Guys I seriously need help. I cook with a stainless steel pan,

>>8701285
you should put the oil in the cold pan, aso give your pan a good cleaning.
if your pan is not a nonstick, heat isnt really an issue, typically onions go in when the oil starts shimmering, you can test if its there by dropping a tiny piece in and see if sizlling.

>>8701285
wat the fuck are u cooking that you need to put the onions in first
dumbass

Shalom my friend!

>>8701298
Not only should you do this so the oil can get hot with the metal surface of the pan, with some pans it's totally necessary

>>8701285
You may be getting your oil too hot.
Are you aware of what "smoke point" is?
Heating your oil too much will give bad taste, bad smell and will be unhealthy, also oil could catch fire.

>>8701708
continued
also, if you don't clean the pan properly, old oil can build many weird polymers and this may be what burns/smells when you're heating the pan "with nothing in it"

>>8701285
"Hot wok, cold oil" - Frugal Gourmet Jeff Smith

Look OP, it is indeed correct that if you are pan frying (not deep frying) and using a small amount of oil you should heat the pan first, and then add your oil, but be ready to cook! If it's smoking literally like a flash point the millisecond you are adding it, then you heated the pan too long, and should shorten the time for the next endeavor or lower the heat a bit. This is just trial and error. But, when you fry at home and are a new cook? Have your shit ready until you are more practiced with timing. The "fix" for a pan that is too hot is to quickly remove from heat and add more cold oil to quickly change the temperature, add the meat right away to cool it, or cover the pan to prevent fire and smoke, wait for it to cool off, pour it out, wash it, and start over. Smoking oil is oil that is breaking down, and that makes some unhealthy fats that you shouldn't consume.

>>8701739
Additional thing I might do, which could help a young cook, is throw in a few drops of water in a pan I am heating, and when and if the water starts to roll around and then steam away, then I know I am at the point to add the oil. Water to steam and a good pan fry temp are right around the same point. I use this technique alot before starting some pancakes or griddling a sandwich on an unfamiliar stove, where I want a low enough even heat that isn't continuously like for a stir fry.

>>8701285
Too much heat. Reduce heat and cook slower. Try to have a little patience, my little millennial friend.

Use drops of water to test how hot your pan is, like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMik54q0r8I

When your pan is hot, add your oil, and start cooking. Remember that when you add anything to the pan, it will lower the temp of the pan, so you'll have to adjust your heat accordingly, if needed.

>>8701781
>um uhhhhh um uhhhh uhhhh ummm uhhh

>>8701771
>millennial
projecting

>>8701303
French onion soup, asshole

>>8702162
You don't need a red hot pan for that, dude.

Low and slow. Burn the onions and you'll impart the taste of burnt throughout the entire stock, ya dig?

>>8702185
They're probably burning because he has a flimsy stamped steel walmart pan that's red hot in some parts and refrigerator cold in other parts

Or is this one of those "decent cookware is a chinese hoax to destroy the US economy" threads?

>>8701285
good rule of thumb, never heat a pan without anything in it
you can save yourself a lot of hassle if you aren't familiar with your oils and their smoke points (and that can damage lower quality pans)

use grape seed oil or avocado oil if you want to cook really high temp
but honestly its rare that you need to get your pan that hot, try your recipes on med-high and cook a little longer
that can actually bring out/develop more flavor in the long run

obviously all cooking is subjective and all rules about cooking has exceptions, trial and error my friend, good luck