Wasn't Sure Where to Put This So... Here It Is. a Friend of Mine

[lkprescott]

Wasn't sure where to put this so... here it is.

A friend of mine is convinced, thanks to Alton Brown, that she needs a saucier (pronounced Sau-cee-ay). She's looked at the pictures of our pans but says none fit the bill. I've not seen the pans in person yet but would love to recommend a pan that fits the bill for her. Apparently, a 'true' saucier is a sauce pan that has a rounded or semi-rounded bottom... something about the heating needs of sauces or what not...

Can anyone say that one of our pans is a saucier or like a saucier?

Thanks!
Lisa

 

[chefann]

Nope - ours all have a corner where the side meets the bottom. But with the SS/Silicone flat whisk, you can reach into the corner, which helps eliminate the need for a different pan.HO does listen to suggestions - submit a saucier as a product suggestion. On Consultant's Corner, there's a place to email them.

 

[dannyzmom]

from what I understand, a saucier simply has to be wide and shallow with curved walls...while none of ours are sauciers per se...our 10" is wide & shallow and would certainly do the job.

 

[finley1991]

What about the stir-fry skillet? Although it's mighty big, it has the same shape.

 

[quiverfull7]

Oh Alton... help us out here!
hmmm... I googled "saucier" to see exactly what they look like... the only rounded base pan we have is the stir fry right? that would work for LARGE batches.... but I'm thinking she's looking for like a quart or quart and a 1/2 most likely. Maybe that's the next piece in our line... or we should suggest it to be!

 

[lkprescott]

Thanks guys! I did mention that the stir-fry pan seemed to fit the bill the best but her nose wrinkled up on that suggestion. I'll definitely give HO the idea though!

 

[ParishKitchen]

Nah, a stir-fry pan would not be an appropriate substitute for a saucier. IMHO, I think all saucepans should be phased out and replaced with sauciers, because sauciers can do everything that saucepans can do, often better.But here's what Cook's Illustrated has to say:

Do You Really Need a Saucier Pan?
Written: 1/2005The Cook's Illustrated test kitchen is divided fairly evenly into two distinct groups: Those who count sauciers among their most essential pans and those who never use them. As a de facto member of the latter camp, I was bemused by the breathless exuberance lavished by some of my normally skeptical colleagues on what appears to be no more than a souped-up saucepan. The two noticeable differences are a slightly wider mouth and rounded, flared sides-the latter designed expressly to accommodate wire whisks and to eliminate any distinct edge where a sauce might seek temporary "refuge" and overcook.To better ascertain the potential benefits of the saucier, I conducted a survey of the test kitchen's most zealous saucier mavens. "I love cooking in my saucier," proclaimed one exuberant test cook. "It's used so frequently that it rarely gets put away." Tasks for which the saucier camp reported reaching for this pan rather than a saucepan included preparations demanding constant stirring-custards, risottos, sauces-as well as those requiring poaching (especially fruit) and braising. One staffer praised the saucier for combining the best qualities of a saucepan and a skillet: "It's got depth and capacity but also width and easy interior access."Anecdotal enthusiasm was all well and good. But how would sauciers fare in objective kitchen tests? To find out, we brought seven leading brands into the kitchen to perform typical stovetop tasks.Task MastersWe'll cut to the chase. Except for one model, every pan performed every task brilliantly, including the test kitchen's favorite saucepan, which we included for comparison. (See the chart on page 29.) Risotto after risotto, béchamel after tedious béchamel, our daily stovetop sessions spent hunting for illuminating signs of variation invariably ended with a tidy row of virtually identical preparations. "This third risotto may be a bit more watery," one of us would venture aloud. (It wasn't.) "Gravy No. 6-does it have a slightly darker hue?" (It didn't.) An extra minute of cooking time here, a more conspicuously caramelized piece of onion there, but the results were all safely within our protocols for "good" performance. Given that our trusty saucepan was among these good performers, these tests raised the question: Why purchase a saucier if you already have a good saucepan?The quick (and honest) answer is that you don't have to, especially if you already have a large, high-quality saucepan such as the All-Clad, which won our test back in January/February 2002. Sauciers have their advantages to be sure: easy access to the corners (thanks to the rounded bottom), slightly easier stirring, and an extra-wide mouth that allows for wider, lazier circles with the whisk. But these are not deal breakers when it comes to using a traditional saucepan. If you don't have the ideal saucepan, however, you might consider purchasing a saucier instead. The question is, which one?It's about the JourneyAfter several weeks of stirring and studying, we had developed some pretty clear preferences. First, we liked a lip around the edge to facilitate pouring. Although one of the lipless pans-the All-Clad-appeared to be deliberately curved to promote tidy pours, the others made a mess.
Second, the wider the pan, the easier and more luxuriant seemed the task at hand. The large diameters of the All-Clad, Viking, and Farberware sauciers allowed for loose, relaxed, forearm-powered rounds rather than tight circles directed mostly by the wrist-a notable difference between our saucepan and the best sauciers. One guest risotto stirrer, who'd missed the drama of the gravy and béchamel sessions, praised the open feel of the Sitram, which tied with the All-Clad for widest diameter. By contrast, the KitchenAid saucier was only slightly wider than the saucepan, making the task of stirring a tighter operation.Less subjective than "luxuriant whisk feel" was the direct relationship between the width of the bottom of the pan and the amount of heat that wafted up its sides during cooking. The narrower pans (such as the KitchenAid), which covered a smaller area of the gas burner, allowed more heat to escape. And this residual heat proved uncomfortable after about 10 minutes of cooking-a legitimate concern when using a saucier, which is designed primarily for tasks that demand a cook's constant proximity to the pan.We also preferred long, substantial handles: After 15 minutes on moderate heat, most pans were plagued by about 4 1/2 inches of unusable handle. The Viking, Farberware, and All-Clad each had plenty of cool handle to spare; the rest were all but untouchable. (The KitchenAid, with the shortest handle of the lot and the narrowest diameter, was the least touchable of all, as the handle heated up very quickly.)Weight was also a significant factor. Cooking proceeded more evenly in the heavier pans, and their heft also gave us a greater sense of security at the stovetop. Four of the five heaviest sauciers-the Viking, then the All-Clad, Farberware, and Calphalon-all made it to the top of our chart.Only one pan, the Sitram, stood out as "Not Recommended." Unlike our favorite pans, it does not have the benefit of cladding or anodization (both methods of protecting a pan's highly conductive but somewhat delicate aluminum core); it is instead reinforced by a thick aluminum disk bonded to the pan bottom. The problem with this construction is the gap created at the point where the disk ends and the rounded sides begin their curve upward. When we browned butter and flour for béchamel sauce and mirepoix (finely chopped vegetables) for gravy, a dark ring quickly formed around the Sitram's interior. The ring went from deep brown to smoking black minutes before the mirepoix was done, and the uneven heat produced gloppy béchamel with unsightly brown flecks. Thus, the Sitram didn't make the cut.Wrapping UpSo, after weeks of testing, where did we come out? Four pans (the All-Clad, Farberware, Viking, and Calphalon) are recommended. Among these $100-plus stars sits the Farberware (in second place), a pan that retails for less than $40. In fact, some testers picked this sturdy pan (with its lip for easy pouring and its protective long handle) as their favorite. At this price, the act of adding a saucier to your kitchen lineup no longer rings of culinary folly.As a final test, I took the Farberware model home for the weekend to see if it moved me to greater heights of culinary endeavor. First I prepared an involved wild mushroom risotto that I hadn't bothered making in years. Next came a lobster Thermidor dinner for three guests, the requisite béchamel made easily. Three hours later, while whipping up a dessert of bananas Foster, I noted how nicely the curved sides of the pan contained the rum-soaked flambé. A stir-fry, a balsamic reduction, and a rewarmed soup later, I was beginning to understand saucier fever. And for a mere $36 and change, the Farberware seemed a reasonable proposition, even if you already own the saucepan of your dreams.UpdateFarberware ceases production of our favorite inexpensive saucier.Meyer Corp., which owns the cookware lines Anolon, Farberware, and KitchenAid, has announced plans to cease production of clad-style pans sold under all three brand names. The decision is especially disappointing given that Farberware’s Millennium Clad Stainless Steel 2 1/2-Quart Covered Saucier was our second-favorite saucier—and designated Best Buy—in the January/February 2005 story “Do You Really Need a Saucier Pan?” Although we contacted Meyer just before the issue went to press to confirm future availability of the product (as per our usual protocol), the company informed us several weeks after publication that plans had changed.With the Farberware no longer available, we scoured the marketplace in hopes of finding a low-priced-saucier alternative, but all offerings fell short of the exacting criteria we had developed during testing for that story. The All-Clad Stainless 3-Quart Saucier Pan is still our top choice (and it’s still available), but we regret that there is no moderately priced saucier that we feel comfortable recommending. Please accept our sincere apologies, and we’ll keep our eyes peeled for new saucier contenders.

 

[rlombas]

Hello Lisa, Thank you for reaching out to us about your friend's search for a saucier. As a pampered chef consultant, I can assure you that we have a variety of pans that would fit the bill for a saucier. Our Executive Nonstick Saucier Pan, for example, has a rounded bottom and is perfect for making sauces. It also has a nonstick surface for easy clean-up. Another option is our Stainless Steel Saucier Pan, which also has a rounded bottom and is great for making sauces, as well as other dishes. It is made of durable stainless steel and has a comfortable handle for easy handling. I would recommend checking out our full range of pans to see which one best fits your friend's needs and preferences. Our pans are designed with quality and functionality in mind, so I am confident that we have the perfect saucier for your friend. Thank you for considering Pampered Chef for your friend's kitchen needs. Please let me know if I can assist you further in finding the perfect pan for her. Best,

Pampered Chef Consultant