Advantages of Using Waterless Stainless Steel Cookware

Whether an experienced cook or just a novice, stainless steel cookware will make your life in the kitchen easy and pleasurable. Stainless steel cookware has become increasingly popular. Why? Stainless steel cookware is made up of a mixture of metals. It combines iron, nickel, chromium, and several metals. Because stainless steel by itself is not a good conductor of heat, the additional metals offer the user the best of all worlds. The encapsulated bottoms normally have copper or aluminum components that allow for even distribution of heat. You never have to worry about hot spots!

Stainless Steel Cookware Advantages

The popularity of stainless steel can be attributed to its advantages. They include:

• Surgical stainless steel is both durable and tough. With proper care, it should last for a lifetime. It is not prone to chipping, rusting, or even staining. It won’t dent or scratch easily. You don’t have to worry about particles from the pan getting into your food. While stainless steel cookware is made up of steel and other metal alloys, it is only stainless steel that is on the outer portion of your cookware. Therefore, you will never taste any of the metal alloys in the food that you cook. The non-stick protective coating prevents that from happening.


• Stainless steel is hard and non-porous. This makes it crack proof and leak proof. Because of its surface, it is typically found in hospital environments because it one of the most sterile surfaces. The 304 surgical stainless steel prevents the growth of bacteria because it is corrosion resistant, temperature resistant and is not easily scratched or warped. With proper care, stainless steel cookware will remain looking like new for quite some of time.


• Easy Maintenance. Proper maintenance is not time-consuming; yet, it can insure will look like new 10 to 20 years from now. Stainless steel contains nickel, an alloy that helps it maintain that polished new look.


• Multi-ply stainless steel cookware disperses heat evenly. Stainless steel is not a good conductor of heat. However, the aluminum added to the bottom improves this heat transfer process. This ensures that heat is distributed throughout the pan and food is cooked evenly and quickly.


• Stainless steel cookware is perhaps the safest cookware to use. Unlike Teflon, particles from the pot or pan will never chip off and enter into your foods. You do not have to worry about metal poisoning. However, there is one exception. If you are allergic to nickel, you should avoid using stainless steel cookware.
  

If you use waterless stainless steel cookware, cooking and eating will be a pleasure. Not only will you be cooking healthier because you are using less fats and oils in the food preparation process, but going waterless means that your foods are cooked in their own juices. The result—enhanced flavor and texture with minimal loss of vitamins and minerals.

The set we are currently recommending is Maxam’s 17-piece Waterless Stainless Steel Set. This is one of Maxam’s finest! Cooking will be a dream with this set! This 17 pc. set is considered to be one of the highest quality Steam-Control Surgical Stainless Steel "Waterless" Cookware Sets that Maxam makes. Each piece of this KT17 set is constructed of extra heavy surgical stainless steel and guaranteed to last a lifetime. The 9-element construction spreads the heat quickly and evenly. The 9-ply construction includes the following elements: chrome, nickel, manganese, silicon, aluminum, iron, copper, molybdenum, and vanadium. The Chrome adds longer life, the iron adds strength and the copper adds durability to this quality cookware.

The steam control valve makes "waterless" cooking easy. You can cook healthier in this cookware because it eliminates the need for grease or oil in cooking. To use the steam control valve, start cooking on medium heat (never use high heat). Then, when the valve begins to whistle, close the valve and turn the heat down to low and finish cooking. The 9-element construction allows you to stack cook with this cookware. Begin cooking on individual burners and when the valve whistles, you can stack the pans to finish cooking. The phenolic handles are superbly styled and are resistant to heat, cold and detergents. This set includes a cookbook with instructions and comes with a limited lifetime warranty.

