Cauldron - a semicircular pot for cooking over an open fire. For lovers of hunting, fishing, hiking, an aluminum or cast-iron cauldron is a must. Do not do without such dishes and lovers of oriental dishes. Only in a cauldron will it be possible to cook real pilaf, lagman and other delicious dishes. You can buy this simple device at any hardware store. However, in order for cooking to be a real pleasure, the products do not burn and cook evenly, gradually saturated with the aroma of spices and broth, the cauldron in shape and material should be as close as possible to the dishes used in the countries of the East.

How is a cauldron different from a pot?

Since ancient times, the peoples inhabiting Central Asia have used cauldrons to prepare traditional dishes. Despite the fact that today there are many other convenient utensils, this time-tested device is only gaining more and more popularity.

The cauldron differs from the usual pan in its rounded shape, which allows you to conveniently lower the brew into the fire. At the same time, both the bottom and the walls of the dishes are heated. Thanks to this device, the dish is cooked quickly, and the products are heated evenly.

Translated from Turkic, the word "cauldron" means "a vessel that has been scraped out." It can be mounted on a tripod placed in a fire. The hearth will be a shallow pit with a fire lit in it or a bunch of cobblestones, under which a fire is warming.

Types of cauldrons

In the shops selling dishes, you can see a lot of cauldrons, at first glance very similar to each other. However, all models differ in shape, volume, weight and material from which they are made. To choose the right thing, you need to take into account all the nuances.

The form

The classically shaped cauldron is made in the form of a hemisphere. Such dishes are the most popular and are used mainly for cooking on an open fire. Due to the convex bottom, a fixture of this shape cannot be placed on a flat surface.

Recently, models with a flat bottom have begun to appear on sale. In such dishes, you can easily cook on a conventional stove. Now you can enjoy dishes from a cauldron without leaving your apartment.

Volume

The volume of dishes does not affect the cooking process - the main thing is that there is a small amount of free space in the container for stirring food. For a family of four, 3 liters of dishes are enough. If you buy a cauldron with a volume of 8 liters, you can feed 16 people with pilaf. Especially tasty and juicy dishes are obtained in large cauldrons, the volume of which exceeds 15 liters.

Lid

Many models are equipped with lids made of the same material as the main part of the vessel. However, it happens that they offer to take an aluminum or even a wooden cover to a cast-iron product. Here we must remember that the material is not as important as the tightness of the lid to the edges of the main container. The diameters of the lid and pan must match perfectly, otherwise you will not be able to get the desired effect.

Material

Perhaps the material from which the product is made is the most important factor influencing the choice of a cauldron. There are several types of dishes:

1. Teflon or enamel coated. Modern, but not ideal for use on an open fire. From strong heating, the coating in such models quickly cracks, flakes off, gets into food. In addition, in a Teflon-coated dish, you need to stir the food with a special spatula, and it is better not to interfere at all, which violates the cooking technology.
2. Copper. Copper cauldrons are used extremely rarely, although residents of some countries (Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan) prefer models made of just such a metal. The low popularity of copper utensils is explained by the fact that copper is easily corroded; does not hold the temperature necessary for cooking; after each use, the cauldrons require thorough cleaning.
3. Aluminum. The most popular material after cast iron. Great not only for cooking on an open fire, but also for use on a gas and electric stove.
4. Cast iron. Perfect option. Cast iron cauldrons are very heavy and take a long time to warm up, but dishes cooked in such utensils are incredibly fragrant and pleasant to the taste.

There is no doubt that of all types of cauldrons, preference should be given to dishes made of cast iron or aluminum. Although, in order to make the right choice, it is necessary to take into account all the nuances: volume, shape, the presence of additional devices.

Advantages and disadvantages

When comparing aluminum and cast iron cookware, one should pay attention to the characteristics and features of these two materials, which have different thermal conductivity, strength, resistance to deformation and oxidation.

Cast iron cauldron

For a long time it was believed that it was possible to cook delicious dishes that require long languishing on fire only in cast iron cookware. For pilaf, hot, rich borscht, there is no better option than a cast-iron cauldron.

Here are some undeniable advantages of this material:

• Cast iron has low thermal conductivity, so it retains heat for a long time. Such dishes heat up slowly, but then give off heat for a long time and evenly, as a result of which the products languish until fully cooked. If the cauldron is equipped with a lid that fits snugly against the main container, then steam also takes part in cooking.
• Cast iron cookware only gets better with time, and cooking in it becomes more and more pleasant over the years. This is explained by the fact that the initially porous inner surface becomes clogged with fat over time, which penetrates into the pores and forms a natural non-stick layer. Cast iron cookware is often passed down from generation to generation.

