Saucepan Materials

From Stovetop to tabletop

Sauce is one of the hardest parts of any meal. Whether you are grilling steak, boiling pasta or baking fish, sauce is crucial. Having a good saucepan may be just the "ingredient" that makes the difference.

Coated or not?

There is a lot of argument about the use of non-stick saucepans. There are even some concerns about the safety of the coatings. The jury maybe out on non-stick coatings, one thing is sure non-stick coatings are delicate. Sauce making on the other hand is not a delicate process. Utensils such as whisks come into play too often for the coating to have a fighting chance. It may be best to leave the non-stick coating to the omelet pan.

Stainless steel

In contrast, stainless steel saucepans have a number of great qualities.

They are tough; they stand up to the abuse of metal utensils and dishwashers.

Stainless steel is non-reactive which means certain acidic foods won't be discolored, which is a concern with aluminum pans.

You are also not very likely to destroy the pan by overheating it. I have seen aluminum pans melt and wind up burning holes in floors and counters.

Depending on the type of handle, these pans are generally safe for use in the oven.

There are also a few drawbacks to stainless,

The saucepans are usually pretty heavy.

They are also not the best conductor of heat.

Cleanup can sometimes be slow if not difficult

Addressing the drawbacks

A number of manufacturers have created pans that combine stainless with other metals in order to solve some of the drawbacks.

All-Clad offers saucepans that have a very interesting and durable construction. The All-Clad line uses a core of aluminum and copper sandwiched between stainless layers. This improves conductivity while protecting the less durable aluminum and copper within.

The Emerilware 2.5 saucepan has a number of design features that are desirable. The saucepan uses a copper plated aluminum disc on the bottom to address conductivity issues. They also have glass lids so that you can see what you're cooking.

It seems the celebrity chef saucepans offer an affordable and functional alternative to brands like All-Clad. Wolfgang Pucks Bistro Collection is no exception. These pans offer an aluminum disc on the bottom of the pan to improve conductivity much like the Emerilware line.

Non-stick

If you must have a non-stick pan I would recommend the Calphalon saucepan. These pans use a very durable hard anodized coating on aluminum that is much more durable than other aluminum or non-stick pans. The anodizing process makes the pan much more durable and also is the source of the non-stick surface. While not as tough as stainless these pans are first rate. Keep in mind that special care must still be taken when both cooking and cleaning hard anodized cookware.

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