Have you ever watched an episode of Masterchef or some other foodie programme and had copper pan envy? I have. I have also often wondered why it is that chefs in professional kitchens use copper pans and why copper pans are not so popular in the domestic kitchen. The main reason, I’m sure, is the prohibitive cost. The French have been producing copper pans for generations, but they can be expensive and heavy. So, I was delighted this week to welcome into my kitchen a set of new ProWare tri-ply cookware – copper pans – lighter, reasonably priced, with a copper exterior, an aluminium core middle layer and a layer of stainless steel coating on the inside. Cooking during the festive season, with these on the stove, will be an absolute pleasure.
Professional chefs use copper pans because copper is known to be an excellent conductor of heat and it cools down very rapidly. So, for example, once a piece of meat, poultry or fish are perfectly cooked, taking the pan off the heat will stop the cooking process. But copper is also known to have certain reactive qualities, for example acidic foods do not get along well with copper and so the easy to clean, stainless steel interior of these pans is a wonderful idea. Better still, in the ProWare range, the 14cm Milk Pan, 24cm and 28cm Fry Pans also have non-stick coating.
You can use the ProWare copper pans on all heat sources, except for induction hobs. They are oven-safe to 150°C, so you can do that cheffy thing of searing your meat or poultry in the pan before placing it in the oven to finish off gently or keep warm. As with all copper cookware, these pans will naturally change colour (called tarnishing) over time and if you overheat them they may discolour, but in most cases, you can bring the copper back by using a copper cleaner. The cleaner that has been recommended by two different sources is Brasso, but you can also get good results with vinegar and salt. Unless your copper pans become extremely tarnished, they will continue to look as beautiful and iconic in your kitchen as they do in all respectable kitchens. Here’s how copper can change when heated –
Image credit: ProWare Kitchen
The range I am testing includes a 24cm tri-ply frying pan (with non-stick coating), a 20cm tri-ply saucepan with lid, a 16cm tri-ply saucepan with lid and the most adorable of the bunch – a mini copper tri-ply pan – my new favourite thing in the kitchen.
ProWare Kitchen are a new company launched in 2012, although they have drawn upon their experience in the kitchenware industry to develop this new range. You can connect with them on Twitter (@proware_kitchen) or on Facebook where they run competitions, too.
I’m going to continue to road-test my pans and I’m sure you’ll spot them featuring in many of my posts, as I’m a huge new fan!
How to enter the ProWare Kitchen and Fabulicious Food! giveaway:
Where to buy them
If you are still Christmas present shopping, I know that the foodie in your life would love any one of these. They are exclusively available at Lakeland and at the moment, are on a special 3 for 2 offer. The range at Lakeland starts at £19.00 (for the 9cm mini pan) and goes up to £89.00 for the 20cm saucepan with lid.
Disclosure: I was sent 4 copper pans to test and review and ProWare Kitchen are offering one of my readers a mini Tri-ply pan. I was not required to use any text or specific information in my post and was under no obligation to write a positive review. I contacted the company myself. With many thanks for my set.