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What Is a Non-Reactive Sauce Pan?

Saucepans, skillets and other pots and pans are made of either reactive or non-reactive materials. Most foods can successfully be prepared in both types, but those that contain acidic or alkaline ingredients like citrus fruits or tomatoes can only be safely prepared or cooked in receptacles made of non-reactive materials.

  1. Non-Reactive Cookware

    • When a recipe specifies using a non-reactive pan or bowl, choose one made of stainless steel, glass, clay, plastic or enamel-coated metal. Stainless steel is the most common non-reactive choice, but has the drawback of being a substandard conductor and retainer of heat. High-end stainless steel brands have copper or aluminum bound to their bottom surfaces, or aluminum cores with stainless steel layers bonded to them to make them conduct and hold heat better. Glass pots and saucepans are good heat retainers but poor at conducting it. Enamel-coated cast iron is a good non-reactive cookware choice. Glass and plastic are good non-reactive material choices for bowls and other containers used solely for food preparation, but not cooking or baking. Clay pots conduct and retain heat well.

    Reactive Materials

    • Materials that chemically react to foods are called reactive. Copper and aluminum are the two most common cookware materials have these adverse chemical responses to acids and alkalines. If you cook foods that include citrus (lemon, lime or orange juice), tomatoes or tomato products (spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce or tomato paste) in aluminum or copper, the food will absorb metallic tastes. Eggs and egg or dairy based sauces and soups cooked in pure aluminum may develop gray streaks. Copper cookware will not impart bad tastes in food, but the ingestion of it is believed to be a health hazard since the body has a difficult time eliminating copper. Copper bowls, however, are safe to whip egg whites as the chemical reaction enhances the process.

    Utensil Interaction

    • Although not as risky as using reactive pots and pans, using aluminum or copper spatulas, spoons, ladles, forks and other kitchen tools to prepare acidic or alkaline foods is not recommended. Stick with cooking utensils made from stainless steel, plastic, nylon or wood.

    Cookware Choices

    • Even if you cook a lot of tomato or citrus-based dishes, do not feel you have to convert all your cookware to non-reactive materials. Reactive pots and pans are still good choices for chores like cooking pastas, boiling water and other liquids, sauteing vegetables and thin cuts of meat, fish and poultry, and searing meat when preparing it for roasting or as a stew ingredient.

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