What Is a Brazier Pan? How to Use It

These are pots and stewpans, frying pans and pressure cookers, steamers and various forms, as well as other kitchen helpers.

At this point, everyone is confused. What exactly is needed for her? What material should good dishes be made of? What to cook in it? Which one to choose so as not to be mistaken?

Modern housewives are increasingly giving preference to the brazier. And all because it is multifunctional, and the dishes in it are prepared simply and tasty.

What is a brazier?

This is a kind of frying pan with a lid and two handles on the sides, most often made of stainless steel, aluminum or cast iron. Once upon a time, this was the name of a small oven that could be easily carried. Now, this is a dish with great functionality.

The brazier has a fairly wide and thickened bottom, which allows it to be used effectively on all types of kitchen stoves: gas, electric, and induction. In this case, the products are heated evenly, which helps to avoid burning.

Its main advantage among other pans is that you can fry, boil, stew and bake dishes in it. Therefore, it is ideal for the oven. Dishes cooked in it are obtained with a crispy crust and soft inside. Due to the high temperature inside, the products secrete their own juice, thus retaining all their beneficial properties.

Increasingly, manufacturers began to produce braziers with non-stick coatings. This allows you to prepare wholesome, healthy meals without the use of oil.

What is the difference between a brazier with a lid and a frying pan, cauldron or stewpan?

After all, it seems that they are one and the same. But in reality, it is not so.

The frying pan is used exclusively for frying and stewing on the stove. Since it has a long handle, it is inconvenient for the oven.

A stewpan is a cross between a frying pan and a saucepan with a long handle. In everyday life, small saucepans are used to prepare sauces or creams. But there are also large volumes, and they are used for extinguishing.

Kazan is used, as a rule, in nature. It cooks vegetables and meat perfectly. They are similar in shape to the brazier. But the brazier for a fire has thickened walls and a bottom, which better simmers food.

And also do not forget that there is a special brazier for barbecue or grill. In this case, firewood or coals are kindled right in it, a grate is placed on top, and that's it; you can cook. You don't need anything else for a barbecue grill at a picnic! After all, food soaked in smoke is the most delicious.

An alternative is a grill pan. It is portable and takes up less space.

There is another type of brazier - a frying pan.

Outwardly, it looks like a regular frying pan, but it has a hole with holes in the middle. This cooker is well suited for an induction hob. Thanks to the holes, dishes are obtained as in the open air, and due to the high temperature inside, a golden crust forms. And it is harmless because for cooking in this design, you need quite a bit of oil. This is a great gift for people who care about their health and figure.

Those who love barbecue but do not have the opportunity to often go to the forest have created real salvation - this is an electric brazier. It is also suitable for grilling vegetables, meat and poultry. Takes up little space, and most models have an energy-saving mode. This type of brazier is used at home, in restaurants, supermarkets, and other places of public catering.

What materials are braziers made of?

As mentioned earlier, making a brazier with a lid is completely different.

Cast iron

Cast iron is considered the most reliable. It heats up evenly, retains heat well and cools down slowly. Due to this, the effect of languishing products in their own juice occurs. Another advantage is the formation of its own non-stick coating due to the material's porous structure. Over time, you need to pour less oil, which will allow you to cook low-calorie dishes.

But the brazier made of cast iron is quite heavy, and because of this, it is inconvenient to use. In addition, the material is very capricious to the products in the marinade and also does not really favour lemon juice and tomatoes. It quickly absorbs the smell of cooking, so dishes in such dishes cannot be stored.

Stainless steel

A stainless steel brazier is considered a good alternative. It is much lighter than cast iron but just as strong. It does not add extraneous flavours to food and is versatile for cooking various dishes: vegetables, meat, fish or pastries. Due to the thin walls, the food is only "stewed" inside the dish; the thick bottom, in this case, plays a small role, and the products cooked in it will not be crispy and juicy inside. This option is suitable for lovers of boiled and low-fat food.

If the pan does not have a non-stick coating, then it can be safely cleaned with hard brushes using cleaning products.

