The optimal size of the cauldron for the home. Which cauldron is better to choose: cast iron or aluminum? Cast iron products. Properties. Advantages and disadvantages

The optimal size of the cauldron for the home.  Which cauldron is better to choose: cast iron or aluminum?  Cast iron products.  Properties.  Advantages and disadvantages
The optimal size of the cauldron for the home. Which cauldron is better to choose: cast iron or aluminum? Cast iron products. Properties. Advantages and disadvantages

What should be a cauldron for pilaf? How is the food cooked in it different from the one cooked in a simple saucepan? Finally, with the variety of today's choices, how to make the right choice in terms of size, material, and ease of care for such a non-standard dish? We will try to answer these questions clearly and completely.

How to choose a cauldron for pilaf criteria for ideal dishes for oriental dishes

Kazan has become extremely popular with Russians. To a large extent, thanks to the efforts of enthusiasts who tirelessly talk about the benefits of cooking on fire, the popularity of oriental dishes, including pilaf, and the fashion for authentic. A cauldron is part of the culture, traditions of Central Asia and the Middle East.


Therefore, many people want to learn how to cook in it, and some seriously believe that they have a cauldron, naming various kitchen utensils - a cast iron, a duckling, a pot on a tripod, a saucepan with a thick bottom and even a frying pan. So what is a cauldron, what are the criteria for the ideal choice of such dishes and which cauldron is better for pilaf?

Kazan - thick-walled dishes in the form of a sphere. The thickness of the walls and the spherical configuration are two points that reflect the philosophy of oriental cooking on fire.

The fact is that in oriental cuisine there are many dishes that have a semi-liquid, or even viscous structure. The same pilaf, which in the East is considered the king of the kitchen, is cooked by direct contact of the products and the walls of the cauldron.


It is difficult to cook pilaf and other viscous food on an open fire in a saucepan with thin walls - it will burn on the outside, remaining raw inside. Here, boil water, cook soup or other liquid food - that’s all right, even a tin bowl and an ordinary pan with thin, even walls and a bottom are suitable here. Water and oil are good conductors of heat in themselves, so everything will boil and cook wonderfully.


But swimming is another matter. Here you need a gradual release of heat, which provides a real cauldron. So if you want to learn how to cook real oriental dishes - do not rush. With which bottom to take - round or slightly straightened, will depend on where you plan to usually use it.

What form of cauldron for pilaf is better

How to choose the right cauldron for pilaf? Properly choosing a cauldron means taking into account the conditions of use. Are you planning to cook in the country? Or do you need a regular option for home use in a city apartment? On a gas burner or on an electric stove? On the grill or in a wood-fired oven?

An ideal cauldron has the shape of a ball, is designed for a hearth, the fire evenly “licks” the walls and cooks food from all sides at once.

But you can't put a round bottom on the stove. For home conditions, the shape of a spherical cauldron with a straightened bottom has been developed. The bottom can be larger or smaller, you need to take it according to the largest burner of the home stove.


Such dishes are equipped with two handles, with them it is convenient to remove from the fire. Some models provide one handle-arc, which is used to hang the pot over the fire.

Which cauldron for pilaf is better - cast iron or aluminum

Let's immediately name the options that are unacceptable or undesirable for cooking pilaf:




There are magnificent specimens among cauldrons - copper ones. But there are few of them, they are expensive, they are practically not sold in Russia.


Now about the undisputed leaders - cast iron and aluminum cookware. It is they who are often chosen for the home as the most practical and in line with traditions.

An ideal choice would be a cast-iron cauldron, which is preferred by Uzbek pilaf connoisseurs, putting cast-iron above a copper pot.

The disadvantage of a cast-iron cauldron is its heaviness. In addition, cast iron is a rather brittle material, it can crack.


But this plain-looking black cauldron has much more advantages:

  • a properly processed cauldron has natural non-stick properties, and therefore it does not need additional coating. At the same time, fat, being absorbed during cooking into the porous structure of the cauldron, further enhances this effect;
  • cast iron is environmentally friendly and does not emit harmful substances when heated, washed, cleaned;
  • easy to care for;
  • perfectly distributes and retains heat.



