How to Use Ceramic Cookware

If you love cooking, you’d always love to try out different things in your kitchen. It could be different recipes or even utensils, spatulas, spoons, and cookware. You know that variety is truly the spice of life and as your home cook, you’d never want to compromise on the health of your family, this is why making informed decisions on what you cook and where you put it in for cooking has become absolutely vital.

The process of cooking has really advanced these days. Newer technologies have come in, all of which aim at easing out the process in the kitchen, both in terms of the time spent and the effort put. One such technology highly visible in the market today is ceramic cookware. If you don’t own one, you can read our review of ceramic cookware to select the best one.

Now it’s very important to understand first that 100% ceramic cookware should not be confused with ceramic-coated cookware. Keep reading to get an in-depth idea of what those lovely-looking colourful pots and pans are all about and also on how to use ceramic cookware

What is Ceramic Cookware?

When we say ceramic, we mean vessels made of clay, minerals, and quartz sand, which are hardened in fire and then glazed through a special process which lends it the decorative look and waterproof surface. To read more about how exactly ceramic cookwares are made, you can read our article on what is ceramic cookware.

There’s another different variety of cookware available which is coated with a ceramic-like substance. While some may go for this variety thinking they are ceramic, they aren’t actually. Cookware with ceramic-like coating is made of different materials and also differs in performance when compared to pure ceramic types.

Benefits of Using Ceramic Cookware

This type of cookware is essentially considered better than the normal metal pots and pans for a number of reasons.

• It’s non-stick so you can cook comfortably without worrying about the food sticking through the pan. They are therefore the best for baking purposes.
• Their glazing makes them look gorgeous while serving your food, especially at home get-togethers or parties.
• They are relatively lighter in weight than your conventional metal cookware, and thus easy to carry and shift around as you cook.
• Ceramic cookware is considered relatively safer than other Teflon-coated non-stick surfaces. They are believed to be safe for cooking even under high heat conditions.
• They can be easily cleaned after cooking since the non-stick surface does not allow any food to stick over during cooking.

How to Use Ceramic Cookware

As mentioned earlier, ceramic pots and pans look beautiful and their light weight makes them a preferred choice too. However, it’s good to know some basic guidelines on how to use ceramic cookware, especially if you’re trying it for the first time.

• Always use it on low flame – This is a very important point to remember when using ceramic material for cooking. Most of us are habituated to raise the flame to medium or high to facilitate faster cooking. However, your ceramic cookware does not require exposure to high heat for the simple reason that ceramic comes with efficient and even heat conduction properties. Overheating ceramic can result in a thermal crack.
• Grease it lightly – Make sure that ceramic is always lightly oiled before you place anything on it to cook. Also, it’s always better to go in for high-quality oil, even though the non-stick surface of ceramic requires very less oil to be used. Avoid using butter though owing to its low burn temperature.
• Cook cold foods with care – Ceramic cookware is highly sensitive to sudden temperature drops. Therefore, it’s always recommended to thaw frozen foods before you place them in hot ceramic vessels to avoid them to suddenly crack. Similarly, cold water should never be added to a heated ceramic saucepan.

Taking Care of your Ceramic Cookware

Ceramic cookware needs a bit of extra care than your other metal pots and pans in the kitchen. A little rough use can damage your cookware. Though they aren’t only for occasional use; you can use them in daily cooking too, but just make sure to follow a few of the following simple tips to extend their lifespan in your kitchen.

• Always wash your ceramic utensils with hand – Dishwashers are not recommended. Also, wash them gently with a soft scrub (not the harsh, abrasive ones) and warm, soapy water.
• Avoid using any sharp object like a knife, steel spatulas, etc. to prevent scratching.
• When not in use, store your cookware safely by placing napkins between them.
• Always let it cool before washing with cold water to prevent non-stick coating to wear off.

Conclusion

Ceramic cookware has gained immense popularity in household cooking during the last few years. Their glazed looks and easy-to-use features are responsible for this to a large extent. However, a bit of extra care can go a long way in ensuring their longevity.