How to Cook with Copper Cookware
For every cooking enthusiast, copper will become a want at some point but how do you cook with copper cookware? It is not generally purchased by your average cooker, as it comes with its fair share of considerations when cooking.
Copper is however a stunning piece of cookware to have hanging in your kitchen. With its shiny golden surfaces, it will immediately capture one’s attention but is it easy to cook with?
Why Copper?
Copper has significant cooking qualities, one being Copper is one of the best conductors of heat there is. On that same note, because of that one quality, it expands into the qualities of having excellent temperature control – meaning just as quickly as it heats up, it cools down. Copper also distributes heat evenly, one of its most desirable kitchen qualities.
How to
Cook with Copper Cookware:
Copper is as sensitive as it is expensive. Therefore cooking techniques and certain ingredients are important to note. If you’re not careful your cooking may have a slightly more metallic taste to it than it should. Copper leaching into your food is not the worst case unless you’re frequently ingesting amounts of it.
Here are a few ways to ensure a satisfactory experience when cooking with copper cookware:
Opt for High Quality
Most Copper cookware comes lined with either stainless steel, tin, or nickel. Pure copper is rather left to those who are experienced and well-versed in cooking with copper. This is because pure copper has a few considerations that come into play when cooking. whereas lined copper cookware has a more versatile use and is still beginner-friendly.
Have your ingredients prepped
With its ability to heat up quickly, you reduce cooking time significantly. This means everything happens slightly faster than normal. So it is good to have your ingredients prepared and ready to go.
You should also note that your pan must always have something in it when placed on the stove to heat up. You will melt away your lining if you leave it on the stove to heat up without, an oil base or even butter.
Cook with medium to high heat
If you are new to cooking with copper, it is best to start on a slightly lower heat so that you can get used to the copper idiosyncrasies.
Use the right utensils
Copper is a sensitive metal and therefore can be damaged easily if not correctly looked after and used. Using either silicone or wooden utensils will ensure that you do not scratch your copper cookware and damage it. However over time when the lining does start wearing out you can have it replaced or repaired. Try to make sure this is only the case because of wear and tear and not because you were not cautious with your utensils and cleaning.
Copper is expensive therefore it is fundamental to know that if you’re willing to spend that money you should care for it well and it will perform and last long, making your investment worth it.
Copper in the oven? Yes
The heat of the oven will not affect the copper cookware as long as there is water in the food that can keep the temperature of the pan at a standard boiling point.
Induction tops
Copper does not work with induction tops as they are a nonmagnetic material. Therefore any copper cookware and those with aluminum or nonmagnetic stainless steel cores can’t interact with the electric field of the induction top.
What you can cook in copper pans
Copper is perfect to use when you need good searing, sauteing, cooking sauces, and or jams.
However, when making a sauce, avoid using acidic ingredients to prevent a reaction with copper.
Post Cooking Care
Cleaning your copper cookware is not that difficult, you just need to follow the basics:
Read more on our complete guide to cleaning and caring for your copper cookware
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