Pots, Pans & Preparation
Having the right tools, from knives to pots and pans, from cutting boards to mixing bowls, and everything in between, is also important. You don’t need to spend a fortune, but carefully selecting the right tools for the job will go a long way to making your cooking experience better and more enjoyable and give you the great results you are hopping for.
When it comes to selecting your cooking tools there are some things that are just good and there are some things that are good because they work for you. Having the right tool for the job is important but being comfortable with your tools is an equal part of the process. As long as it does the job that old favorite knife you like to use is okay. But if it no longer works for you, don’t be afraid to replace it.
Cookware Materials
Metal Cookware
Pots and pans need to conduct heat well, but they need a metal that will not react chemically with the food it cooks, altering its flavor.
Aluminum is a lightweight metal that has good heat conductivity. It doesn’t rust and is resistant to many forms of corrosion, but it can react chemically, altering the flavor of some foods. Some people believe that there is a connection between aluminum and Alzheimer’s Disease, but there has been no real proof of this.
Sheet Aluminum
Sheet aluminum is spun or stamped into form. Sometimes aluminum needs to be alloyed with magnesium, copper or bronze to increase its strength. Sheet aluminum is usually used for baking sheets, cookie sheets, pie plates, cake and muffin pans, stockpots, steamers, pasta pots and some skillets.
Cast Aluminum
Cast aluminum produces a thicker product than sheet aluminum and is used for sauce pans, dutch ovens and heavy baking pans such as bundt pans. Cast aluminum has lower heat conductivity than sheet aluminum.
Anodized Aluminum
Anodized aluminum has had the naturally occurring layer of aluminum oxide thickened by an electrolytic process to create a surface that is hard and non-reactive. It is used for saute pans, stockpots, roasting pans and Dutch ovens.
Copper
Copper pots are very good heat conductors. Some of the best pots are made of a thick layer of copper with a thin layer of stainless steel to prevent the copper from reacting with the food. Copper pans are best for high heat cooking, such as sauteeing.
Cast Iron
Cast iron cookware is best for slow and even heating, great for long cooking foods, like soups. They can also withstand very high heats, allowing use for searing. Some foods will turn black when cooked in cast iron pans. Since cast iron is a porous material, it can rust easily, therefore it needs to be seasoned before using it. Click here to learn how to properly care for cast iron cookware.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is commonly found in most kitchens. It is resistant to corrosion and does not react chemically to foods. It also is not easily scratched or dented. Unfortunately, stainless steel is not very heat conductive. Because of this, it is generally made with a layer of copper or aluminum at the base.
Carbon Steel
Carbon steel maintains its strength while being rolled and hammered into very thin sheets. It is not good at conducting heat, but can withstand very high temperatures. This type of pan works great for woks, as you can keep food at the bottom where the heat is, and also keep food at a lower temperature around the sides of the wok. Carbon steel needs to be seasoned, just like the cast iron. Click here to learn how to properly season and care for carbon steel pots.
Coated and Composite Cookware
Enameled cast iron cooking vessels are made of cast iron covered with a porcelain surface. This creates a piece that has the heat distribution and retention properties of cast iron combined with a non-reactive, low-stick surface.
Enamel Over Steel
The enamel over steel technique creates a piece that has the heat distribution of carbon steel and a non-reactive, low-stick surface. These pots are much lighter than most other pots of similar size, are cheaper to make than stainless steel pots, and do not have the rust and reactivity issues of cast iron or carbon steel. Enamel over steel is ideal for large stockpots, and for other large pans that will be used mostly for water-based cooking. Because of its light weight and easy cleanup, enamel over steel is also popular for cookware used while camping.
Clad Aluminum Or Copper
Cladding, sometimes referred to as “all-clad”, is a technique for fabricating pans with a layer of heat conducting material, such as copper or aluminum, covered by a non-reactive material, such as stainless steel. Rather than just a heat-distributing disk on the base, the copper or aluminum extends over the entire pan.
