.png)
.png){kind=icon}
Glossary of Cooking Terms
Common Kitchenaid Cooking Terms and Glossary
Ways of Cooking:
Conduction
Heat is transferred to the food by direct contact with the heat source. The burner gets hot, it heats the pan, and the hot pan heats the food. Traditional gas and electric cooktops use the conduction method of cooking.
Induction
Energy is transferred directly and instantly to the cooking vessel. The pot itself gets hot, which in turn heats the food. The cooktop itself stays cool. Direct energy transfer means the pot gets hot quickly, and foods cook faster. Induction cooktops have a copper coil under the burner, which creates an electromagnetic field of energy when the burner is turned on. Induction-capable cookware must be perfectly flat, and the bottom must have iron content. All new KitchenAid® cookware is induction-capable. To test if cookware is induction capable: Put a magnet to its bottom, if it sticks then it will work.
Cookware terms:
| Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|
| 18/10 Stainless Steel | The steel contains 18% chromium and 10% nickel. Chromium increases corrosion resistance, and nickel adds hardness and shine. 18/8 is considered the finest quality stainless steel because it is durable, shiny, and scratch-resistant. |
| 304 Stainless Steel | T 300 Series austenitic steel that is very corrosion resistant. It has a minimum of 18% chromium and 8% nickel combined with a maximum of 0.08% carbon. Grade 304 is the standard "18/8" stainless that you will probably see in the cookware industry. |
| Aluminum | Aluminum is a metal used for cookware. It is lightweight, impermeable, and does not leach into foods. It is an excellent, even conductor of heat, but it can scratch and dent. Pure aluminum reacts with acidic foods, so it is often used with other materials or anodized to render it non-reactive and scratch-resistant. |
| Anodized | Depositing electrolytes onto metal (most often aluminum) creates a surface coating. Anodizing seals the surface and makes the aluminum neutral (non-reactive) to foods and makes it resistant to corrosion while retaining the excellent heat-conductive properties of aluminum. |
| Bar Stock | A 4mm metal rod is used to create a stronger and more sturdy rolled edge. KitchenAid® bakeware is designed using bar stock. |
| Basting Dots | Raised bumps or dots on the underside of a lid collect steam as it rises during cooking. This creates droplets of moisture that drip back into the cooking vessel, basting the food evenly. KitchenAid® Traditional and Streamline Cast Iron products have basting dots. |
| Cast Iron | The material is a good heat conductor, holds heat well, and is durable and versatile. Pieces can be used on any cooktop surface, in an oven, or even over a campfire. Over time, the piece acquires a seasoning that functions as a nonstick coating. |
| Ceramic | Ceramic cookware is made from a clay mixture fired at a high temperature. Then, a glaze is applied, and it is fired a second time. |
| Clad | Bonding dissimilar metals together. It is done to produce cookware with the advantages of multiple metal types OR to negate a disadvantage. |
| Colorfast Finish | A silicone polyester coating that resists fading and discoloring over time |
| Copper | Copper is the best conductor of heat among cookware materials; it heats up and cools down fast. However, it can react with food, and copper will leach into it, so cookware is usually lined with stainless steel or tin (called “tinning”). Copper is also a softer metal that easily dents. It needs to be polished to retain its beauty. KitchenAid® copper cookware is induction capable. |
| Corrosion Resistant | This means the material resists corrosion (rust is the most common example). KitchenAid® nonstick bakeware is corrosion-resistant. |
| Crazing | Crazing is a network of fine cracks on the surface of a material, such as a glaze layer. It does not affect the structural integrity of the item. KitchenAid® Ceramic cookware resists crazing. |
| Dishwasher Safe | The item can be washed repeatedly in the dishwasher with no adverse effects. |
| Dishwasher Durable | The item can be washed in the dishwasher, but hand washing is recommended to increase its longevity. |
| Drawn | A metal forming process in which steel sheet metal is “drawn” into a forming die by gradual pressure applied by a mechanical punch. KitchenAid® rounded bakeware products (e.g., pie pan, round cake pan, muffin pan, etc.) are drawn. |
| Enameled Cast Iron | Adds an enamel coating to cast iron. Enameled cast iron pieces don’t need to be seasoned and do not rust because the enamel covers all metal surfaces. Pieces are durable and retain heat well. These pieces work well on induction cooktops due to their ferrous metal content. KitchenAid® cast iron is enameled. |
| Forged | The process of heating a material and forming it into the desired shape. Both KitchenAid® hard-anodized lines are forged. |
| Green Pans | The so-called green pans are coated with a nonstick ceramic-based coating that is PTFE/PFOA-free. However, many users say these coatings do not last very long, and the pans are prone to scratching like other nonstick pans. They are not dishwasher-safe. |
| Hard Anodized | The anodized coating is far thicker and harder, so hard anodized products are more durable than regular anodized. Hard anodized aluminum is more abrasion-resistant than regular anodized, and it is twice as hard as stainless steel. KitchenAid® offers two lines of hard anodized cookware: hard anodized & professional hard anodized. |
| Helper Handle | A helper handle is an additional, short handle added to a skillet or pan. It helps distribute the weight of the pan more evenly, especially when it is full of food. |
| Laser Etched | Permanently engraved using a laser. Lasers can etch words or designs onto almost any surface, including plastic, metal, glass, wood, and food. Laser etching is very smooth compared to other means of etching and stamping.
KitchenAid® cookware products are laser etched on the underside of the cookware, creating a smoother surface that is less likely to scratch cooktops and countertops. Select KitchenAid® cookware products are laser etched on the inside as well (i.e., etched measurement markings) |
| Nonstick | A coating is applied to reduce or eliminate food sticking when cooking. Most are chemical compounds; newer “green” coatings are ceramic-based. |
| Porcelain Enamel | It is created by fusing powdered glass onto metal at high temperatures. The pieces are durable, nonporous, and stain-resistant, and the color will not fade as they are fused onto the metal. |
| PTFE/PFOA Free – PTFE | (the original Teflon) Is polytetrafluoroethylene, a synthetic compound. When a PTFE-coated pan is overheated it releases fumes that can be harmful to humans and animals. PFOA – perfluorooctanoic acid – suspected carcinogen used in making Teflon. All KitchenAid® cookware is PFOA-free. All KitchenAid® bakeware is PTFE & PFOA free. |
| Rivet | Rivets are short metal pins or bolts that hold two pieces of metal together. They are often used to fasten a handle to cookware, creating a strong bond. |
| Silicone | Silicone is an inert synthetic compound that is stable, low-toxicity, and very heat-resistant. Its rubber-like texture has many diverse uses. Very few things stick to silicone, and it will not leach into foods. Silicone is added to cookware handles to give a more secure handgrip. It can become hot to the touch but cools down quickly. |
| Stainless Steel | Iron + 1% carbon = stainless steel. Stainless Steel has excellent structural properties – it is strong and does not react to acids in foods - but it is not a very good heat conductor. |
| Tempered Glass | Glass is created by heating and cooling a piece of glass; it is 5 to 10 times stronger than regular glass. |
| Thermal Shock | A sudden temperature change can damage some materials. For example, putting ice cubes into water often causes them to crack due to thermal shock. |
| Vitrified | Vitrified ceramics have been fired to a higher temperature, creating a very dense, glass-like product. Vitrified products are strong, nonporous (do not absorb moisture) and considered high quality. |