Cooking Shows: Use of Enamel vs Non-stick Pots & Pans

NorskyGal · ‎03-10-2010

I'm watching Kelsey's Essentials on the Cooking Channel and she's making a chicken dish. To brown the chicken and flavor the vegetables she used what looks to be an enamel pan. (Sorry..I'm not sure. I just don't know my cookware well enough to be sure.)

Then on another dish where she had to brown some pancetta she used a "non-stick skillet" (teflon coated).

My life-changing question (LOL) is why did she use an enamel pot for the chicken & a non-stick for the pancetta? Is it because she placed the chicken & veggies in the oven using the enamel pot and you can't put a non-stick skillet in the oven?

But even if that's the case, I'm assuming she has more than one enamel pan and she could've used it to brown the pancetta....

I need an education in the different types of pots & pan and when to use one type vs another!

brii · ‎06-20-2010

I always brown things in a non-stick or enamel pan. I can put those in the oven.

I don't know why she used a non-stick for the pancetta. You can do that in anything. Maybe she had a small amount and it's easier to clean a small, non-stick pan for something like that.

KYToby · ‎02-19-2012

She would have used a heavier vessel for the chicken and vegetables to develop the fond, adding flavor to the dish. Usually, when browning bacon (or pancetta, in this case), you so not want to develop fond for the dish as it will give an almost burnt flavor to it (in my experience). The cast iron skillet would have just been an easy clean up -- I would have used a carbon steel skillet because that is my preference.