The two essential features of a cookware are that it should have
good thermal conductivity and that it should be chemically
unreactive with the ingredients that are cooked in it. Metallic
cookware are found to possess these essential features and hence
are the most widely used forms of cookware across the globe.
They are generally made from a narrow range of metals. Most
metals that exhibit good thermal conductivity are too reactive
to be used in food preparation. Hence selection of the right
type of metal for cookware is crucial. The most popular metals
that find usage in cookware are:
Aluminium
Aluminium is a lightweight metal which exhibits very good
thermal conductivity. The main characteristics of aluminium are
that it does not rust, and is resistant to many forms of
corrosion. Being a soft metal, it is commonly alloyed with
magnesium, copper, or bronze to increase its strength. It is
generally available in sheet, cast or anodized forms. Sheet
aluminum which is spun or stamped into form is commonly used for
making baking sheets, pie plate, cake pans, steamers, pasta
pots, skillets etc. Cast aluminium produces a thicker product
than sheet aluminium and is suitable for saucepots, dutch ovens,
heavyweight baking pans etc. However, due to the microscopic
pores caused by the casting process, cast aluminium possesses
low thermal conductivity than sheet aluminium. Anodized
aluminium, on the other hand, has the naturally occurring layer
of aluminium oxide thickened by an electrolytic process to
create a surface that is hard and non-reactive.
Copper
Copper is a metal which has the unique characteristic of
providing good thermal conductivity, besides ensuring even
heating. Due to these advantages, copper cookware has found a
prominant place in Western cooking. The best copper cookware
were made out of a thick layer of copper to ensure good thermal
conductivity and a thin layer of tin to prevent the metal from
reacting with acidic foods. However they tend to be heavy,
expensive and requires occasional retinning. Copper cookware are
now available with stainless steel rather than tin linings which
last much longer. They are best suited for high-heat,
fast-cooking techniques.
Cast Iron
Cast iron
cookware is slow to heat, but once heated, provides even
heating. It is cost effective and can withstand very high
temperatures. Being a reactive material, cast iron is known to
react with high acid foods. Cast iron, being a porous material,
requires seasoning before use. Though cast iron cookware can be
washed with soap, it should not be soaked in water or left wet
for long.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is an
alloy of iron containing a minimum of 11.5 % chromium. It is
resistant to corrosion and does not react with either alkaline
or acidic foods. Stainless steel cookware though are light,
cannot be easily scratched or dented. Though stainless steel
finds general acceptance in cookware industry, its main drawback
is its relatively poor heat conductivity. To overcome this,
stainless steel cookware is generally made with a metal insert
of copper or aluminium at the base.
About the Author:
James Brown writes about
Types
of Cookware and
Steel Cookware
