
Look for a large cooking surface circumference (20-30cm/8-12 inches) so it can hold food in one layer without touching and maximise the surface for cooking.
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How to buy: A frying pan has low flared sides with a long handle and no lid. Pan-frying is great for potatoes, grilled sandwiches, browning meat, eggs, omelettes, veal cutlets, etc. Pan frying uses hot fat to sear the food’s surface, making the outside crisp and keeping the inside juicy. Frying pan/Skillet/Omelette pan ( Padella)īest for: This pan is used to fry, sear, or brown foods or reduce sauces.

For stewing, the method is similar but the meat is cut up into small pieces and requires more liquid. How to use it: For braising, meats may or may not be browned first and then are slowly cooked on low heat with little liquid covering about one third of the meat and a tightly fitting lid. Metal braising pots have the advantage of not being temperature sensitive so can go from hot to cold and can brown food first on the stove top (hob) top. If you use an earthenware pot but if you want to sear the food first you will need to do that in another pan and then add it to the earthenware pot. Otherwise you can use an earthenware pot instead but should cover with a layer of aluminium foil before adding the lid to ensure the steam doesn’t escape. You can try to use a diffuser to slow down the conductivity. Why buy one? Also most other types of metal pots will conduct heat too quickly so that it will be difficult to keep the food on a constant low heat on the stove and the food may scorch. Glass or earthenware casseroles are also good but cannot be used on the stove top (hob). My favourite is the Le Creuset enamelled cast iron Dutch oven that I use for braising. One is a heavy-bottomed copper pan lined with tin, which is better for searing first and baking afterwards and which I also use for soups. These pots come in copper, stainless steel, cast iron, enamelled cast iron, glass, and earthenware. The handles should be firmly attached and easy to grab (particularly as the pot is heavy) but fit easily into the oven. The lid should be tight-fitting so that steam does not escape and condensation falls back into the pot. The contents should just fit inside the pan so that as little liquid as possible is used to braise the meat or vegetables. They can be oval or round the oval shape makes more efficient use of oven space, while round ones can accommodate larger pieces of meat and larger quantities of food. Casseroles come in all different sizes but ideally are made of a heavy material that slowly conducts heat but retains the heat and moisture for as long as possible. How to buy: This is a shallow, wide, usually straight-sided pan with a heavy bottom and an oven-proof lid. MATERIAL OPTIONS →ĮSSENTIAL PANS Dutch oven /Braising pan/Casserole ( Casseruòla) Lids: Lids should give a tight seal so that steam doesn’t escape or drip down the sides. A hole at the end of the handle is helpful if you’re going to hang the pan or if you want to poach something or put in a bag of herbs and tie it to the pot.

They should fit well in your hand and be comfortable. Look for handles that are strong and connected firmly to the pan. Handles: Handles that are long and stay cool are preferable, except if you are looking for a large pan which also needs to fit in the oven. Generally you want rapid and even heat distribution (to avoid parts of the pan burning the food) and materials that are easy to clean and maintain.Įdges: Rolled edges make it easier to pour. Material: The main determinant for buying the right equipment is the material (more on this below), its weight and versatility (safe for the oven, stove top (hob) and grill/broiler). Photos curtesy of Amazon.Ĭhoosing and buying the right pots and pans will make it easier for you to produce great food. I have tried to choose general equipment which should appeal to most people but it’s always better to try the equipment in a shop if you can and see how the weight, size, length, or contours of the equipment suit you. Keep this in mind when you read this section. Each person’s requirements are unique: the way a handle fits in your hand, the length of knife you’re most comfortable with, and the weight and size of equipment that’s best for you and your family. With time, you’ll learn what your preferences are and they’ll depend on what types of food you like to cook as some equipment is suited to specific foods and cooking methods. An enormous amount of different kinds of kitchen equipment is available now, in shops and online.
