What is a Saucepan Used for? Why Do You Need It?

What is a Saucepan Used for? Why Do You Need It? The saucepan is a metal container that looks like a frying pan. It has characteristic edges located at right angles to the bottom surface. This feature makes it possible to cook various dishes in it, regardless of the method of their preparation.

What is Saucepan?

Many homemakers are interested in stewpans. Its characteristic differences from other kitchen appliances. Some are:

This product can be used for frying and other cooking methods thanks to the high walls. You can fry meat or fish and then stew them without transferring them to another container; cook sauteed vegetables after frying all the ingredients here.

Saucepan vs Frying Pan – What’s the Difference Between Saucepan and Frying Pan?

In most cases, a frying pan is used only for frying, while a saucepan is suitable for stewing, sautéing, simmering, and cooking various dishes with gravy.

In addition, you can cook a large amount of fish in it, pour it with sauce, and leave it to languish. In the process of cooking, it will be saturated with juice and become softer and tastier. Thus, this container is helpful in everyday life for those who like to cook food for more than 1-day.

But this kitchen appliance cannot replace a pan for pancakes or scrambled eggs because it is inconvenient to turn such dishes in.

Outwardly, the saucepan differs from the pan in that it has high and wide sides and a thick bottom. It is always sold complete with a lid.

It differs from the pan in that the diameter of its bottom is wider, and the side walls are lower.

The main difference between a saucepan and a frying pan is that you can cook food using a large amount of liquid (broth, fat, juice, tomato, etc.).

A saucepan is not always much heavier than a frying pan since some types are made using layered technology. The frame of such tanks has a structure in the form of layers, which makes it possible, with a standard wall and bottom thickness (up to 4 mm), to create a significant duration of maintaining the desired temperature inside it.

Manufacturing Materials

Saucepans are used for cooking on all surfaces (gas and induction stoves) and in microwaves and ovens.

Most often, manufacturers use the following metals for the saucepans :

Thick glass pans are suitable for microwaves. The most common models are containers made of multilayer materials, top-coated with 2-3 layers of polymers. The cast-iron stewpan contributes to the rapid heating of the ingredients to the desired temperature, and therefore they are most often used for frying and stewing. 

These devices are easy to wash and clean from grease. The cast iron model’s vulnerability to acidic environments is a drawback. Because of this, oxidation of the metal surface may occur.

Aluminum containers are lightweight and have fast heating. You can use them for frying and stewing meat and vegetables. Aluminum is a porous material. Therefore, in most cases, it is coated with a ceramic coating and easily cleaned from various contaminants.

Stainless steel products are often used for making cereals and various sauces. Premium stewpans are made from steel. They are lightweight, easy to clean, and resistant to mechanical damage.

Variety of Forms

Saucepans can have Different Shapes: In the form of a low capacity or a deep frying pan for stewing with a long handle. Pay close attention to the following details when choosing the best option:

1. Type of stove for cooking: In most cases, saute pans are suitable for different ovens and stovetops. For microwave cooking, you should prefer glass models.
2. The material: Choosing containers made of laminated steel or coated with aluminum polymers is better. Again, it is necessary to pay attention to the presence of harmful substances in the materials from which the saucepan is made. You can find this information in the instructions.
3. Dishes diameter: It can be 12-32 cm. Considering the nuance that narrow models are inconvenient for frying most products is necessary.
4. Product capacity: It depends on the height of the sides of the model. Some of them can hold 500 ml of liquid, others – 3 liters. Models with low walls are well suited for frying, and high ones for any other type of cooking.
5. Lid: A saucepan with a lid facilitates quick cooking. A metal edge protects the glass lid from breaking, and a valve lets the steam out when it gets too much.
6. Coating: Ceramics and Teflon have high non-stick characteristics. The thickness of such layers should be at least 2 cm.
7. Pattern: Due to the specific design on the bottom of the product, the dishes cooked in it will not burn and will be evenly cooked.
8. Handle: You will need a model with removable handles to cook food in the oven.
9. Thermostat: For better control over the temperature and the cooking process, it is necessary to use products with a thermostat.

What is Convenient Stewpan, and What is Not?

The advantages of a stewpan, regardless of the materials of its manufacture, are:

The disadvantages are:

What Can Be Cooked in a Saucepan?

In the presence of a saucepan, many different dishes are prepared. Many people want to know if they can fry in a saucepan, what dishes are best cooked in it, etc.

Experts say that you can make any dish in it, incl. dishes; which preparation process is complex and consists of several stages. For example, fry meat or another product until golden brown on both sides, and then stew it in the same container.

The list of dishes that can and should be cooked in a saucepan:

In addition, these dishes are often used for cooking national dishes of various world cuisines.