Cast iron also has its disadvantages:

• Cast iron cookware is heavy. It’s hard to handle such utensils on the farm, and you can’t take a cast-iron cauldron on a hike.
• The metal is quite fragile, if handled carelessly, the product may break.
• The appearance of cast iron cookware leaves much to be desired.
• Cast iron is susceptible to corrosion, dishes can rust.

To avoid all these troubles and reduce the number of disadvantages, it is necessary to properly prepare the dishes before the first use. The cauldron must be washed and calcined by a special method, using salt and vegetable oil.

An aluminum pot is more similar in its properties to a regular thick-walled pan. Of the positive characteristics of such dishes, one can note its low weight and low cost. Aluminum cauldron is great for hikers and hunters. In it, you can cook a good pilaf quickly and without much effort.

Cons of aluminum cookware:

• The high thermal conductivity of the material leads to the fact that the boiler quickly heats up and also cools down rapidly. This is the main obstacle to the preparation of oriental dishes.
• Aluminum is a soft metal, does not hold its shape well, the bowler hat is easy to crush.

An aluminum cauldron does not have to be cooked for a long time before the first use, just rinse and wipe dry with a towel.

In order not to damage the protective film, the aluminum cauldron should not be cleaned with abrasive sponges and aggressive detergents.

About the manufacturers of cauldrons

Many domestic and foreign manufacturers of kitchen utensils specialize in the production of cauldrons. There are several companies whose products have become brands and cost quite a lot of money. But when choosing this type of dishes, you should not focus only on the name of the company.

The best dishes for cooking on an open fire are made in those countries where they have been used since ancient times - in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. In Russia, such dishes are made in the North Caucasus.

1. Tundra Grill,
2. Kukmara,
3. "Kama dishes",
4. forester,
5. Mayer&Boch.

When choosing a cauldron, you need to decide for what purposes it is bought and how it will be used. Despite the fact that cast iron cookware has the best characteristics, a cauldron made of aluminum may be more convenient when camping or fishing.

Pilaf is an amazing, beautiful and very tasty dish. Crumbly fragrant rice, juicy chunks of fatty lamb, semi-melted garlic cloves, black barberry berries, soft sweet carrots… Mmm, delicious! Cooking the right pilaf is very difficult. Every little thing is important, not to mention the dishes.

We will help you choose the best pilaf cauldron so that you can master all the subtleties of Asian cuisine. We will tell you which cauldron is better - cast iron or aluminum.

Which cauldron is better: cast iron or aluminum?

Gourmets believe that in order to cook real pilaf, only cast-iron Uzbek cauldrons are needed. That is, in dishes that have been tested, without any exaggeration, for thousands of years. Aluminum cauldron, indispensable for cooking shurpa or pilaf in field conditions. Both of them have their pros and cons. Let's talk about them in more detail.

• Advantages of a cast iron cauldron
• The main advantage of cast iron cookware is that it has thick walls and a bottom. They warm up slowly, evenly and retain heat for a very long time. Thanks to this, food languishes in a cast-iron cauldron, the products have time to soak in juice, and spices and herbs fully reveal their aroma. Food in cast iron cookware can burn only if you put the cauldron on too high a fire.
• Cons of a cast iron pot
• The main disadvantage, of course, is the heavy weight. Even a small bowler hat for 2 - 3 people is quite heavy. It can not be washed in the dishwasher, rubbed with a metal brush with powder.
• Advantages of an aluminum pot
• Unlike cast iron, an aluminum cauldron weighs very little. It can be easily hung up to a hiking backpack - you will not feel any additional heaviness. Plus, it's much easier to take care of. If the cast iron is susceptible to corrosion, and in the cold it becomes quite brittle, then there will be no such problems with an aluminum pot.
• Cons of a cauldron made of aluminum
• Some people consider an aluminum cauldron to be "fake" because it heats up and cools down too quickly. In order for the pilaf to “reach” the desired condition, you will have to cover the dishes with something warm and wait for a while. Food can burn, but the Teflon coating eliminates this shortcoming.

It is difficult to say categorically from which metal the dishes are better. Start from what and where it will be used. If you are going to cook only in the house or in the country, then, of course, you should choose a classic cast-iron cauldron. It will last at least 20-30 years. The aluminum cauldron is ideal for a camping trip. In it you can cook soup, pilaf and boil water in a short time.

