Help Center: Vermicular Frying Pan
Product
Overview
What is the Vermicular Frying Pan?
The Vermicular Frying Pan is the world's lightest enameled cast iron pan with exceptional cooking performance, ease of use, and functional design.
We coated the cast iron pan in our proprietary, hydrophilic enamel coating, which helps maximize the contact area between water and the pan's surface. The enamel layer, combined with the high heat retention properties of cast iron, allows for the instant evaporation of excess moisture from ingredients—faster than any other pan on the market. Instant evaporation intensifies umami and adds exquisite texture as you cook. As a result, ingredients are browned and caramelized to perfection and flavor profiles are deepened.
Watch the Vermicular Frying Pan | Product Intro video to see it in action.
Wood handle design
The Vermicular Frying Pan was specifically developed for stovetop cooking. Since wood is a natural insulator, the pan's handle is resistant to heat while cooking. This is important when needing to shake the pan for stir-frying or sautéing.
Comfort was another key factor for an everyday tool like a frying pan. Considering how much of a sensory experience cooking can be, we designed a handle that comfortably fits in the palm of your hand, feels good to hold, and looks beautiful—you'll want to leave it out on display.
Visit the Vermicular Frying Pan Design page to learn more.
Choosing the right size
The Vermicular Frying Pan comes in six variations. Each pan is available with a choice of an oak or walnut handle.
SHALLOW:
20cm (7.9”)
Ideal for whipping up single servings, side dishes, or smaller portions of indulgent desserts, this pan is great for when you want to keep things light and simple.
26cm (10.2”)
Serve entrées sizzling hot from this mid-sized, versatile pan. Effortlessly sauté, stir-fry, and sear to achieve deep caramelization and deliciously crisp textures.
28cm (11”)
This family-sized pan is suitable for stir-frying large quantities of vegetables without overcrowding the pan or searing thick cuts of tender meats to golden perfection.
DEEP:
24cm Deep (9.4”)
With its deeper walls, this pan is excellent for braising succulent meats and seafood over low heat, stewing tomato sauces, and even maintaining the optimal oil temperature for deep-frying.
26cm Deep (10.2”)
The pan’s deeper walls make it a great choice for stir-frying generous portions, braising tender meats, and deep-frying to a crisp finish.
28cm Deep (11”)
With deeper walls and a spacious cooking surface, this family sized-pan is great for stir-frying generous portions without spills and is also ideal for braising and deep-frying.
Visit the Shop page to compare options.
Compatible heat sources
The pan can be used on all types of stovetops: gas, ceramic, induction, or electric. Do not use the Vermicular Frying Pan in the oven, as the wood handle will burn.
When using the Vermicular Frying Pan outdoors, do not place directly on charcoal to prevent any damage to the enamel coating.
Is the pan non-stick?
The Vermicular Frying Pan is enamel-coated, and when properly preheated, food should not stick. For preheating instructions, refer to page 15 of the enclosed recipe booklet or the Quick-Start Guide.
No seasoning required
The Vermicular Frying Pan is enamel-coated, making it rust-resistant and usable immediately, without the seasoning required of conventional cast iron skillets.
Made with safe, non-toxic materials
The Vermicular Frying Pan is free from potentially toxic materials like PFOA, PTFE, PFAS, and lead.
The safety of our customers and our craftspeople is of utmost importance to us. We never use toxic materials, like cadmium, to coat any of our products.
Read the Our Design Approach article to learn more.
Dedicated lid
With the Glass Lid, you can enjoy an even wider variety of cooking techniques, such as braising, stewing, and steaming.
Available recipes
A purchase of the Vermicular Frying Pan comes with a recipe booklet with four featured recipes to help get you started. Visit our Recipes page for more ideas.
The Vermicular Frying Pan vs. the Oven-Safe Skillet
The Vermicular Frying Pan and Oven-Safe Skillet are both enameled cast iron pans designed to instantly eliminate surface moisture from ingredients and deepen flavor profiles, retaining and enhancing maximum flavor and texture. They are made with the exact same lightweight, responsive cast iron body and coated in Vermicular's proprietary enamel finish. The key difference is in each pan's handle design, and therefore their compatibility with various heat sources. While they perform equally on stovetop, only the Oven-Safe Skillet be used in the oven.
