Saucepan
A saucepan is a cooking device that is used for heating food or making sauces and gravies. Saucepans are usually made from different materials such as glass, stainless steel, cast iron and aluminum. Most saucepans are enamel coated to prevent the sticking of food to the surface. Some saucepans are equipped with thick sheet of thermally conductive aluminum on the base to provide an even heat during cooking, while some are coated with copper on the base. It is believed that the heavier the gauge of the metal, the better. Aside from the use of making sauces and gravies, saucepans are also designed to be used for sautéing or reheating other foods like pasta and soups.
A saucepan can be either shallow or deep, and usually have a long handle so you can have the convenience of moving and lifting the pan, and tight-fitting cover that allows you to cover the device for faster and even cooking. Depending on the style, you can use the pan by making a variety of small dishes like soups and sauces, and also for boiling vegetables or other products, and even for sautéing. Smaller saucepans can also be placed inside an oven for baking.
Saucepans come in different sizes that usually range from 1 to 4 quarts. If you are making a lot of different dishes and you’re cooking for the whole family, it is best if you have a variety of sizes. Or if you can’t yet afford to buy more than one pan, consider the number of people you need to feed. If you have a large family, go with the larger pan. But if you’re just cooking for yourself, the smaller one would be fine.
While you have the option to buy a single saucepan for practicality, more consumers prefer to buy saucepan sets for versatility and convenience of preparing either small or larger meals. Most of the sets come along with other cookware like frying pans or some baking utensils. Saucepans that come in sets are also used for double boiling. Typically, double-boilers consist of an upper smaller vessel that holds the food over the lower but larger container that holds the water. The method is popular for cooking puddings and some other desserts.
Saucepans come in different styles, designs and sizes. They are also made with different materials which contain different advantages and disadvantages. Stainless steel saucepans are known to have a resisting feature against rust and scratch and require only less maintenance. Enamel-coated saucepans prevent your foods from sticking to the surface of the pan and thus, make your food less burnt and ensure proper cooking. Cast-iron saucepans are built with toughness and certainly long lasting. Copper saucepans are much shinier than any other pans and a great tool to have if you’re a person that is more concerned about the outer appearance. However, copper-made saucepans require regular polishing to retain their shiny appearance.
If you will heat foods with high liquid content such as for soups, opt for a saucepan which has higher sides. But if you will use one for reducing sauces, you can buy a low-sided pan.