Which cauldron is better Uzbek or Belarusian?

In stores you can find cauldrons made in Uzbekistan and Belarus. In terms of quality, they are about the same. True, a Belarusian cauldron can be bought a little cheaper than an Uzbek one. But this is due more to complex logistics than technical properties.

Connoisseurs will say that Belarusian cauldrons still have a small drawback. Most models have a too flat bottom, and this negatively affects the taste. Well, it does not turn out to be completely real.

If you decide to stick to traditions and cook the best pilaf in the world in authentic dishes, then the choice is obvious: a classic cast iron cauldron. This is a heavy solid dish, which is a pleasure to use. Its capabilities are not limited to one pilaf or shurpa. In it you can stew vegetables, cook excellent borscht, fry meat ...

And the last moment, do not save and choose a volumetric cauldron. The best option is 8 - 10 liters. Cooked food is enough for 3 - 4 people, taking into account the fact that everyone will definitely ask for an addition. Besides, you never know when guests will arrive.

The material was prepared by the Silk Road website

Central Asian culinary specialists have used hemispherical containers for cooking since ancient times. And the food was incredibly delicious. The popularity of this dish in our time is quite large, and among Europeans and residents of the American continent. It also creates the famous oriental dishes, and various soups, cereals, and roasts. And before acquiring a cauldron, the question is most often listed, which cauldron to choose, according to what criteria this task is carried out.

Issues with the place of cooking

This question determines the shape of your future cauldron. Usually the culinary process takes place:

• on a household stove
• at the stake
• in the oven,
• in the national oven.

In ancient times, nomads cooked their meals on fires. And their cauldrons were hemispherical and did not have a flat bottom. If your intention is to cook according to the same principles, you will need the same product.

In other cases, the requirement for the bottom is the same - a plane. Other versions are problematic to place in ovens or on stovetops. Here's how to choose a cauldron visually.

Manufacturer Questions

Today, many companies produce semicircular products with very dense walls. Their list also includes very famous brands. Their products are very expensive. In most cases, the brand is key. However, with cauldrons, this principle does not always work.

It is better to choose from the following producing countries:

• The best traditional cauldrons are made in Central Asia. In this region, they have been cooking in cauldrons for a long time and are well versed in the intricacies of their manufacture. The best solution is to purchase a cauldron that is made in Tajikistan or Turkmenistan. This data is usually reflected on his hallmark.
• The release of this utensils is also established in Russia. In sales there are products that have modest price tags. Manufacturer from Tatarstan and the North Caucasus.
• Chinese products are also characterized by modest price tags. But most of the time they don't have the right quality.

Therefore, if you intend to use the cauldron for a very long time, purchase the products of manufacturers from paragraphs 1 and 2.

Today there is a solid assortment of cauldrons on the market. And buyers are often puzzled which cauldron is better to buy.

With a great choice of these products, first of all, you need to focus on:

• material,
• wall density,
• volume,
• bottom view,
• the presence of a cover.

Cauldron material

The issue with the material of this dish is key. Since different metals have their own thermal conductivity parameter. They also differ in other characteristics:

• strength,
• deformation resistance,
• resistance to oxidation.

Since ancient times, cast iron has been the most reliable material for such dishes. And in our time this statement is logical. Cast iron products have all the required properties for high-quality cooking of delicious pilaf or roast.

There are cauldrons in stores, for the manufacture of which the following materials were used: copper, aluminum, enameled steel, materials with a non-stick layer. You can find out which cauldron is better - aluminum or cast iron.

Cast iron products. Properties. Advantages and disadvantages

Cast iron is easy to heat. And it keeps warm for a long time. If the wall thickness is decent, the food cools for a very long time. In a cast-iron cauldron, its heating is uniform.

And if a good lid is also attached to the cauldron, then steam is intensively used during cooking. This action usually does not occur in other containers.

Cast iron also has its weaknesses:

• He is fragile.
• It has a significant mass.
• Subject to corrosion.
• In terms of aesthetics, its appearance leaves much to be desired.

Many of these shortcomings are corrected by such methods:

• Handle the cauldron carefully and carefully. Store it in a dry safe place. Massive things should not fall on him. And nothing should squeeze it from the sides.
• The appearance of the cauldron is not the best. But this is far from the main characteristic. Do not flaunt it somewhere in a sideboard. A closet is perfect for storing it. And it will only be visible to guests at certain moments.
• Since cast iron is not resistant to rust, before the debut use of the cauldron, carry out its competent preparation - calcination. This procedure is performed according to a special algorithm and with the use of oil.

copper products

Cases of using a copper cauldron are very rare today. Causes:

• copper is susceptible to corrosion,
• toxicity of copper compounds,
• copper does not hold the desired temperature well, so it will not work to simmer food in this cauldron,
• a copper cauldron must be cleaned very carefully after each use, this requires a lot of effort and time.

