COOKWARE GUIDE TO TERMS & TYPES

00012 8 pc. Stainles Steel Cookware Set 00010 12 qt. Pasta Cooker Set, Stainless Steel 00011 CONCORD 3 pc. Aluminum Non-Stick Fry Pan Set

Cookware is a necessity in the kitchen, but can be confusing to choose.  I have compiled information to help you make that choice.  I am offering reasonably priced cookware that will function well in your kitchen for years.  There is much more expensive cookware available; part of what you would be paying for is branding and advertising, and very likely the most expensive materials available.  I find someone learning to cook needs a good set of cookware to learn on, then later in their cooking life, they may want to upgrade to something state of the art for that time, as new concepts and brands are always being developed.

COOKWARE TERMS AND TYPES:

Stainless Steel:  a great beginner’s choice for price, durability and performance in the kitchen.  There are many different brands and types of stainless cookware.  Most are bonded with a disk of copper or aluminum in the bottom to conduct heat better.  Although most say they are dishwasher safe, some feel it is not the best idea because dishwasher detergents are quite harsh.  If you are concerned, washing in hot, soapy water and drying by hand is guaranteed to cause no problems.  I wash mine in the dishwasher, as time is a factor in my life, and I don’t have such expensive cookware I expect it to last a lifetime.  If something is heavily scorched or stained, fill the pan with hot soapy water and soak, then bring to a boil, let cool and scrub with a nylon scouring pad.  It is best to use non abrasive cleaners and nylon scrubbers like Scotch Brite, as stainless can scratch.  Follow the manufacture’s instructions for specific cleaning.

Aluminum:  conducts heat extremely well.  It is very reasonably priced, but is a softer metal and scratches easily.  The FDA has warnings about using straight aluminum cookware on a daily basis, as small amounts of the metal can leech into the food, salty and acidic foods especially have this problem.  The government does consider aluminum safe for use.  Nonstick coating is often put on the inside of aluminum cookware, creating a barrier between the aluminum and the food and providing the nonstick layer for easy food movement and clean up.  This is also often called Anodized aluminum cookware, and is very safe and a great performance option to be highly considered.  Nonstick coating will last much longer if not cleaned in the dishwasher.  Plan to store these so they aren’t stacked to scratch each other.

Cast Iron:  is a low cost, durable option for cookware.  Uncoated cast iron needs your time to be effective, it will need seasoned when new, and should be had washed using warm water and hard work, no cleansers are recommended.  Then it needs dried thoroughly and lightly oiled or sprayed to keep from rusting.  The other drawback is it is extremely heavy!  It does conduct heat extremely well, browns foods better than anything else, and is well regarded by professional chefs. I find once piece of cast iron is usually enough in the kitchen.  Cast iron also comes coated with Enamel.  This makes it much friendlier in the kitchen.  It makes it much easier for care and clean up, as soaps are then acceptable.  It does not need to be seasoned, but it still conducts heat extremely well.  It becomes the best of both worlds, and is most often used as a dutch oven in today’s cooking.  The enamel coating does increase the price considerably.

Encapsulated: means it is encased or enclosed in a coating or covering.  It is used in cookware to improve heat distribution with usually a disc of aluminum or copper, completely coated in the outside layer of metal, usually stainless steel.  Some are not just encapsulated on the bottom with a disc, but have the entire piece of cookware with an inner layer of conductive metal.  These will be the most expensive stainless steel cookware.  Cookware that is multi ply, is encapsulated.

Cookware Sets:  The advantage of buying cookware in sets is a reduction in cost from buying separate pieces, they all will conduct heat in the same fashion, so you can get used to what you have and count on it.  They will also stack better in your cupboard, and finally, their lids will more likely be interchangeable.

 Frying Pans:  Every kitchen needs at least one frying pan, often two is nice.  One or two inches deep is nice for learning to flip the food while cooking, a nonstick coating can be appreciated, but is not required.  Without the nonstick coating, be sure to use a spray or oil to keep your foods from sticking.  In a fry pan your food is close to the heat, so it words great on meats, eggs, and frying.  The fry pan also works in place of a griddle for pancakes, French toast and grilled sandwiches.  If you are going to have one cooking item in the kitchen, consider it being a fry pan.  Frying pans are also called skillets, the name is interchangable, the item is the same.

Sauce Pan or Pot:  The word pan and pot can be interchangeable.  One or two sauce pans will come with most cookware sets.  They will be 4 to 7 inches deep and have a tight fitting lid.  They are used in a multitude of ways in the kitchen, and will be invaluable when leaning to cook.  You will do everything from heating a can of soup, to making side dishes and boiling eggs.  They are where I stir and cook sauces, melt butter and make oatmeal.  The more you cook, the more your pans will be used.

Dutch Oven:  A dutch oven is a large round or oval pot with a tight fitting lid.  It is large enough for a roast, and is used on the stove top and in the oven.  It substitutes as a casserole dish, or a stock pot for soups and chili.  The most commonly seen dutch ovens are stainless or enamel coated cast iron.  They are usually large enough to be sized by how many quarts they hold.

Stock Pot:  A stock pot is just a very large pot used for soups, stews, chilis and large quantities of sauce.  They are sometimes part of a pasta set that comes with deep strainer for cooking then draining the pasta, and often with a shallow steamer for vegetable.  A pasta set can be a great way to cover several cooking types.  A stock pot is usually not used in the oven the way a dutch oven is, as it as most often not made of at thick of material.