Everything you need to know about stainless steel pans

Over the years, the frying pan has been a constant feature in every kitchen. This kitchen device has a wide range of applications and is used not only for frying, but also for baking and stewing. Manufacturers produce a wide range of products in this group, which differ in size, material of manufacture, price range and functionality.

Often, when buying a new frying pan, novice housewives are faced with a choice problem. Professional chefs recommend paying attention to pans made of stainless steel.

A stainless steel pan is a cooking utensil that preserves as much as possible the original taste and vitamin composition of the food. Professional chefs recommend buying steel utensils with a non-stick coating, which will prevent the dishes from burning, as well as prevent the appearance of colored stains on the surface. And also will improve the cooking process of dishes with a thick bottom and walls.

When choosing a container with a non-stick coating, you must pay attention to the thickness of the protective layer, which should not be less than 0.3 cm, and the number of layers applied. The optimal number of coatings is five layers, each of which has its own functional purpose.

Like any kitchen utensil, stainless steel pans have a number of positive and negative sides.

Advantages:

• resistance to the development of corrosion and oxidative processes;
• ease;
• high aesthetic performance;
• versatility;
• the ability to use even with mechanical damage;
• ease of use and maintenance;
• high level of resistance to sharp temperature fluctuations;
• the admissibility of using blades and forks from different materials;
• durability;
• resistance to mechanical damage.

Disadvantages:

• burning of food during untimely stirring or frying over high heat;
• the difficulty of removing dirt from the inside of the sides;
• the inability to use aggressive and abrasive detergents;
• low level of heat capacity;
• long heating period;
• the formation of burning and smoke when using high temperatures;
• mandatory use of vegetable oil or animal fat;
• low thermal conductivity;
• difficulty in reaching a high temperature level;
• the inability to obtain a crispy crust;
• the appearance of multi-colored streaks when heating an empty container.

Various types of pans can be seen on store shelves. They differ in their characteristics depending on different criteria.

One of the main indicators that affects the price range of the product. The following types of steel can be used to make kitchen utensils:

• chromium-nickel - durable and most expensive;
• steel 201 and 202 samples - the classic version of the materials;
• steel 430 - budget material.

An aesthetic indicator that only affects the appearance of the product. It comes in matte and glossy.

An important indicator on which the uniformity of heat distribution over the surface depends. The classic bottom structure has three layers, but manufacturers can also produce 5-layer models.

An indicator that affects the speed of food preparation and the amount of oil used. Products are available with a smooth or grooved surface (grill).

A criterion that affects the safety of the pan. Manufacturers use the following types of handles for their products:

• cast;
• removable;
• folding;
• universal.

An important indicator that affects the speed of cooking and maintaining the required temperature. The classic and most popular lid is the glass fitting with steam wand and iron edging.

There are several types of products, depending on their purpose.

• Universal - for frying pancakes, cutlets, dressings in first courses, sauces, for stewing vegetable stews. Feature - beveled or straight walls, low height and the presence of a cover.
• Pancake - for making pancakes. Features - low height and diameter, inclined walls.
• Stewpan - for stewing vegetables, meat, fish. Features - high walls and large volume.
• Brazier - for baking. Features - thick bottom and walls.

Modern equipment and innovative technologies allow manufacturers to produce not only stainless steel pans with thick bases or removable handles, but also completely new models.

• Wok - for fast frying of small pieces. Features - narrow bottom and high walls.
• Paella - for cooking over an open fire. Features - round shape and low walls.
• Grill - modern kitchen utensils that can be used to cook steaks, fish, sausages, meat and vegetables on a gas stove without vegetable oil.

Professional chefs recommend choosing this product with refractory enamel, which will prevent food from burning. Advantages:

• high taste indicators of cooked dishes;
• ease of preparation and spending a small amount of time;
• the need for a small amount of gas;
• the possibility of simultaneous preparation of a large number of products;
• convenience and functionality;
• long period of operation.

On the shelves of modern utensils and household appliances stores, you can find pans of different sizes and diameters. In order to choose the right product with the required parameters, you need to know the following indicators:

• the volume of cooked dishes;
• number of family members;
• burner diameter.

Many manufacturers from around the world are engaged in the production of stainless steel pans. Let's consider which brands, presented in stores, are the best today.

• Luxstahl Is a German brand whose products are in demand among professional restaurateurs. The main feature of the products of this manufacturer is the unique structure of the bottom, which consists of two steel layers, between which there is a third aluminum layer. And also the pan has an absolutely flat bottom surface, which simultaneously heats up over the entire area.

