Saucier Vs. Saucepan
A saucier and saucepan may have similar names, but they have different roles in the kitchen. The saucier, with its sloped sides, is best for cooking that requires rapid evaporation or reduction of liquid. The saucepan, with its flat bottom and straight sides, works in many general cooking applications. Does this Spark an idea?
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Use
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A saucier is the pan best used for making sauces because sauce techniques frequently require a reduction, or liquid evaporation, process. The sloped sides of a saucier create more space at the mouth of the pan, allowing for quick, efficient reduction of liquid. A saucepan, on the other hand, can be used for cooking that requires slower evaporation of liquid, as with cooking a rice pilaf.
How to Choose
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Quality saucepans and sauciers share several characteristics. They should be perfectly flat-bottomed and heavy in the hand. The handle should feel securely attached and be comfortable to hold. Either piece should come with a tight-fitting lid, which helps regulate liquid reduction. A saucier in particular must be made of a material with excellent heat conduction. Look for a stainless steel pan with an aluminum or copper core. The cheaper the material, the more prone to hot and cold spots (and over- and under-cooking) the pan will be.
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Where to Buy
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Saucepans are easily found in housewares, volume-discount and kitchen specialty stores. It's the most common pan used on stovetops, and it is available in a variety of prices and materials. A saucier is a more specialized piece of equipment and is likely to cost more than a basic saucepan. Find sauciers at specialty and professional kitchen equipment suppliers.
The Other Saucier
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Though saucier has become a common term for a piece of cooking equipment, it is more traditionally the title for a chef who specializes in sauce-making. Saucier is one of many positions in the classic "kitchen brigade" system created in the late 19th century by Auguste Escoffier, who is considered the father of modern cuisine.
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References
- Photo Credit cooking image by feferoni from Fotolia.com