Aluminum

Aluminum dishes are often found on the shelves. The main criterion when choosing a brazier made of this metal is quality. You should not buy from thin extruded aluminum, it wears out quickly, and money can be wasted. The best option is thick-walled aluminum. Such utensils will last for many years and will delight you with fragrant dishes.

Titanium

Titanium is one of the healthiest materials. Unlike cast iron, you can cook any dish in it. Any degree of roasting, as well as stewing. Made of titanium, the brazier has a porous surface that is considered non-stick due to the natural oil impregnation. It is undesirable to wash such dishes in a dishwasher and abrasive products.

Ceramics

Ceramic braziers are produced from environmentally friendly material that is safe for human health. Such dishes warm up evenly, as they have absolutely the same thickness of the walls and bottom. Dishes are crispy and flavorful. Has a non-stick coating. Keeps the temperature for a long time.

Ceramic dishes are washed by any means and method. The only negative is that it is forbidden to put it in a preheated oven and use it on an open fire or on a gas stove.

Marble coating

One of the latest innovations is a food-grade aluminum marble brazier with a multi-layer coating. The layer is applied by spraying and is by far the most durable. The thickness of the walls reaches 6 ml, ensuring the complete heating of the dishes and the absence of food sticking with the use of plastic, non-sharp kitchen accessories.

In this type of pan, it is possible to cook both fried and stewed dishes with a minimum amount of oil or its complete absence. It is recommended to wash such dishes in manual mode without using metal sponges and abrasive products.

Combination Roaster

Also new is the combination frypot with a high-quality food-grade die-cast aluminum body base and a glass lid that prevents excessive liquid evaporation and allows you to observe the natural cooking process. It has a coating with the addition of ceramic particles up to 1 mm thick.

Heat resistant glass

A brazier made of heat-resistant glass is considered a budget option. It is short-lived and capricious in the application. May burst due to temperature changes. Therefore, it should not be placed in a preheated oven and, after cooking, on a cold or wet surface. They are often sold without lids, and this leads to improper heat distribution inside.

This type of cookware is mainly used for cooking casseroles in the oven and stew meat and vegetable dishes. Easy care. It is possible to wash in any way, including the dishwasher.

Examples of homemade braziers from other materials

If you don't want to spend money on buying a new unit, you can make homemade braziers from various materials.

Among the popular improvised environments, the following stand out:

• Metal: Metal braziers are relatively light in construction, easy to connect, require minimal material consumption, and are also easy to carry. They are made from a harrow disc. But there are also disadvantages, such as the material outside is very hot, the additional metal coating is needed from corrosion, rust, etc.
• Brick: A great option if you have bricks left after repair. You can build the entire structure out of bricks or use strong metal legs or a table to support it. Its main advantage is a small heating outside and reliability in operation.

• 100 or 200-litre barrels: In this case, it is only necessary to cut a surface for a cover in the upper part of the barrel, put a grate, and you're done. They are very economical and nothing worse.

• Washing machine tank: The brazier will have a round shape in which a fire is kindled, a grate is placed on top, and you can invite friends to a barbecue.

How and where can you use the brazier

An ordinary frying pan-brazier can be used in different ways. On the stove. The principle of use is like a frying pan. You can cook delicious roasts, stews, stewed cabbage and much more in it.

In the oven. The oven roaster is ideal for preparing casseroles, grilled meats or fish.

• Outdoors: The recipe for success is simple: put rice or potatoes with meat in the brazier, close the lid, cover the dishes with the hot coal and wait for the full cooking.
• Caring for this utensil is no different from an ordinary frying pan. The main thing is to wash it immediately after use and follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
• You can cook everything in the brazier: soups, roasts, meat, fish, pilaf, stewed vegetables, bread, casseroles, pies, and this is not the whole list. When purchasing, the only thing you need to pay attention to is a special icon indicating what this type of dish is suitable for.

