The Four Fundamentals of Waterless Cookware

Does it seem like you toss (recycle) that nonstick cookware every three years or so?  Consider stainless steel next time—quality that lasts a lifetime.  Maybe you inherited a stainless steel stock pot or fry pan from Grandma; maybe it's still in the attic or garage.  Maybe in memory, you still savor those nutritious, wholesome, balanced meals.

Waterless Cooking is actually old news; what's new is the way we ‘cook' today—excessive oils, fats, water, high heat requiring nonstick coatings like Teflon® or ceramics that harmfully crack, peel, flake, erode and fume into meals.  Let's revisit the goodness of Grandma's kitchen and rediscover the past in order to embrace the future.

The health benefits and cost advantages of waterless cooking are numerous and important to know, but the basics begin with the cookware itself.  Waterless Cookware, made of high-grade surgical stainless steel, reflects a hard-mirror outer finish—beautiful to look at, durable to use, warranted for a lifetime.   A polished satin finish inside assures hygienic non-toxic, nonstick food preparation on low heat.

True, the internal chromium cooking surface of stainless steel actually heals itself (re-oxidizes) when inadvertently scratched—but Grandmas knew this.  The basics, the Four Fundamental Characteristics of waterless cookware are these:

• 5, 7 or 9-Ply or layers of #304 surgical Stainless Steel (20/10 chromium/nickel blend)
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  Elements (metal layers between plies for efficient heat conduct—aluminum, copper, etc.)
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  Precision crafted, non-grooved, non-engraved Flat Bottom for maximum heat transfer
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  Self-sealing Vapor Lids (weighted, vented or thermo-control knobs are common choices)

If these four characteristics are met, you have a quality Waterless Cooking utensil.  Beyond these four quality standards are personal preferences (style, weight, knob and lid type, pot and pan sizes, oven-safe handles, etc).  Personal preferences don't add costs; they don't really differentiate one brand from another either. Choosing a set that fits personal preferences, types of meals and family size isn't difficult.  ChoiceCookery's guide to choosing a set that's right for you helps determine a perfect fit.

Discount stores generally offer 3-ply stainless steel (usually with Teflon® or ceramic coatings) cast from lesser grade steel discs (without elements, hence higher heat required, thus the need for nonstick coatings) and lids that retain some heat but fail the self-sealing vapor-lock requirement for Waterless Cookery.

Industry standards of composition and fabrication assure Quality waterless cookware without extraneous costs.  Added costs arise post-production.  These added costs are significant— TV infomercials, state fair and home demonstrations, celebrity/chef testimonials—marketing is pricey.  Add brick & mortar storefronts and manufacturing location to these costs and a waterless cookware set can easily exceed $2000.  But high price isn't a quality standard for waterless cookware or waterless cooking.  That's the Good News. Quality waterless cookware is available from $100 to $300 a set, more affordable today than when Grandma purchased shiney new stainless steel pots and pans those many years ago.