Since cast iron is iron with carbon, cookware made from this material is prone to rusting. Therefore, it is important to dry and treat it with fat after use.

An aluminum cauldron is much lighter than cast iron. In addition, aluminum or duralumin (material with additives of other metals) is significantly cheaper.

It is also suitable for home cooking of pilaf, and if the walls are thick, then the food will not burn. But you won’t get real languor, like in a cast iron, because there is a difference between aluminum and cast iron in thermal inertia, it is significantly lower for aluminum. However, this difference will even out if you cook on an electric stove, which itself retains some inertial heating when turned off.


Aluminum, according to some opinions, is dangerous because it can enter the human body with food. This, rather, is from the area of ​​​​common misconceptions, because already after the first cooking, oxides form on the walls in the form of a thin film, they prevent any unnecessary penetration of aluminum into food.

Do I need a lid for the cauldron

Do not cook pilaf without a lid. The dishes are produced immediately with a lid, which can be either cast iron or aluminum (depending on the base material), or glass, which is typical for modern models of dishes.

Sometimes you can buy a lid that can serve as a frying pan on its own when flipped over. It's comfortable.

Sometimes they are released without it, then pick up a suitable pan lid.

What should be the correct cast-iron cauldron

On sale today you may come across a cast-iron cauldron for pilaf with Teflon or enamel coating. The first should generally be bypassed, and the second should be used very carefully.

It is better to find a good cauldron with the right thick cast-iron walls. But don't even look at the thin-walled ones.

Oddly enough, but the most valuable are second-hand specimens. The old cast iron pot has already gone through all the stages of "becoming". And if you find one on the Uzbek market, take it without hesitation.

Preparing a new cauldron

You can’t immediately cook in a new cauldron. When casting, machine oil is used, which must be processed before cooking. Just washing is not enough. The dishes are put on fire and calcined well, while ventilating the room, because caustic smoke comes out of the cauldron from burnt oil. An aluminum cauldron also needs to be burned, but at the same time it is necessary to keep an eye on it - at high temperatures the cauldron will melt.

How to prepare a cauldron for the first use

For the first time, to prepare any dish, and even more so pilaf, the cauldron must be prepared in a special way. This is done for a long time, besides there will be a lot of smoke. So open the vents and windows, and even better, do all the manipulations in the open air.

The task is to calcine the oil in a cauldron and let the oil film “moist” well, grab.

To do this, pour more vegetable oil into the cauldron (in order to save money, you can also take the remains of frying), put it on the fire and ignite it strongly. The bottom will brighten up a bit. After that, putting on mittens on your hands, you should carefully turn the sides of the cauldron, achieving calcination of the entire surface.


When the whole cauldron is calcined with oil, leave it to cool. Then pour out the oil, place the cauldron upside down over the flame of the burner and burn it for about half an hour. So you get a resistant film - a natural coating, it will not allow pilaf and other food to burn. Then the cauldron should be cooled and rinsed thoroughly.

How to care for a cauldron

Care is simple - remove food debris, rinse with warm water, dry and wipe with an oiled cloth. A cast iron product will not rust if there is no water and an oil coating is provided.


If suddenly it is still burnt or rust has formed, wash the dishes, pour salt, ignite in a cauldron until brown. Then ignite again with oil. He is again ready to delight with fragrant and well-cooked pilaf!

If you often cook oriental dishes and do it not only at home, but also in nature, you need to purchase a cauldron without fail. But choosing such dishes is not so simple, and before buying, you must consider several important points. You can do anything in a cauldron - cook pilaf and soup, stew vegetables and meat, and cook many other dishes.

Which cauldron is better to choose: useful tips

It is better to choose high-quality dishes once than to spend money on buying a new one later. A high-quality, reliable cauldron will faithfully serve you for many years. From its characteristics depends on how tasty and quickly cooked food.