Aluminum is typically clad on both the inside and the outside of the pot, providing both a stainless cooking surface and a stainless surface to contact the cooktop. Copper is typically clad on its exterior surface only, leaving the more attractive copper exposed to view.
Some high-end cookware uses a dual-clad process, with a thin stainless layer on the cooking surface, a thick core of aluminum to provide structure and heat diffusion, and a thin layer of copper on the outside of the pot that provides additional diffusion and the “look” of a copper pot. This provides much of the functionality of tinned-copper pots for a fraction of the price.
Non-Stick
Most common cooking pans are coated with Teflon to minimize the amount of food that sticks to the pan. This can help or hurt the food, as the food cant brown as well as without the Teflon. These pans are usually easier to wash though. The Teflon degrades over time, and will scratch easily if a metal utensil or scrubber is used on it.
Non-metallic cookware
Non-metallic cookware can be used in both conventional and microwave ovens. Non-metallic cookware typically can’t be used on the stovetop, but some kinds of ceramic cookware, for example Corningware, are an exception.
Ceramics
Glazed ceramics, such as porcelain, provide a nonstick cooking surface. Some unglazed ceramics, such as terra cotta, have a porous surface that can hold water or other liquids during the cooking process, adding moisture in the form of steam to the food.
Glass
Borosilicate glass, such as Pyrex, is safe at oven temperatures. The clear glass also allows for the food to be seen during the cooking process. Not all glass is safe in the oven, so be sure to only use glass that was made to withstand these high temperatures.
Glass-ceramic
Glass ceramic is used to make products such as Corningware, which have many of the best properties of both glass and ceramic cookware. While Pyrex can shatter if taken between extremes of temperature too rapidly, glass-ceramics can be taken directly from deep freeze to the stovetop. Their near-zero coefficient of thermal expansion makes them almost entirely immune to thermal shock.
Silicone
Silicone bakeware is light, flexible, and able to withstand sustained temperatures of 675F. It melts around 9300F, depending upon the fillers used. Its flexibility is advantageous in removing baked goods from the pan. Childrens dishware is often times made of silicone resin, and this type of silicone is NOT oven safe, and should never be used in the oven.
Types of cookware
Braising pans and roasting pans are large, wide and shallow to provide space to cook a roast. They typically have two loop or tab handles, and may have a lid. Braisers and roasters are usually made of heavy gauge metal and can be used safely on a stovetop after roasting in the oven. This is great for making gravy in, using the drippings from the roast. Braising pans and roasting pans are basically the same same and both can be used for either function.
Butter warmers are perfect for melting butter, making gravy, or heating up any liquid. The pour spout on the side makes it easy to transfer to dish or mug without making a mess.
Chicken fryers are deeper than the typical frying pan or skillet. A cast iron chicken fryer will help make excellent fried chicken.
Chicken roasters have a shallow pan with a center piece to hold a chicken or small turkey in place. The shallow pan collects the juice, and the center piece allows heat to circulate around the bird, making the cooking more even, juicy inside and crispy outside.
Convection cookers allow for even cooking all over, as the heat can be distributed all around the food.
Double boiler pans are for heating or melting delicate foods, like chocolate. Water boils in the bottom pot creating steam that heats the top pot where the food is being very gently cooked or melted.
Dutch ovens are heavy and deep pots with a heavy lid. They are designed to re-create oven conditions on the stovetop and are great for stews, braised meats, soups, beans, and a large variety of other dishes that benefit from low heat, slow cooking. Dutch ovens are typically made from cast iron. Many people use them on the campfire while camping as well.
Egg poachers make egg poaching easy. Many can also make omlets.
Fajita griddles makes it easy to make your own tortillas at home. Tortillas are much simpler to make than most would think, and they taste so much better than store bought! You wont regret making the decision to make your own from scratch!
Fondue sets are fun, and are back in style. They are used for melting cheeses or chocolates, and have small forks for dipping.
Frying pans, frypans, or skillets provide a large flat heating surface. Frying pans with a sloped side are sometimes called omelette pans. Grill pans are frying pans that are ribbed, to let fat drain away from the food being cooked.
