Want to make pan fried chicken with vegetables for dinner?
Which pan to use? Which gives the best flavor?
Knowing which type of pan is best for the type of cooking you are about to do can be confusing. I am here to help!
The two types of pans I will be discussing today is the stone frying pan vs ceramic.
Though they are made of different materials, stone and ceramic cookware are very similar when it comes to performance and durability.
What is a stone frying pan?
Stone frying or granite cookware consists of carbon steel core coated with porcelain enamel, although named stone/granite it does not actually have any of this its used merely due to its appearance in looking like it.
Advantage and disadvantage of stone frying
One advantage of using stone frying is that it does not rust nor contains any harmful chemicals that can cause any damage to our health. The carbon steel core speeds up cooking time and its lightweight and glossy and smooth surfaces means its very easy and quick to clean.
One criticism of the stone frying is that it is not suitable for glass stovetops as it may break the glass so for modern kitchens that install flash looking and flat easy to clean cookers it’s a definite set back.
The newer versions of stone pans are very thin and fragile. In essence it means poor heat retention and Unless you use wooden or plastic utensils the enamel coating is easily chipped.
Although supposedly a proudly non stick pan some have claimed that they have found food to stick to the surface.
What is a ceramic frying pan?
The two types of ceramic cookware that can be found in the market today are: Ceramic-Coated Cookware and the Solid ceramic cookware. The ceramic coated has an aluminum base that is coated with a ceramic glaze.
The other, Solid Ceramic Cookware, like its name makes a more solid pan due to its manufacturing process. Clay and water are mixed together and then poured into a mold to be baked in a kiln to harden.
This is why solid ceramic cookware is also sometimes called kiln-baked cookware. It is then dipped into a glaze that makes it stain-resistant and nonstick.
It is said that this type lasts longer than the ceramic coated counterpart however, the ceramic coated is the more common and popular type of ceramic cookware and we would be mainly referring to this type here.
Advantage and disadvantage of ceramic frying pan
Like the Stone cookware the ceramic are said to be free from any harmful chemicals and nonstick makes this type of cookware very easy to clean. For healthy eating giants this is an excellent partner as minimal oil is required to cook.
Ceramic-coated cookware like the stone frying is also light in weight and does not alter the taste or smell of the food cooked.
Another advantage of ceramic cookware is that it heats quickly and has excellent heat conduction which means food is hotter for longer!
And finally, since it is available in a variety of colors and designs you can colour match with your designer kitchen.
The few drawbacks of using the ceramic cookware is that firstly, this type of cookware is not suitable for high heat cooking, the coating is not that durable and high heat ruins the non-stick element. This also means you cannot just put it in the oven to finish off the dish requirements.
Once the coating comes off there is no much use to the pan and its not long before you find you need a new one. Like the stone fry pans metal utensils ruin the coating and therefore only wooden and plastic should be used. Despite the coatings and glaze it is still prone to chipping.
Despite cleaning being quite simple it is only recommended to be washed by hand and not by the all so useful dishwasher.
Final verdict
In conclusion both the stone fry and the ceramics are nonstick and easy to clean. Both require minimal oil to cook and they both do not alter the taste, smell and colour of your food. They are efficient and will save you time and energy and will also last if proper care is taken.
The downfalls include that they both can easily be chipped and scratched while using metallic kitchen utensils.
Secondly, prolonged exposure to high heat will damage the coating and therefore you must be careful with amount of heat.
Appearance wise, the stone is quite plain and boring in color and looks but the ceramic however, is available in several colors and shades. This makes a difference to the look of the food once done and colors in general helps brighten the cook’s mood.
Solid ceramic cookware has a slight advantage when it comes to heat retention it seems to hold heat more than the stone and if you love having splashes of color in your kitchen, ceramic cookware seems to be the right one for you.
Overall it is clear to say although very similar the Ceramic pans seem to win this battle and comes out as the winner.
Leave a Reply