• Indokor Is a Korean brand that manufactures modern kitchen utensils. Advantages - environmental safety, ease of maintenance, resistance to damage. The peculiarity is the multilayer bottom surface, which consists of aluminum and copper layers. This design allows the heat to be evenly distributed over the entire surface and to maintain the temperature of the food for a long time.

• Ballarini Is a popular Italian brand, whose products optimally combine price and quality.

Russian manufacturers are also very popular, they are engaged in the production of professional and high-quality tableware. One of the most famous domestic brands is Biostal, whose products are known not only in Russia, but also in European countries.

In stores, you can also find products made in China and Asia, the purchase of which must be abandoned despite the attractive price range. These goods are made from low quality raw materials in violation of the production technology, which will negatively affect not only the period of operation of the products, but also their environmental safety.

The wide range of stainless steel kitchen utensils often makes it difficult to choose the right product.

Experts recommend that before going to the store, carefully study all the features of these pans, as well as pay attention to the most popular brands that have the largest number of positive reviews and are engaged in the production of only high-quality products.

When choosing a product, professional chefs recommend paying attention to the following parameters:

• thickness of the metal base - walls 10 mm, bottom 30 mm;
• the presence of a multilayer bottom;
• no manufacturing defects;
• permits confirming environmental safety;
• perfectly smooth inner and outer surfaces;
• matching the diameter of the bottom to the size of the burner;
• the presence of a convenient and practical handle and cover;
• a special protective layer that prevents water and grease stains.

The choice of kitchen utensils is directly influenced by the type of stove used. For classic gas equipment, all types of cookware are suitable, for glass-ceramic stoves, you need to choose products with a thick and flat bottom, but an induction device requires special cookware.

To extend the period of operation of the purchased kitchen utensils, as well as for the rational use of the family budget, it is necessary not only to choose the right frying pan, but also to carefully study the rules for the care and storage of kitchen utensils.

Professional chefs recommend following the two most important rules for using containers:

• do not store cooked food in a pan;
• remove burnt food only after soaking.

To prevent food from sticking to the new frying pan, it must be properly prepared for work. Stages of preparatory work:

• washing with detergents;
• filling the container with a small amount of vegetable oil;
• setting the pan on the stove with medium heat;
• gradual heating of the plant liquid until smoke is formed;
• turning off the stove;
• pouring out the cooled vegetable oil.

Basic recommendations for the care of stainless steel cookware:

• washing the container only with soft brushes and sponges;
• avoiding aggressive and abrasive cleaning agents that contain chlorine, ammonia or acid;
• removal of complex dirt with ordinary baking soda;
• to restore shine, use a weak vinegar or lemon solution;
• be sure to remove water droplets with a soft and dry cloth;
• use the dishwasher only if there is no non-stick coating.

To preserve the gloss of the outer walls of the product for a long time and prevent the appearance of scratches, experts recommend using only gel detergents for external cleaning of the pan, and monthly lubrication of the clean inner surface with vegetable oil will create a non-stick protection.

You can extend the life of the frying pan by observing the following operating rules:

• pour oil only on a moderately heated surface;
• do not use a strong flame for cooking, which can provoke food burning and sticking;
• to prevent food from sticking, it should be kept at room temperature or warmed up in the microwave before frying;
• using only dried products, on the surface of which there is a minimum amount of moisture;
• to prevent the appearance of limescale, add salt only after boiling.

Non-observance of the rules of operation and care of the product can provoke burning of the food. The reasons for this problem:

• poor cleaning of the inner surface from carbon deposits and remnants of burnt food;
• non-observance of operating rules;
• use of wet and cold food.

You can remove or turn food only after the formation of a golden brown crust on their surface. If the food does not lag behind the surface well, it means that it is too early to remove them from the heat.

Aesthetically attractive and environmentally friendly stainless steel kitchen utensils have found their application not only in the kitchens of ordinary housewives, but also in the workplace of professional chefs. The popularity and demand for these products has provoked the emergence of a huge number of both positive and negative reviews.

Experienced housewives celebrate durability of products and their resistance to mechanical damage, which significantly saves the family budget.Dishes cooked on stainless kitchen utensils preserve their original taste and vitamins as much as possible, and the low weight of the products allows them to be used by housewives of different age ranges. The universal properties of the container, which make it possible to cook on different types of stoves, cannot but rejoice.

Catering workers, along with the above indicators, are attracted by the high aesthetic indicators of products, which make it possible to create a strict, stylish and business atmosphere on the working area.

For information on how to properly prepare a stainless steel pan for use, see the next video.