The strengths of a copper cauldron, by analogy with a cast-iron counterpart, are practically absent. Unless copper heats up faster

aluminum product

The weight and price of aluminum are modest. These qualities are very popular with tourists who often go hiking on foot. This completes the list of strengths of the aluminum cauldron.

And its main disadvantages are:

• Heats up and cools down quickly. To create an oriental dish, this is a serious hindrance.
• Poor form retention. Even at the slightest pressure, the hemispherical shape of the product is broken.

Ideal for hiking

Enamelled steel cauldrons

Steel has similar characteristics to cast iron. And for the manufacture of the cauldron, enameled steel is used.
Weak sides:

• Impressive mass.
• Rust forms at the site of damage to the enamel.
• The use of steam is complicated by too rapid heating.

The enamel itself does not cope well with powerful heat: it cracks and gradually falls off. As a result, the quality of the food is reduced.

Versions with non-stick coatings

A non-stick layer, by definition, should make any pot an ideal cooking product. In practice, everything is different. Thanks to him, there is no burning of food in the cauldron. But subject to the frequent influence of high temperatures, such a coating begins to deteriorate. It peels off. Its elements end up in food, so the dishes are no longer distinguished by exquisite taste.

Thus, cast iron is considered the optimal material for the manufacture of cast iron. And to date, this option has no worthy alternatives.

Volume Questions

The criterion for the volume of the cauldron is determined by which companies you will gather: small or large. You can purchase dishes of various sizes: colossal, large, medium, very small.

According to this criterion, the choice is determined by the goals set:

• Miniature versions have a parameter of 3-7 liters. They are suitable for a modest company of 2-3 people. They are great for cooking porridge, sweet pilaf or creating a roast.
• Medium-sized versions have a volume of 8-15 liters. This parameter is enough to feed 3-4 people.
• Large models. Their volume: 15-20 liters. They can create dishes for 7-10 people.
• Huge. Their volume is 25 liters. This is a good option for a company of 10-15 people.
• Commercial. Their volumes are more than 25 liters. They are usually used in catering establishments.

Often people wonder how to decide on the size of the chosen cauldron? If you need a product for preparing treats for guests, multiply the estimated number of guests by two. Add 2 liters to this result. So the contents of the dishes can be mixed freely. And for a team of 8-10 people, you will need a product with a volume of 18-20 liters.

Wall density

This parameter determines the level of languishing of the dish. The higher the wall density, the better the languor.

Today, Chinese modifications of dubious quality are often found in stores. Their walls have a density of 3 mm maximum. Under this condition, it is difficult and not safe to cook the desired dishes.

The wall thickness in a true Central Asian cauldron is at least 4-5 mm. This is the best indicator for convenient cooking. And the dishes themselves have an acceptable weight. In the presence of thicker walls, the quality of the dish seriously develops, but the cauldron itself is very heavy.

Other criteria

When you have already chosen the best cauldron for your purposes, do not rush to pay right away. Even if the product is made of high-quality cast iron, you are satisfied with its size and shape, be sure to examine its surface very carefully.

Cast iron is not uniform. Some roughness, slight bulges, etc. may be present on the surface. This is perfectly acceptable. But there are no big dents, cracks and scratches.

If they are found, most likely the storage and transportation were incorrect. And in the process of preparing dishes for the debut use, unpleasant surprises await you.

Lid

The presence of a lid in a set with a cauldron is right. If it is not included, it can be purchased separately. Clear lids are often purchased. Lids are usually made of glass or silicone.

Even if the lids are made for pans, they can still be used for a cauldron.

It is better to purchase a lid at the same outlet where the cauldron is bought. After all, it needs to be tried on

It should tightly close the cauldron. It is quite acceptable if it is slightly larger than the cauldron in diameter. The main thing is that in this indicator she is not inferior to him.

Today, silicone lids are very common. They provide 2-3 sizes. During cooking, steam should not come out of the cauldron. Silicone perfectly provides this condition.

It is optimal to equip the cauldron with two lids. The position of one is at the top, the second is in the middle.

