Paella Pans
Pans for making Paella
The Delicious Story Continues...
Valencia, Spain
Firstly, it's not a paella pan...
If we’re getting serious, we should probably say that the word ‘paella’ actually means ‘pan’ in the valencian language. But as this may cause confusion with both the food and cooking utensil having the same name, it might be easier to call it a ‘paellera’ (pronounced something like pay-yair-ah) which is how the pan is known in throughout the rest of Spain. Or… we can just stick with paella pan…
Now, with that out of the way…
Ok, so what's the best paella pan?
Well, that depends… You may have learnt by now that, when it comes to paella, seemingly simple questions are anything but. The same maxim that we applied when choosing the type of rice to use in our paella, also applies here; not just any old pan will do…
What types of paella pan are there?
There are 3 main types of paella pans; polished steel, enameled steel and stainless steel.
Polished Steel
These are the ones favoured by the paella masters. They can turn darker over time and develop a black coating that begins to impart a metalic taste to the paella. Whether you like this or not can be a question for the individual. Polished steel pans have no coating so it is not so much of a problem if they get banged around a bit as no damage will occur, but it does mean they are harder to clean!
They must to cleaned and dried properly after use, as well as rubbed down with oil before storage so as to prevent oxidation.
Enameled Steel
Steel paella pans covered with an enamel coating. It makes them easier to clean. It also makes them more expensive. Being coated you don’t have to worry about oxidation, but do take a little more care so as to not chip the coating…
Stainless Steel
Similar to polished carbon steel pans, but easier to maintain as they don’t oxidise. However, they are more expensive, take longer to heat up, and it may be more diffcult to achieve a uniform distribution of heat thoughout all parts of the pan.
What size paella pan should I buy?
Well that depends on how hungry you are! But if you want some rough guidelines…
30cm = 2 to 3 people
40cm = 3 to 4 people
50cm = 6 to 8 people
60cm = 8 to 10 people
Its always better to keep in mind the lower number so as to not overload the pan.
What makes a paella pan different?
Paelleras are designed large and shallow to help with evaopration. They have a slightly convex shape that allows the oil to pool inthe centre and assists with the first stages of cooking. Those that are suitable for cooking on vitroceramic cooktops have a completely flat bottom.
Where to buy my paella pan?