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The quality of culinary masterpieces depends on the condition of kitchen utensils - every good housewife knows about this. Having a good griddle will provide a variety of dishes and excellent roasting. If you have a good frying pan, pancakes in the house will appear much more often, the housewife will delight home delicious steaks and quick desserts. But to achieve the desired goal, you need to choose a good griddle. It should be durable, the surface of the pan should not be burnt, the dishes should be washed without much difficulty. To choose high-quality kitchen utensils, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic characteristics of pans.
How to determine the size and shape of the pan
When we want to buy a frying pan, we certainly go to the crockery store.There are various models of pans of different sizes, shapes and diameters. Therefore, first of all, you need to decide on what you are buying a frying pan.
If you are cooking pasta in a pan and frying the patties, think about whether you need large dishes. That is, if your family consists of 2-3 people, a medium-sized frying pan will be quite enough. In large families of 5 or more people should buy large and deep frying pans. They can also fry some bulk dishes, such as chicken. Remember that a small pan warms up faster, and in a large pan you can fry more food at a time. Sometimes in the same family there can be several pans. Little for cooking zazharki, for warming up burgers. Medium pan - general purpose. Large pans are used for cooking guests. Frying pans of large diameter, but with small sides - for pancakes. Choose dishes according to your needs.
Also be sure to pay attention to the handle of the pan. It can be monolithic, bolted or removable.The screwed handle is usually loosened over time - it is considered short-lived. The removable handle is much more convenient - the pan can be used not only for frying, but also for cooking in the oven. In addition, a frying pan with a removable handle is much easier to store in the kitchen cupboard. The monolithic handle is a standard of durability and reliability, such pans practically never break. Pans can be made of metal, plastic or iron. Wooden and plastic handles do not need to be tacked like metal parts, because this material practically does not heat up. However, with strong roasting, the fire can damage the wood and melt the plastic, but there will be nothing on the metal handle. Do not forget to pay attention to the thickness of the coating for frying. The thicker it is, the stronger and more durable the pan.
What kind of material make frying pans
Depending on the material used, pans can be divided into several groups.
Cast-iron pan
Before you use the cast-iron pan for the first time, you need to rinse it, smear it with vegetable oil and ignite on low heat for about half an hour. This will allow you to use cast iron for a long time, this procedure will protect the food from sticking.
Cast iron is a right of iron and carbon, when heated, the material does not react with food, does not react to acids. But cast iron pans have flaws - one of which is that cast iron can rust. To prevent this from happening, after washing the cast iron skillet should be wiped dry, put on the fire for about 5-7 minutes and only then be removed for storage. Another disadvantage of cast iron is its great weight.This is especially noticeable if you cook pancakes in such a pan - you have to lift the dishes more than once.
Stainless steel
This is an environmentally friendly dish, the material of which does not react with food. Such pans have a beautiful design, bring to the kitchen the spirit of professional cooking. The stainless steel frying pan is quickly heated, it is used for high-speed roasting or reheating of ready meals. If the food burns and the pan overheats, the steel does not emit any unpleasant odors and harmful substances. Such pans weigh little and do not rust. If you have an induction stove, it is recommended to use the dishes made of steel, as it attracts the pan with a magnetic field.
However, such a pan has drawbacks. If you hold it on the fire without food, on its surface may appear green and blue spots, stains. If the oil burned in the pan, it is difficult to clean it, besides, the steel is afraid of abrasive cleaning agents - the coating deteriorates, the food starts to burn as a result.
Aluminum
Aluminum pan can be cast or thin-walled.The advantages of such dishes - low cost and low weight. If a good coating is used in the manufacture of the pan, the food does not stick to or stick to such dishes. The metal heats up quickly, quickly distributes heat over the surface of the broiler. But the aluminum pan has its drawbacks - it bends easily and even deforms. You can not worry about the surface of the pan, if you stir the food with solid iron spatulas or even a sharp fork - scratches of such dishes are not terrible. Unfortunately, without a special coating, the food in such a pan will constantly stick to the bottom.
Copper pans
In modern kitchens, you can increasingly see copper pans. They are strong enough, but copper can react with food products (especially sour) and change the taste of cooked dishes. That is why a copper pan should have a quality coating.
