When it comes to cookware, copper is a classic material. It's a timeless showstopper beloved by professional chefs and culinary legends, gracing the walls of Julia Childs' iconic kitchen and hanging luminously from Martha Stewart's ceiling pot rack. Given copper's sustained popularity and pretty patina, home cooks may be curious about its uses, cost, and care &#; all important factors that will ultimately help determine if the rose-colored cookware is right for their kitchen.
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Copper is a naturally-occurring, highly-conductive metal that's very responsive to heat changes. It's twice as conductive as aluminum and 10 times more conductive than stainless steel, according to chef Kysha Harris of personalized cooking service SCHOP!.
This responsiveness and conductivity makes copper cookware perfect for cooking foods that require steady heat and precise temperature control, like a high sear or quick simmer. Think: delicate proteins such as fish, finishing sauces, caramels, and emulsions.
Copper has been used to make tools &#; cooking and otherwise &#; for thousands of years. There's evidence that it was used in the Middle East more than 10,000 years ago, replacing stone as the cookware material of choice because of its malleability. Examples of copper cookware have also been found in China, Egypt, and Mesopotamia and has strong culinary roots in Spain (paella pans), Mexico (cazo de cobre), and India (kadhais).
French brand Mauviel &#; one of the biggest names in the copper cookware scene &#; was founded in Normandy during the s. Copper cookware's popularity exploded in France, since the flexibility allowed chefs to create specialized kitchen equipment (batterie de cuisine) to suit specific dishes and recipe needs. Copper came stateside by way of Chuck Williams &#; yes, of the kitchenware retailer Williams-Sonoma &#; who wandered into a Paris cookware shop post-World War II and fell in love with the glowing copper pots.
Copper is valued more than stainless steel due to high demand and limited supply. They're usually handcrafted and hammered, which ups their price point. Very few professional kitchens have copper pans due to their price tag; if used, they're usually at fine-dining establishments, since a single pot typically runs at least $100. The price of a copper cookware set or full-on batterie de cuisine set can easily reach thousands of dollars.
It is &#; if used properly. Copper reacts to acidic foods and needs a greater level of care when cooking to ensure the lining doesn't get damaged. You don't want to scrape it or chip the inside of your copper pan and expose the copper underneath, which can then react with your food.
One common question that comes up when shopping for copper pots and pans: to go bare or lined? Because of its luxe look, copper is often used on the exterior of the cookware, "either as a thin decorative layer or as a thicker, functional layer, particularly on the bottom of the pan," says Harris.
Traditionally, tin is the go-to lining for copper cookware because it's also malleable, mostly non-stick, and doesn't react with acidic foods. There's also a stainless steel lining option for extra durability.
"Vintage and classic French brands are lined with tin on the inside and over time with repeated usage, need to be re-tinned or re-stained to prevent the copper from leaching into the food," says Palak Patel, chef at the Institute of Culinary Education.
Unlined or "bare" copper cookware is often found in the form of mixing bowls since copper helps with tasks like stabilizing egg whites. This option tends to be the least expensive.
So, you're already mesmerized by copper cookware's beauty, but is it worth the price tag? We consulted culinary experts about the qualities that make copper cookware worth the investment &#; as well as some things to consider when deciding to add to your cart.
While copper might not fit with everyone's budget and requires some love and attention, they can last for generations if well-taken care of. Due to the high price of copper pots and pans, Blodgett advises getting one if your budget allows as an additional pot or pan to your arsenal. They're an investment best for professional or serious home cooks &#; not for the novice chef &#; and can add some drama to your kitchen.
Copper cookware is a bit of a rarity in modern kitchens. You may have seen idyllic pictures of copper factories in the French town of Villedieu-les-Poêles (literally, God&#;s City of the Pans), or peeked it gleaming on the shelf of a specialty cookware retailer&#;but odds are, you&#;ve probably never cooked with it before. And we get it: copper is pricey, and plus, how are you actually supposed to cook with it?
We&#;re here to demystify this beautiful cookware material, and hopefully convince you that when it comes to versatility, cooking speed, and&#;yes&#;looks, copper is well-worth the investment.
Nowadays, it's a rarity to find copper cookware that's copper through and through. Typically, a copper pot or pan sold in stores will be made with an exterior layer of copper, and a lining of tin or stainless steel. Rather than some money-saving hack on the part of the manufacturer, this lining plays a critical role in your safety, as well as your pan&#;s versatility.
In addition to being an incredible conductor of heat, copper is also an extremely reactive material. If it comes into contact with acidic ingredients&#;like citrus, vinegar, or tomatoes&#;the metal will start to immediately leach into the food itself. Since copper is toxic to the human body if ingested in large enough quantities, using an unlined copper pot or pan to cook acidic ingredients over a long period of time can be very harmful.