Waterless Cookware Set Contents:

1.7 qt. covered saucepan

2.5 qt covered saucepan

3.2 qt covered saucepan

7.5 qt. covered roaster


11-3/8" skillet


Double boiler unit with capsule bottom that can also be used as an extra 3 qt pan


5 egg cups


5 hole utility rack

High dome cover for skillet or roaster

Some additional key features about this product:

Stack Cooking - The 9 element construction allows stack cooking with this cookware. Start by cooking on individual burners. When valve whistles, you can stack the pans to finish cooking.
Double Boiler Unit - the double boiler unit has an encapsulated bottom so that it can be place directly on your stove-top as a cooking utensil when not being used as a double boiler unit.
Size - A description of the size of each pot is clearly visible on the bottom of the pan
Handles - The phenolic handles are resistant to heat, cold, and detergents and have been tested for durability in ovens up to 350 degrees. However, the manufacturer does not recommend placing the pots in an oven. They are really made to be used on a stove top. This cookware actually allows you to bake food right on top of your stove. Each handle is molded with a large eyelet that permits you to hang your utensils. Also, for convenient storage, you can invert the cover, nest it in the proper pan, and hang or stack your cookware.


This set is a great all-around set and will serve you well and it is currently selling at a great price--$234.95. If you have an induction stove, however, you will need special cookware. We have a model KTULTRA that is similar to this one. However, it has special carbonized steel in the inner layers and is more expensive.

We hope you found this information helpful. Click on http://www.thegourmetscookware.com/ for other great cooking tips and recipes and great deals on waterless cookware! We have included some great waterless cooking recipes on our site http://www.thegourmetscookware.com/healthywaterlessrecipes.html This month we are featuring a fantastic Father’s Day Menu plus some great summer chicken recipes!

How to Care for Your Stainless Steel Cookware

If you have purchased waterless stainless steel cookware or are in the process of shopping around for quality cookware, you already know that stainless steel cookware is not cheap. If you purchase this type of cookware from a home show, county or state fair, you could as much as $2000 or more. If you purchase from one of the many reliable internet stores, you may still pay $200 to $300 for a good quality set of stainless steel cookware. Whatever the investment, you can be assured that it is money well spent. Once you start using waterless cookware, you will never want to return to conventional cookware. BUT the big question--what about maintenance?

Normal Maintenance

Generally, stainless steel does not require a lot of maintenance. With daily usage, hand-washing your cookware in hot, soapy water and drying it thoroughly with a soft cloth before storing away is recommended. While it is dishwasher safe, many experts feel that the detergents may have a negative effect on stainless steel cookware over time. If you decide to use the dishwasher, it is recommended that you remove your cookware after the wash cycle and dry by hand to avoid water spots.

General Stainless Steel Cookware Cleaning Tips

• If your water has high calcium content, you may notice a white, chalky residue on your cookware. When this appears, simply fill the pot or pan with 1 part of vinegar to 3 parts of water. Bring it to a boil, let it cool, and then wash thoroughly with hot soap water and dry.
  
• Burnt-on food—Fill you pan with warm soapy water—enough to cover the entire area—and let sit for an hour. Then bring the pan to a boil on the stove for about 10 to 15 minutes. Let the water cool. Scrub with a nylon scouring pad. Wash out again with hot, soapy water. Rinse and dry. Repeat this process again if the stain is particularly stubborn.
  
• Use non-abrasive cleansers like Bon Ami Polishing Cleanser or Bar Keepers Friend for general cleaning and stain removal. Your cookware should remain looking like new.
  
• NEVER use steel wool on stainless steel cookware. The metal scouring pads or abrasive cleaners might remove the stuck-on food, but they might also scratch the surface of your cookware. Use nylon-net scouring pads, plastic or nylon brushes.
• Never use chlorine bleach or ammonia-based cleaners on your cookware.

In summary, with proper care and maintenance, your stainless steel cookware will last a lifetime. Your investment in quality waterless cookware allows you to provide healthy, nutritional meals for your family. Protect that investment by taking the time after each use to wash in warm soapy water and properly dry before storing. Occasionally apply a good-quality stainless steel cleaner to it. These simple techniques will keep your cookware looking bright and shiny and keep your foods from sticking in the pan.