Modern cauldrons differ in shape, material, price, design. On sale you will find several types of cookware - with non-stick or enamel coating, cast iron or aluminum, at high and low prices. Eyes widen, don't they?

How to choose a quality cauldron:

Material- one of the main criteria that you must take into account. After reviewing the reviews and opinions of experts, we can say that the majority opt for cast iron cookware. This material is inexpensive, strong and durable. In such a cauldron, the dish will not be cooked for very long, moreover, the material will not affect its taste and aroma in any way.

Also often there are cauldrons made of aluminum. Their advantage is that they weigh very little and quickly conduct heat. But such dishes also have a minus - it warms up unevenly, so the dish may burn, or vice versa, not fully cooked.


What about the cover material?
No, this is a minor point, since the lid does not play a role, its function is to keep heat and prevent it from escaping from the container.

Volume- pay attention to this indicator. Think carefully about how much you cook meals? If in a small one, choose a not too voluminous container - up to 4-5 liters. But if you want to cook dinner or dinner for a large family, choose a larger cauldron - from 7 liters. The maximum volume that you will find on sale is 25 liters, the minimum is 3 liters.

Wall thickness. If they are too thin, the food will burn, but if the walls are too thick, it will take a very long time to cook. That is why it is important to choose the golden mean - about 4-5 mm.

Bottom. Many do not pay attention to this indicator, but in vain. In fact, a lot depends on the shape of the bottom of the cauldron. If it is rounded, the dishes will not be very stable and you can only use them on a fire. But if the bottom is flat and even, such a cauldron will come in handy for you both at home and in nature.

Price. A quality cauldron cannot be cheap. Of course, you can buy dishes made in China, but you are unlikely to use them - not only does it deteriorate quickly, but it also smells unpleasant.

Lid. When buying, be sure to ask the seller if the lid is attached to the cauldron. If it is not available, choose dishes in another store, since looking for a lid and paying extra for it is too hemorrhoids.

Smooth surface. If you have already chosen a suitable cauldron, carefully inspect its surface - it should not have dents or scratches.

How to use the new cauldron

Just like a frying pan, it needs to be properly prepared. Rinse it with warm water to remove the buildup, then put the container on a low heat. Do not be afraid - smoke will go out, you need to wait until it finishes going and pour ordinary vegetable oil into the container, 500 ml is enough. When the cauldron begins to ignite (blush), gently tilt it in different directions so that the oil gets on the entire surface. Turn off the heat, let the dishes cool and remove the oil - rinse it and wipe it off with paper towels. It is not necessary to use various means when washing.

If you bought a coated or enameled cauldron, in no case use the above method. It is only suitable for aluminum and cast iron. A copper container also cannot be heated in this way.

In order to remove plaque from the surface after cooking, you only need to fill the cauldron with water and leave for several hours, then remove it with a sponge.

Before going to the store, do not forget to consider all the factors and take advantage of our tips. How many people are you going to cook for, how much are you willing to pay for a quality thing, what form suits you?

Men's online magazine website

Are you plov lovers? Tender meat, divine rice, delicious combination of vegetables and spices…

Have you ever cooked it? Experienced housewives know that one cannot do without a cauldron. This convenient and easy-to-care utensil will allow you to become a real guru of Central Asian cuisine. You can cook unique and incomparable dishes, culinary meat, vegetable and cereal masterpieces at home. The main thing is to choose the right pot.

What material to choose a cauldron

Cast iron cauldron

A heavy, somewhat bulky and clumsy classic cast iron cauldron is an ideal choice for a hostess who wants to surprise and delight guests and loved ones with delicious traditional Central Asian dishes. It will serve the family for many years, giving the dishes a unique aroma and taste. Thick cast iron walls guarantee the necessary heat transfer. Food in the cooking process does not burn, slowly languish and comes to a condition.

Most often, cauldrons are cast in factories. Therefore, they are monolithic and durable. However, when dropped, a cast-iron cauldron can suddenly crack. And dropping such a heavy object is easy. Therefore, you should be especially careful.