Vermicular Frying Pan:
- Stovetop use only
- Wood handle (available in Oak or Walnut)
- Elegant, feel-good design best matched with the Glass Lid (sold separately)
- Handwashing only
Oven-Safe Skillet:
- Oven-safe (up to 570ºF)
- Aluminum handle with heat-shielding joint
- Sleek, monochromatic design best matched with the Stainless Steel Lid (sold separately)
- Dishwasher-safe
Features
Proprietary hydrophilic enamel finish
When using any pan to sear a thick-cut steak or stir-fry vegetables, its efficiency in removing excess moisture from the ingredients is what ultimately determines the taste and quality of the final dish.
In our pursuit of instant evaporation, we developed a hydrophilic enamel coating that maximizes the contact area between water and the pan's surface. Combined with the high heat retention properties of cast iron, excess moisture from ingredients evaporates in an instant. This instant evaporation helps intensify the inherent flavors and umami of ingredients, while creating golden-brown crusts and crisp textures and never resulting in sogginess. As a result, you'll achieve the crispiest skins on chicken and fish, sear beautifully golden steaks, and retain vibrancy and crunch in your vegetables.
Visit the Vermicular Frying Pan Technology page to learn more.
Lightweight, responsive cast iron
We've pushed the limits of cast iron to develop the lightest, thinnest pan of its kind. The Vermicular Frying Pan has an extremely high thermal efficiency due to its slim design, enabling rapid response to even the subtlest of heat changes. This drastically reduces heating or cooling time and allows you to have complete temperature control to suit your cooking style.
The pan is light enough to maneuver single-handedly, making it the perfect everyday kitchen companion for any chef.
Visit the Vermicular Frying Pan Design page to learn more.
Handcarved wood handle
As an essential kitchen tool, a frying pan ought to be a pleasure to wield on an everyday basis. We designed an elegant handle that fits comfortably in your hand and feels good to hold. Hand-carved from a single piece of oak or walnut, each handle is carefully assembled to achieve a seamless finish with the cast iron body.
Visit the Vermicular Frying Pan Design page to learn more.
Quick-Start Guide
Read the Vermicular Frying Pan | Quick-Start Guide for helpful tips before your first use.
Cooking
Preheating steps to prevent sticking
Adding ingredients to a cast iron pan that is not properly preheated is a major cause for food to stick. Always thoroughly preheat the pan over medium-high heat before adding ingredients, allowing smoke to rise from the entire surface of the pan. This will help prevent the ingredients from sticking.
Basic preheating steps:
- Preheat over medium-high heat for about 90 seconds.
- Add oil and swirl to coat evenly.
- Allow smoke to rise from the pan's entire surface. (Adequate preheating is achieved only after smoke has risen from the entire surface. It is important not to rush this step.)
- Adjust heat level and start cooking.
Some ingredients, like eggs or flour, tend to stick more than others. When cooking with these ingredients, an additional step to turn off the heat will further equalize heat across the pan's surface to minimize sticking.
Additional preheating steps:
- Follow steps 1–3 from above.
- Turn off the heat and let the smoke clear, about 10–15 seconds.
- Once the smoke clears, add ingredients while the heat is still off. Wait for 10–30 seconds.
- Turn the heat back on and cook over low or very low heat.
Read the Mastering Your Vermicular Pan: Part I (Cooking) article to learn more.
Lower heat yields better results
The Vermicular Frying Pan has a superior heat transfer capability compared to traditional cast iron pans. Combined with the heat retention properties of cast iron, the heat level can potentially be overpowering to delicate ingredients if you use high heat.
If you find that your ingredients are frequently burning or that food is sticking to the pan's surface, try lowering the heat. In fact, using low heat yields the best results even when stir-frying vegetables and/or searing proteins, because the Vermicular Frying Pan heats and distributes heat evenly and rapidly even at lower temperatures.
Watch the Vermicular Frying Pan | Cooking Guide video for helpful tips.
Designed for superior temperature control
The Vermicular Frying Pan's slim design completely redefines cast iron cooking. Because the pan is thin—less than half the thinness of traditional cast iron skillets—it has an exceptional thermal conductivity and preheats rapidly. While other cast iron pans may take 4–5 minutes to heat up to cooking temperature, the Vermicular Frying Pan only takes about 90 seconds to preheat.
To yield the best and most delicious results with your pan, we recommend following our preheating steps to achieve even heat distribution before you start cooking.
Watch the Vermicular Frying Pan | Cooking Guide video for helpful tips.
Cooking techniques
20cm | 26cm | 28cm
Aside from the difference in size of cooking surface and capacity, the 20cm, 26cm, and 28cm sizes all have the same shape and are each well suited for the cooking techniques listed below.
