Hot pan, cold oil is promoted to keep food from sticking to the pan when sauteing or stir frying. But it is not the only way or necessarily the best way.
What is Hot Pan Cold Oil?
This mantra is repeated by many people as the best way to prevent food from sticking to the pan when sautéing or stir frying. The idea is that you heat up the pan first then add the cold oil and almost immediately add the food. This works of course, so it is not a myth in that it is untrue. It is, however, false to think that this is the only or the best way to prevent sticking. What you really want is "hot pan, hot oil" and that's what you are actually getting because the cold oil heats up instantly when added to the hot pan.
Is Cold Pan Cold Oil Better?
You'll get the same results if you heat the oil along with the pan rather than adding the oil at the last minute. In fact some cooks prefer this technique because the appearance of the oil in the pan can give you some indication of when the pan has reached the proper temperature. You may have seen recipes that tell you to put oil in the cold pan and heat it until the oil is just shimmering or just starting to smoke. These are good indicators that the oil has reached the proper temperature. This technique also avoids the danger of heating the empty pan too much before adding the oil, which will then burn.