Griddles are flat plates of metal used for frying, grilling, and making pan breads (such as pancakes, tortillas, flat breads and crepes). Some griddles are electric, some fit one burner on the stovetop, and some fit over two burners on the stovetop. Many have a flat side and a grill side.
Grill pans have a raised grill pattern that lifts food away from grease and fat. They are for using on the stovetop and have a handle.
Omlet pans are skillets with lower sides, making it perfect for flipping over those omlets.
Paella pans are made to change temperature quickly and to cook rice evenly.
Panini pans can help you make the best panini (grilled and pressed sandwiches) in town!
Pasta pots are a cooks dream come true! Big enough to cook the pasta, easy to handle, and pours the water out without having to even remove the lid. No mess, no fuss!
Roaster pans sometimes come with racks in them for circulation of heat while cooking. The come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Sauce pans, or sauce pots, are used for simmering or boiling. Smaller sauce pans have a long handle, while larger ones typically have a handle on each side.
Saute pans have a large surface area, like a frying pan, with vertical sides to prevent food from escaping during cooking.
Soup pots are perfect for making soup. You don’t need to worry about food burning on the bottom as you do with a regular stock pot. Stock pots are better for just liquids, but soup pots are best for chunky soups. Great for an all-day low simmer.
Stew pots can be used to slow cook your favorite stew or soup. With these cute small pots, you can make every member of your family happy! Someone doesn’t like mushrooms in their soup? Make one with, and one without at the same time!
Stockpots are large pots with sides at least as tall as their diameter. This allows stock to simmer for extended periods of time without reducing too much. Stockpots are typically measured in volume and come in a large variety of sizes.
Toss and turn pans are for those that like to toss their food. Good for pasta, omelettes, stir-fry and more.
Veggie pots with a basket make cooking vegetables a snap. Also good for making your own stock without having to deal with the icky stuff.
Woks are wide, roughly bowl-shaped vessels with one or two handles at or near the rim. This shape allows a small amount of cooking oil in the center of the wok to be heated to a high heat using relatively little fuel, while the outer areas of the wok are used to keep food warm after it has been fried in the oil.
Types of bakeware
Angel food cake pans are round and have a base with a “tube” piece that is removeable to help with getting the cake out. They have small tabs on the top that the pan can sit on, upside down, once the cake is finished baking. Cooling while upside down helps the cake fall from the pan, as angel food cakes are made with no oil or any kind, including not greasing the pan.
Bundt cake pans have curved edges and are round, with a design. They have a “tube” piece in the center like the angel food cake pan, but the bundt pan tube is not removeable.
Cake pans can be any shape, but are typically round, rectangle or square. There are a variety of shapes available for making cakes of many shapes.
Casserole dishes are for baking one-dish meals in the oven. Some can be used on the stovetop as well. Be sure to check with the manufacturer of your casserole dish to be sure which type you have.
Creme brulee ramikens are small dishes with a low side on them, used for making creme brulee. The kitchen torch that is used with these are for burning sugar on the top.
Crisper pans make leftovers crisp instead of soggy. Great for reheating pizza, or for baking commercial made snack foods.
Flan pans are used for baking flan.
Jellyroll pans are used for making rolled cakes.
Loaf pans are used for baking bread or meatloaf.
Muffin pans make several small cakes.
Pie pans are flat on the bottom and have flared sides. Some have handles and some do not.
Quiche pans are for baking quiche.
Springform cake pans, sometimes called cheesecake pans, are used for cheesecakes. There are two pieces to this type of cake pan, the base and the ring for the sides. There is a hinge in the ring, allowing the side to pull away from the cake to be removed.
Sheet pans, cookie sheets and jelly roll pans are rectangle in shape, with large flat bottoms. Some cookie sheets only have an edge at one side, for ease in removing it from the oven. These pans come in a variety of sizes.
Wedge pans are used for making one serving size wedges. Good for corn bread, etc.