Choosing Cookware Materials

Pot and Pan Materials

Advantages and Disadvantages

Copper is unarguably the best material for pots and pans. It is used across the world by professional chefs.

Advantages:

  • Spreads heat evenly through the whole pot.
  • Does not react with any ingredients therefore leaves them tasting as they should.
  • Heavy enough to sit on your stove, and light enough to lift with one hand

Disadvantages:

  • Very expensive and usually out of range for the regular home buyer.
  • Can only be hand-washed and must be towel dried. Must be polished regularly to prevent discolouration.

Aluminium comes in two varieties, anodized and non-anodized. Anodized cookware does better for cooking, but still needs a non-stick coating that may chip with use.

Advantages:

  • It is fairly light weight.
  • Is a good conductor and spreads heat fairly evenly through the pot or pan.

Disadvantages:

  • Non-anodized pots are softer and can dent easily.
  • They are hard to clean because food sticks.
  • It may react to the food you are cooking, especially if it is acidic.

Stainless Steel is a heavy duty material that does wonders for the kitchen.

Advantages:

  • It is durable and heavy duty.
  • It will not react with your foods.
  • It is scratch resistant.
  • Easy to clean because it's STAINLESS.

Disadvantages:

  • Steel is not a good conductor of heat. It is more often seen as handles for pots because it will stay cooler longer than any other materials.

Cast Iron is the material of the stars. Many cookware lines and famous chefs are starting to use this heavy duty material for their heavy duty cooking.

Advantages:

  • Holds heat for quite a long time which is good for roasts and stews.
  • It is relatively low cost compared to other pots of similar sizes.
  • They have a very even heat distribution.

Disadvantages:

  • These pots are heavy, really heavy.
  • If they do not have an enamel they may rust.
  • May react with foods.

Enamelled Steel pots and pans are painted with an enamel of different colours.

Advantages:

  • Very colourful dishes.
  • Relatively non-stick.

Disadvantages:

  • Enamel chips easily.
  • Rusts when chipped.
  • Like stainless steel, it is a poor heat conductor and it therefore takes awhile to get to the temperature you want.

Taking Care of your Pots

For the most part, taking care of pots and pans is easy. However if you are looking to increase the longevity of your purchase, try these tips to keep the pots and pans you have alive and well for a long time.  In general:

  • Do not add salt straight into water. Let the water boil, then add water. This prevents deformities to your pots.
  • Do not put your pot directly into cold water after cooking with it or the pot will warp.
  • Try not to put the pans in the dishwasher--chemicals in the water and detergent don't help the life of your pot.
  • Always use a nylon or synthetic scouring pad, not a metallic one. Metal will scratch the surface and make the pot or pan more susceptible to rust and other tragedies.

Cast Iron

Cast Iron pots can come pre-seasoned or not. If your pot is pre-seasoned, you won't need to season your pot until you see that your food is getting unusually charred or is stubbornly sticking to the bottom. If your pot is not pre-seasoned, then you need to season it first thing! All cast iron pots come with a protective coating on them. You must remove the coating. In order to do this use a NON-METALLIC scrubber, soap and the hottest water you can stand, and scrub it off.

To season your cast iron

  • Use a tough nylon scouring pad (NOT METALLIC, you don't want to scratch the surface) and wash with hot soapy water.
  • Rinse and dry completely!
  • Apply a thin coat of plain vegetable shortening to EVERYTHING (corners, handles, and the lid if you have one)
    • Do not use cooking spray for this process!
  • Wipe out the excess shortening with a paper towel.
  • Line the bottom rack of your oven with aluminium foil or a cookie sheet.
  • Heat your oven to 350 degrees and place your pot upside down.
    • For new and natural finish, leave the pot in for 2 hours; for older pans, heat for 1 hour.
  • Turn off the oven and leave the pot in there until completely cooled.
  • Wipe again with a towel.

To clean your cast iron

  • The seasoning process should make it very easy to clean your cast iron.
  • Use hot water and a NON-METALLIC scouring to clean cast iron.
    • Some people never use soap on their cast iron. If you are uncomfortable with this, make sure to use mild detergents. NEVER put it in the dishwasher, and NEVER leave soap sitting on your cast iron.
  • If you don't want to use soap, use salt to scrub the pot clean.
  • Make sure to towel dry your pot, and then place it BACK on the burner on medium heat to dry completely!

Copper

To clean your copper

  • Copper is another material that you should absolutely NOT put in the dishwasher.
  • Use warm, sudsy water and a nylon scouring pad to clean your copper daily.
    • Scour the pot or pan with the grain of the copper.
  • Rinse thoroughly and towel dry.

To remove the tarnish on your copper

  • All copper tarnishes, but the solution to green build up is very simple:
    • Dip a lemon slice in salt and rub over the tarnish.
    • When the tarnish is completely removed, wash and towel dry!

Stainless Steel

To clean your stainless steel

  • The tried and true method to cleaning most metallic pots and pans is to wash in hot, soapy water. Avoid metallic scouring pads because they scratch the surface of the pot or pan and can expose impurities to your food.
    • To avoid spots, dry the pot or pan with a towel before placing it in your cupboard.
    • If you prefer to use a dishwasher, remove the pot or pan before the drying cycle to avoid getting those spots.
  • For cooked-on messes, fill your dish with hot soapy water.
  • Let the water stand for an hour.
  • Place the pot or pan with the soapy water on the stove and let it boil for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Let the water cool until you can touch it, and scrub with a nylon scouring pad.

To make it shiny like new

  • Sprinkle on some baking soda.
  • Rub gently with a nylon scouring pad.
  • Rinse and dry.

Aluminium

To clean your aluminium

  • Hand wash in hot water with soap and a nylon scouring pad.
  • Dry after washing to prevent water marks.

To get off cooked-on messes

  • Fill your pot or pan with hot soapy water.
  • Let the water stand for an hour.
  • Place the pot or pan with the soapy water on the stove and let it boil for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Let the water cool until you can touch it, and scrub with a nylon scouring pad.

Related Guides

Pots and Pans

Kitchen Mixers

Kitchen Knives

Classic Toys

Fondue Pots

External Links