People frequently inquire about stainless steel cookware, look around the various website to know tips for using stainless steel cookware sets.
We try our best to fulfill your quest. Represent some tips for using the best stainless steel cookware sets.
Why Choose Stainless Steel Cookware Sets?
Stainless steel is the most common cookware materials. You might find it in most of the household. Light weight, inexpensive, shiny look etc make it most popular cookware materials.
Basically, stainless steel is an alloy of metals, consists of steel, carbon(C) and chromium(Cr). The reason behind stainless steel is called ‘stainless’ is because of resistance to corrosion.
Decide which Stainless Steel Series Is Best for you?
Before buy a stainless steel cookware, check on the bottom of pots & pans. You may see a grade that’s stamped on it. This grade reveals its durability &resistance to rust and corrosion.
300 Series
Stainless pots and pans are basically in the 300 series (varies either 304 or 316) and are stamped as like 18/8 or 18/10, that indicates how much chromium and nickel the alloy it contains.
The first number of that sequence refers the % of chromium(Cr), and the second indicates the percentage of nickel. Most stainless cookware sets are 18/10 grade (18% Chromium & 10% nickel).
The two different grades 304 and 316 in the 300 series are used for pots and pans. Although the actual difference between these grades is negligible,the 316 have a small percentage of molybdenum(Md) and also some titanium(Ti), which makes it more expensive and more corrosion resistant than grade 300.
The 316 grade is also acknowledged as “marine stainless steel” as for better resists erosion by salty water. Try to buy a 316-grade pot, If your budget allows.
400 Series
Stainless steel of 400 series is usually more corrosive than the 300 series and, therefore, it will rust with age. It is mainly used in mixing bowls, metal utensils, and cheap stockpots.The 400 series can be said nickel-free stainless steel cookware,stamped as 18/0, which still have a negligible percentage of nickel (0.75%). It can be said lower quality stainless steel.To differentiate between 300 & 400 series steel, simply place a magnet on interior & exterior of steel pans & pots. As nickel is not magnetic, it doesn’t attract 300 series. The more nickel, the better rust resistance. So you can check if the pot’s interior or exterior contains nickel by placing a magnet against it.
Tips for Using Multi-layer Stainless Cookware
Stainless steel pans & pots can be single layered or multi-layered. Multi-layered stainless steel refers a combination of aluminum or copper with steel. It’s basically more beneficial, durable& pricey than single layer stainless cookware set.
- Heat Distribution: Multilayered stainless steel base encapsulates a thick copper or aluminum core to ensure optimal heat distribution. It heats up faster and distributes heat more evenly.It also prevents hot spots on the cooking surface & foods will cook evenly.
- Stove tops: Almost fits every type of stove tops, it is the best induction cookware sets.
- Oven safety: Mostly oven safe up to 500-degree f.
- Washing: Basically dishwasher safe. Try to avoid metal utensil, it may scratch the surface, you can use a plastic scrubber.
Tips for Using Single-layer Stainless Cookware
Single layered stainless steel cookware is less durable than multi-layered. It is cheap and light weighted in compared to multilayer.
- Heat range: Single stainless steel base has the inability to conduct heat well , can produce hot spots on the cooking surface& foods will cook unevenly.
- Stove tops: Almost fits every type of stove tops, yet gas tops & induction tops preferable.
- Oven safety: Mostly oven safe up to 500-degree f.
- Washing : Basically dishwasher safe. Try to avoid metal utensil, it may scratch the surface, you can use a plastic scrubber.
Tips for Choose & Use Handles
Rivets and welds both are popular choices for fastening handles on lids and cookware. We enthusiastically recommend welded handles if it fits within your budget.
Riveted Handles
Rivets are small pieces of metal they are fixed into position between two hard pieces of metal. This resulting rivet holds the two pieces of metal together.
- Rivets are potentially harder to clean, as it easily gets grime onto a rivet, so you to rub hardly with dishwasher detergents.
