How to Care for Your Saucepan

Next to a spoon, a saucepan is probably the most used tool in the kitchen. A saucepan is a small, metal pot designed for range top use. It is characterized by its round shape, vertical sides, and long handles. Kitchen saucepans come in an assortment of sizes ranging from 1/2 liter to 6 liters, and can be used for practically all types of food preparation.

Like all kitchen tools and appliances, saucepans take a certain amount of care to keep them performing properly. Since there are so many different kinds of saucepans available, most manufacturers include instructions for proper use and care. For those of us who never look at the instructions, there are some basic guidelines that can be applied to all saucepans.

The right size for the job

Most kitchen ranges usually have two sizes of burners, large and small. One important tip to remember is that the base of the saucepan should match up with the size of the burner. Placing a small saucepan on a large burner can melt or warp the handle. Conversely, placing a large saucepan on a small burner can warp the base of the pan and heat the food unevenly.

The right temperature

In addition to matching up the right size burner to the saucepan, cooking at the right temperature also helps extend the life of the pan. Many people make the mistake of turning a saucepan on high, assuming that the higher temperature will cook the food faster. While this may be true of thin soups, broth and water, thicker soups, stews and sauces will stick to the saucepan if cooked at these higher settings. This "stuck on" food can be hard to remove once it bakes or burns on the surface, with the removal process often damaging the metal.

Using proper tools for stirring

Metal utensils can be tough on a saucepan and should never be used on porcelain coated cast iron nor teflon coated pans, since they will quickly ruin the protective finish. Wooden and hard, plastic utensils are the best type of utensils for using on all types of saucepans. If you find that you must use a whisk for blending creamed sauces, a "spronger" type whisk is the best tool for the job.

Proper cleaning

All saucepans can be hand washed with a stiff scrubby brush and warm sudsy water, including cast iron saucepans. And to keep a saucepan looking new, it really shouldn't ever be washed in the dishwasher. Dishwashers will discolor copper and aluminum pans, rust the cast iron pans, and leave water spots on the stainless steel.

To remove baked on food, add water to the saucepan to a depth of 1/2 inch. Add a couple of heaping tablespoons of baking soda to the water, and bring the solution to a boil. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes, taking care to add additional water if needed. After 15 minutes, remove the saucepan from the burner, and "lift" the burned on food with a rubber spatula. Repeat if necessary.

Some manufacturers have additional instructions for keeping specialty pans looking like new:

To remove discoloration from copper cookware, use a commercial copper polish or apply mixture of flour, salt, lemon juice, and ammonia before the regular washing.

To keep cast iron cookware looking like new, coat the interior with unsalted shortening or oil after every washing. Porcelain coated cast iron can be run through the dishwasher safely; if your model has a wooden handle, do remove it before washing.

Aluminum cookware and enamelware should always be washed in warm soapy water. The finish on these saucepans can be damaged if run through the washing machine; older enamelware will warp and eventually rust.

Stainless steel cookware can be machine washed, however, I've noticed that over time, the steel will lose its luster, and the black knobs and handles becoming brittle. For best results, always wash in hot, soapy water or a warm ammonia and water solution, then thoroughly rinse.

By following these simple guidelines, you'll be delighted to discover that a quality saucepan will last for many decades of use.