WHAT IS THE BEST PAELLA PAN?

WHAT IS THE BEST PAELLA PAN?

Hello rice cookers, today we will see the main types of paellas or paella pans that are in the paella or paella pan market.

We Valencians call paella both the container and the food prepared in it, although it is true that in many parts of Spain it is also called paellera and is even admitted by the royal academy of the language due to its widespread use, therefore , it is also correct to say paellera.

Let’s see the different types of paellas:

- The polished steel paella pan is the traditional paella pan.

- The enameled steel pan is distinguished by being black with white specks.

- The stainless steel paella pan stands out for its shiny mirror finish.

- The special thickness paella is the heaviest and thickest.

- The multi-tasting paella allows us to make multiple paellas in a single paella pan.

We will see each of them their advantages and disadvantages.

Carbon steel paella pan

The polished steel paella or paella pan, which represents the traditional paella. Its main advantages is that, being 100% steel, it is the only barrier between it and the fire, therefore, it is a paella that distributes the heat very quickly and that also allows us to make a good socarrát, in addition, As it does not have any other element, it is the cheapest paella.

In terms of disadvantages or inconveniences, we could indicate that the main disadvantage is that it rusts, that is, it requires maintenance so as not to rust, to avoid it, we just put a layer of vegetable oil on it once it is clean and dry. It is also somewhat difficult to clean since it is a paella that, as it does not have a bed, the food tends to stick to it and therefore it is important to work with a sufficient amount of oil to avoid it, we recommend, in the case of a Valencian paella, between 25 and 30 milliliters per person.

Another piece of advice that we give you is that, being sensitive to overheating, it is important to make the sauce over low heat, always using the interior burners in such a way that as we are making the larger pieces, we can remove them to the side and we will be putting the rest of the ingredients so that they are made in the sofrito.

We insist that the iron is deformed either by pressure at the time of manufacture or other times by heat as these paella pans are sensitive to overheating, with their most delicate moment being the sofrito, in fact, we advice that, once we have added the broth is no longer a problem, since water boils at 100 degrees regardless of the strength of the fire.

Enamelled steel paella pan

The enameled steel paella pan, characterized by its black color with white flecks. This paella pan is really the same as the polished steel one, it simply has a ceramic enamel coating finished in the oven.

This layer of ceramic enamel is inert and therefore does not add any flavor to our food. This enameled layer provides extraordinary protection to our paella as it prevents it from rusting and does not require maintenance, eliminating the need to put oil on it once it is clean and dry. In turn, the enamel makes it easier for us to clean, since we can leave it to soak in water for a couple of hours and then easily clean it with a scourer.

We warn you to be careful with scratching or hitting the enamel, as this would cause it to lose its antioxidant capabilities. Along with this, the enameled paella turns out to be approximately 25/30% more expensive than the polished steel one due to this enamel, however, it pays for itself quickly thanks to its ease of cleaning and resistance to oxidation.

Stainless steel paella pan

In the third of our paella pans we find the stainless steel paella pan, highlighted by its shine. It combines all the advantages of the other pans, having the most beautiful appearance and probably the closest to the traditional steel pan, as well as having the protection against oxidation that the enameled steel pan has. Its only drawback is that it turns out to be between 300 and 500 percent more expensive than the other alternatives.

Even so, its use in the restaurant or hotel industry is compensated by its long life. If well cared for, a stainless steel paella can last a lifetime.

Special thickness paella pan

Finally, the special thickness pan is characterized by being identical to the polished steel pan, having the same advantages and disadvantages, but adding to its repertoire of advantages a thicker base, which makes it more resistant to heat than the conventional pan, even so It requires maintenance and cleaning after use.

It is a perfect option to use when using wood fire to make a paella, as the superior thickness of the base will ensure that the paella doesn't bend or break.

Multi-tasting paella pan

The multitaste paella pan offers us an exclusive quality that none of the previous paella pans can achieve: it is capable of making 2 or 3 different paella pans at the same time.

It is a perfect option for those curious to try multiple types of paellas in a single sitting or to prepare different paellas to the diners taste, this way, no one is left without trying their favorite paella, even if our other diners want to eat a different one.

We warn you to keep in mind that, depending on what type of paella we plan to prepare, the cooking and preparation times of the ingredients may vary. Keep this in mind and you will achieve the best multiple paella.

¿Which would be the better paella pan?

As we can see, there is no paella that is better than another, as the correct one depends on the wishes of each consumer.

The polished steel paella is more oriented to traditional use, the enameled paella provides the comfort of not needing cleaning or maintenance, the stainless steel paella combines both advantages, tradition and comfort, the special thickness paella pan is the one harder and more resistant, more suitable for intensive use in the hotel industry or for firewood sets whose power can make other types of paellas double, and finally the multi-taste paella pan is the perfect paella if you want to make multiple paellas with a single paella pan.

So, I hope you have all the information to decide which is your paella, see you around rice lovers.

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