Features of Saucepans

Housewives value cookware that is versatile and easy to maintain. Saucepans are one of them – you can stew meat and fry pies.

To understand what a sauté pan is, imagine a dish with high and thick walls. It is made of several layers of metal, which increases strength, promotes uniform heating and temperature retention. Due to this, as well as a thick bottom and non-stick layer, dishes do not burn and retain juiciness. The main purpose of the dish is stewing in its own juice or broth, it has one, more often two handles, and looks like a frying pan. The difference between a sauté pan and a frying pan becomes clear when it falls into your hands: this is a heavier kitchen utensil, there are products weighing up to 5 kg.

Pros and cons of sauté pans

The hybrid's popularity is due to its strong points.

• Allows you to cook with virtually no oil.
• Cooking time is reduced, which means that more beneficial properties of the products are preserved.
• Retains heat and aroma longer.

The disadvantages include the large weight, especially for cast iron pots. Also, such a roaster is not convenient for cooking scrambled eggs, pancakes and some other dishes, when low sides are important.

What can you cook in a saucepan?

The most common volume is from 0.5 to 3 liters, which allows you to make various dishes: soups, porridge, sauces, stews, fried foods, that is, almost everything that can be made in a saucepan or frying pan.

The name of the dish comes from the French "sauté". Saute is a method of cooking in which pieces of vegetables must be fried at a high temperature, turning them over by tossing without using a spatula or fork. The domestic alternative to the French dish is meat and vegetable stews, and most often they are prepared without observing the main rule of the French - tossing. But the dish is prepared quickly and turns out juicy.

Stewing is a process for which thick-walled cookware is ideal. Pre-marinated meat turns out tender and aromatic, and it cooks quickly. Stewed lamb will appeal even to those who consider this meat to have a specific taste. The same result as in a saucepan cannot be obtained in a frying pan, since the dish retains juice better and, due to the heat capacity of the body, makes the components softer. For example, fresh cabbage requires a special approach when cooking: on high heat it quickly burns and tastes bitter, on low heat it turns out pale and takes a long time to cook. However, in a saucepan, stewed cabbage with minced meat will turn out quickly and tasty.

Is it possible to fry in a saucepan?

This cookware is useful for frying meat, vegetables, fish, cutlets and much more. It can also be used instead of a deep fryer, but with a large diameter there will be a significant consumption of oil.

Such utensils are not convenient for pancakes, as the high walls make it difficult to turn over. For any other culinary delights, it is applicable, including those cooked in the oven: cast iron, aluminum or stainless steel utensils will come in handy instead of specially designed ones. Its high walls will preserve the taste and prevent splashing of boiling fat, the top can be covered with foil.

How to choose a quality sauté pan

The material of the dishes is the first thing you should pay attention to.

Cast iron is considered universal, but it has a significant drawback - it is a porous metal. On the one hand, porosity increases heat capacity, therefore, food is cooked evenly and remains hot. On the other hand, the pores on the inner surface become clogged with fat, which gets into liquid dishes during cooking. For this reason, cast iron products should only be purchased with internal protection.

Aluminum is also used in the production of kitchen utensils. The material is inexpensive, lightweight, and heats up quickly. Stamped metal is more suitable for cooking soup; it is not possible to simmer with a small amount of liquid in it. Cast metal is porous like cast iron, so it requires special treatment from the inside.

Stainless steel is easy to clean, does not oxidize and is suitable for simmering. But its main disadvantage is uneven heating, so frying without oil is impossible, since the food will stick to the bottom.

The most popular are multilayer steel and cast aluminum with protective paint.

The non-stick coating of the inner surface allows cooking without using oil and makes cleaning easier. It is applied by spraying or layer-by-layer rolling, the second option is preferable. Thanks to this layer, the thickness of the walls increases slightly, by an average of 20 microns. The number of layers and their total thickness can be found on the product label, the higher the value, the longer it will last.

The following types of non-stick coatings are common.

• Ceramic is considered the safest, it will serve for many years if simple operating rules are followed. Cookware with such protection does not like temperature changes, so when cooking, do not use frozen meat and do not put it in a heated oven. Also, such a roaster cannot be dropped so as not to damage the protective layer. The surface of the ceramic is absolutely smooth, reminiscent of stone to the touch, can be of any color.
• Teflon is a chemical compound used to treat the bottom and sides of utensils. The disadvantage of this protective film is that it is susceptible to scratches from metal spoons and spatulas. In order to be sure that Teflon is harmless, it is worth purchasing products from trusted manufacturers who provide certificates.
• Marble and granite added to Teflon increase the service life of the composition. Due to the stone chips, the inner surface becomes less susceptible to scratches from metal.
• Titanium admixture is a guarantee of a long-term purchase. It does not harm health, increases the thermal conductivity of the product and is absolutely indifferent to metal cutlery.
• Composite treatment and enamel are also available. The first does not oxidize even at high temperatures and is characterized by high wear resistance. The second is also not subject to oxidation, but is more fragile.

