COOKING EQUIPMENT MATERIAL CHOICES
From: The Essential Kitchen by Christine Mcfadden
This list explains briefly the pros and cons of the principal materials from which cooking equipment is made, and provides guidance on care and cleaning.
ALUMINUM
Uses:
Pots, pans, bakeware, roasting pans, kettles, wrapping foil.
Pros:
Inexpensive, lightweight, conducts heat well and evenly as long as the gauge is heavy enough.
Cons:
Reacts with substances in food and therefore will discolor certain foods or impart a metallic taste. The metal itself tends to discolor and pit. Thin-gauge aluminum warps easily and heats unevenly.
Care:
Wash with hot soapy water, using a scouring pad if necessary. Remove stains by boiling in a weak solution of vinegar or cream of tartar.
ANODIZED ALUMINUM
Uses:
As for aluminum.
Pros:
Anodizing is an electrochemical process that gives aluminum a hard, dense oxide coating that resists corrosion. Hard-anodizing does not just produce a coating--it changes the molecular structure of aluminum, making it harder than steel while maintaining excellent heat distribution.
Cons:
Dishwasher detergents cause colored anodized aluminum pans to fade.
Care:
Wash with hot, soapy water. Do not use scouring pads.
CAST IRON
Uses:
Pots, pans, griddles, grill pans, Dutch ovens, baking dishes.
Pros:
Durable, strong, does not warp, conducts heat evenly and retains it well. Marvelous for long, slow cooking.
Cons:
Very heavy, so best for a pan that remains fairly static during cooking--e.g., a casserole. Its density makes it slow to heat. If dropped on a hard floor, it may break. If uncoated (with enamel or a nonstick surface), it needs seasoning with oil to prevent sticking and rusting.
Care:
Avoid washing uncoated cast iron; wipe with paper towels. Remove stuck-on food by lightly scouring under hot running water. Dry well and coat with oil before storing. Brush the cooking surface with oil before each use, then wipe off before adding oil for cooking. Wash coated cast iron with hot, soapy water but do not scour To remove stubborn residue, leave the pan to soak for an hour or two.
COPPER
Uses:
Pots, pans, gratin dishes, roasting pans, egg bowls, molds.
Pros:
The traditional choice of chefs as it is unbeaten for rapid and uniform heat conduction. Lasts forever.
Cons:
Expensive and needs cosseting. If unlined, reacts with most foods, causing discoloration and mild toxicity if contact is prolonged. Unlined copper does not retain heat well. The traditional tin lining blisters or melts if overheated. Silver lining blackens on contact with the air and sulfurous compounds in some foods. Needs re-lining periodically.
Care:
Wash with hot, soapy water Never use scouring pads. Soak to remove stuck-on food. Dry with soft cloth to bring up the shine. Use a proprietary cleaner for the outside, or rub with salt and vinegar or salt and lemon juice. Buff up the inside of silver-lined pans with a silver cleaner.
EARTHENWARE
Uses:
Casseroles, mixing bowls, gratin dishes, baking stones.
Pros:
Nonreactive, inexpensive, retains heat well and, as it is porous, moisture. Excellent for slow, moist cooking in the oven, or for use in a microwave oven.
Cons:
Dislikes sudden or extreme temperature changes. Not flameproof, but good-quality earthenware can be used on a heat diffuser over a low flame. Large rectangular and oval oven dishes are more prone to heat fracture than round ones.
Care:
Wash glazed, or partially glazed, pots with hot, soapy water without scouring. Completely unglazed pots such as a potato baker should be scrubbed clean with salty water. Don't use detergent as this will taint the food.
POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE (nonstick coatings)
Trade names include Probon, Silverstone, TefaI, Tefion, Xylan.
Uses:
Pots, pans, roasting pans, grill pans, griddles, casseroles, bakeware, utensils.
Pros:
Modern nonstick coatings are tough and long-lasting. Nonreactive and easy to clean, they are a boon for pans used for foods that stick, such as milk, and vital for low-fat cooking.
