Sounds like "skill-it" → imagine you need some cooking skill to use it well and make tasty food
- ✓Think of a kitchen scene where someone flips pancakes in a big skillet
- ✓NOT like "pot" (which is deeper and used for boiling), a skillet is shallow and used for frying
- ✓NOT like "oven" (a place to cook), a skillet is the tool you put food in to cook on the stove
- ✓NOT like "microwave" (quick cooking with waves), a skillet cooks food with direct heat from fire or electric
Try Other Words
- •Frying pan: a flat pan for frying food (Use when you want a clear, simple description)
- •Griddle: a flat cooking surface without sides (Use when cooking flat foods like pancakes on a large flat surface)
- •Sauté pan: a pan with higher sides used for sautéing (Use when cooking with more liquid or tossing food)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "skillet" is a whole word, no clear prefix or suffix
- •Etymology: From Middle English "skillet," from Old French "escuelette," a small shield or pan
- •Historical development: Originally meant a small shield, later used for a small pan for cooking
- •Modern usage: Commonly means a frying pan, especially one made of cast iron or heavy metal, used in many kitchens
Reflect & Connect
•How does using a skillet change the way food tastes compared to other cooking tools?
•Can you think of special dishes that are best cooked in a skillet? Why?
Fill in the blanks
1.Before cooking the eggs, you should heat the skillet until it is ___ hot.
2.A skillet is different from a pot because it is ___ and has low sides.
3.When you want to fry food with little oil, a ___ is a good choice.
4.The heavy material of a skillet helps food cook ___ and evenly.
5.You might use a skillet to ___ pancakes or sauté vegetables.
6.Unlike a griddle, a skillet has ___ sides to keep food from sliding off.
7.If a recipe says to use a skillet, it usually means cooking on a ___ or stove top.