How To Choose Cookware That Works For Your Kitchen

By Jack Labens

If you have done much shopping for new cookware then you know about all of the choices that are out there. How to decide? We help to break down the different choices in the article below.

The most important consideration in the cookware you buy is not how it looks, what color it is or if it has glass lids. The key consideration is the material of which the products are made. You want to buy the best conductor of heat that you can afford. Copper is the best choice, but most people do not buy it because it is too expensive. You also will find products that have several materials in one pot. For example, you will see pans that are mostly made from stainless steel, which is a good conductor of heat but non-reactive (which means it will not react chemically to food). And on the bottom of that pot, there may be aluminum, which is reactive (can combine chemically with food) but conducts heat better.

One of the big problems with many pots and pans is that the conduction of heat is not even all through the pan. This means that you will have different parts of your food cooking at different temperatures. This will make certain types of cooking more difficult. For example, you will have trouble braising food properly in a pan that does not conduct heat evenly. If you have a pan that will conduct heat evenly, it will get rid of hot spots and your food will cook better. Many cheaper pans will have a dead center in the middle of the pan so that it can make it hard to brown your food evenly.

A pan with good heat conduction properties will respond fast to an increase/decrease in temperature. This will give you more control over your temperatures. You need this so that you can saut.

Below are the most common cookware choices and their advantages and disadvantages:

Copper: Great heat conductivity but it will react somewhat to the food you are cooking in it. This can result in the food having a metallic taste. Also, copper can scratch and discolor. You probably will want to have one good bowl made of copper for some tasks. For instance, for some reason, copper is very good for beating egg whites and getting max volume.

Aluminum: Also good for heat conductivity but also reactive. Also, aluminum is a soft metal, and will wear down. Still, aluminum is popular because it is cheap. You can buy an anodized pan, which will not react with food.

Cast iron: Doesnt conduct heat well but after it gets hot, it stays hot. Cast iron is very heavy and cheap. However, it can rust, pit and food sticks to it. This is why you need to season this type of cookware. This means you need to coat the pan with shortening or oil and bake it to really seal the fat into your pan. This will polymerize the metal and keep it longer and in better condition.

As you can see by now, there is no perfect cookware for every occasion. Every option has its good and bad aspects. If you have to choose one type of cookware, probably the best is stainless steel. It is midrange in price, and conducts heat fairly well. It also is durable, cleans easily and is not reactive. One way to improve on stainless steel is to get a pan that has aluminum built in between two layers of the steel. This will improve the heat conduction of your cookware.

About the Author: Lawrence Reaves is a freelance writer who provides information on various topics including

blenders

, slow cookers, and other kitchen appliances that can be found

here

.

Source:

isnare.com

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