Aluminum cauldron

An aluminum cauldron is a good alternative to a cast iron cauldron. It should be noted right away that cauldrons made of pure aluminum are extremely rare. Most often it is an alloy of metals, where aluminum is in the first place. Iron, manganese, copper are added to the alloy during casting.

The main advantage of an aluminum cauldron is its weight. It is much lighter than cast iron. But the food in it is prepared a little differently. We are no longer talking about slow classical languor. We have to carefully monitor the intensity of the flame.

The opinion about the oxidation of food when it is cooked in such a cauldron is erroneous. Mainly because the fatty film formed during the use of the cauldron on the walls of the dishes reliably protects food from oxidation. True, it is not worth storing a dish in such a cauldron for a long time, it is better to transfer it to another dish.

Ideal for electric stoves, because it heats up faster. Absolutely not suitable for glass ceramics.

Copper cauldron

There are regions in the East where food is often cooked in copper cauldrons. This dish is no longer in common use, rather exotic and with a high degree of probability is inherited. The walls of a copper cauldron are much thinner than those of cast iron and aluminum. Therefore, the possibility of gradual heating of food during cooking is excluded. Although for some meat dishes this is ideal.

Stainless steel cauldron with enamel or non-stick coating

Practical Europeans are not ready to invest in the manufacture of cast iron cookware. For them, it is much more customary to cook in a stainless steel cauldron, additionally coated with either enamel or a non-stick layer.

It is possible to call this utensil a cauldron only in form. According to its other characteristics, it is in no way suitable for preparing traditional oriental dishes. The walls of these cauldrons are thin, and the coating is not suitable for constant stirring of products, which is necessary in many recipes. Since the layer of enamel or non-stick coating may suffer. But for stewing in the oven, an enameled cauldron is ideal

What size cauldron is better to buy?

The answer to this question is very individual. First of all, it depends on the number of family members, as well as on how often you gather guests and pamper them with culinary delights.

For a small family of 3 people, three liters of dishes will be enough. You can quickly cook pilaf, meat, vegetables and cereals for a one-time meal. Well, maybe the head of the family will be left on the sidelines.

If you have more than four people in your family, and you are used to cooking for the future, a cauldron of 7-8 liters will satisfy all your needs. Larger dishes for cooking in the kitchen are not worth buying. It simply cannot warm up properly either on a gas or electric stove.

There are huge cauldrons designed for cooking on an open fire. They are most often bought for a summer residence or a country house. The volume of utensils starts from 18-20 liters. You can be sure that you will please at least 20 people with culinary masterpieces.

In Uzbekistan, there are still giant cauldrons, which, even empty, are barely dragged by four people. In such dishes they cook for big holidays. Like a wedding or a funeral. For such a giant, they dig a special hole, fill it with coals, put a cauldron, lay food and cover it with a huge lid. Sometimes a robe is placed on top. Plov turns out to be unrealistically delicious.

Cauldron shape

The most popular are two forms of cauldrons. A classic Asian cauldron is cast in the shape of a hemisphere. Cooking on such a cauldron is possible only either on a special tripod installed above the fire, or in a specially folded oven, where a separate place is provided for the cauldron. This shape is not random. In such a cauldron, the food warms up evenly during cooking, which is especially important if the dishes are stacked in layers.

But for an ordinary kitchen, such a cauldron is not suitable. He simply will not stand on the stove without having fulcrum. Therefore, to use cauldrons on gas or electric stoves, it makes sense to purchase dishes with a flat bottom. It is worth noting that it also tapers somewhat and rounds towards the bottom, but is quite stable on the stove.

How to prepare a cauldron for the first use

On cast iron cauldrons, and on aluminum ones too, casting defects are sometimes found. These can be cracks, bumps, roughness and even distortions. When buying, choose the most even copy without visible defects. Yes, and the presence of a factory stamp is worth paying attention to. Ideally, if the cauldron comes from Uzbekistan.

