What does "Anodized" mean?

[CharlieD]

6", wow, where did you find pan that small, I don't know if I ever seen one that small.

 

[Walt Bulander]

Charlie,

Oops,

It was 8", 10", and 12"
8" is labeled NSF 80114/100 Restaurant cookware.
I got mine on ebay a few years ago.
I love the tapered sides - you can safely do the flip without getting food everywhere.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Anodizing, though usually performed through electrolisis, can be done chemically by using substances with a negative charge with respect to the aluminum. Alkalyes, I believe have negative polarity.

When I worked for Lokheed, we anodized aluminum parts used on the U.S. Navy's D.S.R.V. as the first line protection against the corrosive nature of sea-water. A substance was mixed into fresh water, and the aluminum parts were dipped in the solution. They came out with an anodized finish.

As for anodized cookware, the outer surface of the cookware is anodized to preserve the beauty of the cookwear. That surface resists stains and scratches due to the surface being harder than the underlying aluminum (a very soft metal). The interior can be untreated aluminum, aluminum alloy, or have any number of non-stick coatings applied to it.

Plain aluminum cookware has been used as mainstays in resaurant cookwear for several decades. It is light, strong, and transmits even heat quickly to foods. It will react with acidic or alkaye foods, creating corrsion in the pot or pan.

Unknown to most, corrosion is caused by the migration of electrons from one material to another, and involves oxidation of the metal. As electrons are leached from the parent metal, they bind with oxygen, degrading and weakening the metal. Water, salt water, acids, and bases are naturally conductive mediums that accelerate the ion transfers, speeding the corrosion process.

Many acids and alkalies are strong enough to cause the same reactions on bodily tissues, especially mteh membranes of the eyes, and nasal passages. Chemical burns are a form of this action. Caustic materials we are familiar with include lye, hydrochloric acid, suphuric acid, lyme. etc.

Sainless steel is relatively inert, that is, it is a stable compound that resists corrosion. Iron (as in cast iron) is highly susceptable to corrosion, as are aluminum and copper. Glass and ceramics are impervious to corrosive substances.

The inner surface of your pot or pan, unless coated with non-stick, or seasoned with an impenetrable layer of plasticized oil (seasoned cast iron) will rust or corrode when used with acidic foods (tomatoes, pineapple, citrus, etc.), or alkalie foods (baking powder, baking soda, harsh soaps, etc.).

So in summary, the anodizing does not refer to the inner cooking surface, but rather to the outer surface of your pot or pan.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Robo410]

A hard anodized pan is an excellent pan. However, so many now have been further stick free treated. Look for the calphalon one line of infuzed anodized pans or their original professional line (very hard to find now) Like so many other companies these days, much of their product is now made in China and ... they ahve lesser lines for various stores etc.

 

[Michelemarie]

Thank you all for all of your help. Now here is a question - I checked out the stock pot that I have, the only piece of anodized cookware that I own. The inside is a different color than the outside - the outside is a dark color the inside is lighter - and could be considered shiny in some small spots. The bottom is lighter than the sides. I use this pot for boiling water, making spaghetti sauce (I call it gravy), and soup - beef barley and chicken. This pot is about 10 years old. Is this the aluminum I am seeing? Is this pot still safe to use?

 

[YT2095]

it`s very likely that it Is alu that you`re seeing yes
you`ll find that it`s Quite safe to use (as long as it hasn`t worn dangerously thin to present a Mechanical failure).

it`s no more dangerous than using Alu foil or most Pressure cookers and the like.

you`ll get More Alu in your system from a cup of Tea, than the same liquid equiv cooked in there

edited to add: a Well known antacid called Aludrox is a suspension of Alu hydroxide in some minty water, it reacts with excess stomach acid to make alu chloride (quite soluble!), it is NOT toxic

 

[Michelemarie]

Thanks Y2 - as long as it is safe I will keep using it - it is one of my favorites -obviously!

 

[jeyges]

Hi,

This is my first post, and I have two questions pertaining to this thread -

1. It's been said that anodizing makes the aluminum more scratch-resistant than stainless steel; however, whenever I've looked at anodized pots in a discount store, where they've been banged around a bit, as they would be in a kitchen, they're always scratched - and it seems to be more noticeable than it would be on stainless.

2. It was also mentioned that the anodizing takes place only on the outside, to protect the finish - but my understanding is that it takes place on the inside as well, and that this results in a relatively non-stick surface (apart from pans lined with a true non-stick coating, of course). If the insides aren't anodized as well, why are they as dark as the outsides?

I need to buy cookware, and I'm trying to decide which kind I want. I've picked up a few consistent opinions from this and other websites - don't buy a set, and don't bother with non-stick except for frying pans. I know that everyone loves cast iron, but it's just too heavy, and All Clad, but it's outside of my budget, even at discount prices. I was going to buy the Cuisinart Chef's Classic stainless, but I noticed that IKEA has a clad line called Favorit, at very reasonable prices. Has anyone had any experience with their cookware?

Between anodized and clad - which would you recommend?

Also - does anyone have reservations about aluminum in light of recent research suggesting a link between aluminum and Alzheimer's?

Thanks very much.

 

[jeyges]

One other thing - glass vs. metal lids. Any preference?

 

[YT2095]

Also - does anyone have reservations about aluminum in light of recent research suggesting a link between aluminum and Alzheimer's?

Thanks very much.

non at all, Correlation and Causality are Mutually exclusive for the most part.
Yes elevated levels of Al has been found in the brains of people afflicted with this disease, there is No evidence to support that it is the Cause of it however, any more than loosing your hair makes you Radioactive

Pop-Science and sensationalism that sells tabloids and rag-mags really isn`t a trustworthy source!

