Wok: iron pan, non-stick pan, stainless steel pan, casserole, aluminum pan, which one is more worth buying?
If you go to the kitchen utensils area of the supermarket, you will find that all kinds of frying pans occupy the shelves of kitchen utensils, with different brands, different prices, and different characteristics. Some can be bought for tens of yuan, while others cost thousands of yuan per pot. If you carefully understand the material of these pots, you will find countless.
The most common cooking pots in our daily life are iron pots, non-stick pots, stainless steel pots, casserole pots, and aluminum pots. So today, let's talk to you about the topic of daily pot selection, let's take a look, what are the characteristics of these 5 kinds of wok? Which pot is more worth buying?
- Iron pot - there are cast iron pots and wrought iron pots
I remember that when I was a child, there were not so many types of wok, and the most used one in every household was a simple and practical iron wok. I don't know when non-stick pans appeared on the market, and the number of people using iron pans has gradually decreased. However, in recent years, I have found that the wok has returned to its C position.
At present, the iron pots on the market can be divided into two types: cast iron pots (cast iron pots) and wrought iron pots (fine iron pots). The pig iron pot is cast with molten iron, which is relatively thick, has poor thermal conductivity, and has good heat retention. It is relatively re-opening and daily maintenance. The wrought iron pot has undergone the process of hand-made or machine forging. The pot body is thin, tough, and heat-conducting quickly, and it is not as heavy as a pig iron pot.
In general, cast iron pots are more suitable for soups and stews, and cooked iron pots are more suitable for stir-frying. If you are too lazy to perform daily maintenance, and your arm strength is relatively small, it is recommended that you choose a wrought iron pot. After all, the heavy cast iron pot is too laborious to stir up the daily cooking.
【Precautions for using iron pot】
When frying foods with high acidity in an iron pan, some iron ions will indeed enter the food. However, this iron is inorganic iron, not heme iron from meat ingredients that has a high absorption rate by the human body. Therefore, do not Too much expecting "iron pot to make up for iron". Iron pans can also be used as non-stick pans when they are boiled and properly cared for. However, after daily cleaning, remember to wipe off the water to avoid rusting of the iron pan.
- Non-stick pan-coated pan with shorter service life
Non-stick pans should be a kind of frying pan that has only become popular in the past 10 years. The essence of its "non-stick" is that the surface of the pan has a coating made of special materials, which can act as an isolation effect. At present, the common non-stick coatings are Teflon coating and ceramic coating.
We just bought home a non-stick pan and it works great. But after using it for a while, everyone will find that the non-stick pan starts to stick to the pan, because the coating has begun to peel off. Whether it is a non-stick pan with dozens of pieces or a non-stick pan with a few hundred pieces, as long as the coating peels off, the pan is basically useless. Compared with iron pans, non-stick pans have a much shorter lifespan. Generally, they should be discharged after about 1-2 years.
[Precautions for the use of non-stick pans]
When using a non-stick pan, you must keep two points in mind. First, the cooking temperature should preferably be limited to below 250 °C, and do not cook at high temperature for a long time, otherwise it will affect the stability of the coating and may release harmful substances; Second When using a non-stick pan, do not use a shovel and steel wool, otherwise it will easily damage the non-stick coating. In addition, a non-stick pan is a consumable item, so when the coating peels off, you need to change the pan decisively.
- Stainless steel pot - cooking requires high heat
The so-called stainless steel is actually made of a mixture of iron and other metals. It is relatively more durable, has good corrosion resistance, high strength, and is relatively expensive. In the material of stainless steel pots, there are also models. Remember to prefer stainless steel pots made of 304 stainless steel or 316 stainless steel. In comparison, 316 stainless steel is better.
However, when cooking, stainless steel has very high requirements on the heat. If it is not mastered well, it is easy to stick to the pan. Especially like some stainless steel pots with good thermal conductivity, once you forget to turn down the heat after heating the pot and stir-fry the vegetables, you will find how to stick to the pot. I have a deep understanding of this.
[Precautions for the use of stainless steel pots]
When using stainless steel pots, be sure to control the heat. Due to the good thermal conductivity and heat transfer of stainless steel pot, and it is more durable, please remember not to open the fire, and use medium and small fire when cooking. The flame should not exceed the bottom of the pot, otherwise the food will be easily burnt and the surface of the pot will turn yellow or black.
- Casserole - traditional pot, easy to break
Casserole belongs to a relatively traditional type of pottery cookware. It has the characteristics of fast heat transfer, slow heat dissipation and strong heat preservation ability, but it is easy to break and break if you are not careful. Like some classic dishes, casserole is specially used as a pot, such as casserole fish head, casserole chicken, casserole pork ribs and so on. Dishes made in casserole can maximize the original flavor of food.
When buying casserole, you must go to regular channels to buy it, because some unscrupulous merchants will produce some casserole with excessive heavy metal residues. Long-term use will cause bad effects on the human body. Therefore, do not choose Sanwu products because of cheapness.
【Precautions for the use of casserole】
When using the casserole, do not turn on the fire as soon as it comes up, otherwise the casserole may burst due to the sudden rise in temperature. The correct method is to start with low heat, then turn to high heat, and finally turn to low heat to simmer the food slowly. The heating process must be gradual. In addition, the casserole cannot be used for dry cooking.
- Aluminum pan - not recommended
Aluminum pots should belong to the relatively antique pots. The biggest advantage of aluminum pot is that it is cheap and light, and has the characteristics of durability, fast heating, uniform heat conduction, and no rust. On the surface, it seems to be perfect, but in fact, when cooking with aluminum pots, there will be a hidden danger of "aluminum migration", that is, the aluminum element in the aluminum pot migrates into the food. If the human body ingests too much aluminum, it will be detrimental to health. Therefore, it is not recommended to use aluminum pans for long-term cooking.