16 January, 2017
Reactive and non-reactive cookware
Posted in : Shopping on by : admin
Written by Costbuys
When you shop online and you will notice that most modern cookware is made of ceramic, aluminum, copper, iron, steel, and stainless steel. In an ideal world, we want our pans to do two things: conduct heat efficiently and not cause any detrimental changes to our food. Unfortunately, none of the materials listed above can do both at once. Over the years, we have come to realize that these materials fall into two categories. Reactive and non-reactive.
Ceramic and stainless steel are both non-reactive. They do not conduct heat very well, resulting in hot spots in various areas of the pan. The good news is that they do not cause any changes to the color or flavor of the food. In addition, they remain hot for a very long time.
Aluminum, copper, iron and steel are reactive surfaces. The distribution of heat is very good. As a result, the food will cook evenly. The problem is when we cook with acidic or alkaline food. For example cooking with tomato or lime will result in a metallic flavor. The longer they cook, the stronger the taste. What is worse is that cooking food like eggs can result in a gray discoloration.
Another issue with reactive cookware is that the food will pick up the chemical compounds from the pan. Copper pans will leech a little bit of copper every time. In addition, the body has a tough time eliminating copper, so it is definitely not for everyday use. To get around this, look for these materials with a mixture of stainless steel when online discount shopping.
In conclusion, use reactive cookware for boiling or sautéing, and non-reactive cookware with acidic or alkali ingredients.
___________________________________________________________________
Costbuys is a discount online shopping site where customers can order the products they know and use every day at amazing prices with free worldwide shipping.