A Guide to Cooking in and Caring for Copper Pots and Pans

A Guide to Cooking in and Caring for Copper Pots and Pans

Copper is known as the finest metal available on earth, besides the fact that it is used in making a variety of things. It is less reactive in nature compared to other metals. It is widely used in industries for the manufacturing of wires, pipes, motors, plumbing, the medical industry, and a lot more. 

From ancient times, one common use of it was for makingcopper kitchen utensils, which is still done due to the several health benefits of copper pots and cookware. Copper ware has been widely used for cooking and storing water in terms of domestic use. Many households use copper pots and copper pans (where the inner side is made up of tin) in their day-to-day lives and sometimes need guidance on the right and optimal use of them. 

Here today on this blog, we are going to give a proper idea to make you understand.

Cooking and Caring for Copper Pots and Pans: The Important Aspects

There are multiple aspects which we need to learn before cooking in copper pans and pots. While using copper utensils, the temperature, tarnishing, whether tin is used or not in the inner walls of the pan, and other prerequisites need to be considered for getting optimal benefits.  

Cooking in Copper Pots & Pans

Copper kitchen utensils are valued for being quick to warm and for their extremely even heat distribution properties. They are often used in candy-making and other heat-sensitive recipes. Furthermore, copper can be used for almost all your cooking, as in copper cooking utensils you can control the temperature as well as the proper distribution of heat, which makes everything easier.

Copper is one of the most expensive materials for pans. People who love cooking know that copper pans are the right investments that pay off. Because copper is a soft metal and conducts heat quite well. Also, copper metal is highly reactive, which makes it unsafe for food contact on its own. However, when lined with a non-reactive metal such as nickel or tin, it becomes completely safe to use for cooking.

The right temperature is the key to good cooking as copper is so conductive and people often wonder what temperature to cook different foods at. 

As copper is a soft metal and high temperatures can affect the copper pot badly, the tin lining can also erupt (tin is also a soft metal which melts at around 450 °F). It is not advised to use copper pans in an oven above 325°F due to this temperature restriction, as most ovens fluctuate by 50°F or more in both directions while maintaining a constant temperature. Additionally, avoid foods that are overly salty or acidic because prolonged contact will corrode your pan.

Caring for Copper Pots & Pans

It is our personal choice to polish copper pans and pots, but in general, we do clean our copper kitchen utensils. We do have to keep things in mind while washing or cleaning copper pans, as the lining inside them is crucial and it is advisable to use a soft sponge to avoid scratching the soft, thin layers of metal.
But if you are thinking of increasing your copper cooking utensils' durability and shine for years to come, then polishing them is required. Everything is affected by nature and moisture over time, so things like sticks, dust, and tarnish (a corrosion-like layer that develops on metals like copper, silver, and others) keep their sheen over time.

Cleaning copper pots may be done in a variety of ways, but the best approach to cleaning copper pots is to use a naturally occurring substance or product. To polish, you can use special copper polish or anything slightly acidic—lemon, vinegar, or tomato juice work particularly well. Natural foods help you save money while also contributing to a cleaner environment. 

How to Clean and Polish Copper Homewares?

Baking Soda & Lemon juice

Both baking soda and lemon are acidic, which helps in cleaning the coating of corrosion that occurs on the surface. Combine 1 tablespoon of baking soda (which may vary according to the size of the copper pot) with a few tablespoons of lemon juice, and stir until it mixes completely.

Apply it to the surface and polish with a soft cloth.

Salt & Vinegar Solution

Take drops of pure vinegar and salt over the copper surface, and rub them until the tarnish is removed. Rinse it off and polish it with a cloth. 

Besides all this, you can simply use ketchup to clean as well as “Pitambri powder” can also be used to clean such copper kitchenware to keep their sheen and remove tarnish. 

Effective Consideration for Buying Copper Pots and Pans 

There are many effective considerations when buying copper kitchen utensils. There are many copper utensil suppliers who fake the copper (not 100% pure copper) and do not make the inner layer of the pan with tin. In addition to that finding, the right copper utensil supplier is necessary. 

The next step is to inspect the interior of the copper panbefore buying it to make sure this lining is intact, with no pitting and no verdigris (blue copper patina), and most importantly, that the inner layer is made up of tin. Almost all of the care for copper pans focuses on keeping this lining in good condition.

The other one is thickness. As we discussed above, copper is a soft metal, and getting the right thickness for copper pots or pans is somewhat important. The tin lining must be done properly if you are buying copper kitchen utensils. 

Summing Up

Every household needs kitchenware, and copper utensils are the best metal products you need in your kitchen for healthy well-being. This blog is purely to overview the copper kitchen utensils' care and cooking aspects. This guide, as mentioned above, is to help you choose the best copper utensils for your needs and is an effective buying consideration in terms of lining and other important factors. Furthermore, a care guide increases durability and keeps the lifespan of your copperware. If you like the information, do share this blog with your circle, and if you are looking to buy 100% pure copper kitchenware, water bottles, and other products with lots of different designs and patterns, you can visit Indian Art Villa.

Author: Virendra Taluka

Virendra Taluka is the founder of Indian Art Villa, a company that specializes in copperware, brassware & bronzeware kitchenware, home decor and spiritual items. With over 18 years' experience in the industry, Virendra has dedicated his career to preserving the rich cultural heritage of India through his work. With a team of skilled artisans, he started producing high-quality brass utensils, copper utensils, and other household items that quickly gained popularity across the country.