What's the best material for chef grade sautee/fry pans in a home kitchen?

Question

I have a really good set of Cephalon non-stick pots and pans, but it's impossible to get good carmelization with them. should I be looking at seasoned cast iron, aluminum, copper-core...help me decide, please.

Answer 1

I personally would like Stainless steal heats evenly and is next to imposable to hurt. Cast iron heats better but you have to be care full of what you cook in it tomatoes or any other high acid type food will cause it harm. All the other one are just cheap pieces of crap is my opinion

Answer 2

The best material really depends on the chef. But in most modern kitchen, a nice thick stainless steel pan with heavy bottom is usually preferred. It can be used in variety of ways. choose the ones which you can safely place in the oven for slow cooking, stewing, braising, roasting and browning(gratinate). Why heavy gauge stainless steel? I keeps the heat better meaning, the pan wouldn't loose the heat quickly the minute you add the food. A thick bottom can evenly distribute the heat. Why stainless steel? it doesn't corrode easily with the use of chemical cleaners if you accidentally burned something on it. Stainless steel doesn't react with you food too. If it does only minimal. Aluminum and copper will react to acidic food. The effect of which may affect the brain and its functions over a period of time. Non-stick pots and pans are good to use, but sometimes, you may accidentally scratch it. with cast-iron pots and pans, they are also good if you know how to maintain them. As these types usually rust if not treated properly. There are a lot more type of cooking pans like the glass or the earthen wares. These are good, but you have to be careful in cooking with them, they can break. As with the earthen ware, be sure to know if the manufacturer is certified and the product went through tests. Sometimes, the lead content is off the charts. Hope my info can help you decide.

Answer 3

You have three choices:

1. Stuff that food sticks to.
2. Stuff that has a non-stick coating.
3. Cast iron, the original non-stick pans

I hate to wash dishes, so #1 is out. I bought really heavy restaurant-grade saucepans and stockpots made of stainless steel, but I rarely have a problem with burning in those.

There are some studies that show the non-stick coating on frypans ends up in the food we eat. That's why there are no 50-year warranties on that stuff. Most of it is going to be contributed to the metropolitan sewer system, but the rest of it might be causing health problems. The first studies on trans fats date from the 1970s, so if it took decades for people to stand up and take notice, how long is it going to take before we realize non-stick pans are killing us?

Copper is recognized as poisonous, so it's only on the inside or the bottom. Some research points to aluminum as a problem with alzheimer's, and I end up adding acid foods to my fry pans, like tomatos, so I don't think that's a good idea.

Cast iron is *so* easy to work with. The only problem is that it's a little heavy if you're arthritic. When you get done using it, you simply scrape out the skillet, then scour it with a coil of stainless steel. No detergent or soap needed - it comes clean, and the seasoning stays intact. And nothing offers more even heat, not even that horribly expensive multi-layer clad cookware.

Answer 4

Seasoned cast iron can change the color of your food so I stopped using it. Copper is nice looking but it transfers heat really fast and is hard to control. I prefer aluminum with the heavy bottoms and cook over a gas flame for good control of my temperatures and even heat distribution. Good luck!

Answer 5

Copper core is nice, heats up fast, but unevenly. The best material in almost all cases is 18/10 stainless steel, with a heavy bottom.

Answer 6

Must have a copper inlay bottom, check out chef suppliers

Answer 7

the pros use stainless steal..................... l