How to Choose a Good Stainless Steel Cookware?

Thinking about having a good stainless steel pot or pan?

There are facts to think about when buying stainless steel cookware.  Choosing a good stainless steel pot or pan considered at least the following elements.

Does it have good heat conduction?  Before buying, choose the pot and pan that have good heat conduction.  High quality stainless steel cookware is often coated with aluminium or copper at the bottom to make the heat spread evenly.  This coated layer enhances the cookware's heat conductivity.  The thickness of the bottom also indicates good heat conduction.  For aluminium coated bottom, looking for the pot or pan with 3 mm to 5 mm bottom thickness.  For copper coated bottom, look for the ones with 1 mm to 2 mm disc thickness.

Is it durable?  Because of its corrosion and scratch resistance feature, stainless steel pots and pans are durable.  As a matter of fact, stainless cookware is considered the best choice of cookware because of its durability.

Does it have reaction with food?  Stainless steel pots and pans don't have food reaction especially with acidic or alkaline food such as tomato, cranberry, onion, asparagus, etc. This makes it easy when cooking with acidic or alkaline food.  It provides worry-free feeling that the metal will not be absorbed into what's cooking.

Is it easy to use and maintain?  Because of its durability and scratch resistance, stainless cookware is easy to use and care for.  With proper preparation, use and care, stainless cookware would remain as new as time goes.  It is considered a long term value cookware which worth the investment.

A good stainless steel pot or pan should have all the feature of the above-mentioned elements.  Depending on the budget available, select the best pot and pan for your kitchen cabinet.  Keep in mind that a high quality stainless steel pot or pan has good heat conduction, durable and a long term value cookware.

Is Scratched Stainless Steel Cookware Safe?

Stainless steel cookware is considered good choice of cookware for the kitchen and the most popular cookware in North America.  It is heavy-duty, durable, corrosive resistant and easy for maintenance.  However, it does get scratched if not being used and cared for properly.  Is it safe using scratched stainless steel cookware?

Stainless steel cookware is made of iron, chromium and nickel.  When abrasive material is being used frequently to clean the pot or pan, it will cause the scratch thus release a small amount of iron, chromium and nickel.  Consume a large amount of iron or chromium can be poisonous, but iron or chromium released from cookware provides less than the percentage of total daily intake so it would not be hazardous. Consume small amount of nickel is not poisonous as well.  Cooking with nickel containing stainless cookware will not add significant amounts of nickel to the diet.   However, people who are sensitive to nickel might provoke allergic reaction.  It is recommended that people allergic to nickel should avoid using nickel containing in stainless steel pot and pan.

Because of its poor heat conductivity, high quality stainless steel pot or pan usually has aluminium or copper-coated bottom to enhance heat conduction.  It is important to realize that, if being scoured, the coated copper coating can lose its protective layer.

Furthermore, if the stainless cookware severely damaged with deep scratches, it is recommended the cookware be discarded as it is uncertain of the amount of iron, chromium and nickel be released when cooking.

It is a good practice to only use soft dish washcloth or non-abrasive pad with soap when cleaning to avoid scratching stainless cookware.  Proper use and care certainly will prevent causing damages to the pot or pan and therefore enhance its durability and lifetime.

Easy Way to Remove Water Stains on Stainless Steel Cookware

When do not dry stainless steel cookware completely after washing, the excess water remains on the pot or pan will turn into murky stains making the cookware look overcast over all.  In order to treat the water stains from stainless steel cookware, white vinegar is often used to remove the stains.

• Rub the water stains by using a soft cloth or paper towel with the vinegar.  Keep rubbing until the stains seem to disappear.

• Use a dry dish wash cloth or paper towel to wipe the pot or pan to check for any remained water stains.  If the stains still exist, continue to rub with the towel and vinegar and then wipe the pot or pan with a dry towel to make sure the stains are completed removed.

• Once the water stains are all gone, soak a clean soft cloth or paper towel with water and then wipe the pot or pan to remove any vinegar remaining on the cookware.

• Finally, wipe the pot or pan with a clean dry dish wash cloth or paper towel before storage.

Overall, in order to prevent the stainless steel cookware diminished appearance caused by the water stains, always wipe your stainless steel pots and pans after washing with a dry clean towel.  On the other hand, to remove the already existing water stains on stainless cookware, follow the above easy tip to quickly remove the stains and make your pot or pan maintain its shiny look.

What to Do with Stock Pot?

 

What can we do with stock pot?

Stock pot is an essential cookware and one of the most common types of cooking pot used in the kitchen.  Traditionally, a stock pot is used to make stock or broth which is the process of simmering meat, meat bones or vegetables with water for several hours.  The slow simmering process transfers flavors, colors and nutrition to the water where they blend and make the stock or broth.  Homemade stock or broth create a base with flavor and aromas even without adding salt, herbs or spices.  A stock pot is also used for cooking a variety of recipes such as soups, stews, pasta sauce, as well as boiling or steaming foods like corns, crabs, shellfish, etc.

Most stock pots are made from stainless steel.  The more expensive stock pots have bottoms which made of different metals such as aluminium or copper to enhance heat conduction.  Stock pots come in a variety of sizes, from 6 quarts to 20 quarts or even larger commercial sizes.

 

For household, stock pot is often used to make a large batch of stock or broth base.  The stock or broth can be stored in the fridge for a few days.  It can also be frozen up to a few months for later use.  The key to bring up flavors and aromas is to simmer the meats, meat bones and vegetables on low heat for at least a few hours.  At low temperature, the meat bones and vegetables blend all the flavors, colors and nutrition as they simmer making the stock or broth tasty and delicious.

