How to choose the right pans for cooking porridge

Aluminum pans - how to choose for cooking porridge

Aluminum containers are familiar to many because of their unsightly appearance. Buckwheat in such a pan can still be cooked and be crumbly. But picky rice will definitely not have excellent taste and consistency.

The thing is that aluminum utensils heat up quickly and give off heat just as quickly. The porridge simply does not have time to brew in it, and individual grains do not have time to steam.

Moms should definitely remember about the ability of aluminum to interact with alkalis and acids. Because children's and dietary dishes simply need to be prepared in a different container. It is absolutely impossible to keep food in such a pan for a long time.

Tip: Do not use sharp objects when washing an aluminum pan. If you scratch the oxide film on the walls, then aluminum will later get into your food, which is harmful to health.

If you take such dishes, it is better to choose ones with thick walls, which retain heat better and do not deform under the influence of the heat of the burners.

Milk boiler

For housewives who often prepare milk porridges, a milk boiler will be the best pan. This is a special double pan that prevents milk from escaping .

Operating principle of a milk maker

The milk cooker consists of two containers.
There is air space between them. A special hole leads to this space. Water is poured into it before cooking porridge. The hole is equipped with a cover with a built-in whistle. When the water boils, a shrill whistle is heard.

By boiling, the water heats the inner container, into which the milk is then poured. Thus, the porridge is cooked in a water bath. Thanks to this, the dish does not run off or burn.

Reference! Porridge is cooked in a milk cooker as slowly as in a Russian oven. Its taste and appearance are better than those of dishes cooked in ordinary pans.

How to choose an enamel pan

Enameled containers for cooking cereals are better suited than aluminum ones because they have less thermal conductivity. Therefore, they heat up more slowly and retain heat longer. But milk porridges in enamel dishes often burn even with constant stirring and cooking over low heat.

A good enamel saucepan cannot be too light in weight. Light pans are made of thin metal; the porridge will burn in them.

The thickness of the walls of the pan should not be less than 1 mm.

A good pan is coated with enamel not by spraying, but by immersing it entirely in the enamel. It is quite simple to understand how the enamel was applied: dark dots (at least four) are visible on the outside of the dish - this is the location of the fasteners by which the pan was held at the time of immersion. The dipping method ensures that there is a thick layer of enamel that will not chip soon.

The enamel layer should be smooth, without bulges or layers, which can quickly cause chips.

An important point: as soon as you see wear on the inner surface of the pan, remove it from the kitchen without pity. Health is more valuable. Such dishes can be toxic - exposed metal releases harmful substances into food.

The rim of the pan should not be subject to corrosion. Therefore, it is better if it is made of stainless steel.

When choosing an enamel container, pay attention to its inside. Inside, the walls and bottom should only be black, white or blue. Other colors and shades of enamel can be very toxic.

Enameled cookware should be taken care of, as the enamel may break off upon impact.

If the enamel is cracked or chipped, you should not use such a pan. In addition, enamel cookware is resistant to sudden temperature changes.

To keep your enamel intact, avoid using detergents containing acids (acetic, citric) and coarse abrasives.

What capacity is needed?

It is necessary to choose a pan for porridge taking into account the stove. If it is gas, then dishes with a thick bottom are more suitable, and if it is electric, then it is important that the bottom is even and smooth. A special magnetic bottom is needed for the container if the hob is induction. And if you have an adapter, this nuance can be ignored.

Shape is important. The height of the container should be sufficient to prevent milk and porridge from running away during cooking. But in this case, you need to take into account cereals and dishes. For example, to cook rice or buckwheat with vegetables, a stewpan is used - a container similar to a saucepan and frying pan. And for 1 serving of baby milk porridge you need a milk jug or ladle with a capacity of 1-1.5 liters.

You should not choose a thin-walled container; you can cook in it, but you need to control the cooking. It is important to ensure that the milk or water does not boil over. If the cereal is cooked for a long time, then the walls and bottom of the container should be thick.

When choosing a pan for porridge, you should pay attention to the material. The types of food being prepared and the cooking method must be taken into account. For porridges, it is advisable not to choose enamel dishes, since everything sticks to them. Glass can be used, but this container is more suitable for electric stoves and microwaves.

Using Teflon coated pans

Non-stick cookware belongs to the family of capricious containers. Teflon is good because it minimizes the need to use oil.

But these pans are more suitable for preparing vegetable mixtures, when the process is not so much stewing and boiling as frying.

Cereals need constant, uniform and long-lasting heat.

If you buy Teflon cookware, then you should choose a multi-layer pan with thick walls, a honeycomb or grooved bottom.

Non-stick pans do not like overheating, which can lead to warping. Therefore, you should not leave them empty on the fire, even for a short time.

You must purchase Teflon or wooden spatulas along with the pan.

Even the most expensive Teflon pan will last no more than 5 years.

After 12 months, the Teflon coating begins to wear off even with careful use. This leads to carcinogenic substances entering your food from the damaged coating.

Also, such dishes do not tolerate abrasive cleaning agents.

Stainless steel

The stainless steel pan is suitable for preparing milk porridges for children. In this case, the dish does not stick to the container. The best option is considered to be a capsule bottom, which includes several layers of different metals.

The multi-layer heat-distributing bottom heats up quickly and cools down for a long time, so the cereal cooks quickly, and cooking lasts several minutes after turning off the stove. As a result, the porridge is tasty and does not burn, and energy or gas consumption is reduced.

