A saucepan is a round-shaped pan used for cooking foods such as pasta or sauces. The lid of the pan uses a knob called the handle to be grabbed and moved and rotated.
Unlike traditional pans, the saucepan lid has a special feature: the bottom of the pan is also its top!
This design makes it difficult to cook certain foods, such as potatoes, which need to be turned over in the pan. Luckily, there is the clever design of the saucepan where the bottom of the pan is also its top!
When cooking with a saucepan, difficulty can arise when trying to shake or flip your food. The food may end up being cooked poorly or burnt due to this issue. Luckily, there is another feature of the saucepan that prevents this from happening!
The handle of the saucepan gets hot when it is on the stove. This feature protects you from touching it when you are handling your food on the pan.
Because of conduction
When a saucepan is placed on a stove, the heat from the stove transfers to the bottom of the pan. This is called conduction.
The pan contains a thin layer of liquid (usually water) and if the pan is sautéed, then that layer of liquid contains particles that are heated as well.
As these liquids and particles heat up, they also begin to heat up the bottom of the saucepan. The pan itself does not absorb any heat, so it stays cool.
The bottom of the pan becomes hot because it does not allow heat to transfer out. It is solid, so it retains its temperature.
Because of radiation
When a saucepan is placed on a stove, the bottom of the pan comes into contact with the top of the stove. The pan is then set to rotate on the top of the stove, and water or other liquids are put in it.
The gas or electric burner under the saucepan heats up the bottom of the pan. This causes the pan to begin to transmit heat to the liquid inside it.
Because heat travels slowly through liquid, this takes some time. By the time it does, most of the liquid will have warmed up as well.
Just like how a fan can cool you off by moving air around you, your body can feel cooler if radiation from warm air hits you. This is why your body feels cooler when you get out of a hot shower.
The same thing happens with your saucepan! The handle gets hot because of radiation fromthe bottomofthepan.
A combination of all three
A saucepan has a handle, a rim, and the bottom or base. The handle is typically made of plastic or rubber, and the rim and base are usually stainless steel.
The inside surface of the saucepan, where the liquid cooks, is called the bottom. This is made of aluminum or an alloy containing aluminum. The outside surface where you grasp the pan is called the handle.
When a saucepan is on the stove, heat transfers through two processes: conduction and radiation. Conduction occurs within the pan itself between its base and its contents. Radiation occurs when heat leaves the pan via its outside surface.
When water or any other liquid is in the pan, conduction occurs between the liquid and the bottom, handle, and rim of the pan. Because all of these parts are made of different materials, they conduct heat at different rates.
Never touch the handle of a hot pan
The handle of a saucepan gets hot because it is made of materials that absorb and distribute heat. These materials are known as conductors.
Steel is one of the most common materials used to make saucepans. To add texture to the steel, it is coated with a thin layer of nickel. This gives the steel some softness and makes it more resistant to rust.
Nickel is a conductor, which is why the handle of a saucepan gets hot. The pan handle is designed to be ergonomic, which means it is designed to fit comfortably in your hand.
The shape and texture of the pan handle also help with handling the pan. Although it may seem like you are holding the handle in warm water, you are actually holding the rest of the pan.
Use a potholder
A potholder is a piece of cloth that can be used to hold and handle hot objects. They can be made of cotton, vinyl, or other synthetic materials. Many potholders are designed with a pocket into which you can place a hot pan to safely transfer it to another surface.
You can purchase potholders in many stores, but you can also make your own using fabric. Making your own potholder provides an opportunity to use creative design and construction methods.
Whether you buy them or make your own, having an adequate supply of potholders is important. You will need to replace some over time due to wear and tear, so keeping up with the demand is a good strategy.
Pot holders are useful for handling hot pans due to their ability to withstand heat. By having material that is thick enough or leather that is durable, then your hands will be protected from the heat.
Use aluminum cookware
While stainless steel is a fine choice for cookware, it is not the best choice for every piece. Many chefs and cooks prefer using aluminum saucepans and pans due to its lightweight nature and smooth surface.
Aluminum is a metal that is found in nature. It is a silver colored metal that is soft and easy to shape. It is also very inexpensive compared to other metals such as stainless steel.
Unlike stainless steel, aluminum cookware does not have a protective layer. This makes it vulnerable to scratches and cracks which can lead to poor cooking results. Because of this, many chefs do not use it for boiling or frying foods.
Using aluminum cookware for low-heat dishes such as warming foods or dry heating foods such as potatoes is preferred over stainless steel due to its lighter weight.
Use stainless steel cookware
As mentioned before, metal cookware can be used without any concern for health. The problem comes when cooking with oils and sauces, as they can stick to the surface of the pan.
Stainless steel is a metal that is composed of several different metals. These include nickel, manganese, chromium, and magnesium.
The difference in stainless steel types comes down to the composition of chromium. More chromium makes it more stainless.
Unlike other metals such as copper or aluminum, stainless steel does not naturally conduct heat. This makes it a good choice for cookware as it prevents burnt spots and places where the heat does not spread evenly. It also lasts longer than other materials due to its durability.
Pick the right pan for your stove burner
If you have a gas stove, your pan handle will get hot because of the design of most stove tops. Most have a single front burner and then an upper rear burner.
The front burners are designed so that the pan sits lower than the top of the stove. This is so that the gas can reach the bottom of the pan to heat it up.
WIth a solid top stove, your pan handles would not get hot because there would be no space between the top of the stove and the pan. The bottom of the pan would just sit on the top of the stove.
If you have an electric range, then your pans will not conduct heat to the handle unless it is made of plastic. If this is the case, just be careful when handling your pans! Make sure to pick them up by the bottom or sides.