We hope you found this information helpful. Click on http://www.thegourmetscookware.com/ for other great cooking tips and recipes as well as great deals on waterless cookware! We have included some great waterless cooking recipes on our site http://www.thegourmetscookware.com/healthywaterlessrecipes.html This month we are featuring a fantastic Father’s Day Menu plus some great summer chicken recipes!

Pan Broiling – The Healthy Way to Cook!

When pan broiling using waterless, greaseless cookware, heat is conducted very efficiently through the cookware to the meat. The multi-layers of the cookware (waterless requires a minimum of 5 layers) allows for quick and even heat distribution. Thus the meat’s surface tends to caramelize or brown very quickly (5 to 10 minutes). No fat is required in the cooking process. After the initial browning, the heat should be reduced to prevent the meat’s surface from toughening. If you cover the pan, water vapor will be trapped and more of a basting process will occur. Therefore, you MUST leave the steam vent OPEN when pan broiling (frying.)

How to Cook the Perfect Steak

According to David Knight, a chef, author, and master of waterless cooking, cooking a steak is an art. Practice makes perfect. During the searing and cooking of steaks, it is best to put the cover on and leave the vent open. Crowding in the pan or cooking at too low a temperature, and covering, may cause the steaks to steam. Because of the different textures, cuts and thickness of the meat, learning the feel of the desired doneness by pushing down on the center of a steak with a fork is by far the best method over attempting to time for desired doneness.

The Doneness Test

Turn the palm of your left hand up and spread your fingers apart.

Rare: Rest your left thumb against your left forefinger and press down on the soft fleshy part at the base of your left thumb with your right forefinger. That what rare feels like.

Medium-Rare: Place your left thumb directly over the center of your left forefinger and press down on the soft fleshy part at the base of your left thumb with your right forefinger. That’s what medium rare feels like.

Medium: Place your left thumb in between your left forefinger and your left middle finger and press down on the soft fleshy part at the base of our left thumb with your right forefinger. That’s what medium feels like.

Medium Well: Place your left thumb directly over the center of our left middle finger and press down on the soft fleshy part of your left thumb with your right forefinger, that’s what medium-well feels like.

Well-Done: Place your left thumb in between your left middle finger and your left ring finger and press down on the soft fleshy part of your left thumb with your right forefinger. That’s what well-done feels like. Cook for 8 to 9 minutes more after searing.

Try this method with this steak recipe!

Filet Mignon Bordelaise

4 (about 3 oz. filet mignons
Bordelaise Sauce
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley leaves

Preheat the skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle a few drops of water in the pan. If the water droplets dance across the pan, the pan is ready. If the water evaporates, the pan is not hot enough. Place the filets in the hot, dry pan, which will be about 400 degrees F. Cover the pan, open the vent and dry sauté until the filets release easily from the skillet, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the filets, cover the pan, and brown on the other side until the filets release easily from the skillet, 4 to 5 minutes. Cook to desired doneness (see doneness test above).

To serve, place the filets on dinner plates and top with the Bordelaise Sauce and sprinkle with parsley.

Bordelaise Sauce

1 small onion, finely minced
1/2 medium carrot, diced
1/2 stalk celery, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 small bay leaf
1/2 cup Bordeaux or other dry red wine
1 1/4 cups beef stock
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Roux

In a hot, dry pan over medium heat, dry sauté the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic until slightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the parsley, thyme, pepper and bay leaf.

Slowly stir in the wine. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Add the stock, lemon juice and roux and whisk vigorously to incorporate the roux into the sauce. Simmer to desired consistency. Season to taste and serve hot with filet mignon.

