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Welcome to our large braising pan test 2021. Here we present all the braising pans that we have tested in detail. We have compiled detailed background information and added a summary of customer reviews on the web.
We would like to make your purchase decision easier and help you find the best braising pan for you.
You will also find answers to frequently asked questions in our guide. If available, we also offer interesting test videos. Furthermore, you will also find some important information on this page that you should definitely pay attention to if you want to buy a braising pan.
Contents
- 1 Weekly newsletter with the best personal finance tips
- 2 Summary
- 3 The best Braising Pan: Our Picks
- 4 Guide: Questions you should ask yourself before buying a casserole pan
- 5 Decision: What types of braising pans are there and which is the right one for you?
- 6 Buying criteria: You can use these factors to compare and evaluate braising pans
- 7 Trivia: Facts worth knowing about the subject of braising pans
Summary
- Braising pans can be recognised above all by their high rim. This has the advantage that more vegetables can be steamed and turned. But meat can also be prepared in them. The juices can be used to make delicious sauces.
- You can find braising pans in different materials, each with its own advantages.
- Many braising pans can also be used for cooking in the oven.
The best Braising Pan: Our Picks
Guide: Questions you should ask yourself before buying a casserole pan
What is a braising pan?
Braising pans are basically intended for slow-cooking food, such as rice dishes. This is only successful if the pans have good heat distribution. However, normal pan dishes can also be prepared in them.
Coating of the braising pan
Pans with Teflon coating
This is a so-called thermoplastic coating. Therefore, aluminium-titanium mixed oxide is often added. Teflon pans can be used on almost any cooker.
Pans with enamel coating
The silicon compound has a particularly positive effect on frying behaviour and the amount of care required.
Pans with ceramic coating
Ceramic-coated pans are not always white; they also come in grey and black.
What material are braising pans made of?
Stainless steel is not necessarily the best choice, especially for allergy sufferers, as it can release small amounts of nickel during cooking. Although this amount is usually very small, it is still a great disadvantage for sensitive people. We recommend that allergy sufferers prefer cast iron cookware.
The lightest pans are made of cast aluminium. They usually have a good non-stick coating. Therefore, food can be fried and stewed with them with little fat. Aluminium pans are also very light.
What types of braising pans are there?
Pan optics
Pot look
What accessories are available for braising pans?
The lid
Braising pans have a lid so that dishes can be cooked slowly and gently. Most braising pans are relatively durable.
So you hardly need to worry about the pan itself. It is more likely that the lid will be damaged. Therefore, you should make sure that you buy the lid separately.
The cutlery
If you use the wrong cutlery when cooking in a braising pan, it is easy to ruin the coating. Therefore, make sure you use the right material, at least for ceramic-coated pans.
Here, for example, stainless steel cutlery would be the wrong choice. Copper pans do not have such a problem.
What can I use a braising pan for?
During the braising process itself, the so-called stock develops, which gives the dish a special flavour. You can also improve the stock by adding more herbs etc.
In this way, you can create all kinds of delicious dishes with your braising pan.
How do I clean my braising pan properly?
Clean them only by hand and with a soft sponge.
Decision: What types of braising pans are there and which is the right one for you?
Basically, we distinguish between these types of braising pans:
- Cast iron braising pans
- Cast aluminium braising pans
- Stainless steel braising pans
- Cast iron braising pans
- Iron braising pans
- Copper braising pans
In the following, we explain the different types and their respective advantages and disadvantages. In this way, we want to help you find the best braising pan for you.
Cast iron braising pans
For a long time, cast iron was the most popular material for braising pans. One of the main advantages of this material is the even distribution of heat to the inside of the pan.
Cast iron pans usually retain heat for a very long time. A slight disadvantage is that these pans do take a little longer to reach a good heat, as they are very heavy and somewhat thicker than other pans.
Cast iron is somewhat sensitive to liquids, so they should be dried well immediately after washing.
Cast aluminium braising pans
In addition to cast iron, cast aluminium has also developed very well as a material.
Cookware made of cast aluminium again has the advantage that they are very light and the possibility of applying non-stick compounds is also given.
Stainless steel braising pans
Stainless steel braising pans are available both uncoated and coated. In general, stainless steel braising pans offer the following:
Coated stainless steel pans
The coating makes these pans very easy to clean. Pointed objects should not be used, as this can damage the coating.
Uncoated stainless steel pans
Iron braising pans
As the production of iron pans is not too costly, they are comparatively cheap. Iron braising pans can be used on any cooker. Steaks or roast potatoes are very well suited to these pans.
Copper braising pans
Copper pans simply look good. If they are cared for properly, they will last a lifetime.
Copper pans can be used for cooking, steaming, sautéing or frying. They are ideal for gas cookers, but should not be cleaned in the dishwasher.
Buying criteria: You can use these factors to compare and evaluate braising pans
In the following, we show you which criteria you can use to compare and evaluate braising pans. This will make it easier for you to get an overview and decide on a suitable and effective appliance.