The remains of oil or rust should not confuse you. Both are found everywhere. Machine oil is used in the manufacture of the product. And this doesn't go anywhere. Therefore, the first task of the hostess is to remove the oil.

To do this, initially wash the cauldron in warm water with ordinary laundry soap. Rub well, not only inside, but also outside.

As soon as you feel that the cauldron is clean, put it on a strong fire on the stove to ignite it well. Ideally, it would be nice to do this on the street in an open flame. But you can also at home, just open the windows wider. During this procedure, the cauldron will begin to smoke heavily. The smell will also not be pleasant.

When the smoke disappears, pour sunflower oil into the cauldron. Gram 400-600 will be enough. The oil should warm up well, and the walls of the cauldron should acquire a reddish tint. Now carefully tilt the cauldron so that the oil gets on all the walls of the dish. Both the cauldron and the oil are very hot, be extremely careful and attentive.

An aluminum cauldron should not be heated too much, it can be deformed.

As soon as all the walls of the dishes are calcined with oil, the fire can be extinguished, and the cauldron can be left to cool. Dishes cool down slowly. Will have to wait. When everything has cooled down, the oil can be drained, and the cauldron washed with warm water without products and additives. Then wipe it dry and you can start cooking.

A kind of greasy film is a prerequisite for the normal operation of the cauldron. That is why old cauldrons are held in high esteem among Uzbeks, Tatars and other inhabitants of Central Asia. During use, all the smallest cracks and even pores become clogged with fat. This film does not wash off for years. This layer prevents food from burning. A kind of natural non-stick coating.

How to care for a cauldron

Cast iron cookware is fairly easy to care for. But a number of requirements still need to be met.

  1. Fragments of food remaining on the walls of the dishes must be removed immediately.
  2. Rinse the utensil with warm water.
  3. Wipe with a cloth and rinse again.
  4. Pour warm water and boil it.
  5. Drain the water and wipe the cauldron dry.
  6. Lubricate the cauldron with vegetable oil.

If all the manipulations were not done in time, and the food in the cauldron dried up, you will have to wash it, and then ignite it, as if for the first time. You can also ignite with salt. A kilogram will be enough. But after the salt with the remnants of burning is removed, you still have to ignite with oil. If this is not done, then the cauldron simply washed under running water will soon become covered with rust. And food cooked in such dishes will acquire an unpleasant taste and smell.

Do you need a lid for the pot?

The question is rhetorical. Almost all dishes in a cauldron are prepared with a lid. What's more, with a cast-iron lid. Well, or with aluminum, if you chose an aluminum cauldron. Glass lids, so popular lately, do not always fit. It's not about the material, it's about the fit. If you manage to find a glass lid that is ideal in diameter, you can use it.

Needless to say, the lid handle should not be plastic? Some dishes are cooked in the oven. And plastic doesn't fit. There are options for lids with a plastic handle that can be easily unscrewed. The remaining hole can be covered with bread crumb, for example, and send the dish to the oven.

By the way, the well-known guru of Central Asian cuisine in the post-Soviet space, Stalik Khankishiyev, suggests covering the cauldron with a wooden lid when preparing a number of dishes. The master of cooking claims that this is an ideal option for getting a crumbly pilaf. The trick is that the wooden lid for the cauldron has a lower thermal conductivity, and it is also hygroscopic. This allows you to reduce the amount of condensate that returns to the pilaf and turns it into porridge, and also helps the rice to warm up evenly.

A cauldron is a specific dish that is indispensable in the kitchen. You can cook many interesting dishes in it: rich soups, sauces, stews and desserts. The main culinary creation, which requires a cauldron, is pilaf. Well, if we talk about picnics, field trips and fishing, then you can’t do without high-quality dishes. Which cauldron is better, aluminum or cast iron? This article has all the necessary recommendations for choosing.

Criterias of choice

Before you figure out which cauldron is better, aluminum or cast iron, you need to clarify some points. For novice cooks, it is better to opt for aluminum cookware. Cast iron cauldron has some features that you need to learn how to manage. It takes a long time to heat up, but it keeps the temperature better. When cooking in such a cauldron, it is difficult to achieve the effect of languishing.

