Pots and Pans

Pots and Pans.

This is another subject about which I have strong feelings and about which I am often asked. What do I need, where do I start? Similar to knives, I was asked recently about this subject in reference to my niece’s wedding shower.

Pots and pans are definitely two separate subjects so we will address them individually. After these issues are explored, I will talk about necessities for the aspiring cook and where to start. I will preface this post with the statement that I have no endorsements and receive no compensation from any company. All statements are my own opinion. Feel free to post and disagree. There are many views on subjects like this and I enjoy spirited debate.

Pans or Skillets

When talking about pans, most often the subject is pertaining to frying pans or skillets. Skillets are most often used on a stovetop. They have a variety of uses, and like a chef’s knife, are considered a kitchen workhorse. Whether you are sautéing vegetables, searing meat, cooking eggs for breakfast or making pancakes the skillet is your friend. Like most kitchen essentials, there are many sizes, styles and price ranges.

What makes a good frying pan? A good skillet is sturdy and has the ability to retain heat. In other words, it gets hot and stays hot. Different styles have pros and cons and I will attempt to talk about them and give my opinion. A 9 or 10 inch pan is where I would start. There are, of course, many sizes, but this size covers most of the basic uses.

You cannot talk about skillets without facing the issue of non-stick cookware. Non-stick cookware came about with the advent of Teflon and other surfaces that remain slippery and allow foods to adhere less to their cooking surface. I do not personally care for non-stick for a variety of reasons and have not owned any for more than 20 years. I have several gripes about non-stick cookware and the first is durability. Non-stick cookware does not last, even the expensive ones. The coating, Teflon or otherwise eventually flakes not only diminishing the non-stick properties but potentially getting in the food. Related to the durability is the restriction of utensils that can be used. The delicate nature of the surface requires utensils to be wood, bamboo or plastic. The thickness of these materials makes it difficult to get under foods and therefore it is troublesome to attempt to scrape up the browned bits of goodness stuck to the bottom of the pan. The French call the roasted bits of stuff on the bottom of the pan the fond, which provides great flavor and a shame to waste. Although I do not own any non-stick cookware, I am relegated to using it at my Mom’s and mother-in-law’s houses. It is often difficult to achieve the results I am after especially pertaining to browning cuts of meat such as beef or chicken. While some quality manufacturers make cookware of this ilk, a lot of it lacks the heft to produce good browning. Like knives, good cookware is worth the investment and is likely to be around for generations.

Cast aluminum was used for years most notably by Magnalite, a division of Wagner, specializing in cast aluminum. Aluminum heats and cools quickly and my biggest problem with it, is that it does not retain heat very well. Aluminum also stains easily and can react to acidic foods like tomatoes. With the exception of Louisiana, where it has a cult-like following in some areas, this style has largely gone out of style.

Sandwiched stainless steel over aluminum core cookware was popularized by a company called All-clad but there are many copy-cat brands who use the same materials. The idea is to combine the properties of aluminum and stainless steel to make durable cookware that retains heat and does not react or stain. While pans made with this construction usually have good heft and heat retention properties which are advantageous, my main issue with them is that food sticks to it quite easily. The sticking issue can be worked around with the introduction of oil but it can be a problem. I will say that this construction is fantastic for sauce pans. I have several and endorse this style for that purpose.

