Is it a good idea to cook stew in the oven in a stainless steel pot?
If I cook stew in my oven will it come out better using a heavy enameled dutch oven than a stainless steel covered pot?
Best Answer
Conventional wisdom says use the dutch oven. Why? Because dutch ovens are heavy and have a lot of thermal mass. Higher thermal mass tends to even out the temperature experienced by the food inside of the cooking vessel. All ovens oscillate above and below the set temperature. That means an oven set to 250 may oscillate between 225 and 275 to maintain an average of 250.
That said, when cooking wet foods in the oven the quality of the cooking vessel really doesn't seem to matter. A less conductive material may take longer to cook the food, but from a scorching or food quality standpoint I think you will find there is no appreciable difference.
If we were talking cooking bread in a pre-heated dutch oven vs a pre-heated flimsy steel pot, there would be a big difference.
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Quick Answer about "Is it a good idea to cook stew in the oven in a stainless steel pot?"
That said, when cooking wet foods in the oven the quality of the cooking vessel really doesn't seem to matter. A less conductive material may take longer to cook the food, but from a scorching or food quality standpoint I think you will find there is no appreciable difference.Can you cook stew in stainless steel pot?
A stainless steel pan is ideal for making sauces, soups, and stews. One of the main selling points of a stainless steel pan over a nonstick or a cast iron pan is that some bits do in fact stick to the bottom of the pan even if you do everything correctly.Is it safe to put a stainless steel pot in the oven?
Stainless steel skillets are tough as nails and can stand up to an oven without a problem. A stainless steel skillet is the best all-around choice for oven-safe use. It's very difficult to damage a stainless steel pan, even at extremely high temperatures.Can you cook a stew in a metal pot?
It can. There's nothing wrong with braising or stewing with a stainless steel pot. Just know that if you brown your meat before stewing it, it will cook faster in a stainless steel pot than in a cast iron or enameled cast iron pot, because cast iron retains heat well and conducts it evenly.Can I put a stew pot in the oven?
Pots and pans with no plastic handles are generally safe to put into the oven. Materials such as stainless steel, cast iron, copper, ceramic, and aluminum are best for cooking in the oven with no potential hazard. The listed materials are very durable and can stand the hot temperature of the oven.Classic Beef Stew Recipe For Dinner - Natasha's Kitchen
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