Cons:
The coating eventually wears off. Use utensils made of materials that are softer than the coating to prolong its life (e.g. wood, rubber, or plastic). Not usually dishwasher-proof.
Care:
According to directions. Avoid scouring and abrasive powders. Soak in warm water to remove stuck-on food.
PORCELAIN
Uses:
Souffle dishes, ramekins, gratin dishes, tart pans.
Pros:
Looks fragile but can withstand heat so makes excellent oven-to-tableware. Retains heat and conducts it evenly. Can be used briefly under the broiler. Nonporous and nonreactive.
Cons:
Extreme temperature changes cause cracking. Needs a heat-diffuser if used on the stovetop. Can be hard to clean.
Care:
Wash in hot, soapy water. Soak to remove stuck-on food. If scouring is needed, use a nylon scouring pad,
STAINLESS STEEL
Uses:
Pots, pans, roasting pans and racks, bowls, kettles, knives, utensils.
Pros:
Long-lasting and hygienic. Contains chrome, which is what makes it stainless, rustproof, and nonreactive. Stainless steel pots and pans also contain nickel. They may be described as 18/10, which means the ratio of chrome to nickel is 18% and 10% respectively. It is virtually immune to corrosion or pitting. Stainless steel used for most kitchen knives contains a lower level of chrome--at least 12%--and O.15-0.80% carbon. Because of the reduction in chrome, it is more prone to staining, but the carbon provides strength.
Cons:
Poor and uneven conductor of heat. Manufacturers overcome this by giving pans a three or five-layer sandwich base containing highly conductive metals such as aluminum or copper. Good stainless-steel pans have a base containing at least 3/16 inch of aluminum or 1/8 inch of copper. In the best-quality pans, the sandwiched layer continues up the sides, which prevents hot food from sizzling and sticking.
Stainless steel is not entirely stainless -- It will discolor, stain, or spot if left in contact with hard water, salt water, lemon, vinegar or even some detergents if not rinsed and dried carefully after washing. Small pits may form.
Care:
Clean with hot, soapy water, using a nylon scourer if necessary. Avoid bleach or harsh abrasives. Soak burnt-on foods. Remove stubborn stains with a stainless-steel cleaner.
STONEWARE
Uses:
Casseroles, storage jars, bowls.
Pros:
Stronger than earthenware as it's fired at a higher temperature. Nonporous so does not need glazing. Ideal for dishes that need long, slow cooking in the oven.
Cons:
Does not take kindly to radical temperature changes,
Care:
As for glazed earthenware.
TEMPERED GLASS
Flameproof glass (Pyrofiam), and ovenproof glass (Duralex, Pyrex)
Uses:
Flameproof: saucepans, casseroles, baking dishes. Ovenproof: Dutch ovens, gratin dishes, bowls, measuring jugs.
Pros:
Both types retain heat well, are nonreactive and are ideal for the microwave. Flameproof glass can be used on the stovetop and in the oven.
Cons:
Flameproof glass is expensive. It conducts heat unevenly, so develops hot spots on the stovetop, causing food to stick. Ovenproof glass may crack at extreme temperature changes. It must be used with a diffuser on the stovetop.
Care:
Soak in hot soapy water to remove burnt-on food. Avoid metal scourers or harsh abrasives.
TITANIUM
Uses:
Dutch ovens, skillets, saute pans, grill pans.
Pros:
A rock-hard, lightweight metal that is naturally nonstick and virtually corrosion-resistant. It is great for low-fat cooking-the food sizzles round the pan with no oil. You can use metal utensils without causing damage.
Cons:
Expensive. Cannot be used on induction stovetops.
Care:
Wash with warm, soapy water; do not scour.
VITREOUS ENAMEL
Uses:
Pots, pans, Dutch ovens, pie dishes, bowls, roasting pans.
Pros:
Used to coat cast iron, aluminum, or steel. Gives an easy to-clean, nonporous coating that is taint- and scratch-proof.
Cons:
May chip if used with sharp-edged metal utensils.
Care:
Wash with hot, soapy water. Do not scrub with harsh abrasives. Leave to soak if necessary