What are you cooking today?  Thinking about making homemade soup or chili?  Don't have a stock pot yet?  Determine what size of stock pot you'd like to have and browse stock pot to find the one you're looking for.

Buying Stainless Steel Cookware - Set vs. Piece

Pots and pans are one of the necessities in the kitchen.  Whether you enjoy spending time cooking or just cook on occasions when needed, pots and pans are essential cookware and become handy when take out order is not an option.  There are facts to think about when looking for new cookware to fill your kitchen cabinet.

Cost
Depend on what brand name and the quality of the stainless steel cookware you're looking at, the price for a set varies from between low $100.00 to approximately $1,500.00.  Price for a single pot or pan might run from $40.00 to$350.00.  Make some thinking and see what you need before purchasing a set or a piece.  Keep in mind that good quality stainless steel cookware is a long value cookware which could last for long period of time with proper care.

Set vs. Piece
If you don't cook so often, buying a whole set sometime leaving you with pieces that never be used.  If this is the case, buying just a pot and pan that fit your needs probably a best choice.  If you love to cook and like to try out new recipes, thinking about having a whole cookware set as it is cheaper to buy a set than to build the set over time.

If your budget is not allowed to invest in a high quality cookware set that you have an eye on, collecting piece by piece is not too bad.  Of course, the total cost will be much more expensive than buying the set, but you'll have the pot and pan that you love with the budget allowed at the time.   Eventually, you'll be able to build a whole set that you like to have. 

It would make some thinking to decide whether you should buy a whole cookware set or just collect it by buying piece by piece.  Think about how often you'll be using your pots and pans along with the budget available.  Decide on what you like and what benefit you most.  Look for the feature of each pot and pan and see if it fits with your daily cooking purpose. Then browse stainless steel cookware to find the whole set or just a pot or pan that you'd like to have.

Cooking with Stainless Steel Roaster

Do you use your stainless steel roaster often or just a few times a year on special holiday occasions?

Roaster is not only used for roasting turkey on special occasions, but is also useful as an additional cookware and can be used as often as we like.  Roaster can be used for roasting turkey or a large portion of any kind of meat.   Roasting is a simple way of cooking meat and usually yielded a tender interior and browned the exterior.  One aspect of using a roaster is that while the meat is roasting, we're freed to do any other cooking tasks.  Roasting meat is easy with the following steps by steps to prepare your meal.

• Prepare your meat.  Before roasting, the meat should be already trimmed, tied and seasoned, and seared.

• Preheat your oven to suggested roasting temperature.  Usually, the standard temperature for roasting is 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  However, the lower the heat of the oven, the better the final roasting meat will be.  At a lower temperature, the meat will take longer to cook but will produce more flavor and moisture.  Nevertheless, never roast meat at a temperature below 200 degrees F (93 degrees C).

• Place the meat on the rack and in the middle of the roaster.  Leave about 2-3 inches from the edges of the roaster all around the meat.  This allows the heat to circulate and cook the meat evenly.

• Cover the roaster with the lid and place it on the center rack of the preheated oven.   Roast the meat until its internal temperature is reached.  The internal temperature depends on what kind of meat you're roasting.  Most meat thermometers have standard internal temperature for each type of cooking meat.

• Let the meat rest in the roaster for about 5-10 minutes after remove it from the oven.  Transfer the meat to a platter and allow it to rest for another five minutes.  Resting the meat after roasting will help to distribute the natural juices throughout the meat.

• Remove the string from the exterior of the meat.  Be cautious as the meat might be still hot.

• Slice the meat and serve.

What kind of roaster do you have?  Stainless steel roaster or aluminium roaster?  Start using your roaster often and enjoy the experience cooking when preparing a delicious roasting dish for your meal!  Don't have a roasting pan yet, browse roaster to find one that fits your needs.

  

How to Restore Discoloration on Stainless Steel Cookware

Cooking on high heat can cause brown or blue stains on stainless steel cookware.  Burnt food, if not removed, also cause the stains when the pot or pan is reheated.  Mineral solids in water, over time will leave water stains on stainless cookware as well.  Bar Keepers Friend and white vinegar are often used to restore the discoloration from stainless steel cookware.

Bar Keepers Friend

Bar Keepers Friend (BKF) is a premium cleanser that works without chlorine bleach which can be used on stainless steel.  BKF can be purchased online or at local stores at the household cleaning aisle and can be found in either liquid or powder. 

• Make sure the cookware surface is wet before applying BKF onto the surface then lightly rub in circulation with a wet soft cloth where the stains present.  If using powder BKF, sometimes it's a good idea to mix the powder with water to turn it into a paste form before rubbing in order to remove stubborn stains.  Also, leaving BKF on the wet cookware surface for a while before rubbing would make the stains gone off easily. 

• When the stains are disappeared, rinse the cookware through warm water and wash it with soap to wash off all chemical residues. 

• Finally, rinse the cookware thoroughly with hot water and use dry clean towel to wipe it completely.

White vinegar

• Fill the discolored stainless steel cookware with one cup of vinegar and add water as needed to cover the stains. 

• Boil the vinegar water mixture for about five minutes then allow it to cool down completely. 

• Wash stainless steel cookware with soap and hot water using a soft dish wash cloth or a nonabrasive pad. 

• When done cleaning, rinse the stainless steel cookware thoroughly with hot water and dry it completely with a clean towel.

Best of all, in order to avoid discoloration, remember not to put stainless steel pots and pans over high heat.  It is recommended once the pots and pans are hot after preheating, maintain medium or medium-low for cooking.  Clean pots and pans after each use and wipe it with dry clean towels would certainly help the cookware remain spotless.

Do you have any other tips in removing the discoloration?  We appreciate your comments and suggestions.