It&#;s also important to note the metal your pan is lined with. Tin is more common in older copper cookware, and while it&#;s relatively safe and even offers natural non stick properties, it has a much lower melting point than stainless steel. Tin will start to bubble and melt once it reaches 450F, so your cookware will likely need periodic retinning. Stainless linings are much more durable, can reach higher temperatures&#;ours can reach 800F&#;and doesn't need to be retinned.
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Aside from stainless steel, you can also opt for pans lined with sterling silver&#;though, unless money is literally no object, this may not be the most practical choice.
Excited to buy your first piece of copper cookware? You&#;re in luck: copper comes in an impressive array of shapes and styles, so you&#;re bound to find one that fits your cooking style
In our line of copper cookware, we offer four different products: a Frying Pan, a Saucier, a Saucepan, and a Rondeau. Each of these comes with its own lid, and is made from 90% copper, 10% stainless steel. This construction makes for a long-lasting and versatile piece of cookware, just as ideal for braising or roasting as it is for making jams, caramels, or sautes.
Copper has a millenia-long history as a cookware material, so it&#;s not entirely surprising that you can find highly specialized copper pieces like jam pans&#;pans made of unlined copper and used for cooking high-sugar foods like jam&#;paella pans, and even a turbotier, made exclusively for poaching a whole turbot.
While we love the thought of all these whimsically-shaped pieces stacked high in our cupboards like the pantry in a French farmhouse, realistically, we recommend sticking with something practical like a copper frying pan, rondeau, or saucier. These pans showcase the gorgeous looks and great heating properties of copper, but offer just a little more versatility. For example, a rondeau is the perfect size to handle all of your roasting or braising tasks, and can easily travel from stovetop to oven.
If you&#;re looking to splurge a bit more, you might want to consider buying a set of copper cookware rather than a single piece. Like our new 7-Piece Copper Set, these are less expensive than buying each piece individually, and typically include staple cookware items like a frying pan, saucepan, and saute pan.
Other than looking très chic, copper cooks like a dream, from searing perfect steaks to cooking up thick, glossy fruit jams. The biggest benefits copper cookware brings to your kitchen is precision, sensitivity to temperature change, and being easy to care for.
Conductivity, conductivity, conductivity: it&#;s a bit like the three Ls of real estate, but for cookware. Copper&#;s ability to conduct and circulate heat, as well as its responsiveness to temperature change, is one of the chief reasons to splurge on these pieces.
We love to talk up stainless steel&#;s conductivity and responsiveness, and copper is even better in this regard&#;heating up more quickly, and circulating that heat more evenly, than even stainless steel. For extremely delicate foods, like flaky fish filets or caramels, that responsiveness is key, as it allows you to quickly cut the heat to avoid overcooking or burning.
Copper may look like a piece of precious jewelry, but it&#;s actually quite durable: even copper covered in verdigris&#;that greenish-blue layer that forms on copper as it ages&#;can be restored.
That being said, the natural patina that develops on copper as it ages is something to be cherished: while you can buff it away to restore your pan to its original shine, we prefer to leave it intact as a testament to its service.
This one speaks for itself. Along with being objectively beautiful, copper is relatively rare to find even in a professional kitchen these days, lending it a touch of mystique. Plus, it&#;s pretty neat to think about the fact that copper is the oldest metal to be worked by human hands.
While anyone can cook with copper, you do have to follow a few specific rules if you want to keep yourself&#;and your cookware&#;safe.
First: Remember what we said about copper being a reactive metal? Well, if you&#;re using an unlined copper vessel&#;many vintage pieces come without a tin or stainless steel lining, for example&#;you should be careful to avoid cooking anything acidic, like wine, tomatoes, or citrus, in your pot. The one exception here is jam, which contains enough sugar to keep the acid in the fruit from reacting with the copper.
Second: if your copper cookware is lined with tin, you&#;ll want to carefully monitor the temperature of your pot or pan. As we mentioned earlier, tin begins to melt at 450F, so it&#;s not the best for high heat cooking. No matter how careful you are with it, however, you&#;ll likely need to get your pan professionally retinned at some point.
One way to prevent your cookware from getting too hot is by always adding fat to your pan before heating it up, and never leaving it unattended. A stainless steel lining will make your pan much more heat resistant, with the minor downside of not being as naturally non stick as tin. That said, stainless steel linings do not need to be replaced or retinned.
Washing your copper cookware isn&#;t too difficult, especially if you&#;re working with a stainless steel lining (note that tin and aluminum scratches more easily than stainless steel). In this case, you can use pretty much the exact same cleaning method on the inside of your pan as you would on any piece of stainless steel cookware. For the exterior of your pan, scrub gently after each use with a non-abrasive sponge, warm water, and gentle dish soap, drying thoroughly before putting it away. Avoid putting copper cookware in the dishwasher.
For a more detailed guide to copper care, as well as how to know when to polish your cookware, check out our dedicated post.
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