How to choose cookware (Part 2)

Good-quality pots and pans made of the right materials can really improve your cooking game. Instead of having a rack filled with useless pots and pans of all shapes and sizes, it’s more worthwhile to own a few great pieces that will give you the flexibility to cook whatever you want and perform better in the kitchen. The right cookware is essential to the cooking process. Having the right set of pots and pans for your home cooked dishes is crucial. We prepared some guidelines of what type of pots and pans you would need to prevent food from sticking and avoid ruining your cookware.

For every pot, there is a purpose…

Sautés

A sauté pan with high sides and a lid may be more ideal than a shallower, slope-sided omelette pan, since the straight sides allow you to fit higher volumes of liquid. Also, it is less likely to splash sauces or oils as you move the pan around. It is perfect for when you have a full pan with sauce and meat and you need to flip food around, you will not create any mess at all.

Soups

Do you cook lots of soup on weekends to freeze for meals during the week? A thick-base stockpot may be essential. Always choose heavy-gauge pots for food which takes long to cook and needs to stay on the stove for a long time. With soups and stocks, a heavy bottom comes first.

Stews, Pot Roast & Braised Meat

A cast iron pan is the ideal cookware for stews, roasts or braised meat. It is a very tough material which is built to last and difficult to ruin. It is always best to season it so that it won’t chip off and so that food won’t stick to the base layer. One of the advantages of cast iron pots is that they have a very high heat capacity, meaning that once the pot becomes hot it remains hot for quite some time. Therefore in order to sear meat evenly and to perfection, it is best to preheat the pan for at least 10 minutes before you start cooking. It is important to never let it soak in the sink when you need to clean it.

Sauces

When you are preparing a sauce it is always important to use a pot or saucepan which will not affect your food flavors or react with the food you are preparing. For these dishes it is best to avoid pans with a darker interior, and choose either aluminium or stainless steel pots. Aluminium and stainless steel provide equal heat distribution therefore food is cooked evenly and to perfection.

Pasta

If you are a pasta lover and it features highly in your weekly meals, then a large, thinner-gauge pasta pot is the most suitable pot for you. When it comes to pasta, one needs a long-lasting pot which has a high durability and withstands boiling temperatures without getting ruined. Aluminium pots are the most popular pots as they are non-stick, durable and enjoy a stainless steel silver finish that gives style to your kitchen.

Chops, Steaks & Fish Fillets

If it is too cold to have a BBQ and you would like to grill some steaks, chops or even fish fillets and have that same food taste, then your number one option should be an aluminium grill pan. Grill pans are the most practical and appropriate pans to use, they vary in shapes and sizes and can also come flat. Aluminium pans allow the heat to spread evenly and they are resistant to high temperatures without damaging the pan and ruining food. Cast iron cookware is also good for browning and searing meat since cast iron retains heat allowing the flavors to shine through.

The decision-making process

The most important thing to keep in mind is to always know what you will be cooking and then use the appropriate pot or pan for it. Heat conductivity, weight and maintenance should also be taken into consideration. Buying a good quality set of pots and pans is an investment which will last a long time. To view our great assortment of cookware, you can check out our Cookware range on our website, or come visit our showroom in Valley Road, Msida, where we will gladly assist and guide you towards choosing the right cooking equipment to suit your needs.