Ceramic frying pans
These are modern models of kitchen utensils, which are widely used. A frying pan can have only a ceramic coating or be entirely made of ceramic. This is an environmentally friendly product, food after cooking in such dishes does not absorb foreign flavors, odors and chemicals.Pottery allows you to heat food above 400 degrees Celsius. Ceramics have drawbacks - the most important is that this material is afraid of sudden temperature changes. That is, after cooking, do not rush to put the pan under a stream of cold water - it can crack. Also, ceramics can not be soaked in water for a long time. But ceramic products allow you to choose a frying pan to match the interior of the kitchen - they can be presented in any shades.
These are the main types of materials that are used for the manufacture of the pan. But in frying dishes the main role is given not to the material itself, but to the coating.
How to choose a coating for the pan
It depends on the coating how heat is distributed over the surface of the pan, and most importantly, whether food will stick to the pan. Among the modern models of roasting, the following types of coatings are shared.
- Titanium coating. To date, titanium coating is considered the most durable, durable and high quality. Food does not adhere to such a coating, the material is not afraid of sharp and hard objects, it can be cleaned with abrasives.Food in a pan with such a coating does not stick, it can be fried without oil. Titanium coating is fairly light. The only negative is the high price of products.
- Teflon. Manufacturers recognize that Teflon coating can not be called absolutely safe and environmentally friendly. Food in such a pan does not stick, but when heated, the Teflon coating can release harmful chemical compounds into the products.
- Ceramic. To date, the ceramic coating is applied to the same ceramic products, cast iron or steel frying pans. The ceramics is rather dense, but with a sharp and sharp blow (if, for example, a cup or a knife fell into the pan), the ceramics may crack or break apart.
- Marble coating. It is also called diamond or stone. This is a very durable coating that perfectly distributes heat over the surface. However, in order to avoid scratches, such a coating should use only wooden and plastic shovels, such dishes should not be cleaned with abrasive means.
- Enamelled coating. Most often, enamel is covered in stew-pans or broilers. The coating is not afraid of scratches and scuffs, but a sharp blow may cause chipping.Enamel coating is not considered non-stick, most likely it is more designed for the process of extinguishing.
Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of this or that coverage, you can easily choose what suits your needs and material capabilities.
Unusual model pans
When choosing a pan, pay attention to some of its features. In addition to classic dishes of various sizes and diameters, there are special pans, for example, for pancakes. They are light enough, with low sides, have an excellent non-stick coating that allows you to turn the pancakes even in the air. There is also a grilled pan with a ribbed bottom. It will certainly find its place in your kitchen, if you often cook meat or fish, bake vegetables. Such a frying pan allows you to fry food in its own juice, not soaked with oil, the food after cooking lags well behind the dishes and turns out incredibly appetizing with characteristic stripes, like after cooking barbecue. In the struggle for the versatility of dishes, you can buy a brazier - it is a cast-iron pan, most often with a lid of the same material.The roaster has a large volume - you can cook dinner for the whole family. It can be used for baking dishes in the oven, the roaster perfectly replaces the meat pan and baking dish. Food in a roasting pan is excellently fried and does not burn. But for some, the roaster may be unacceptable due to too short handles, which, moreover, heat up.
It is more convenient for some housewives to use multi-functional cookware, which can replace both a pan, a ladle, and a frying pan. If you are one of these ladies, be sure to buy a stewpan. It can fry, boil and simmer. It is especially convenient to use a saucepan, if the dish involves different stages of cooking. For example, pilaf - first, the ingredients are fried, then cooked, and at the end of the rice comes to readiness for a couple. Included with the stew pan is a lid and an extra long handle.
Another modern model that can be used as a frying pan is Wok. In fact, the shape of this pan resembles a simple cauldron. This kitchenware came to us from the South Chinese cuisine and resembles a simple bowl. In such a pan, the frying is very fast,but food must be constantly stirred so that it does not burn. The advantage of this pan is high cooking speed. Due to the short-term heat treatment, products retain their natural taste, do not digest, do not absorb a lot of fat and oil. It is a pleasure to stir food in such a dish - the high boards do not allow it to fall out.
We buy a frying pan!
The cost of pans is scattered and depends on the material of manufacture. Cast iron products on average cost about 1,500 rubles. The price for utensils with ceramic, teflon, diamond and titanium coating can reach up to 12-15 thousand rubles. Modern pans grill, wok and stewpots are quite expensive, simple models can cost 5-7 thousand, the price tag of branded dishes can reach up to 25 thousand for one product.
Properly chosen pan is not only delicious dishes, but also a good mood of the hostess. And what could be more delicious than food cooked with pleasure? Therefore, it is better to once spend money on high-quality dishes that will serve you for more than a dozen years.
Video: how to choose the right pan
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