Diameter and height of the walls. The saucepan is characterized primarily by a large height of the walls - up to 11-13 cm, on average 7 cm. The thickness of the bottom is about 6 mm.

When choosing, the diameter is also important; there are models from 12 to 30 cm. The most common diameter is 24 cm.

Additional information. The diameter of the bottom should be slightly larger than or equal to the size of the electric stove burner. The uniformity of heating depends on this.

Shape. Traditionally round, but it can be oval like a duck pan or square. The shape does not affect the properties of the cookware, so it is not essential.

Type of handle and lid. Almost all models come with a glass or metal lid, without which long-term simmering and maintaining the temperature is impossible. The lid should have a hole for steam to escape and fit tightly around the entire circumference. Rubber or silicone gaskets are used for fit, as compared to a metal edging, the soft material fits tighter.

The simmering pot has one or two removable handles, or one-piece handles with the body. Both can be short and rounded, or one of them can be long. The long one allows you to mix the ingredients by tossing, the short one complements it in the case when the model is significant in weight. The following materials are used for manufacturing.

• Bakelite is a durable, fire-resistant plastic, but it is not recommended to put the cookware in the oven.
• Uninsulated metal is suitable for cooking in the oven. The use of potholders is necessary in this case. The material used is the same as the body is made of. Metal potholders covered with plastic on top are convenient for cooking on the stove, as they hardly heat up.

How is it different from a saucepan or frying pan?

A sauté pan can be called a hybrid of a frying pan and a saucepan, but unlike its “parents” it has the following qualities.

• It has a wider range of applications, in addition to frying and boiling, and is ideal for sautéing and stewing.
• It is deep and thick-walled, which improves its properties. Dishes are prepared faster, which means they retain their benefits.
• Due to the height of the walls, it allows you to turn over the contents by tossing them.
• It has one long handle, two short ones or a combination of both.
• Sometimes equipped with temperature sensors.
• When the contents are turned over during tossing, spillage is excluded.
• It is possible to cook in an oven, glass models are designed for microwaves.

This hybrid is more practical than a saucepan and a frying pan, so those who already have one often forget about the rest of the kitchen utensils.

What can replace a saucepan?

When a housewife knows what a metal saucepan is and what it is used for, but does not have such utensils, she can use a cauldron. It also has thick walls, so the taste of the dish will not suffer. However, the cauldron is deeper, so pre-frying will be problematic, in addition, the sides of the cauldrons are widened at the top, so the bottom is of a small diameter.

A goose pan can also be used as a replacement – ​​a thick-walled, elongated dish into which the whole bird carcass is placed. The upper part of such a dish is sometimes a metal baking tray that can be placed in the oven or on an open fire.

In Arab countries, there is a similar dish that preserves the juiciness of products - tagine. The main difference is the high cone-shaped lid with a hole on top. Thanks to its special shape, condensation does not drip, but flows inside, sealing small holes between it and the body, so the food absorbs all the aromas of the ingredients.

The best manufacturers of sauté pans

It is better to make any purchase based on reviews and recommendations, so first of all, consider the offers of leading manufacturers.

De Buyer – the French who invented the “sauté” frying method, deservedly top the rating. They offer a wide range of models and affordable prices starting from 2 thousand rubles, but there is a price list that not every housewife can afford – about 30 thousand rubles. For this reason, most of the cookware is used by professionals.

MACO – more affordable, used in households and professional activities. The Chinese manufacturer appeared on the domestic market about 10 years ago, so it already has many fans. A liter steel saucepan of this brand will cost about 1 thousand rubles.

Pintinox is an Italian brand that specializes in high-quality steel cookware. Prices for 20 cm diameter braziers range from 2,000 to 3,000 rubles.

Biol cookware from Ukraine is a worthy alternative to European brands. The manufacturer offers a wide selection and a budget segment. For example, a container with a diameter of 22-26 cm with a non-stick coating costs from 1,500 to 2,400 rubles.

There is hardly a housewife who enjoys washing dishes, especially when you need to fry something beforehand and dirty it extra. For those who want to minimize the hassle, a sauté pan will do. Today, the market offers various options in price, shape, size, color, and so on. So all that remains is to choose and see for yourself how indispensable such utensils are in the kitchen.

VIDEO: Review of the Rondell Mocco&Latte RDA-286 saucepan.