In summary, these are the following criteria:
- Cooker
- Oven use
- Food
- Pan size
- Care
- Extras
- Price
- Customer reviews
In the following, you can read about the respective criteria and find out why it makes sense for you to purchase an appliance based on the criteria or not.
Cooker
In order to buy the most suitable braising pan for your home, you should know beforehand what type of cooker you have at home. If you have an induction cooker, you should only use pans with a magnetised base.
Nowadays, however, almost all materials are available with induction-compatible models. Gas cookers are compatible with all materials.
Usability in the oven
If you want to use your braising pan for preparing dishes in the oven, you should make sure that the braising pan is equipped with a (removable) handle when you buy it. This makes it easy to put in the oven and take out.
Food
Depending on what you like to prepare, not all materials are suitable for all dishes.
| Pan material | Suitable for |
|---|---|
| Non-stick pans | Omelettes, egg dishes |
| Pans made of cast iron, stainless steel or copper | Steaks, chops |
| Non-stick pans with rim, sauté pan or wok | Sautéed meat, pasta dishes |
| Pans made of ceramic, iron or cast iron | Fried potatoes |
| Pans made of stainless steel or enamel | Goulash, ragout |
Pan size
The more people you cook for, the larger the pan should be. The rim should also be correspondingly high.
Most pans have a diameter of about 18, 24 or 28 centimetres.
Care
Pans made of the materials already mentioned require different amounts of care. Stainless steel pans or coated pans are very easy to care for. Pans made of cast iron or copper, on the other hand, are more difficult to care for.
Extras
Countless extras are also possible with pans, such as domed lids, integrated temperature gauges, removable handles or all-round pouring rims. Depending on the extra, the pans naturally cost more.
Price
The cheapest pans are iron pans or coated pans made of cast aluminium. However, these do not last forever.
Stainless steel or cast-iron pans are more robust, but cost correspondingly more. The most expensive pans are made of copper.
In general, you can assume a price variance between around 30 euros and 100 euros.
Customer reviews
Reviews from customers or experts on various portals are also useful for orientation. We recommend not taking every review too literally, but rather looking at the average opinion.
Trivia: Facts worth knowing about the subject of braising pans
Sautéing
Sautéing means 'to jump'. The term can indeed be understood in this way, as the cooking material bounces in the pan at high temperatures. The food remains juicy. Optimal uses are, for example:
- Poultry and game
- Asparagus, courgettes, cabbage
- Fish
- Mushrooms
- Potatoes
Side dishes such as nuts give the dishes a spicy flavour. If you want to cook more vegetables but also a little meat together, we recommend using a wok, as its base is extremely thick.
But not every fat should be used for sautéing. The most suitable fats are clarified butter or vegetable oil, as these can withstand a little heat.
Different pans for every type of cook
It's the same with cars. Not everyone can drive a BMW or a Ferrari, and not everyone is suitable for every type of car. It's the same with braising pans, or pans in general.
The occasional cook
For people who cook on an irregular basis, we recommend a pan with a good non-stick coating. With this, most dishes can be prepared well. Alternatively, you can consider a raw cast iron pan or iron skillet.
The average cook
Again, we recommend a pan with a good non-stick coating. In addition, a pan without a coating would be possible, as these can withstand slightly higher temperatures. In this case, we recommend coated stainless steel pans for preparing vegetables. These are also easy to clean.
The passionate cook
For the experimental cook, we recommend several pans of different types. Cast iron or steel are excellent for cooking once they are well baked.
For cooking vegetables or fish dishes, we recommend stainless steel pans, as no iron is transferred to the dish here, as is the case with pans made of iron or cast iron.
How do I dispose of my damaged braising pan?
It is, as suspected, not so easy to dispose of the pans correctly. Depending on the material the pans were made of, they have to be disposed of in different ways.
If possible, they can be disposed of in material bins. If there are material bins in the vicinity, the pans can also be disposed of there. Iron or cast iron pans in particular are also accepted at scrap dealers.
Re-coating the pans
Age or mishandling can cause damage to the pan coating. The process of recoating involves removing the old coating from the pan and applying a new one.
This is a practical way to extend the life of the actual pan. Of course, this also comes at a cost, but the price is in many cases only a fraction of the cost of buying a new one.
The structure of a non-stick coating
As can be assumed, there are different coatings. The simplest is made of polytetrafluoroethylene, which can withstand up to 260 degrees, but is more sensitive to manual damage.
On the other hand, coatings made of silicon dioxide are more heat-resistant and also scratch-resistant. These are usually only a few microns thick and can withstand heat up to 400 degrees. Other good non-stick coatings contain diamond-like DLC that can withstand up to 300 degrees.
Are non-stick coatings harmful to health?
Basically, they are less harmful to health. Provided they are used correctly, there is no danger. Overheating can indeed produce toxic gases, but only at temperatures above 360 degrees. However, such high temperatures are normally never reached during cooking, unless the cookware is left empty on the cooker for several minutes.
Scratched Teflon, for example, enters the body but is not broken down, but is excreted normally.
Picture source: 123rf.com / 20184811
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