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I’ve cooked with just about every material you can think of: cast iron, stainless steel, anodized steel, copper, and even glass. After years of working in restaurant kitchens, I’ve learned that my home cooking needs to be as fuss-free as possible. Out of all the cookware options I’ve tried, I find that I always gravitate towards nonstick picks. While nonstick surfaces might easily fry an egg or grilled cheese, figuring out just which coating you want on your pan can be a little more sticky (erm, I mean tricky!).
Luckily for us, Caraway has it all figured out. The mineral-based ceramic that coats their lightweight aluminum cookware is free of PTFEs and PFOA (the toxic chemicals found in traditional nonstick cookware). Plus, their pots and pans are safe to use on gas, induction, and electric stovetops, and they are also oven-safe up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. Non-toxic? Check. Works on my stovetop and in my oven? Double check. Easy to cook in and clean? You bet! I recently fell in love with Caraway’s Sauce Pan, and psst … it’s also on sale right now as part of the retailer’s Black Friday Savings event!
When the pan arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by its likeness to its online image. I had seen it all over TikTok and social media, but this pan is truly a stunner IRL. The Perracotta color I chose is vibrant, yet still neutral. The interior ceramic coating is a sleek gray, and running my hand across the surface, it almost felt as though I was touching a well-seasoned cast iron. So I took the pan for a spin. The ultimate test in my book? Making tahdig: the crispy, buttery, saffron-infused Persian rice dish that will win anyone over, but is notoriously sticky.
A tahdig (check out this cookbook for recipes) is a multi-step dish which requires boiling and draining, frying and steaming, until finally, the moment of truth … the flipping of the pot. If done correctly, the tahdig will slip right out, with a crisp and golden outer layer and fluffy rice on the interior. Usually, for good measure, you cool the bottom of the pan to shock the rice from the sides, but with the Caraway sauce pan, I didn’t bother. I wanted to see just how non-stick this pan truly is. Turning the golden heap of grains out onto the plate, I practically jumped with glee. The tahdig slid out seamlessly.
Since my tahdig adventure, I have used this sauce pan for pretty much everything I cook. I use it as a frying pan or mini stock pot (both of which Caraway also makes, by the way). I am careful to keep the heat at a reasonable medium-high, and also careful while cleaning, since these pans don’t love a whole lot of scrubbing. Truthfully, good pans deserve a little extra TLC, and when cookware is as miraculously nonstick as Caraway, there really is no turning back. This absolute must-have rarely goes on sale and there’s no telling just how long it’ll stay in stock. Take my advice: Hit “add to cart” ASAP.