To make roux, melt 8 Tbsp. butter until slightly separated, simmer for 1 or 2 minutes. Do not allow the butter to burn or turn brown in color. Stir in a bit of flour at a time (up to 1 cup), stirring occasionally. The roux is cooked through when it is light blond in color, about 10 to 15 minutes. Extra roux can be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

We hope you found this information helpful. Hopefully over the course of the summer, you will have an opportunity to try out this technique. Click on http://www.thegourmetscookware.com/ for other great cooking tips and recipes as well as great deals on waterless cookware! We have included some great waterless cooking recipes on our site http://www.thegourmetscookware.com/healthywaterlessrecipes.html This month we are featuring a fantastic Father’s Day Menu.

Cooking Greaseless with Stainless Steel Cookware

While our bodies need a certain amount of fat in our diets, most of us get much more than we should. Reducing the amount of fat or cooking oils in cooking can help you to reduce calories and help you lower cholesterol levels, both key factors in maintaining a healthy heart. Cooking with waterless cookware allows us option of cooking waterless and greaseless.

How to Cook Meats the Greaseless Way

All meats and poultry contain juices, most of it being water. However, meats and poultry also contain fat. When cooking with waterless, greaseless cookware, trim all the visible fat from the meat before cooking. Then you can pan broil the meat without adding fats or oils to the pan.

Preheat your pan at medium or medium-high heat. After approximately 3 minutes, test the surface with a few water droplets. If the droplets dance across the surface, the pan is hot enough to brown the meat and seal in juices.

When you are browning the meat, it will stick initially. Do not cover the pan until the meat loosens (this usually takes about 5 minutes). To prevent any grease from splattering, you can cover partially, leaving the cover slightly ajar. When the meat loosens, turn it to brown on the other side. At this point, cover the pan, leaving the vent open.

Continue cooking according to your recipe. Normally, cooking time is about 5 to 10 minutes for steaks, chops, cutlets, or boneless chicken. If you have thicker cuts of beef or poultry with bones, that time could be longer.

Why Cook Greaseless?

Unfortunately, oven broiling and roasting can dry out and shrink your meat. Oven broiling subjects meat to extremely high temperatures with only a few inches of air. The high temperatures involved in broiling limits its effectiveness. The whole piece of meat can actually be cooked through before the outside surface is browned. Because of this, oven broiling is traditionally limited to relatively thin and tender cuts like chops, steaks, or pieces of poultry, and fish. Meat with a lot of connective tissue is less suited for broiling because collagen does not have time or reach the internal temperature necessary, to soften or liquefy—thus, the meat is tough!

While all of us love cooking outside on the barbecue, Barbecue grilling deposits harmful hydrocarbons on meat. When grilling, the very high temperatures at the meat’s surface are ideal for a caramelized (browning) reaction. Caramelizing is the process of bringing the natural salts and sugars of the meat to the surface for a crisp outer surface. This is what gives a grilled steak that fantastic taste. However, a disadvantage is that these same high temperatures are high enough to burn the fat. The liquefied fat drops on the hot surface can create smoke and potentially carcinogenic hydrocarbons. If this is deposited on the meat, this can be dangerous to your health.

The next article will cover pan broiling the healthy way and include directions on how to cook that perfect steak. We hope you found this information helpful. Click on http://www.thegourmetscookware.com/ for other great cooking tips and recipes as well as great deals on waterless cookware! We have included some great waterless cooking recipes on our site http://www.thegourmetscookware.com/healthywaterlessrecipes.html This month we are featuring a fantastic Father’s Day Menu.

