One of the most common questions I`m asked as a cooking teacher is how to care for specific pieces of kitchen equipment. How to ”cure” or ”season” a pan is the question most frequently asked.
Even with the new generation of nonstick cookware, the surface of which will not peel off even when scrubbed with abrasives, there still are many reasons to use equipment that does require care. I know of no line of cookware that can be used for every cooking purpose: sauteeing, braising, roasting, saucemaking, stockmaking and so on. A knowledgeable cook must own several different kinds of cookware to have a well-equipped kitchen, and each kind requires its special care.
The basic principles are not confusing. Metal pans fall into two basic categories: reactive and nonreactive. The metal of reactive pans will interact with some foods, usually acids (such as wine and tomatoes) and eggs; their care is similar.
Aluminum
Aluminum is a fine conductor of heat (the heat penetrates very quickly, unlike glass, which conducts heat very slowly), and it also is light, which makes it almost ideal as a cooking implement.
However, aluminum is a soft ”reactive” metal, and acids in food and water can pit the surface. In caring for aluminum cookware be certain never to put it in a dishwasher. If you already have you will notice the fine pitting in the metal. This also can happen simply from boiling water in the pan if your water is ”hard.” Aluminum cookware should be washed by hand with a mild soap.
When a recipe refers to a ”nonreactive pan” it means not aluminum unless it has been ”anodized.” Anodized aluminum, such as Calphalon, will not react with foods and may be put in the dishwasher. It gives you all the advantages of aluminum without the disadvantages.
Copper
Without question, copper is the best conductor of heat and also is the oldest metal used for cooking. It heats and cools faster than any other metal. If it is a decent thickness (be suspicious of bargains in copper; except for unlined copper pots, you want it to feel heavy), it won`t have hot spots.
Unlined copper is reactive, which means it reacts adversely with acids. That`s why most copper cookware is lined with a nonreactive metal such as tin, nickel, stainless steel or in rare cases, silver.
Tin-lined copper pots heat almost instantly and always should be used on a lower flame than other pans. They never should be placed empty over heat because the melting point of tin is 450 degrees.
Tin lining always discolors with use, particularly in stockpots, but this is not harmful. An attempt to scrub them ”clean” with a steel cleaning pad soon will result in scrubbing through the tin. Use a plastic scrub pad to remove stuck particles and gentle soap and water to clean.
Professional pans usually have black iron handles, which don`t heat as quickly as brass. They should be dried thoroughly to keep from rusting. Pans used primarily as ornamentation usually have brass handles.
The original way to clean the exposed unlined copper was with a little coarse salt and a enough vinegar or lemon juice to moisten it. In professional kitchens they would make a paste of flour, salt and vinegar. Most people today use commercial copper cleaners, most of which eventually will dull the copper finish.
If you wish to maintain the original exterior brilliance, use a nonabrasive, nonchemical paste polish with a jeweler`s rouge base.
Unlined copper
There are four types of copper pans made for specific cooking purposes that are not lined and should not be: Copper jam kettles used in candy and jammaking, sugar pans, which are used to make caramel; copper bowls for whipping egg whites, which should not be used to whip cream, and zabaglione pans. What is prepared in these pans will not react with the bare copper.
However, when cooking in unlined copper it is especially important that the pot be cleaned just before use. Copper reacts with the moisture in air to form verdigris (copper salts), which can be toxic. The best way to safeguard against this is to clean the pan as described above (with salt and acid), then wash with gentle soap and hot water. Dry thoroughly with a clean dish towel or paper towels.
Enameled metals
Enameled cast iron and enameled steel, sometimes called porcelain enamel, which are nonreactive, do not require curing. But be careful not to chip the surface. Wash with a mild soap and plastic, sponge or natural brushes. Food stuck to these materials may be soaked and then gently scrubbed. Baking soda is safe to use.
Metal scouring pads and abrasive cleaners scratch the interior surface of pots and pans and should not be used. If any darkening occurs, do not be concerned. And do not use bleach; it will pit the smooth surface, make it darken faster and ultimately bleach away the enamel.
Cast iron and steel
Black cast-iron ”frying” pans were a mainstay in American kitchens for years. Rolled or untreated steel, also called carbon steel, is used for French crepe, omelet and saute pans as well as Chinese woks. They are excellent cooking implements but require good care; both are reactive. These pans often are lacquered or with woks, coated with machine oil.
Unless preseasoned by the manufacturer, these pans must be cured or seasoned before their first use. If they ever are allowed to become rusty or are ”cleaned” to look like new, the curing process will have to be repeated. Never put a steel or iron pan in the dishwasher. Wash with a very mild soap and hot water, rinse, dry well. Some people like to store these pans upside down; some dry them upside down over a gas flame. Some leave them overnight upside down in a turned-off oven.
If anything sticks to one of these pans, scrub with coarse salt and a paper towel moistened with a little vegetable oil.
Stainless steel
Stainless steel is the hardest metal we cook with, making it very easy to clean and nonreactive with foods. However, unless it has a copper or aluminum bottom or copper or aluminum is sandwiched into the bottom, stainless steel is a poor heat conductor.
Clean with a mild detergent or in the dishwasher, unless it has wooden handles. If dark spots appear, there are polishes made just for stainless steel.
Glass
Glass saucepans do not appear in my kitchen because they are very breakable and are poor conductors of heat. On the other hand, they are attractive and in some cases may be taken directly to the table. On the other hand, glass pie ”pans” brown crusts very well because they retain heat.
Don`t take them from the freezer to hot water, or from a hot stove top to cold water or they might crack or shatter.
Black steel
Black steel pans often are used in baking for a fast, even browning of breads and pastries based on the theory that black surfaces absorb heat while shiny surfaces reflect it. Most recipes are tested using shiny metals, so if you are baking with black steel, reduce your heat by about 15 degrees or cut your cooking time a little (start testing after three quarters of the baking time).
Black steel has been made in a process that seals and darkens the surface. Therefore, it does not have to be cured or seasoned. But take care because salty or acidic foods will harm it. Use the same cleaning instructions for steel or cast iron; always dry upside down in a warm oven before storing. For more information on the care of equipment, a good book on the subject is the ”Williams-Sonoma Cookbook & Guide to Kitchenware,” by Chuck Williams. It is available at any Williams-Sonoma store.
