Best Practices when Cooking with Stainless Steel Cookware

Stainless steel cookware is a fantastic addition to everybody’s kitchen. This cookware has a nonstick surface, is very resistant to scratches, and is generally more affordable than other cookware sets. Investing in high-quality stainless steel cookware is essential so that you will have a set that will last you for many years to come. Today we will be talking about the benefits and general ideas in cooking with stainless steel cookware and the famous question, “Should you season stainless steel cookware?”

What is Stainless Steel Cookware?

Stainless steel cookware comes from a variety of metals like chromium, iron, and carbon. But the outer layer of stainless steel cookware is made from stainless steel. Many people love using stainless steel cookware because they are attractive and Is pretty durable. When choosing great stainless steel cookware, one way to check the quality of the product is to check the weight of your set. Since this cookware is made of metal, the heavier the cookware, the better. There are many advantages to using stainless steel cookware, and here are some of them.

 

Advantages of Using Stainless Steel Cookware

 

• Affordability

Compared to other cookware sets out in the market, stainless steel cookware is more affordable. Finding the right one to invest in will surely not be a problem with all the fantastic brands out there.

 

• Low Maintenance 

Stainless steel cookware is incredibly easy to maintain. You won’t have a problem cleaning your stainless steel cookware. It does not require particular ways to maintain its integrity.

 

• Durability

Stainless steel is a strong metal that can withstand various kinds of impacts – making it perfect daily cookware for your home. 

 

• Attractive Appearance

Stainless steel cookware is shiny and has a mirror-like finish, which can suit the interior of any house. 

 

• Can Cook Food Well

Stainless steel cookware can cook food well and distribute heat evenly, making it a fantastic addition to any household.

 

• Weight is Easy to Cook With

A 12-inch cast-iron pan weighs around 8 pounds. In comparison, a stainless steel skillet weighs approximately 4 pounds, which makes it an excellent pan to use when you want something easier to handle.

 

• No Food-Reactive Substances 

Stainless steel cookware is one of the items that are safe to use with acidic foods. It permits acidic recipes, such as tomato and their juices or wine and alcohol. When cooking with stainless steel cookware, there is no risk of toxic chemicals leaching or a wired flavor to get through compared to using other cookware. 

 

Should You Season Stainless Steel Cookware?

Should you season stainless steel cookware – a question most of us have probably asked ourselves, at least one point in our lives. Well, the answer to this question depends. Some would probably say that it is unnecessary to season your cookware since you will put oil when you cook. While people who favor seasoning their cookware, on the other hand, claim that by doing so, they establish a barrier between the pan and the food they are cooking. Thus, helping prevent food from sticking food they to the pan much more effortless.

However, there are no downsides to seasoning your stainless steel cookware before cooking. The only way to know how helpful seasoning your cookware will be you. Always remember that there are no right or wrong ways to cook. Cooking will always boil down to your personal preference. Regardless of what others might say, whether something is right or wrong, if it works for you, then that’s all that matters.

 

Best Practices when Cooking with Stainless Steel Cookware

As discussed earlier, stainless steel cookware is easy to maintain and easy to use when cooking. Nevertheless, there are certain things we can do to make cooking with stainless steel cookware a more effortless experience. So to cook your food well, there are a few things to keep in mind. 

• Preheat your Pan

When cooking with stainless steel cookware, there can be times when the food gets stuck to the pan.  When stainless steel cookware is cold, it is very porous, and the edges of these pores are responsible for making your food stick to the pan. Preheating your cookware helps the steel expand and creates a smoother and better surface for cooking. That is why preheating your pan is a crucial step when cooking with stainless steel.

 

• Apply Oil

Once your pan is sufficiently heated, this is the time to apply your chosen cooking oil. A light, even coating of oil is enough since all you want is to create a barrier between your pan and your cooking food. An excellent way to tell when your pan is ready for cooking is when the oil starts to sizzle.

 

The type of oil you use to season your pans is also essential. The oils that I would recommend for seasoning your pan are rice-bran, sunflower, avocado, corn, and peanut oil. They are widely regarded as the best for seasoning stainless steel cookware. The following are the oils to avoid since they have low smoke points, making them ineffective for seasoning; canola, coconut oil, and virgin or extra virgin olive oil.

 

• Ensure Your Food Is Room Temperature

When cooking with stainless steel cookware, it is good to remember that cold food will stick much more effortlessly to a hot pan. Because steel contracts when it comes into touch with a colder temperature, making food more likely to stick. 

 

• Avoid Extreme Heat when Preheating

Since quality stainless steel cookware can retain heat better, avoiding extreme heat when preheating your pan is good. When you preheat your pan using high heat, there will be more tendency for overheating your pan, leading to overcooked food.

 

• When Food Doesn’t Stick That Means, You’re Ready To Flip

One way to know if you are ready to flip whatever you are cooking is when it does not stick to your pan anymore. You can check this by slightly wiggling your pan.

 

• Use Plastic, Wood, or Silicone Utensils

Although it is pretty safe to use metal utensils when cooking with stainless steel cookware, their constant use would result in scratches over time. To avoid that, using plastic, wood, or silicone utensils will be much better in helping to preserve your pots and pans. I prefer silicone utensils because they are dishwasher safe and easy to maintain. Still, any of the mentioned utensils are excellent choices as well.  

 

• Always Clean Your Cookware After Use

We all get that urge sometimes to leave our dishes to be cleaned at a later time. But it is much better always to wash your stainless steel cookware after use, which will ensure that stains will not stick to your pans longer.

 

How to Maintain your Stainless Steel Cookware:

 

• Avoid Extreme Temperature Changes

We all know how sometimes it’s just too tiring to wait for our cookware to cool down. But when cooking with stainless steel cookware, this is a must. Stainless steel cookware can warp when exposed to extreme temperature changes, so it is essential to wait until your pan has thoroughly cooled down before cleaning it. 

 

• Don’t Use Steel Wool

When cleaning your stainless steel cookware, using steel wool might seem like an ideal way to clean those stubborn bits that get stuck, but this should not be the case. Steel wool will create scratches in your cookware and will make your pots and pans deteriorate much faster.

 

• Use Non-Abrasive Cleaning Materials

To preserve your stainless steel cookware, using non-abrasive cleaning materials is essential. A regular sponge or scouring pad will work wonders to clean your pans. Although stainless steel cookware is dishwasher-friendly, I prefer washing them by hand since it ensures that I get all the food and oil off. 

 

Easy Ways to Clean Stainless Steel Cookware 

 

• Baking Soda with Water 

When stubborn pieces of food are stuck to your pans, one easy way to clean them is by using baking soda and some elbow grease. Mix a bit of water and baking soda in your pan, wait for a few minutes before you proceed to scrub. Leaving the paste on for more extended periods, maybe even overnight, will help remove more stubborn stains.

 

• Salt and Lime

For this method, all you need are two things, salt, and lime. Here is a short guide on how to remove stubborn stains from your stainless steel cookware:

 

1. Cut  a piece of lime in half
2. squeeze the lime juice into your pan
3. add salt
4. wait for a couple of minutes to an hour
5. add more salt if needed
6. proceed to clean the pan using a non-abrasive sponge

 

Conclusion:

I hope you all have learned something new about cooking with stainless steel cookware. Keep in mind that the question of whether you should season stainless steel cookware will always boil down to your personal preference. Although there may be hundreds of advice online regarding the matter, always remember that cooking and eating food are both experiences you should cherish. 

 

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Stainless Steel, Food Grade (mightynest)