Copper cookware

[JPie]

I just bought myself a copper frying pan lined in sterling silver. Is this going to change my cooking game? Anyone else a fan of copper cookware? I'm so excited!

The silver will have almost a mirror finish:

This is the shape I got:

 

[acaw2015]

Hi @JPie !
Forgive my ignorance, but I thought those were just for decorative use? Can you actually cook with them? I am very curious to know more! What temperatures work for them? Do you use them for any particular type of food? My parents had a huge collection but only used them as decoration in their kitchen...

 

[JPie]

Hi @JPie !
Forgive my ignorance, but I thought those were just for decorative use? Can you actually cook with them? I am very curious to know more! What temperatures work for them? Do you use them for any particular type of food? My parents had a huge collection but only used them as decoration in their kitchen...

They can be decorative & functional! The silver lining of my pan has a very high melting point, and both copper & silver are better at conducting heat than cast iron or stainless steel. It essentially gives you a greater degree of control over cook temp.; if you remove a copper pan from the heat source, there's less carryover heat from the hot metal to overcook and ruin your dish. You can cook just about anything that needs up to medium heat.

Traditionally, copper cookware was lined with tin or sometimes nickel. Tin is great in that it doesn't react to foods and is naturally less inclined to stick than stainless steel cookware. The drawback is that tin has a very low melting point in the 400 degree F range, so one must be careful never to heat the pan empty and exceed medium heat. Modern copper cookware is often lined with stainless steel.

If your parents' collection is lined, you can definitely cook with it. If it's unlined, then the applications are more limited because of the risk of copper leaching into your food.

 

[acaw2015]

How interesting, thank you! They sure are beautiful to look at too. I also remember my grandparents using a special one at Christmas during my childhood for traditional glögg (glühwein/vin chaud).

 

[mrs-b]

They can be decorative & functional! The silver lining of my pan has a very high melting point, and both copper & silver are better at conducting heat than cast iron or stainless steel. It essentially gives you a greater degree of control over cook temp.; if you remove a copper pan from the heat source, there's less carryover heat from the hot metal to overcook and ruin your dish. You can cook just about anything that needs up to medium heat.

Traditionally, copper cookware was lined with tin or sometimes nickel. Tin is great in that it doesn't react to foods and is naturally less inclined to stick than stainless steel cookware. The drawback is that tin has a very low melting point in the 400 degree F range, so one must be careful never to heat the pan empty and exceed medium heat. Modern copper cookware is often lined with stainless steel.

If your parents' collection is lined, you can definitely cook with it. If it's unlined, then the applications are more limited because of the risk of copper leaching into your food.

@JPie -

How do you clean it?

ETA It's SUPER gorgeous! I love virtually everything you post on PS - you have wonderful good taste!

 

[JPie]

@JPie -

How do you clean it?

ETA It's SUPER gorgeous! I love virtually everything you post on PS - you have wonderful good taste!

Aw, thank you!

For the tin & silver-lined pans, the manufacturer recommends adding water & dish soap, then boiling it on the stove & scraping with a wooden spoon to loosen any food. The tin is supposed to be lightly seasoned over time, but I'm not sure about silver.

 

[telephone89]

They are so beautiful! It might change your cooking game, depending on what you cook. As you mentioned, the copper is very responsive. This is helpful with cooking things like fish, sauces or chocolate. I personally can't justify the value for it (unlike my treasured le creuset collection ) but I know a few who love it!

 

[AV_]

This would get me to serve straight from the pan (NTS)

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

What's your cooking game?

cheers--Sharon

 

[Arcadian]

oooo so nice!!! The only copperware I have is my grandmother's double boiler. the outter is copper pan the inner is porcelain. It was used a lot when I was growing up, but these days its more or less sitting on the shelf! I did look and I don't see a name on it.

 

[JPie]

They are so beautiful! It might change your cooking game, depending on what you cook. As you mentioned, the copper is very responsive. This is helpful with cooking things like fish, sauces or chocolate. I personally can't justify the value for it (unlike my treasured le creuset collection ) but I know a few who love it!

Le Creuset is fantastic! Did you go for a set in the same color, or mixed?

This would get me to serve straight from the pan (NTS)

It would look gorgeous on the dinner table for sure!

HI:

What's your cooking game?

cheers--Sharon

It's a colloquialism for cooking technique/expertise/etc.

oooo so nice!!! The only copperware I have is my grandmother's double boiler. the outter is copper pan the inner is porcelain. It was used a lot when I was growing up, but these days its more or less sitting on the shelf! I did look and I don't see a name on it.

That sounds lovely, though I could see how it might not get much use aside from tempering chocolate or making delicate sauces.

 

[PintoBean]

I thought these pretty pans only existed for the scenes in movies like lifetime movies for someone to whack someone else upside the head with.

 

[JPie]

I thought these pretty pans only existed for the scenes in movies like lifetime movies for someone to whack someone else upside the head with.

Oh these would be great for that!

 

[telephone89]

@JPie I'd love a colourful kitchen of mixed colours, but my husband did not like that idea haha. So we have only cherry. I love those pans, but man they are expensive lol.

 

[JPie]

@JPie I'd love a colourful kitchen of mixed colours, but my husband did not like that idea haha. So we have only cherry. I love those pans, but man they are expensive lol.

They are expensive, but with proper care they can outlast us!

 

[Rfisher]

How is this working for you @JPie
I’m always on the lookout for a better little skillet for over easy eggs.

 

[JPie]

How is this working for you @JPie
I’m always on the lookout for a better little skillet for over easy eggs.

I’m impatiently waiting for it to arrive. sad I’ll have it by next weekend. I’m also curious how good it will be for eggs, though this informative summary of silver-lined cookware says it’s about as nonstick as stainless steel:
https://www.centurylife.org/cookware-material-silver/

 

[JPie]

Update: my pan arrived a few weeks ago and it was definitely stunning!



In terms of performance, I honestly think a lot of the benefits are lost on an electric range, though maybe when I move I’ll like it more on the gas stove. It’s about as non-stick as stainless steel and cleanup is very simple; just boil water and dish soap for 10-15 min, let it cool, and rinse with a soapy sponge.

If you’re OCD, you will hate this pan. The silver is quite tarnished from cooking a steak on it, which the manufacturer doesn’t recommend for this very reason. I don’t care enough to polish it but I admit it looks terrible:


I also cooked green beans in it, which turned out fine. I will keep playing around with it; it’s like working with a new tool and I haven’t quite got the feel for it yet.

 

[rocks]

They are expensive, but with proper care they can outlast us!

I've been collecting le creuset cobalt blue. The oldest are easily 20 years old and look new. The only piece I'm not fond of is the grill.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Not copper, but I ordered these today. Look forward to using them. I know many don't like nonstick cook wear, but I like it. I saw them instore today but they waiting on new stock. Heavy weight!

http://www.williams-sonoma.ca/scanpan-techniq-nonstick-fry-pan-set

cheers--Sharon

 

[goodpstest1]

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