During cooking, do not do without a lid, which will cover the heat-resistant dishes. It will not allow to splash the content, and also contributes to the uniform heating of the ingredients. The cover will be needed during any type of cooking: frying, cooking, quenching, baking. Most saucepans and frying pan are sold in advance with covers, but if this dishes are purchased separately, then it is important to consider the choice of a suitable closing product.
Purpose
Products that are prepared under the lid always retain their juiciness and aroma. In addition, this accessory reduces the likelihood of food burning. For example, moisture of vegetables is not evaporated from the frying pan so quickly, and it is saved for a long time under the lid and allows vegetables to steal in its own juice. The same can be said about meat. So, supporters of healthy nutrition prefer to cook it in a frying pan without oil - it is stealing in the broth or juice of vegetables and does not burn due to hermetic lid.
The product provides high temperatures, due to which all the ingredients are protected well. Besides, The dish is preparing faster, that is, the lid significantly saves the hostess time.
If the products are roasted on the oil, the shelter will save the walls of the kitchen and the stove from fat splashes that are difficult to wash.
Varieties
The covers for a saucepan and pan may differ material material.
Glass
The most popular option. It can be equipped with a plastic handle or a holder from another material. This is a convenient instance that allows you to observe through a transparent coating behind the cooking process. Products under it are qualitatively languishing, that is, the temperature of this process is observed in the idea.
Such models can be used even when cooking dishes in the oven or microwave, Since they are made of heat-resistant glass. It will not be scary and dropping such a product, because the production uses shock-resistant materials. Another advantage of a glass lid - Easy care.
The coating is easily cleaned from various kinds of contaminants, does not scratch, wash in the dishwasher is allowed.
Silicone
Currently, young mistresses are just beginning to develop modern silicone models, but their merits are already noticed. This product is easily cleaning with any detergent, and during cooking it does not heat up. Accessory is tight on the dishes, providing complete tightness. It is possible to use in the oven. In addition, the silicone coating is allowed to store products in the refrigerator. The material from which the lid is made, It is a food silicone and does not harm the products.
It has this product and cons - it is unstable to scratches.
Cast iron
Reliable durable copy, the quality of which is checked by time. Cast-iron covers could often meet on Soviet cuisines. And so far, this kind did not lose its relevance. Perhaps it is possible to include a cast-iron product to the most costly options, however, the price is explained by almost eternal service life, resistant to damage, functionality.
Of the shortcomings it is worth noting the heavy weight of the cast iron and the possibility of rust formation.
Steel
The cover made of stainless steel is characterized by high durability, resistance to drops and impacts. However, this is not the most preferred option. The fact is that such a sample is poorly kept heat, and it cannot be used when preparing a dish in a microwave oven.
In addition, this material is afraid of aggressive chemistry and abrasive drugs, so the care of the product is somewhat complicated.
How to choose?
Before selecting the lid, listen to important recommendations that concern sizes.
- If the cover is needed for a specific frying pan, then you should examine the information about the vessel manufacturer and find out whether it makes the covers to this product. The product made specifically for a specific frying pan model is always suitable than the other cover.
- So that the cover is in the kitchen universal, then select a diameter equal to the diameter of most pans in the house. Ideally take a vessel with you to try on a place in place before purchase, since the diameter of some products does not always correspond to the parameters specified on the lid.
- If there is no desire to drain with a frying pan, then you can measure the diameter of the frying pan in advance. To do this, attach a ruler through the center and write the resulting size from the edge to the edge. On average, this utensil parameter is usually limited to the limits of 16-32 cm in a step of 2 cm, that is, economic departments offer models with a diameter of 18, 20, 24, 26, 30 cm. If the lid is needed for storing products or heating the dishes in the microwave, then Select the lids or caps with odd parameters, for example 23 or 25 cm.
Special attention should be paid to the form of the product. The arsenal hostess should be round, square and rectangular covers. Obviously, each type is chosen to a representative of a certain form. Square options are designed to hold fluid when using square dishes. Typically, these are copies of heat-resistant glass, and models of 28 cm diameter are often offered for a square grill frying pan, in this case the lid can be made of cast iron.
More popular and universal species is Round lid. As a rule, this particular form has most pots and pans in the kitchen. The diameter can be selected in the methods specified above.
Rectangular products Used when preparing large portions of fish or meat. When choosing a rectangular cover to a specific appearance, it is important to know exactly the length and width, as well as try to pick an instance of the same manufacturer as a frying pan. Only such a model will provide maximum tightness. Rectangular varieties can be applied to store products or retention of the prepared dish heat.
For example, during the barrel period, it can be taken with you on nature and cover the meat so that it is not cooled.
Another important criterion when choosing a lid - Handle material. Usually holders are plastic or metal. Most owners choose products with plastic handles. This option has more pleasant tactile properties, it does not heat up, and therefore the hostess does not have to grab each time behind the towel to raise the lid. Now most models are manufactured with grip-resistant and environmentally friendly plastic handles.
Metal knob - more stable and durable copy, but it has its drawbacks. This holder is quickly heated, and due to the large weight, the weight of such a cover is greater than the mass of the model with a plastic handle. However, now many manufacturers equip products ferry-resistant gaskets in the holder zone To exclude overheating.
There are some more additional options for choosing, which should also be paid attention to.
- Try to give preference to products with rubberized rim throughout the perimeter. This will ensure the maximum lid fit density and reduce the likelihood of random steam burns and the formation of oily spots on the stove. Especially the rim is relevant in the case of the choice of the metal cover, since with the time the relief of the coating this sample can deteriorate, creating a sloppy view.
- If under the lid it is planned to stew vegetables, then choose the models with steam holes. In the process of extinguishing, vegetables allocate a lot of juice (it is appropriate not for each dish), and in the case of using such an accessory, steam will be output through special holes. If the selected cover should be in the kitchen universal, cholect the product with steam holes that have closing mechanisms.
- If the lid is needed for cooking at an accelerated pace, it is recommended to choose a high height instance. Such models are capable of creating a bulk heat pillow, which provides fast preparation.
- Check how convenient to use the instance you like. Make sure it is not too heavy for daily cooking. If the cover is glass, make sure it has a badge confirming the manufacture of refractory glass.
New
Modern models are offered with additional accessories facilitating cooking. For example, some manufacturers equipped the covers with special thermal sensors that allow you to monitor the preparation process and monitor the temperature. However, judging by buyers' reviewers, these sensors break quickly and clogged, becoming the resulting assemblers of fat and dirt, so it is recommended not to spend money on such models.
Another new one is Splash mesh. It may look like a regular lid, but from a fine grid. The accessory can be used in cases where the dish does not need a strong steam, for example, with a strong roasting meat. Under the classic lid, the ruddy crust will not work, and if not to use the lid, then the entire stove, walls and apron of the hostess will spat with hissing oil. Just for such cases and a special cover from splashes is intended.
Buyers noted that this attribute greatly facilitates cooking and cleaning in the kitchen.
How competently laundering the cover from the pan, you can learn more.