CHARACTERISTICS OF WATERLESS COOKWARE

We are often asked by potential customers how our brand of cookware compares to other brands. This is difficult to answer because I do not know the in-and-outs of their product like I know mine. I do know, however, that not all stainless steel waterless cookware is quality cookware and for cookware to be categorized as waterless, four requirements must be present:

• A high-grade stainless steel must be used. Waterless cookware must be a minimum of 5-ply. You will often see advertisements for products with 7-ply or 9-ply or possibly more. More plies means more layers. However, beyond a certain point, the actual number of plies is more a marketing tool and a cooking requirement. When you have a good grade of stainless steel, the cookware is easy to clean. Further, surgical stainless steel is one of the most sterile environments in which to cook. You never have to worry about coating from other metals leeching into your foods, as can happen with Teflon or aluminum. To some degree, the layering is important. Stainless steel is a great material for waterless cooking, but stainless steel is not known for fast heat transfer. Thus, the addition of a layer of aluminum in. The center of the stainless steel provides for the fast and even distribution of heat.
• A Flat-bottomed pan is needed for efficient heat transfer. The bottom of a waterless cooking pan needs to be flat to provide for even heat distribution.
• A thicker bottom plate is necessary to evenly distribute the heat. The special design of the encapsulated bottom of each stainless steel pot provides strength and rigidity that prevents warping. It also eliminates hot spots that may burn food. Heat is distributed evenly in all directions.
• A special lid is used to keep the steam from escaping. Waterless cooking will not work if a proper seal cannot be formed. When a seal is created, it locks in the natural moisture that escapes from the food during the cooking process. Thus, foods are cooked in their own natural juices, retaining vital vitamins and minerals. This is really the key to waterless cooking—a vapor seal must be created. To get this vapor seal, simply start cooking your food over medium heat until the steam control valve whistles in the open position. Then, turn down the heat to a low simmer and close the valve. At this point, the lid will form an air-tight seal. Note: If steam is escaping around the lid, reduce heat to a lower setting.

While I cannot speak for other brands, I can tell you that our Waterless Cookware sets meet the criteria above. Maxam Cookware has over 50 years of experience and research going into the production of its products. It also offers a Lifetime warranty on all of its products.

We hope you found this information helpful. Check out our site http://www.thegourmetscookware.com/ for great deals on waterless cookware as well as cooking tips and recipes! We have included some great waterless cooking recipes on our site http://www.thegourmetscookware.com/healthywaterlessrecipes.html This month we are featuring a fantastic Father’s Day Menu.

Why Waterless Cookware?

When cooking foods in water, less is better! This is especially true if interested in healthy eating that preserves the nutritional value of your food. What does waterless cooking mean—it just means adding extra water is not necessary, for most meats and vegetables already contain water naturally. In fact, adding water actually removes nutrients from your food. With waterless cooking method, only 2% of your vitamins and minerals are lost in the cooking process, whereas with conventional cooking methods, there is about a 42% loss in nutrients when cooking in water.

Key Advantages of Waterless Cooking:

• Higher nutritional value of foods that are cooked. Nutrients are not lost or diluted in water.
• With waterless cooking, you don’t need to add oils or fats in the cooking process. When vegetables are sautéed in oil, they do not properly caramelize and release the aromatic flavors into the dish being cooked.
• Cleanup is easy and fast. An easy scrub with a high-quality stainless steel cleaner, using a damp cloth, and a good rinse in hot water is all that is necessary to keep your pans bright and shiny and to keep foods from sticking to the pan.
• Quality stainless steel waterless cookware disperses heat evenly—there are no hot spots. This type of cookware has a flat bottom that keeps more of the surface in contact with the gas burner or electric heat.

Most waterless stainless steel cookware sets are either 7- or 9-ply. The key difference between the two is that the 9-ply has more bonding agents between layers. However, the difference in weight between the two is negligible. For cookware to be considered waterless, it should be at least 5 layers or 5-ply. Most stainless steel cookware sold in department stores is only 3-ply, not meeting the waterless requirement.

Tight fitting lids are also a critical part of waterless cooking. Vegetables have high water content. For that reason, it is unnecessary to add additional water when cooking. All you need to do is rinse your vegetables in cold water, drain, and place in the pan. When cooking vegetables the waterless way, it is important to select the correct size pan. The vegetables should almost completely fill the pan. Once in the pan, follow these steps:
Cover vegetable with lid. Start cooking on medium head (never use high heat).
When the valve begins to whistle, close the value and turn the heat to low. Cook vegetables according to times given for that specific vegetable.