A thin stainless steel pan is ideal only for cooking quick and liquid porridges that should not simmer. If there is not enough water, the cereal may stick to the surface.

Stainless steel pans

Professional chefs have chosen stainless steel cookware for a long time. There are positive reasons for this: this is a durable pan that is not afraid of temperature changes, accidental drops, or scratches from knives and forks.

For strict housewives who keep their kitchen tidy, it is important to remember that such containers are environmentally friendly. These steel models are easy to maintain and are great for cooking and stewing cereals. The fact is that stainless steel retains heat for a long time - which means that your cereal dish will cook and simmer in such a dish, even if you took it off the stove.

Stainless steel pans follow the “onion” principle - the more layers, the better.

The thick bottom is formed from the thinnest copper, aluminum or bronze layers. Thanks to these metals, heat is evenly distributed over the entire area of the container.

Ideal parameters are 18/10 marking (ratio of chromium and nickel in the alloy), bottom thicker than 3 mm, walls thicker than 0.5 mm.

The most noticeable disadvantage of stainless steel cookware is its price. A good saucepan won't come cheap. Another drawback of steel pans will be noticed by attentive housewives. After such dishes overheat properly once or something burns in it, stains and stains will remain on the surface. It is almost impossible to get rid of divorces.

Be aware that stainless steel pans do not like being exposed to abrasive cleaners that leave scratches. There is no need to use alkaline agents - nothing criminal will happen, but the pan may become dull.

Important tip:

1. Of two pans, choose the one with thicker walls and bottom.

2. A good pan should have handles that are screwed on, not welded.

3. Always check your cookware for defects.

4. The bottom of the pan should be level and stable.

5. The lid should fit tightly on the pan and not fall off when tilted.

Preparation

How to cook porridge in a saucepan? It all depends on the type of cereal used:

Rice. Place the pan with milk on the stove, add salt and sugar. Bring the milk to a boil and add the cereal. Boils for 2-5 minutes. Remove the dish from the heat, add oil and cover with a lid. Cover the dishes with a towel and leave for 20 minutes. The cereal will swell and you will get a thick porridge. It is advisable to take round rice - 1 glass of cereal per 1 liter of milk. Rice porridge in a saucepan turns out tasty and nutritious.
Buckwheat. Cereals (1 cup) are added to milk (1 liter) and boiled for 5 minutes. Let the container sit for a while, after which the porridge is ready to eat.
Oats. For 1 liter you will need 8-10 tbsp. l. cereal. In the evening you need to boil the milk, remove from the stove, add oats, cover with a lid. In the morning, delicious porridge will be ready. You just need to warm it up.
Semolina. Add 4 tbsp to 1 liter of milk. l. cereals You need to cook for 2-3 minutes, after which the pan is left for 20 minutes.

If you choose a suitable pan for milk porridge, then cooking will be very simple. The dish is complemented with berries and fruits. This food is great for breakfast to saturate the body with the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Cast iron pan

What could be better than cookware made from heavy, high-quality cast iron.

Famous chefs assure that the most aromatic and delicious cereals are prepared in cast iron containers.

After all, cast iron has excellent thermal conductivity and is able to properly simmer porridge and bring out the flavor of grains.

Porous cast iron only gets better over the years; it can be safely called eternal cookware. Sometimes such utensils are passed down in families from generation to generation.

Cast iron pans are ideal for pilaf - however, the beauty of this cookware is its extreme versatility.

When choosing cast iron pans, try to choose a pan that is dark, heavy, and porous. So you can be sure that you have become the owner of a quality product.

Remember - a good three-liter cast iron pan cannot weigh less than four kilograms.

Important to know: Cast iron pans cannot be used on glass ceramic hobs.

You can wash the pan using any means, but it is important to dry it well after washing. Because this durable material is prone to rust. For the same reason, you should not place a hot pan under running ice water.

General recommendations

It doesn't matter what material or volume you prefer. There are some nuances that are always important:

There is one more important point. Any utensils come into contact with your food. Are you sure that you should buy an unknown brand that does not guarantee high quality?

We have prepared a rating of manufacturers of various types of pots: TOP-10 in their field.

Choosing the right ceramic pan

The love for ceramic dishes is quite understandable. After all, containers made from these materials have existed since the dawn of human civilization. The advantages of ceramic tableware have been tested for thousands of years.

If you don't drop your ceramic pottery, it will last you a very long time until the glaze wears off.

Fragile, capricious, but such pleasant cookware made of heat-resistant ceramics is almost ideal for cooking cereals.

These containers are environmentally friendly, both during food preparation and during storage. And one more plus - it’s not a shame to serve porridge or a side dish in ceramic dishes even on a holiday table.

Tips for choosing a ceramic pan

1. When choosing, pay attention to the uniformity of application of the glaze.

2. Temperature changes are the main enemy of such pans.

3. You should not use ceramics on gas stoves without special cutting of the flame.

4. And also you can’t put the container directly from the refrigerator onto the fire.

Ceramics

This is a suitable pan for cooking porridge in the oven. Ceramics can be glazed or not. The first option is more practical because it is not able to absorb odors and fats. The containers are easy to clean and inert when in contact with food. But in this case there is no humidity control, as there is in clay and ceramics.

Cooking is conveniently done in ceramic portioned pots; you can add various fillers and spices to each pot in doses. New ceramic pans for different types of stoves have a reinforced bottom that can be safely installed on a gas stove without a divider. The line includes beautiful models in the form of vegetables and fruits.