One of the reasons people buy cookware made from stainless steel is to have non-stick cooking experience. However, this is not always the case; if your food keeps sticking to the stainless steel base; you are not doing something right. In this post, I will be discussing some of the tips and hints that can help you avoid that problem and enjoy using your stainless steel cookware.
Buy Only High Quality
In the market, you will find different brands and grades of stainless steel cookware. If you want to have a better experience in the kitchen, never compromise quality. By investing in quality, your stainless steel cookware will last for many years. Interestingly the stainless steel cookware our grandparents used did not have the triple-layered base found in these new models, yet, they hardly experienced problems such as food sticking to the base in their stainless steel cookware.
You will be making a good decision buying more stainless steel cookware because they are durable and can be used in different ways when compared to cookware made from other materials. You will notice that the manufacturers of stainless steel cookware also offer a long-term warranty because they are confident in the quality of their products. Instead of getting short-term value from the other types of cookware, you can save money to gather the funds you need and buy stainless steel pots and pans; it will be worth the effort. Fortunately, you can get deals for sales of stainless steel pieces instead of buying the whole set at once, which will be quite expensive. The option to buy single pieces of stainless steel cookware can also help you get a variety of these wonderful kitchen tools in your collection.
Another reason to choose stainless steel cookware is that they are suitable for cooking foods with some acidic content. These foods can react with materials such as aluminium and cast iron when they are used to make cookware. However, you are safe with stainless steel products. The surface and base of these stainless steel products are also anti-scratch which makes this cookware easy to maintain.
Non-Stick Cooking In Stainless Steel
What makes stainless steel so good?
There is a secret. These products are made to react in different ways when heated. This is why you should always pre-heat your stainless steel cookware. Depending on your recipe, when the right temperature is reached, you can put in your food.
There you have it, the secret to using stainless steel cookware is properly preheating the pans or pots before they are used. Sounds so easy compared to the terrible cooking experience you can have if the pre-heating is not done right. This approach can be used when you want to fry foods, browning and sautéing. Pre-heating worked with the older models of stainless steel cookware, and even better with the products we have now because they have a layered base.
Browning in Stainless steel cookware
Let’s talk about browning briefly because it is one of the common cooking processes done with stainless steel pans. When you pre-heat and put some food in the pan, it begins to brown, depending on the type of sugar in the food, you may also experience caramelization. The juices and brownish grease created during this process should be retained because of its unique flavour. This is the part many people may experience some problems if your pan has not been pre-heated.
The brownish residues can stick to the base of your pan. If this happens, you will lose a large part of the remains which can be used to add flavour to soups and stews. You can cook your food to get it browned and easily remove the entire residue after browning.
Steps to non-stick cooking
First, you need to pre-heat your stainless steel pan; you will know if it is ready by adding a drop of water. If it sizzles and evaporates, your pan is ready. Next, add a tablespoon of oil to create a thin film coating the entire base. Please wait until you see the first signs of evaporation, then it is time for the test. You can determine if it is time to add your meat or other foods by sliding a small piece across the base of your stainless steel pan. If it glides from one end to another, the pan has been properly pre-heated. You can proceed to cook and experience the non-stick features of your cookware.
Pre-heating your stainless steel cookware to the right temperature plays a major role in the outcome of your cooking. Pre-heating has an impact on the taste of your food, the texture and how much juices are retained to give it a delicious flavour. It should, however, be noted that you can enjoy these benefits only when you use high-quality stainless steel cookware.
How to determine quality stainless steel cookware
You should ensure the pan or pot has a three-layered base; this feature will prevent scorching while you cook. The three-layered base is a common feature of pressure cookers made from stainless steel.
Another feature to look out for is the label; if the product you are thinking of buying is high quality, it should display the chromium steel/nickel steel ratio as 18/10. This is the standard for high-quality stainless steel cookware; anything less may not give you the expected results.
You may also need to confirm that the triple-layered feature has also been used for the sides of the stainless steel product. Some brands only manufacture the base with triple layers because it helps to distribute heat energy evenly. You need the best, so buy only products that also have this triple layer on all sides of the pan.
Other features to consider include the handles of stainless steel cookware. You should choose products that have a handle which is riveted to the pan. This feature is important if you will be cooking foods with this pan in an oven. The riveted handles can withstand the heat when placed in ovens.
That’s it, the best tips to help you buy and get maximum value from your stainless steel cookware. The benefits of these products in the kitchen are fantastic, and you deserve the excellent experience.