Such dishes should be used constantly, or each time they should be prepared for the cooking process. Next, you need to decide on the shape and size of the cauldron. An important role in choosing such dishes is played by the stove on which the cooking process will be carried out. For gas, it is better to take a cast-iron cauldron, and for electric - aluminum. Having decided on the main criteria, you can safely go shopping.

myths

There are several incorrect or inaccurate facts that are passed from mouth to mouth about aluminum cookware. The most important of them is the myth about the harmfulness of such an alloy. With proper processing of the cauldron, a film is formed on its surface, which prevents food from burning and prevents the release of harmful substances. In addition, high-quality dishes are tested and tested.

The second myth is related to the fragility of aluminum cookware. Many mistakenly assume that such a cauldron can easily melt.

But to achieve this from high-quality cast utensils is simply impossible.

The third conjecture speaks of the poor quality of food cooked in an aluminum cauldron. The main feature of such dishes is the effect of languishing. Yes, a cast-iron cauldron holds heat better, heats up and cools down for a long time. But it does the job very well. That is, food is ideally prepared if the required temperature is maintained.

Cauldron shape

Which cauldron is better, cast iron or aluminum? This is the main question, but other criteria are also important. For example, the shape of dishes. Its choice depends on the cooking process. The standard or classic is the hemispherical shape. But such a cauldron is better to use for cooking on a fire or special coasters.

In such dishes, food does not get stuck in the corners, it is easy to mix it. But for a gas stove, this form is inconvenient. In this case, it is better to choose a cauldron with a flat bottom. It is convenient and practical. Inside, it will have a rounded shape, so the cooking process will bring no less pleasure. And which cauldron to choose - aluminum or cast iron - depends on personal preferences and skills.

Volume

This factor also matters. For cooking on a gas stove, you need to choose a cauldron no more than 8 liters. This is the optimal volume of dishes in which you can cook, for example, pilaf for 10-12 people. A larger cauldron on a gas stove will heat up unevenly. It is more suitable for use on other heat sources (outdoors, barbecue), where you can expand the heating zone. A cast iron boiler will take longer to warm up than an aluminum one, regardless of volume.

Cast iron or aluminum

And yet, which cauldron is better to choose, aluminum or cast iron? In addition to the above advantages and disadvantages, both options have other indicators. An aluminum cauldron is lighter and therefore more mobile. Such dishes are made from alloys of light metals.

If you take a cauldron of a small volume for cooking on a gas or electric stove, then it is better to give preference to aluminum. But if you plan to cook culinary masterpieces in nature or on the grill quite often, then it is better to choose a cast-iron cauldron. With good care, such dishes will last for decades. Cast iron is heavy, but has the best heat capacity.

Quality Criteria

Which cauldron is better - aluminum or cast iron, depends not only on the alloy of metals. Product quality plays a big role. The walls of any cauldron should not be thin. For high-quality dishes, this indicator is at least 4 mm. Only in this case uniform heating and high quality of cooked food is ensured. Agree that certain dishes are prepared in a cauldron that require a specific technology.

It should be noted that cast iron only improves its properties over the years, and therefore old cauldrons made of this material are more valued. Good dishes have a smooth surface without dents and roughness. And the last factor that speaks about the quality of the product is its price. In good dishes, it cannot be low.

Afterword

Which cauldron is better for pilaf - aluminum or cast iron? In each of them you can cook delicious dishes. The main thing is that it was high-quality dishes. An aluminum representative of this class has a lower cost, low weight, but low heat capacity. Cast iron cauldron is more expensive and weighs more. But it keeps heat better and warms food well. High-quality dishes made of such an alloy will serve faithfully for more than one generation.

Professional cooks prefer cast iron cauldrons, but for beginners, aluminum will be more convenient. Remember that the main thing in preparing delicious dishes is the skill of the cook, but you should not forget about good dishes either. Which cauldron is better: aluminum or cast iron is a personal choice for everyone.

