Learn the Differences Between a Saucepan and a Pot

A saucepan is a piece of cookware that functions as a small, deep pot for cooking liquids on a stovetop. This type of pan is deeper than a standard sauté pan or frying pan, but shallower than a stockpot. A saucepan has a flat bottom and steep sides with straight edges like a pot, and a long handle like a pan. They usually come with a stainless steel or glass lid to trap heat inside. A saucepan is similar to a saucier, which is also a small pot with a handle for control but has rounded corners and sides which makes it easy for whisking.

The diameter of a saucepan evens out heat distribution inside of the pan while the high, straight sides prevent any liquid from spilling. Saucepans come in a variety of sizes, with smaller models holding one to two quarts of liquid and larger saucepans holding up to seven quarts. Like many other types of kitchenware, saucepans can come in a variety of materials such as copper, cast iron, or dishwasher-safe stainless steel.

The high sides of a saucepan make it ideal for heating liquids, sauces, or cooking foods that require liquid, as it helps lock in moisture and prevent too much evaporation. Here are some common uses of saucepans.

1. 1. Cooking sauce: Saucepans are mostly used for what they’re named for: sauce. You can also prepare small quantities of different soups, stews, gravies, and foods like custard or mashed potatoes. The relative shallowness of a saucepan also makes it perfect for thickening sauces or dishes like risotto.
2. 2. Boiling liquids: You can use a saucepan to bring liquids to a high heat quickly. This makes them perfect for boiling water for dishes like pasta, rice, or quinoa much quicker than you could with a regular pot. Most foods that are liquid or have a liquid component can work well in a saucepan.
3. 3. Blanching vegetables: Blanching vegetables involves cooking them quickly in generously salted water to draw out their vibrant flavors and colors. Medium or large saucepans can provide enough space to fit your vegetables in boiling water before you blanch them in an ice bath.
4. 4. Poaching: Poaching–like simmering and boiling–is a moist-heat cooking method that involves submerging food in liquid, typically without using fat. Many saucepans are deep enough to poach foods like eggs or pears.

A pot is a large cooking vessel that has high, deep sides and a narrow bottom with two looped handles on either side. Pots and pans may be used interchangeably when you’re cooking different quantities of liquid. Pots are similar to pans, except they have two loop handles and much deeper sides, making them more cylindrical. Pots can hold large volumes of liquids and are preferred for longer cooking times which makes them a good choice for dishes like tomato sauce, stews, and soups.

Pots come in a variety of different shapes and sizes that complement different dishes and cooking techniques. Here are some common types of pots.

1. 1. Stockpot: A stockpot is a large pot you can use for many types of cooking, such as long stewing or simmering. As the name suggests, stockpots are used for making stocks and broths, as well as many other kinds of high-liquid dishes. Stockpots have a round bottom and two loop handles at the lid, with sides much steeper than a saucepan.
2. 2. Saucepot: Similar to a saucepan, a sauce pot has tall sides and a large base. However, due to its high volume, evaporation takes longer, making this type of pot more ideal for reductions or slow-cooked dishes.
3. 3. Dutch oven: Heavy-bottomed Dutch ovens are ideal for slow cooking braises and stews. Many models can also travel from the stovetop to the oven, making them ideal for dishes that need to be browned first and then slowly cooked in an oven. Dutch ovens are often made of oven-safe cast iron or enameled cast iron.
4. 4. Double boiler: A double boiler is a cooking tool that involves one pot placed over a larger pot partially filled with simmering water. A double boiler allows for indirect, gentle heat (like for melting fondue or making hollandaise sauce), with a much lower risk of burning.

Though you can mostly use a pot the same as you would a saucepan, pots are usually strictly dedicated to large quantities of liquids. Here are four reasons that a person would use a pot in the kitchen.

1. 1. Braising: Braising is a combination cooking method that starts with pan-searing followed by slow cooking in a liquid—usually in a Dutch oven or a slow cooker—until the ingredients become tender.
2. 2. Making stocks: Stockpots generally come in large sizes, making them great for simmering numerous ingredients at length to make a stock or broth.
3. 3. Slow-cooking: With its tall sides and quick-heating cooking surface, a pot traps moisture inside which makes it ideal for slow-cooking meat and vegetables.
4. 4. Cooking large quantities: Pots are preferable when you’re making large quantities of a dish, as you can fit more ingredients into a pot and cook them for longer without having to pay such close attention.

Saucepans and pots can be used interchangeably for things like making sauce and boiling water. However, there are a few small differences between these two types of cookware.

• The sides of a saucepan are shorter. A saucepan typically has much shorter sides than a pot and is better for heating foods quickly. A pot has taller sides, preventing rapid evaporation which makes it more suitable for slow-cooking foods.
• Pots are larger, saucepans are smaller. Pots are generally much larger than saucepans, making them better at cooking foods in bulk over long periods of time. Conversely, saucepans can hold less volume than a pot and require constant attention to prevent burning or sticking.
• Saucepans have a handle. Saucepans have one long handle to make it easy to move around your smaller volume of liquid. Pots, however, have two handles on top, giving you a firmer grip on the pot’s heavy contents.

While a saucepan can be used as a pot, pots aren’t typically used as saucepans. Using a pot to cook a sauce instead of a saucepan may prevent your sauce from thickening properly. Additionally, it will draw out your cooking time if you’re trying to quickly heat up a small quantity of food. However, you can use a pot to heat up water for rice or pasta like you would in a saucepan.

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