Other accessories

When the desired cauldron is purchased, you will also need for a full-fledged culinary process: boards for cutting food, sharply sharpened knives, a slotted spoon made of metal, tongs made of wood.

Your cooking kit should include cutting boards. These are the usual rules of hygiene. For example, raw meat is cut on one board, boiled meat on the other, vegetables on the third. Make notes on the boards about their purpose in your process.

You also need to have multiple knives. You can use a chef's knife. It is suitable for any product. But it is better to have knives with short and long blades.

Conclusion

These are the principles of choosing a cauldron and proper care for it. If you follow these criteria, then choose dishes certainly not by price. Then you can create masterpiece dishes in a cauldron. And the cauldron itself will serve you for many years.

A cauldron is a wonderful tool of oriental cuisine, the result of your culinary creations directly depends on its choice.
At the moment, a wide range of cauldrons is presented on the market.

They differ in several ways: 1. The material from which the cauldron is made, 2. Manufacturer, 3. Size.

1. Material- now there are mainly cauldrons made of aluminum and cast iron. The aluminum cauldron is lightweight and heats up quickly. But this is its main drawback, i.e. the cauldron may not heat up completely, but only partially, quickly conducting heat through the wall, as a result, in one place the product may burn, and in another it may not even heat up. With strong heating in the oven, the aluminum cauldron may lose its shape. A cast-iron cauldron, on the contrary, is heavy and heats up for a long time, but evenly, i.e. the chance of burning is much lower. At the same time, a cast-iron cauldron may have an aluminum lid, and this is the best option, because. the task of the lid is just not to let off steam, and thermal conductivity is not fundamental, but lifting the cast-iron lid is quite difficult. Summing up, we can say that aluminum is better suited for hiking - the optimal material for a bowler hat. But for cooking pilaf in stationary conditions at home or in a summer cottage, it is better to choose a cast-iron cauldron.

2. Manufacturer- many industries are now manufacturing cauldrons, there are domestic and imported cauldrons. There are very cheap and low-quality cauldrons (for example, made in China), there are very expensive and high-quality ones (for example, Germany). All manufacturers have different approaches to the production and composition of cast iron, they are all different. Therefore, when choosing a manufacturer, it is better to give preference to time-tested productions, it is better if the cauldron is a national instrument - for example, Uzbekistan or Tajikistan, they have developed the correct steel recipe and the optimal shape of the cauldron over the centuries and achieve a wonderful taste of the cooked dish.

Size 3- modern cauldrons have a very large range of sizes, from 4 to 300 liters. When choosing the size, you need to understand exactly what the cauldron is for (for home or camping) and what dishes you are going to cook.
For a trip, it is better to choose a cauldron up to 8 liters.
For home, it is better to take a cauldron of 16-22 liters, because. they cook in a cauldron, filling it not to the top, but a maximum of 2/3, and the range of dishes is much wider than pilaf. For example, in a cauldron you can cook a beautiful ear, and what kind of crayfish are obtained in a cauldron, you lick your fingers, but they need volume.

Summing up the volume of the cauldron, we can say this: in a large cauldron you can cook a small portion, but in a small cauldron you cannot cook a large portion.

So, the answer to the question "how to choose a cauldron for a house or a summer residence?" can be formulated as follows: it should be a cast-iron cauldron, with a volume of 16 - 22 liters, a reliable manufacturer, for example, Uzbek. And do not forget about the oven for the cauldron, the cauldron itself will not cook delicious pilaf - you need an oven, and how to choose it, read here.

Cook right and enjoy!

cauldrons- traditional hemispherical dishes of Asian origin (Central Asia) for cooking various dishes. One of the most famous such dishes is, of course, Uzbek pilaf.

But a cauldron is a universal dish, therefore, it is also suitable for cooking shurpa, lagman and all kinds of ways of cooking meat. The round shape of the cauldron allows the flame and heat is evenly distributed over the food being cooked, and thick walls keep a constant temperature level, which allows the dish to warm up faster and keep warm longer, as well as "languish".

Sizes of cauldrons

• Cauldrons for 2-4 l- a small home cauldron for a family of 2-3 people. Although, of course, a slightly larger volume is recommended for pilaf, because. it is desirable to cook it with a margin of volume. But as practice shows, you always want a little more pilaf!
• Cauldrons for 5-8 l- suitable, including for use in urban environments, tk. in size fit on household gas, electric and convection stoves. This volume will allow you to cook pilaf for 5-8 people.
• Cauldrons for 9-15 l- useful for a country house, trips out of town, tourist camps and campsites.

