What's the difference between iron pan, stainless steel pan, non-stick pan, there are so many materials for wok? How to choose?
Aug 13, 2021
The common materials of the pan are iron pan, stainless steel pan and non-stick pan. Today we will talk about the difference between the use of different materials and the precautions for their purchase.
01
Wok
Iron pans are divided into pig iron and wrought iron. The two can be clearly distinguished from the appearance: the surface is smooth, and even the shadow of a person can be reflected in the wok. The surface of the cast iron pan is often rough, although it does not necessarily have the hammer pattern like the net celebrity iron pan, the graininess is still very obvious. (Whether the hammer pattern or the horizontal or vertical threads are used, they are all patterns printed later to make the pot look better.)
What we generally refer to as "iron pan" refers to cast iron pan, also called cast iron pan. The iron pans sold in large supermarkets, whether they are domestically produced or imported under the banner, are also cast iron pans. The advantage of this kind of pot is that the heat conduction speed is fast, the whole bottom of the pot can be heated up in an instant, and there is no temperature difference.
The more you use the iron pan, the better it is. The more heated and greased, the less sticky it is. But at least when I use it, I will encounter a pair of contradictions: someone like me who cooks only once in a while, it may take several years to make the iron pan work better. But can I use an iron pot worth tens of dollars for several years? I'm afraid it's choking. If I buy a good pot, it takes a long time for me to cook a meal. If I don’t pay attention to it, the pot will be too dry and even rusty. A good pot may be wasted because of poor care.
Therefore, young people who are on the go these days are not recommended to buy iron pans-although well-maintained iron pans are the best of all materials, most people do not maintain them well.
The surface of the wok is very bright
Wrought iron pots are only sold at roadside stalls, and the price is often ten to twenty yuan. This kind of pot is very difficult to use, and the heating of the pot body is very uneven. Scramble an egg to make it stick out. Moreover, the manufacturing process of wrought iron is also worrying. If you don't add oil and burn it on a fire, it is easy to smell gasoline.
02
stainless steel pot
Stainless steel pots are Western-style cooking pots. If they are used for Chinese food, they will cause some problems. Stainless steel is characterized by slow heating speed and slow cooling speed. When used for cooking, the dishes at the bottom of the pot are often pasted, and the dishes on the side of the pot are not yet cooked.
But I am not afraid of not knowing the goods if there is no good product. The reason why this kind of pan is used in western food is because the wok used in western food is mainly used for frying and frying. Whether it is frying or frying, the "slow temperature change" feature of the stainless steel pan is very useful. The oil temperature in the pot rises slowly, making it easier to control the heat. The temperature of the cookware is slow, and the temperature can be locked to avoid getting cold.
When buying a stainless steel pot, look for the grade of stainless steel. Stainless steel is actually an alloy, which is different from iron pans. The iron pan is corroded, at best a little rust. When the alloy is corroded, some substances harmful to the human body may be produced. The grade of stainless steel is a label describing the corrosion resistance of stainless steel. It is generally recommended to choose 316 stainless steel.
03
Non-stick pan
Non-stick pan is definitely the embodiment of modern industry. It is not composed of a single material, but is spliced layer by layer like a thousand-layer cake. There are even separate splicing of the bottom and sides, and then connect the two together.
The supporting metal in the middle is usually aluminum alloy, and occasionally stainless steel. However, it is difficult for us to judge this pot by its material, because it is attached to the inside and outside of the metal, there will be layer after layer of coating, the type and thickness of these coatings, comprehensively determine whether the pot is easy to use.
So buying non-stick pans is more like buying mobile phones, air conditioners, TVs and other products. You need to look at all the parameters. Or simpler, make friend recommendations more reliable. (Or wait until I have time someday to recommend to you.)
Finally, talk about the principle of non-stick pan: Teflon coating. At present, the non-stick pans that can be truly non-stick on the market are all Teflon-coated non-stick pans-or they can be printed with patterns on their coatings, known as medical stone or star stone non-stick pans.
But don't worry too much, the non-stick pans of the year are harmful because the coating technology is not good enough. After heating, the coating will fall down, and it is of course harmful to eat it in the stomach. The current coating technology is absolutely reliable and will hardly fall off during the cooking process. Even if it is occasionally damaged, it must have been shoveled off when cleaning the pot.
