Three tips when buying a sauce pan
- Stainless steel can withstand high temperatures, but takes slightly longer to get hot. Food easily sticks to the bottom, so you need to use more fat when cooking.
- Aluminium heats up quickly. But it’s important that the pan has a protective coating, so you don’t ingest high levels of aluminium.
- Non-stick or Teflon is ideal for cooking with less fat, as it has a non-stick coating that prevents food from sticking. But using metal utensils can ruin the coating, so only use wooden or plastic kitchen utensils.
- Cast iron stays warm for a long time and is a good choice for slow cooking. It has a long lifespan, so if you look after your sauce pan properly, it will get better looking with each passing year.
- Copper quickly reaches high temperatures and is good for cooking delicate proteins like fish and seafood. As with Teflon, it’s important to use utensils that won’t scratch the pan.
It’s nice to just put things in the dishwasher and press “on”. However, copper, cast iron, aluminium and Teflon should be hand washed. The dishwasher can destroy the Teflon coating, and both copper and aluminium risk discolouration. Do not use washing-up liquid when washing cast iron without enamel, as this will remove the well-greased surface. Stainless steel, however, is dishwasher safe.
Sometimes a recipe will specify the use of a thick-bottomed sauce pan. This has several advantages:
- It retains heat for longer – good for saving energy!
- It distributes the heat evenly, so that all the food in the pan gets equally hot.
- It keeps its shape, unlike thinner bottoms that can buckle.
If you have an induction hob, your pots need to have a magnetic base to work. One example is a sandwich bottom. This consists of several layers, one of which is magnetic. It also has the same benefits as a thick base, as the different layers distribute the heat so that the food doesn’t burn.
If you’re looking for some inspiration on what sauces to make in your new sauce pan, you can refer to BBC Food and their collection of sauce recipes.
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