- Stir-fry:
The Vermicular Frying Pan sets a new standard for flavor and texture when it comes to stir-frying at home. The pan efficiently transfers heat to the ingredients, instantly removing excess moisture and intensifying flavors and umami. Try following our recipes to get a sense of the appropriate quantity of ingredients to add in order to avoid crowding the pan.
- Sear & sauté:
Due to the frying pan’s high heat capacity, excess moisture from ingredients can be removed in an instant, even on low heat. This makes it ideal for pan-searing and sautéing, achieving beautiful caramelization. When cooking dishes that burn easily, remove excess moisture by cooking slowly over low or very low heat to achieve a crispy texture.
24cm Deep
In addition to each cooking technique listed above, the deeper walls of this size are perfectly suited for braising, stewing, or even quick deep-frying.
- Braise & stew:
Use the lid to cover and simmer over low heat to transform meat and fish into succulent and tender dishes. The 24cm Deep pan is also recommended for making pasta sauce, as it enhances the full flavor of the ingredients.
- Deep-fry:
This size has high heat capacity and can maintain the high temperature of frying oil, achieving a crispy texture with amazing flavor. Use a cooking thermometer to accurately measure the oil temperature and always stir before measuring, so the oil temperature is consistent throughout the pan.
Visit our Recipes page for more ideas.
Compatible cooking utensils
Enamel is made of a glass compound and can be scratched or damaged with metal utensils. Be sure to always use silicone or wooden cooking utensils to extend the life of your pan.
Cleaning & Care
Washing the pan
To protect the enamel coating from damage, never use abrasive cleaning agents and scrubbing pads (metal brushes, scouring pads, etc.) when cleaning the pan. Always clean with mild dish soap and a soft sponge.
The wood handle may warp if soaked in water for a long period of time. Wipe wet spots with a dry cloth immediately after washing.
Dishwasher use
Washing the pan in the dishwasher may damage the wood handle. We recommend handwashing only.
Cleaning tips
- Removing stuck-on food
If excessively high temperatures are used to cook, or there is not enough moisture in the pan, food may burn and leave a residue. To remove stuck-on food, we recommend using baking soda to clean.
See here for step-by-step instructions.
- Removing stubborn burnt food
Cooking without having cleaned previous food residue or using excessively high temperatures can cause food to burn and stick.
To clean the pan of burnt food, see here for step-by-step instructions.
- Removing oil stains
Although oil stains do not impair performance in any way, they may build up over time.
To remove them, see here for step-by-step instructions.
- Removing white spots
The Vermicular Frying Pan can sometimes develop white spots, which are stains caused by cooking with starchy ingredients, like beans, or mineral deposits from water.
To clean your pan of any white spots, see here for step-by-step instructions.
Preventing the handle from loosening on the Glass Lid and the Stainless Steel Lid
When drying the lid after washing, do not wipe the lid while holding the cast iron handle, as this may cause it to loosen and spin. Instead, gently dry the lid while holding the glass with a firm grip.
If your handle does loosen on its own over time, please note that this is considered normal wear and tear, and will not affect the lid’s performance. Do not tighten the handle, as this will only cause it to scrape the glass or steel, resulting in further loosening.
Proper storage
Make sure to store the pan in a well-ventilated area. If stacking multiple sizes, we recommend placing paper towels or felt plate dividers between the pans to minimize friction.
There may be instances where the wooden handle fades, warps, or develops a gap between the hook due to sun exposure, heat, and/or humidity. We recommend storing the pan in a dark, cool, and dry area.
Using a chipped pan
If your pan chips, please refrain from further use and reach out to support@vermicular.us to determine whether it is safe to continue cooking with it.
Repair service
We currently only offer a product repair/recoating service in Japan; it is not available for the US market.
Warranty
We hold all of our cookware to the highest standards for safety and quality, and stand behind our promise to excellence in craftsmanship. Therefore, we do not set a warranty period for any of our enameled cast iron cookware. We will replace any item found to be defective in material or workmanship when put to normal household use and cared for according to the instructions provided.
Vermicular cookware is warranted to you by Vermicular USA to be free from defects in material and workmanship at the time of its purchase.
- You must follow the use and care instructions provided with the cookware. Damage from any use not in accordance with the provided instructions is not covered.
- This warranty covers normal household use only. Damage from commercial use or other non-consumer use is not covered.
- This warranty does not cover any damage due to normal wear and tear, damage due to misuse or abuse, improper cleaning or negligence, or any damage resulting from use other than the intended purpose of the item.
- Over time, oil stains may appear. This is considered normal wear and tear and will not affect the performance of the cookware.
To make a warranty claim, please contact VERMICULAR USA at support@vermicular.us.