Which cauldron to buy?Towhich cauldron to choose? To which cauldron is better to choose? To which cauldron to buy for pilaf? To Which pot is better cast iron or aluminum? To what volume of a cauldron to choose for a summer residence?

- such questions are faced, perhaps, by everyone who decides to buy a cauldron. As a rule, this is especially important for those people who have tried real oriental pilaf at least once in their lives.

Unexpectedly, but seemingly such a simple thing, makes many buyers browse many sites in an attempt to find answers to their questions and decide on the choice of a cauldron. This is due, first of all, to the fact that success in preparing real pilaf largely depends on the dishes, i.e. from the cauldron.

Modern technical innovations do not count. They make the cooking process much easier, and perhaps the food in them is more dietary. Well, traditional pilaf requires attention, the right approach, and you can’t call it dietary!

Success in cooking that wonderful, "lick your fingers pilaf", half depends on the cauldron, so say the people who cook such pilaf. Another quarter from products, mostly from meat, of course. And another quarter of the cooking technology - follow strictly according to the technology (recipe) and you will get a wonderful result! After all, this is precisely the secret of the chef's skill - in observing these rules.

Come on, everything is in order.

Which cauldron to buy? - traditional, undoubtedly.

To which cauldron to choose? - cast iron, fact.

Which cauldron is better to choose? - made in Uzbekistan, because pilaf is a national dish there, they know a lot about it.

Which cauldron to buy for pilaf? - traditional, cast iron, made in Uzbekistan. Do you want to cook delicious pilaf? We have to agree with this statement!

Which cauldron is better cast iron or aluminum? - the answer is obvious The only plus of aluminum cookware is lightness and cheapness. Well, we want a delicious pilaf!

What volume of a cauldron to choose for a summer residence? - here you should follow the rule - one liter of a cauldron - one person. If you do not collect a company of guests more than 10 people, then a 10-liter cauldron will be enough for you, unless a 6-liter one is quite suitable for a family.

A feature of a traditional cast-iron cauldron is the correct distribution of heat. It is a mistake to assume that the thicker the walls are, the better. Cauldrons with excessively thick walls do not affect the quality of the prepared dish in any way, but only make the cauldron much heavier, and therefore it is inconvenient to use them. This misconception is actively lobbied by manufacturers of thick-walled cauldrons offering their products much more expensive. But do they use them themselves?

For the house, for a plate, cauldrons with a flat bottom are intended.

For giving, for cooking on the street, cauldrons with a round bottom - which are installed in special ovens, or barbecues with a place under the cauldron. If you want to place the stove next to the house, then it is better to take a stove with a pipe. Some people try to make a cauldron oven on their own, for example, from old rims, but such a stove does not carry any functional advantage, because. in a real oven, the walls should be inside the oven, i.e. the cauldron is recessed, but in this version it is not.

The best option, of course, is the oven, but if you like kebabs or grilling, then you need a cauldron grill. Maintaining heat for a cauldron in it is not as convenient as in an oven, and of course it would be better to have a separate oven, a separate barbecue, but this option wins with its versatility.

And finally, I want to wish you: cook with pleasure, cook with love, with soul, your guests will definitely appreciate it!

In our shop you will find traditional Uzbek cast-iron cauldrons, stoves, barbecues for cooking real oriental pilaf. What will this pilaf be - Fergana, Samarkand or Andijan - it's up to you, but be sure that following the simple rules listed in this article - pilaf will be "lick your fingers"!

All connoisseurs of oriental cuisine have repeatedly faced the problem of choosing the right utensils for cooking. So which cauldron for pilaf is better to buy? Many people prefer cast iron cookware. It is unpretentious in care, and the dishes cooked in it always turn out delicious, especially pilaf. The main thing you should pay attention to if you want to buy the best cauldron is the thickness of the bottom. It should be very thick, then the dishes will not burn. It is also necessary to take into account that the cauldron must have a lid so that the cooking process is comfortable and the dishes are delicious.