Even the sturdiest cookware can deteriorate if used improperly. Pay attention to what it is made of – each material needs a special approach. Our expert Sergey Pereverzev, the host of the Useful Advice section on Channel One, tells how to take care of kitchen utensils.
October 22 2017
How to care:
Pots, pans and turks are only suitable for electric and gas stoves. On glass ceramics they will leave indelible marks, and on induction they will not heat up. These utensils are suitable for cooking, but not for storage (metal oxidizes and can penetrate food). By the way, sour dishes – cabbage soup, pickles, marinades – are best cooked in other containers.
How to use:
Aluminum is a soft material that dents and scratches easily. Therefore, it is better not to load it into the dishwasher, but to wash it by hand with a soft sponge with gentle agents, otherwise the product will quickly lose its shape and shine. It is recommended to clean burnt food with a dish scraper or fill it with water and let it soak.
How to use:
It is important to remember that such dishes are afraid of high and too low temperatures. Therefore, heat it up gradually, try not to cook at maximum heat, never put an empty pan on the stove. If the dishes need to be warmed up, add a little oil to them. Do not store food in it or put it in the refrigerator – this will destroy the coating.
Use only wooden or silicone spatulas for cooking. A scratched coating deprives the cookware of all its special properties.
How to care:
You can wash only cooled dishes. Do not pour cold water into a hot pan – from a sharp temperature drop, the non-stick coating can crack or peel off.
Many manufacturers allow the use of a dishwasher, but this is still not recommended.
Use only mild cleaning agents and special sponges.
How to use:
Lacquered and painted wooden utensils are generally not suitable for food. Cutting boards not soaked with a water-repellent layer (in the kitchen it is better to have at least three – separately for bread, fish and vegetables), it is recommended to wipe it with linseed oil before the first use. Products made from a single piece of wood last the longest.
How to care:
Wooden utensils should not be soaked in water, but washed immediately after use. Each item is washed separately, wiped dry and stored in a dry place. And wooden shovels and spoons are best kept in an open stand, they need good ventilation.
How to use:
When cooking in a stainless steel pan, the water must be salted after boiling. If you add it to a cold one, over time, white dots will appear at the bottom of the pan that cannot be washed. But the crystals do not dissolve well in cold water and settle, leaving stains at the bottom. The glass does not conduct heat evenly, so you do not need to place a square pan on a round burner, otherwise it may burst. You need to cook on low heat.
How to care:
Cutlery will not scratch if stored in a drawer with a special divider, or if you transfer it with napkins.
It is better to store knives on a magnetic board or in a special stand. To prevent the blades from dulling or breaking, do not use ceramic or glass cutting boards or chop frozen meat.
How to use:
Heat-resistant glass is suitable for all hobs (for gas stoves, a flame divider must be used) and ovens. You can reheat and freeze food in it. The only thing that cannot be done with glassware is to put it on the fire when it is empty. It is necessary to avoid sudden temperature changes: put hot dishes on a cold or wet surface or add water to the cooking dish along the wall – it can crack. There must be at least a little water or fat during cooking. The glass mold must be placed in a cold oven, it must be heated gradually.
How to care:
Dishwasher safe. Food does not burn in such dishes, but it is easy to wipe off heavy dirt with a regular sponge, after soaking it. In no case should you scrape with a knife or metal sponge.
How to use:
Cast iron is not afraid of high temperatures and is great for cooking. True, it is not recommended to store ready-made meals in it. Before the first use, the pan must be cleaned of oil, washed and calcined with salt for about an hour in an oven preheated to 200 degrees. Cool, grease with vegetable oil and put in the oven for another 30 minutes. This will create a protective layer that will keep the utensils in place while they cook.
How to care:
Uncoated cast iron cannot be washed in the dishwasher or soaked, otherwise it will start to rust. But he is not afraid of metal brushes, you can cut with a knife on it.
How to use:
Enamel dishes have a high thermal conductivity, so thick food (especially milk porridge) can burn in it. To prolong the life of the cookware, watch the food and remember to stir it.
Do not use utensils with chipped enamel for cooking, they can be harmful to health.
How to care:
Enamel is a fragile coating that is sensitive to temperature extremes. Therefore, a preheated pan should not be poured with cold water, you need to wait until it cools down. Burnt food should not be scraped off, you need to fill it with water and wait. To remove stubborn dirt, boil water and salt (spoon per liter of water).