A tilt skillet is a versatile piece of commercial cooking equipment that allows club chefs to prepare a variety of foods in large batches.
Club chefs cooking for a crowd utilize a tilt skillet, also known as a braising pan or braising skillet, to prep large quantities of menu staples like soup or to cook for large catered events. Manufactured in sizes ranging from 10- to 40-gallons, the equipment comes as a kettle/skillet combination or just a skillet model.
The unit gets its name for the unique feature of a manual or power forward tilt action which allows the kitchen staff to transfer cooked foods to containers relatively quickly and safely without having to handle the hot food. And because the pan tilts forward, it’s easy to clean. Cooking oil and residual grease can be drained off and the skillet can be simply scrubbed and sprayed down once cool.
Powerful burners allow the unit to heat up quickly, thereby reducing overall cooking time.
And, unlike a flat top with only one flat cooking surface, the tilt skillet has cooking surfaces on the bottom and sidewalls so large quantities of ingredients can be added to the pan and they’ll cook from all sides.
Extremely versatile, the tilt skillet can be used for:
- Sautéing and Braising – Best known for its braising abilities, the tilt skillet can braise large quantities of meats.
- Frying – Fill with oil for frying chicken or for your Friday fish fry.
- Steaming – It’s easy to prepare large quantities of rice or healthful steamed vegetables.
- Simmering and Boiling – Perfect for large batch chili, soups and stew.
- Flat-top Grilling – Think large quantities of eggs, bacon, and potatoes for those busy Sunday brunches!
- Holding and Proofing – The braising pan can be used for holding due to its ability to retain heat.
Smaller club kitchens can utilize this versatile piece of equipment too as they are also manufactured as countertop models with smaller capacities.
