The inexperienced housewives may have a question - why do they need a saucepan and is there a difference between the pan and the frying pan? Experienced housewives do not have such doubts. They are sure that even if there are half a dozen pans in their arsenal, they can not do without a saucepan.
Distinguishing features of a saucepan
A sauté pan is an absolutely irreplaceable thing in the kitchen. Of course, this statement is more suitable for those who like to cook and spend a lot of time in this lesson, who like to experiment, prepare dishes of various national cuisines, who like to pamper themselves and their family with delicious food. If your list of dishes is limited to boiled pasta and fried potatoes, you will completely manage without a saucepan.
So, the saucepan has a number of advantages and features in comparison with a conventional frying pan, no matter what brand and quality it may be. We list them:
- First of all, the saucepan has thick walls and a bottom. Thanks to this, the heat in it is distributed evenly and the dishes are prepared more quickly.
- A sauté pan is necessary for dishes, in the preparation process it is of fundamental importance that the liquid is present in the dishes to the end.
- The saucepan has higher sides, which means that it is possible to cook various sauces and dishes in sauces.
- In the saucepan, in contrast to the frying pan, a more extensive range of applications: it can cook pilaf, mashed potatoes and even heat the soup.
- The saucepan has a very comfortable handle, which can not always boast of frying pans.
What is prepared in the saucepan?
So, we figured out what the saucepan is for and what its principal features are. Now let's turn directly to the dishes that can be cooked in it.
First of all, you will be interested in the question of whether it is possible to fry in a saucepan or it is only suitable for extinguishing. The answer is unequivocal - of course, you can. After all, in the process of preparing different dishes, there may come a time when you need to first fry the product to a golden crust and then start to extinguish it.
Frying in the saucepan is very convenient, because it has non-stick coating, so that you will not be burned. Of course, in order not to spoil this layer and allow the dishes to serve her faithfully for many years, one should use special spatulas recommended by the manufacturer. Although modern technology has already reached such a high-tech level, it is still necessary to make scratches on four- and even six-layer coatings.
So, the main purpose of the saucepan is to allow the dish to languish, which keeps most of the nutrients in the food. In such dishes your food will never burn and do not dry out.
In saucepans, you can safely prepare sauces of any complexity, as well as various cereals, saute , vegetable and meat stews, omelets, pilaf . There are even special stovepans for microwave, which further expands their range of applications. They are usually not round, but square or rectangular in shape.
How to choose a saucepan?
If you came to the conviction that you need this dish, you need to learn about the features of the right choice, so you do not have to be disappointed in the future.
So, before buying a saucepan, read its characteristics. First of all, it must be made of a laminated material. Non-stick coating should be applied by spraying, rather than roller-fed. Its thickness should not be less than 20 microns. Usually the good quality is indicated by the thickness of the coating at 2-2.5 mm.
Further - for your own safety, make sure that there are no lead, cadmium and melamine in the saucepan. This will save you from the unpleasant consequences of cooking in such dishes.
If you have an induction cooker, then you need a special stewpan, not a conventional one, which is designed for
Pay attention to the pattern or relief pattern inside the saucepan. Typically, manufacturers do this to improve the process of heat distribution and even better non-stick properties.
Another thing: if you plan to cook in a stewpan in the oven, pick up a model with removable handles. But at the same time the handles must be securely fixed, so that no accidents with burns occur.
The lid of the saucepan should be made of heat-resistant glass with a stainless rim. Also note the presence of a steam outlet during cooking.