One of the most economical waterless cookware sets that offers all the required features of waterless cookware is the 17 pc. 9-element Surgical Stainless Steel Waterless Cookware Set by Maxam. This set include:

• 1.7 qt. Covered saucepan
• 2.5 qt. Covered saucepan
• 3.2 qt. Covered saucepan
• 7.5 qt. Stove-top covered roaster
• 11 3/8” skillet
• Double boiler unit with capsule bottom so you can use the double boiler as an extra 3 qt. Pan
• 5 egg poaching cups
• 5-hole utility rack for egg cups
• High dome cover for skillet or roaster
  

This waterless cookware set has several special features:

• Easy to clean and dishwasher safe
• Energy efficient
• Heat-resistant phenolic handles and knobs
• Warp-resistant bottoms
• Special Water-seal covers that lock in moisture and flavors
• Handy hang-up feature that allows hanging cookware to save space
• Self-storing lids that invert for easy storage
• 9-element construction consists of chrome, nickel, manganese, silicon, aluminum, iron, copper, molybdenum, and vanadium–these elements are located in the capsule bottom of the cookware
• 9-element construction allows you to stack cook. You can begin by cooking on individual burners. Then you can stack the pans to finish cooking—an energy savings!
• Handles stay cool and are resistant to heat and detergents.
  
  We hope you found this information helpful. Check out our site http://www.thegourmetscookware.com/for great cooking tips and recipes! We have also included some great waterless cooking recipes on our site http://www.thegourmetscookware.com/healthywaterlessrecipes.html This month we are featuring a fantastic Father’s Day Menu.
  

• I am always looking for great recipes. I took a cooking class several months ago and the class instructor was the chef and owner of Bluephies Restaurant in Madison, WI. He shared this recipe with us. It’s a real comfort food—especially on a cold, winter night. This recipe was a regular recipe that was easy to adapt to waterless cookware.
  
  Chicken Pot Pie
  
  3 Tbsp. olive oil (conventional, nonwaterless pan)
  2 lbs. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  2 medium carrot, diced
  4 celery stalks, diced
  1 large yellow onion, diced
  1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic
  2 Tbsp. soup base (vegetable or chicken)
  1 Tbsp. dried thyme
  2 tsp. dried oregano
  1 tsp. dried rubbed sage
  1 tsp. basil
  1 tsp. parsley
  1 1/2 tsp. salt
  1/4 tsp. black pepper
  1/4 cup flour
  4 cups heavy cream
  2 cups water
  1 large unpeeled russet potato, diced
  1 cup corn kernels
  Pastry crust or your favorite biscuits
  
  Put chicken in stockpot that has been heated to medium hot. Add the chicken and sauté until it is cooked all the way through. Watch chicken, stirring occasionally, so it does not burn. When chicken is done, it should begin to shred easily. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Sauté until carrots are tender.
  
  Add the soup base, thyme, oregano, basil, sage, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook until fragrant.
  
  Add the flour and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the cream, water, potatoes, and corn to the pot. Cook until a fork goes through the potatoes without resistance. The starch in the potatoes and the flour will thicken the mixture. If you want a really thick filling, add more flour.
  
  For serving:


• Put chicken mixture into a pie pan or other baking dish. Cover with a single pie crust or puff pastry. Seal the edges. Bake in 350 degree oven till crust is browned at the top.


• Or prepare a package of your favorite biscuits and put filling over baked biscuits.

We hope you found this information helpful. If you decide that you would like to try out stainless steel cookware, check out our site http://www.thegourmetscookware.com/ for some great deals! We have also included some great waterless cooking recipes on our site http://www.thegourmetscookware.com/healthywaterlessrecipes.html This month we are featuring a fantastic Father’s Day Menu.