What Material Should Your Commercial Cookware Be Made Of?

26 October 2017
 Categories: Food & Cooking, Blog

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Commercial kitchen equipment comes in a variety of materials, from aluminum and cast iron to copper and stainless steel. The type of material you choose for your kitchen will depend on the properties of the material and what you want to use the item for.

Below we look at the pros and cons of a few common materials used in the manufacture of cookware.

Aluminum

Aluminum is a very good conductor of heat, ensuring that your food cooks evenly. It is also light in weight, resistant to corrosion and affordable.

However, aluminum is very soft and can easily dent or get distorted over high heat. For this reason, it may not stand the battery of a commercial kitchen. Aluminum will also leach into acidic foods, causing a reaction and changing the flavor of the food.

Aluminum sheet can be coated to reduce chances of leaching. The result is anodized aluminum.

Copper

Copper cookware is very good conductors of heat. They are also aesthetically appealing.

Unfortunately, copper is not just expensive, it reacts with acidic and alkaline foods and may even be toxic. You do not want to be accused of poisoning your clients so you do well to steer clear of unlined copper.

Also, it does not retain heat. This means that food will cool real fast after cooking. You will also spend more time maintaining it as copper will need polishing from time to time.

Cast Iron

Cast iron can withstand high temperatures and has good heat retention properties. It is however quite heavy and may injure someone if dropped. It also reacts with acidic foods and will literally turn your spinach black! It also rusts easily and will need to be coated with oxidized fat before storage. For better results, consider using enameled cast iron. It's easy to clean and does not leach.

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is probably the best material for your cookware. It is sturdy, easy to clean and corrosion free. It does not stain, scratch or react with acidic or alkaline foods. Stainless steel assures you the durability and hygiene that you need in your cookware. The only downside to stainless steel is that it does not conduct heat very well and may cause uneven cooking.

Stainless steel works best when it is used to coat copper.Whether you choose aluminum, copper, cast iron or stainless steel make sure you get a variety that is durable, hygienic, lightweight and affordable. You can also choose different materials for different uses.

Make sure that, whatever material you choose, you get a high-quality equipment supplier. Vollrath equipment suppliers offer high-quality materials and design that will be helpful for any kitchen tools you decide to purchase.