 

[Andy M.]

Hi,

This is my first post, and I have two questions pertaining to this thread -

1. It's been said that anodizing makes the aluminum more scratch-resistant than stainless steel; however, whenever I've looked at anodized pots in a discount store, where they've been banged around a bit, as they would be in a kitchen, they're always scratched - and it seems to be more noticeable than it would be on stainless.

2. It was also mentioned that the anodizing takes place only on the outside, to protect the finish - but my understanding is that it takes place on the inside as well, and that this results in a relatively non-stick surface (apart from pans lined with a true non-stick coating, of course). If the insides aren't anodized as well, why are they as dark as the outsides?

I need to buy cookware, and I'm trying to decide which kind I want. I've picked up a few consistent opinions from this and other websites - don't buy a set, and don't bother with non-stick except for frying pans. I know that everyone loves cast iron, but it's just too heavy, and All Clad, but it's outside of my budget, even at discount prices. I was going to buy the Cuisinart Chef's Classic stainless, but I noticed that IKEA has a clad line called Favorit, at very reasonable prices. Has anyone had any experience with their cookware?

Between anodized and clad - which would you recommend?

Also - does anyone have reservations about aluminum in light of recent research suggesting a link between aluminum and Alzheimer's?

Thanks very much.

Anodizing is a surface treatment that creates a harder surface than raw aluminum and makes it resistent to reacting with acidic ingredients.

The link between aluminum and Alzheimer's was debunked some time ago. There is no issue with raw aluminum cookware.

I prefer clad SS to any Alum. for its durability and performance.

 

[beerco]

I prefer clad SS to any Alum. for its durability and performance.

As I mentioned, I don't have any high end clad stuff to compare but I do have some mid-grade quisinart SS and don't care for it at all (bottom has a copper sandwich but sides are not clad). I'm a huge fan of the Calphalon one line - very durable and outstanding performance, way better than the SS stuff I own. Outstanding for searing and deglazing.

We've had our calphalon stuff for several years now and it still looks fine.

As to anodizing, there's several ways to anodize and they have differing properties (hard, soft, thin thick etc..). The outsides of the pans are also anodized but not with the same treatment I would think.

 

[jeyges]

I do have some mid-grade quisinart SS and don't care for it at all (bottom has a copper sandwich but sides are not clad).

Why don't you like the Cuisniart? Uneven heating?

 

[Andy M.]

As I mentioned, I don't have any high end clad stuff to compare but I do have some mid-grade quisinart SS and don't care for it at all (bottom has a copper sandwich but sides are not clad). I'm a huge fan of the Calphalon one line - very durable and outstanding performance, way better than the SS stuff I own. Outstanding for searing and deglazing.

We've had our calphalon stuff for several years now and it still looks fine.

As to anodizing, there's several ways to anodize and they have differing properties (hard, soft, thin thick etc..). The outsides of the pans are also anodized but not with the same treatment I would think.

beerco, clad ss refers to pots and pans which have a copper or aluminum sandwich throughout the body of the pan, not just a disk on the bottom.

 

[beerco]

Why don't you like the Cuisniart? Uneven heating?

Two things,

First like you mentioned the uneven heating since the sides aren't clad like all-clad etc. What happens is the sides get much hotter than the sandwiched part and stuff burns there (I have gas burners which exacerbates this too).

Second, I just don't like SS to cook on. If I'm browning something the Al stuff tends to release when It's supposed to where the SS seems to keep sticking until it's burnt. It also seems harder to deglaze than the Al stuff.

 

[Andy M.]

Two things,

First like you mentioned the uneven heating since the sides aren't clad like all-clad etc. What happens is the sides get much hotter than the sandwiched part and stuff burns there (I have gas burners which exacerbates this too).

Second, I just don't like SS to cook on. If I'm browning something the Al stuff tends to release when It's supposed to where the SS seems to keep sticking until it's burnt. It also seems harder to deglaze than the Al stuff.

You're right about the disk on the bottom stuff not working well with gas burners. I switched to clad for that reason.

I have to disagree on the second part of your post, though. I have had no problem with browning meats and having them release properly with my SS. The same goes for deglazing as well.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

When cooking with stainless, I have found that you need to pre-heat the pan when the cooking survace is dry, and add the oil when the pan is hot. Then the surface releases properly. But I still love my cast iron.

As for aluminum, I once took cheap aluminum pans from a camp-set, put the frying pans and placed them on a Coleman Stove and seasoned them with oil, like I do with cast iron. These pans were raw aluminum. They became stick free, just like my cast-iron, but much lighter. I don't know if you can do this with full-sized aluminum pans, anodized or not.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[jeyges]

When cooking with stainless, I have found that you need to pre-heat the pan when the cooking survace is dry, and add the oil when the pan is hot.

I've heard this before. The Frugal Gourmet used to say it all the time. But, you know - I never see the chefs on TV do it. They're always putting the oil into the pan first, then heating both together.

 

[Andy M.]

What you may not realize is that the pan is already hot on the stove. Often burners are going all the time.

Regardless of what you see on TV (they sometimes take shortcuts to save TV time), you will have better results if you put the food into a hot pan with hot oil.

My personal experience indicates it does not matter if you heat the pan before you add the oil or add the oil to a cold pan and heat them together. When you put the meat into the pan, leave it undisturbed for several minutes. It will stick initially, that can't be helped, but if you wait, it will release itself when it's ready. Some patience is required. Then you can flip it and repeat the process.

 

[jeyges]

Regardless of what you see on TV (they sometimes take shortcuts to save TV time), you will have better results if you put the food into a hot pan with hot oil.

I realize that; I meant that I don't see them heat the pan before they put in the oil. But you're right - it may just be to save time.