Choosing the correct cooking pans is essential to great cooking. Before you spend a dime, learn the types and purposes of pots and pans.
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If you are researching buying pots and pans, buying that complete set, may NOT be the way to go.
In fact, you probably need fewer than you think.
I recommend that every kitchen has the following:
1: 1 Qt. Sauce Pan
1: 3-5 Qt. Sauce Pot
1: 5-10 Qt. Stock Pot
1: 5-7" Saute Pan
1: 8-10" Saute Pan
1: 10-12" Saute Pan
1: 5-7" nonstick omelet pan
I recommend the following products if you are in need of any of the above:
Basic Cooking Pans:
Pots: Large, round vessels with straight sides and two looped handles available in sizes based on volume. They are used to simmer foods, makes stocks or soups.
Pans: With only one handle and straight or sloped sides, they are usually smaller and shallower than pots. Sized by inches of diameter, they are used on the stovetop for sauteing, frying or reducing liquids.
Sauté pans, used for sauteing
have a round, flat bottom and sloped sides to allow for the most heat contact and the ability to flip foods in the pan.
Frying pans provide a large flat heating surface and straight sides, and are best for pan frying in greater amounts of fat than a saute pan or braising in liquids. Frypans are generally measured by diameter.
Saucepans (or just "pots") are cooking pans with vertical sides about the same height as their diameter, used for simmering or sauce-making. Saucepans generally have one long handle and are measured by volume.
Stockpots are large pots with sides at least as tall as their diameter. These larger pots are used for making and reducing stocks when a large volume is necessary.
Cooking Pans - Materials:
Metal cooking pans are made from a narrow range of metals because pots and pans need to conduct heat well, but also need to be chemically non-reactive so that they do not alter the flavor of the food. Most materials that are conductive enough to heat evenly are too reactive to use in food preparation. In some cases (copper pots, for example), a pot may be made out of a more reactive metal, and then tinned or clad with another.
Aluminum is a lightweight metal with very good thermal conductivity. It does not rust, and is resistant to many forms of corrosion. Aluminum can however react with some acidic foods to change the taste of the food. Sauces containing egg yolks, or vegetables such as asparagus or artichokes may cause oxidation of non-anodized aluminum.
Classically in Western cooking, the best pots were made out of a thick layer of copper for good thermal conductivity and a thin layer of tin to prevent the copper from reacting with acidic foods. Copper pans provide the best conductivity, and therefore the most even heating. They tend, however, to be heavy, expensive, and to require occasional retinning. They are now available with stainless steel rather than tin linings which last much longer. They are best for such high-heat, fast-cooking techniques as sautéing.
Cast iron cookware is slow to heat, but once at temperature provides even heating. Cast iron can also withstand very high temperatures, making cast iron pans ideal for searing. Being a reactive material, cast iron can have chemical reactions with high acid foods such as wine or tomatoes. In addition, some foods (such as spinach) cooked on bare cast iron will turn black. Cast iron is a porous material that rusts easily. As a result, it typically requires seasoning before use. Seasoning creates a thin layer of fat and carbon over the iron that coats and protects the surface, and prevents sticking.
Stainless steel is an iron alloy containing a minimum of 11.5% chromium. Blends containing 18% chromium with either 8% nickel,called 18/8, or with 10% nickel, called 18/10, are commonly used for kitchen equipment. Stainless steel's virtues are a resistance to corrosion, it does not react with either alkaline or acidic foods, and it is not easily scratched or dented. Stainless steel's drawback for cooking use is that it is a relatively poor heat conductor. As a result, stainless steel cookware is generally made with a disk of copper or aluminium in or on the base to conduct the heat across the base.
Carbon steel cookware can be rolled or hammered into very thin sheets of material, while still maintaining high strength and heat resistance. This allows for rapid and high heating. Carbon steel does not conduct heat as well as other materials, but this may be an advantage for woks and paella pans, where one portion of the pan is intentionally kept at a different temperature than the rest. Like cast iron, carbon steel must be seasoned before use.
Here is a lowdown on some things to consider about cooking pans:
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