My favorite which you can probably tell from the picture above, is cast iron. Cast iron is made by pouring molten iron into a sand mold in the shape of a pan. Once cooled, the sand is removed and pan is born. When cast iron is new it is a dull grey and susceptible to rust. Because of this, cast iron needs to be seasoned prior to use and requires a bit of extra care. Seasoning is building a layer of polymerized food or oil on the surface of the pan. Basically the oil is reduce to carbon which bonds tightly to the surface. This tough surface staves off rust and adds a somewhat non-stick property. Cast iron is heavy and may take a bit to heat up but retains and reflects heat well, which make it fantastic for all the uses you want in a skillet. Because this coating is tough, you are free to use metal utensils to scrape up those bits of roasty goodness on the bottom, and that is free flavor. Cast iron is durable and I have several pieces that are much older than me. My first skillet was from my grandmother which was over a hundred years old. When a pan comes out of the sand mold, cast iron has a rough texture, almost sandy. This can make it difficult to achieve a smooth surface which in-turn causes food to stick. I always wondered why the surface of older pans like those from Wagner or Griswold were so smooth and thought that perhaps the sand was finer back in the old days. Some research revealed that the older cookware went through a more thorough finishing process producing a smoother surface. Earlier, I hinted at the durability of these pans, and many can be found on Ebay, antique shops or estate sales, often at no more cost than a new one. This is my preferred method of obtaining cast iron. I have way more than I need despite purchasing a lot for friends and family or giving them as wedding gifts, in fact, one will be a gift to my niece for her wedding.

A variation of cast iron is enameled cast iron. It has been around for a long time and a popular brand is Le Creuset. Enameled cast iron has an enamel coating over cast iron. While Le Creuset and other brands are extremely good quality, I do not prefer it for a skillet. The enamel coating is surprisingly durable but negates some of the properties of a seasoned skillet. This is another construction method that I feel is better suited for other purposes. My Le Creuset Dutch oven is a prized possession, a versatile and durable piece that is a kitchen essential which should outlive me.

Carbon steel pans have been coming on strong in the last few years. They share similar qualities with cast iron but are lighter and they need to be seasoned the same way. While the material is lighter, the one I tried had a heavy handle. The handle and pan together rivaled the weight of cast iron. The handle did have the advantage of being longer, which made gave it more leverage than the short one on the cast iron pan. Ultimately, because of the similar weight, I was not persuaded to switch.

Here is very good video on seasoning cast iron.

Pots

Now we will focus on the other part of pots and pans. This is a broader category covering sauce pans, roasters, Dutch ovens.

After a good skillet, a good Dutch oven is also a vital kitchen piece. Good Dutch ovens are equally at home on the stovetop, or in the oven. They are versatile and durable; another candidate for the heirloom collection.

Common materials for Dutch oven include stainless steel, cast aluminum, cast iron, enameled cast iron, enameled steel or even ceramic and glass.

To me, enameled cast iron rules the roost here. They are heavy, providing great heat retention which lends well to a pot roast and turkey or a pot of baked beans. They also provide ample room for soups, stews or chili and can also be used as a roasting pan. My Le Creuset Dutch oven was an expensive investment costing almost $200 for a factory second but it has served me well for over almost 20 years.

A roasting pan was mentioned in the previous paragraph so, I suppose, it should be addressed. Roasting pans are similar to Dutch ovens, although they often do not have a lid. The materials are also similar and can also be expensive. I do not own a dedicated roasting pan. Although I roast frequently, I prefer to use my Dutch oven. The main difference, besides the lack of a lid, is that many roasting pans have a rack to keep the roasting meat out of their juices. An inexpensive rack serves that purpose well and was much less expensive than a pan that has limited uses.

Sauce pans are another kitchen staple for sauces, vegetables and a variety of other things where a Dutch oven is too big. Most uses for a sauce pan could be duplicated by a Dutch oven, albeit, not as efficiently. Materials for these pans include the usual suspects of stainless, cast iron, cast aluminum, enameled cast iron and the aluminum-stainless sandwich. I will not even address glass, which I do not care for at all. The All-clad style pans are my favorite here. Simple stainless steel is too thin to conduct heat well. Cast aluminum has the same drawbacks presented with the skillets (apologies to my cousins in Louisiana). Cast iron and enameled cast iron share the same disadvantages. Their excessive weight, combined with short handles make them difficult to manage, especially for those with limited hand strength like my wife. The All-clad pans have a good weight combined with long handles which make them easy to lift, particularly when they are full.

There are plenty of other types of pans available, but this post is meant to concentrate on the basics.