Roaster Care Tips

Before first use, wash with detergent and dry well. Watch the flame of fire on the stove or on the fire so that it does not touch the walls and handles of the pan.

• When washing dishes made of cast iron, baking soda can be used. Do not use the lids and bottom for cutting and shredding products.
• This type of cookware is a perfect replacement for a conventional frying pan or double boiler.
• When used over a fire, the top of the lid can be used for scrambled eggs, pancakes and hot sandwiches.
• To maintain durability, it is desirable to use plastic or wooden appliances.
• Do not overheat an empty brazier.
• When cooking on the stove, it is necessary to observe the same diameter of the bottom and burners.
• During cooking, the dish must be stirred periodically to avoid burning.

Choice of the shape of the brazier

Various shapes are produced, from classic oval and rectangular to round and square. An oval shape is more suitable for cooking duck, turkey, goose, and chicken. Beef, pork, lamb, and cabbage rolls are more convenient to cook in a square. Vegetables, various types of casseroles, and lasagna are most aesthetically pleasing in a round shape. Rectangular - more versatile and suitable for any kind of product.

How and what dishes to cook in a brazier

To prepare a tasty and healthy dish, you must strictly follow the recipe.

Roast beef, for example, will turn out tender and juicy if you first rub the whole piece of meat with salt and spices. Fry on a hot roasting pan without a lid on both sides until a golden crust appears. Then tightly close the lid and simmer at a medium temperature at the rate of 1 kg of meat - 1 hour.

Potato casserole, made from thinly sliced ​​potatoes, will turn out more tender if each layer is smeared with milk and sprinkled with fried onions. This dish is best cooked in the oven. 15 minutes after the start of cooking, tightly close the lid or foil. 10 minutes before the end, you can sprinkle with grated cheese.

Recipes for the perfect roaster

Roast Pork/Beef/Rabbit

For cooking, take meat, olive oil, onions, tomatoes, salt, pepper, seasonings and spices to taste.

Cooking method: cut the meat into medium cubes, fry in oil; cut the onion into 4-5 parts, add to the meat, put the tomatoes on top, season with salt, pepper and seasonings; mix everything and cover with a lid; reduce the heat to a minimum and leave for 1-1.5 hours.

Braised fish

For the dish, you will need any fish, carrots, bell peppers, onions, vegetable oil, salt, pepper, seasonings and spices to taste.

Method of preparation: we clean the fish from the bones, cut it into pieces, salt and pepper; peel the onion and carrot and cut it into rings; remove the core from the pepper and cut it into strips; pour oil into the brazier and turn on the stove; fry the vegetables, then lay out the fish and add a little water; put in an oven preheated to 160 degrees for 20 minutes.

Almost all dishes are prepared using the same cooking technique. The only difference is spices, marinades and cooking time.

A few more benefits of the brazier

Cast iron frying pan has a huge number of advantages. Here are a few more benefits to buying it.

Durability

With proper care, cast iron cookware will last for generations. Having bought it once, you and your heirs will forget about the cost of new pans.

Environmental friendliness

It has long been proven that cast iron does not contain harmful substances in its composition, so that you can be calm about the quality and safety of prepared dishes for consumption.

Profitability

Since standard braziers do not have long handles, they are quite compact. And also, modern manufacturers offer a huge selection of sizes, even a small one for an omelette and a large one for cooking a whole pork.

For dishes, it is better to go to specialized stores, as they choose high-quality suppliers for cooperation.

When choosing a brazier, it is worth considering the brand of dishes. It is better to choose the company you trust.

Leading factories in Europe and the USA: Lodge, Zwilling JA Henckels, Swiss Diamond.

What kind of brazier to buy is purely your choice. In any case, you can cook a variety of fragrant, tasty, and healthy meals for the whole family. No one will be left hungry and disappointed.

Conclusion

Recently, this type of cookware has been very popular because of its versatility. There is a huge selection of recipes for cooking various dishes in the brazier. For many housewives, this is a godsend and, at the same time, a real helper, easy to use and prepare delicious, classic, and unusual, original dishes.