Know More about Your Pure Copper utensil
It is authentically known that copper was one of the first metals (after gold) that people discovered. Then it began to be used for the manufacture of kitchen utensils. There is no exact information about where pure copper utensils originally appeared. For a long time, copper utensils do not lose their relevance. It is due to the physical characteristics of the metal, which contribute to faster, better cooking. To decide on such an expensive purchase, you should carefully study the copper utensils in detail. Several established manufacturers and suppliers of kitchenware offer copper utensils online. Getting high-quality cookware from them is reliable. Coming back to the point, in this blog post, we will be defining every important aspect related to copper kitchenware. Let’s find out!
Beneficial features of Copper cookware
Useful characteristics prevail, otherwise, the very existence of cookware made of this metal would be meaningless:
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High thermal conductivity
This property of copper is especially appreciated by cooks. Such dishes heat up quickly and evenly, retain heat for a long time, which is especially important for preparing delicate seafood dishes, as well as various desserts and sauces. Food cooks many times faster, this allows you to save more nutrients in the products.
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Improving taste
Saturated with copper microparticles, products cooked in such dishes acquire a special taste. These cannot be repeated in pots and pans made of any other metal.
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Antibacterial action
This feature of the metal was actively exploited in ancient times. It has been noticed that food left in copper dishes lasts longer and does not spoil. Vessels for water had a disinfecting effect – in them, for a long time, it did not lose its taste, did not go rotten. Later, the bactericidal properties of the metal were confirmed by scientific research. The copper molecules kill many pathogenic bacteria that can aggressively affect the digestive system. However, at high temperatures, such dishes lose their antibacterial properties. Recently, they began to drink water from a Copper Straight Bottle. It is believed that this way you can make up for the lack of this metal in the body.
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A lightweight
This mainly applies to dishes made of copper-containing alloys, such as brass. Kitchen utensils made of pure copper are much heavier.
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Durability
With proper care, the dishes can be served for a long time. It is often passed down from generation to generation.
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Beautiful design
Both antique copper specimens and new-fangled samples of modern copper dishes have an aesthetic appearance.
However, we should not forget about the possible harm of copper utensils. It is not recommended to store food in such utensils, as this leads to the formation of free radicals that are dangerous to the body. This is due to the fact that copper has a negative effect on the acids contained in the products. Accordingly, such products are
not suitable for drinking freshly squeezed juices, however, they are used for tea, compotes.
For copper, high humidity is very harmful, which causes oxidation processes, manifested in the form of a green coating (patina). When it appears, the dishes must be cleaned regularly, very carefully. Otherwise, the patina may lead to poisoning.
Interior Coating Options
Typically, copper utensils have an inner part made of tin, nickel, and stainless steel. Teflon, ceramics, and bimetallic coating are sometimes used. It is necessary to prevent the oxidation of copper. Products with an internal coating are used in the preparation of most products.
Copper pots, pans, stew pans coat on the inside with a thin layer of steel or nickel, which prevents oxidation. Thus, the food will not absorb harmful substances. Such a surface characterizes by high strength, durability, and heat resistance. For the manufacture of modern dishes, you can use ferromagnetic bottom.
Tin is used to cover copper plates. Compared to stainless steel, it is characterized by less durability, as well as lower resistance to temperature changes. However, the advantage of such material is that it can be restored again.
In cooking, brass utensils are especially in demand. It is characterized by durability, high service life – up to 50 years. Tinned tin is used to cover the inner surface of the brass products and the outer part is usually polished or treated with nickel.
Features of dishes without an internal coating
Often copper utensils cover with a special protective layer, but you should pay attention to certain exceptions. For cooking non-acidic dishes, a pure copper container without any internal coating is necessary, since such products need to be in direct contact with the metal. In such utensils, it is allowed to cook cold dishes, various desserts with sugar, boil water, brew coffee and tea.
However, when using products without an internal coating, certain rules must be observed. They are not recommended to serve salad, it is strictly forbidden to cook foods that contain various acids: tomatoes, fruits, etc. The same applies to dishes that contain vinegar.
Tips for use and care of Copper Utensils
For many, the question of how to care for copper utensils is relevant. It requires compliance with certain rules:
- When cooking, we recommend to use spatulas made of plastic, wood or silicone, as metal ones can damage the protective layer. To clean the metal, special substances or homemade products (for example, a mixture of flour, water and fine salt) can be used. Choosing cleaners with chlorine is unacceptable.
- Use dishes with an inner tin surface for cooking or stewing. But containers with steel and nickel coating are more suitable for frying. If you plan to cook cold non-acidic foods, you can use pure copper utensils.
- It is strictly unacceptable to wash copper utensils with boiling water. The optimum water temperature should be no more than 40-50 ° C.
- Washing in dishwashers is also unacceptable. Use only manual rinsing. Do not use abrasive substances, hard brushes, as they damage the top layer.
- You can use home remedies to clean dishes. For example, wipe the plates with ordinary vinegar and soda or lemon and salt. After that, rinse the utensils with water and then dry them.
- Do not place the empty copper containers on a working stove. As a rule, we are talking about teapots. This can negatively affect their condition.
- Humidity is extremely detrimental to copper, so utensils should be stored in a dry environment. This will avoid the formation of the patina.
Concluding Remarks
Copper utensils have many undoubted advantages. It has durability, high antibacterial properties, and is also able to give the interior an atmosphere of luxury. The benefits and harms of these products will always be controversial. If you follow the basic rules, you can use them for many years without fear for your health.