- Don’t give extra pressure or put a heavy weight on riveted handles, it can be broken.
Welded Handle
Welds are created when to melt two pieces of metal together. Sometimes there will be a filler material.
- Welded handles are easier to wash than riveted handles, gets less grime.
- Although welds can seem fine, they suddenly can be broken.
- Sometimes you may need heat resistance hand gloves, thus welded handle can conduct more heat.
Tips to Keep Non-Stick Cooking Surface
Basically, stainless steel cookware set is not truly nonstick cookware. Although they advertise starburst finishing or commercial strong nonstick etc, you have to accept that fact, stainless steel can’t provide nonstick surface years after years. You can follow some tips to keep your cookware surface non-sticky.
- Try to avoid using metal spoon &Spatula. Metal spoon &Spatula can scratch on cooking surface, thus cooking surface gets more sticky.
- You can use a plastic scrubber with dishwasher, the liquid dishwasher is preferable than dishwasher detergent.
Tips to Season Your Pans Before Cooking
1.
Heat the pan
First heat your stainless steel pan over a medium-high heat, about 1 to 2 minutes.
2.
Oil the pan
Once the pan is hot, take it off from the burner and add a tablespoon of oil on the cooking surface, and spread the oil on the surface.
3.
Place the pan back on the heat
You have to continue to heat the oil until begins to smoke. As far the pan heats and the oil melts, the molecules of the surface of the stainless steel will be expanded and the fat from the oil will be embedded into the pan, thereby you produce a coating on the pan like a non-stick surface.
4.
Turn off the heat
Once the oil begins to smoke, turn off the heat and cool down oil completely. Once the oil has cooled, the cooking surface of the pan becomes reflective as a mirror, now the pan has been seasoned properly.
5.
Pour off the oil
After the season, the pan, pour the oil off from the pan into a jar/cup. Wipe out any excess oil from the cooking surface of the pan by using some paper towel.
6.
Maintain the non-stick surface
As long as you don’t wash your pan with soap, the nonstick surface should last for few times. You may need to use some extra oil while cooking, to prevent the existing surface oil from burning.
Once the cooking surface of the pan begins to turn like brown or yellow, you should re-season the pan to get nonstick surface by using the same method.
Tips for Cleaning Stainless Cookware
Despite commonly used, stainless steel comes with tough cleaning challenges if it is used improperly. It’s obvious to establish a regular cleaning routine of your cookware.
1.
Clean up any crusted on burned food
At first, soak it for a couple of hours in warm, soapy water better you let it soak overnight. Then drain the water, and scrub hardly with a scouring pad.
Don’t use steel wool pads or metal scrubbers, they do a good job of removing crushed or burned food but they will scratch the surface of your cookware.
2.
Clean burn marks from the cookware
You can easily clean burn marks by using baking soda. First, make the pan completely dry, then sprinkle with baking soda onto the surface. Thoroughly rub the baking soda around the pan with a dry sponge or cloth.
You can also mix slight water to the baking soda to achieve past like consistency. If you really have trouble then with burn marks, try a mild abrasive cleaner, as Bar Keeper’s Friend.
3.
Clean water spots from the cookware
To clean water spot you can try soaking the stainless steel pan in vinegar, then clean it as usual with a mild detergent and soft sponge or cloth.
Extra Tips
- You should establish a regular cleaning routine.
- Try to clean the pan immediately after using them, this prevents stains and dried on food from building on the cooking surface.
- After washing them, it necessary to wipe each pan dry with a clean towel. This will improve the durability of the stainless steel being rustic.
- Try to avoid cleaning your stainless steel cookware set on the dishwasher, though the pans are dishwasher-safe. Washing them by the dishwasher will reduce their lifespan significantly.
- If you want your cookware set to really shine, you can polish it with a stainless steel polish. This will keep your cookware shiny after a couple of years.
Final Words
At last, we hope that this tip & tricks will help you & improve your cooking experiences with stainless steel cookware. If you have any questions to ask, feel free to contract with us.