Is it possible to fry in a pan?
Nowadays, you can buy a saucepan for every taste at the market or in a store. It is generally accepted that the main purpose of this cookware is to cook soups and porridges, stew meat and vegetables. Many modern housewives began to wonder: is it possible to fry in a pan? If so, what characteristics should the dishes have to make the food tasty and healthy? This will be discussed in our article.
The content of the article
What kind of pan can you fry in?
The aluminum pan is multifunctional and easy to use. It is suitable for cooking soups, dumplings and pasta. It is used to boil water and milk. Aluminum conducts heat well, due to which liquid boils much faster than in dishes made of other materials. The main advantages of aluminum products are lightness, durability and relatively low price.
However, it is worth considering the disadvantages of this material. Aluminum is a soft metal, so it can be easily deformed. Experienced housewives prefer thick-walled aluminum pans. They are more reliable and safe. The fact is that during stirring, especially with an iron spatula or spoon, some of the material is inevitably scraped off and gets into the food. The accumulation of aluminum in the body can lead to various diseases. For the same reason, it is not recommended to hit the edges of the dish with a spoon to shake off food debris.
Attention! You cannot fry in aluminum cookware - the food will start to burn and the walls will quickly darken.
An enamel pan is an alternative to aluminum, made of cast iron or iron coated with several layers of enamel. It is even more difficult to cook in such cookware than in aluminum cookware. Products must be stirred all the time during cooking. The enamel coating quickly begins to chip off, resulting in chips that spoil not only the appearance, but also the quality and taste of the food. As a result, poisoning from metal compounds may occur.
The cast iron pan is scratch resistant and has a long service life. It takes a long time to heat up and also takes a long time to cool down. Cooking in such dishes is easy and safe. The food turns out unique, the products simmer in their own juice and retain their taste for a long time. In cast iron cookware you can fry, stew, boil and bake ingredients in the oven.
The disadvantages of cast iron cookware are that they rust from moisture, so after washing it is advisable to immediately dry them and place them in a dry place. In addition, cast iron is heavy and has a porous texture, which can cause it to crack if hit or dropped.
Fireproof glass pans are becoming increasingly popular among housewives and professional chefs. This material does not mix with food, heats up well, retains heat for a long time and is easy to clean. Such dishes are mainly used for baking in the oven, where the walls and bottom are heated evenly. For use on a stove, a special mesh divider is used that distributes heat over the entire surface of the bottom. To do this, it is installed on the burner.
Reference! Fireproof glass is environmentally friendly, hygienic and safe.Therefore, more and more people prefer this material.
Suitable pans for frying:
- with non-stick and Teflon coating;
- stainless steel;
- ceramic;
- made of refractory ceramics.
Criteria for choosing a pan with frying capability
To buy a high-quality and environmentally friendly frying pan, you need to consider some details. When choosing, you should pay attention to the following parameters:
- the material from which the dishes are made;
- coating - Teflon, ceramic or enameled;
- thickness and tightness of the lid;
- thickness of walls and bottom.
For frying meat or vegetables, pans made of cast iron, fireproof glass or ceramics and cast aluminum are ideal. It is important that the cookware has a non-stick coating. They need to be looked after with special care, since even microcracks in the coating noticeably worsen its properties, and food can begin to burn.
The thickness of the bottom and walls of a high-quality non-stick pan should be 5–6 mm. This way, the dishes will deform less and will last a long time. Don't forget about the handles of the product. It is advisable that they also be made of fire-resistant material, because many dishes need to be cooked in the oven.
When choosing a pan for frying, you should pay attention to the groove in the bottom (ribbing or other ornament on the bottom). If it is present, the dishes will conduct heat better and retain it inside. Such pans can be used on a glass-ceramic stove made of ceran.
Reference! To attract buyers, manufacturers resort to various tricks that make life easier for ordinary housewives.For example, at the bottom of Tefal pans there is a special indicator that determines the degree of heating.
Among the new products on the modern market you can find pans with a capsule bottom, which is made of layers of metal of different types. Such models are more durable and practical; food is prepared in them much faster than in ordinary ones.
Nowadays, you can buy a saucepan for every taste, multifunctional in all respects. Thanks to a wide selection of shapes, patterns and colors, the dishes will not only be the first assistant in the kitchen, but will also harmoniously complement any design.