ENAMELED
PORCELAIN
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Advantages |
Disadvantages |
Cleaning
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Properties
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can be decorated or plain
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rusts easily when chipped
extremely poor heat conduct
will easily chip if banged or dropped
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Though porcelain can easily take the temperature
and harsh detergents of a dishwasher, we recommend washing ceramic wares by
hand, to prevent accidental damage from other utensils beating against them in
the dishwasher. Because of the dense nature
of porcelain, discoloration of bare spots can usually be cleaned with detergent
and nylon scrubber.
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Porcelain enamel is essentially a highly durable glass which, with coloring oxides and other inorganic materials, is fused to metal at extremely high temperatures. It first found its way into the kitchen as a decorative finish for carbon steel, aluminum, stainless steel, and cast iron.
Iron pans that are covered with porcelain enamel keep food from reacting with
the metal and require more care. They can't take the high heat you can give raw
iron pans.
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CARBON STEEL
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Advantages |
Disadvantages |
Cleaning
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Properties
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low cost
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very poor heat conductor
reacts to foods
rusts easily
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Wash in hot soapy water and dry immediately. Do
not store with the lid on the pan.
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Steel - A tough alloy of iron containing
carbon, its advantage is that it is quick to heat and can take high heat, but it
does not distribute heat very evenly when used on the stovetop. In the oven,
food cooks more quickly in steel utensils. Blued, sometimes called
black, steel is obtained through high heat, causing oxidation
to form as a thin layer on the surface of the metal, allowing for better heat
transference to the food.
Once seasoned and in constant use, a steel pan will naturally become blued.
To clean and store, follow the same instructions as for cast iron (above).
Steel being a reactive metal, it has disadvantages in that acidic foods
should not be cooked in it. Steel has magnetic properties which allow for its
use on induction cooktops. To counteract its reactive properties in
bakeware, steel is often lined with tin, a
non-reactive, soft metal. It is frequently covered with enamel
and often called graniteware or
enamelware.
Similar to iron cookware, absorption of the mineral iron into the body would
only account for less than 20% of the daily recommended dosage, so it's safe to
use.
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GLASS, CERAMIC AND GLASS-CERAMIC
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| Advantages |
Disadvantages |
Cleaning
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Properties
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can be decorated or plain
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extremely poor heat conductor
heat resistant if tempered
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Major features are attractiveness, one-dish convenience, and inert non-porous surfaces that won't absorb food odors or flavors.
While most are very rugged, they can break under impact.
Heat resistant glass can be used for storing, cooking and serving. Some pieces 'can be used on the rangetop, while others are suitable only for the oven.
Some ceramic cookware is made of heat-resistant material which can go from the freezer to a hot oven or microwave. None is suitable for top-of-range or broiler use. Like glass cookware, ceramic cookware holds heat for a long time while providing the additional benefit of an attractive serving dish.
Among the most thermally shock-resistant material ever developed by man, glass-ceramic is a true space-age material. Glass-ceramic cookware can be used for rangetop cooking and is excellent for roasting, broiling or baking -in the conventional or microwave oven. It can go directly from the freezer to the rangetop, broiler or hot oven.
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CLAY BASED STONEWARE, EARTHENWARE
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Advantages |
Disadvantages |
Cleaning
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Properties
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very hard and strong
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may be porous and absorb
subject to scratching
Beware of clay/ceramic cooking
products you bring in from other countries which may contain lead glazes;
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Stoneware should be cleaned with only hot water and a sponge or light
scrubber. Soap will remove the oil seasoning, which must then be replaced in
order for the utensil to perform properly.
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Stonewares are high
fired ceramics (usually containing fireclay, which adds to their strength) often
made of clays that are not highly refined. They can be brown, buff or white, and
commonly have some specks and some particulate material such as sand or fine
grog. Stonewares are vitreous or semi-vitreous, not translucent. Natural stone cooking utensils are generally meant to cook foods
that require long, slow cooking, as with stews. The most common is soapstone, a
relatively soft stone which is mined then shaped by carving.
Stone is usually quite absorbent, so it must be seasoned before
use. Covering all surfaces with oil and putting it in a medium oven for about a
quarter hour usually does the trick. This generally causes the stone to darken,
as it will with continued use.
Care must be taken to heat stone slowly and not subject it to
temperature shock. Stone utensils are usually banded to prevent any cracks from
developing into larger ones, and allows for continued use of the utensil, even
with small cracks.
Because stone holds heat like iron, it is excellent for keeping
foods hot while serving. Griddles can be used for making pizza or for tabletop
cooking for bite-size foods.
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