The thickness of the walls and the shape of the bottom of the cauldron

This important parameter makes it possible to understand how well will the cauldron keep the temperature.

• Aluminum cauldrons wall thickness the thicker the better, because aluminum has good thermal conductivity, heats up quickly and cools down almost as quickly. Therefore, a thickness close to 1 cm allows you to worry less about whether the pilaf will burn and how quickly it will cool.
• At cast iron cauldrons standard thickness from 2 to 4 mm.

Form of cauldrons

Everything is simple here: either spherical, or flat bottom. The range of Techmos still includes more versatile models of cauldrons - with a flat bottom. Such cauldrons will easily fit on a gas and any other home stove.

Types of cauldron materials:

• Cast iron cauldrons
  such cauldrons are just traditional. Suitable for both boiling and stewing. Cast iron holds temperature well, but is also the heaviest of all types of materials for a cauldron. Often comes with a cast-iron cauldron aluminum cover.
  And even if you intend to buy a cast-iron cauldron, do not be embarrassed - the use of aluminum for the lid of the cauldron is just to reduce the overall weight, and this, of course, does not affect cooking.

• Aluminum cauldrons
  Such cauldrons are produced cast aluminum, which goes through the maximum number of cleanings to remove chemical impurities, which are quite suitable for household aluminum products, but in no way suitable as a material for dishes.
  Do not be confused by "horror stories" about the fact that on an aluminum cauldron, the dish burns more often. It is not true. It all depends on how much the cook knows the heat-conducting properties of aluminum, so as not to leave the cauldron on too high a fire. It is this ignorance, and not matelial, that causes burning.

Kazan Kukmara k70 7 liters

Body material Die-cast aluminium. Bottom thickness up to 6 mm

Buy

1 150

Kazan Kukmara k150 15 liters

Wall height: 170 mm. Diameter: 470 mm. Bottom thickness: up to 6 mm

Buy

2 000

21% Kazan camping Kukmara kp50 with a lid-frying pan 5 liters

The lid can be used as a bowl or pan for frying fish.

Item sold out

The range of Techmos includes uchagi - steel hearths for cauldrons.

Such an oven for a cauldron allows you to cook pilaf in the country and just when out of town with convenience and significant savings in firewood (compared to a campfire method, for example, which, among other things, will require the construction of a stable base for cooking in a cauldron or hanging over a fire on a handle) . The stable design of the bowl allows you to mix pilaf without fear of overturning the cauldron.
Compare an uchag and a simple placement of a cauldron on bricks, and you don’t even need to think about what will come out more conveniently:

Uchag Kukmara No. 2 uk03 ​​for a cauldron of 9 liters

wall thickness 1.2 mm, removable legs, grate, poker

Buy

3 250

Uchag Kukmara uk09 for a cauldron of 7 liters

assembled height 560mm, steel thickness 2mm

Item sold out

Uchag Kukmara No. 4 uk04 for a 15 liter cauldron

the kit includes removable legs, door, poker and grate

Buy

4 050

1. Decide on your desired cooking volume: 5-8 liters will do in most cases. But with the number of participants in the meal more than 5 people, it is better to take 10 liters or more.
2. Which cauldron is better: cast iron or aluminum?
   there is no universal answer - all of them, with proper use, will make a delicious dish. Cast iron is considered more durable, but this is nothing more than another myth. Aluminum ones are simply lighter, which is more convenient in transportation, and cast iron keeps the temperature just a little longer than aluminum.
3. How to ignite a cast iron or aluminum cauldron?
   Let's answer first why you need to ignite a new cauldron:
   just to get rid of all types of production and transportation residues: dust, grease and other consequences of casting a cast-iron cauldron.

IMPORTANT:
such a procedure is contraindicated for any type of cauldron, if it already has some type of coating (non-stick).

ALSO IMPORTANT:
during the calcination process, good ventilation of the room is required (in case it is done at home).
But usually such a process is best done on the street.

How to ignite a cast iron cauldron:

Advice:
when firing, it will be useful for you to have heat-resistant gloves that will allow you to lift the cauldron from the fire and put it back.

• Wipe the inside of the cauldron with a napkin
• Rinse with water and wipe again with a tissue
• Put the cauldron on fire
• When heated, the cauldron will smoke - this evaporates the engine oil left after production.
• Bake until you see that the dark spots on the bottom have disappeared.
• The time required for this is different - everything will depend on the degree of contamination of the cauldron, but usually 1-1.5 hours are enough for this. No more needed - the rest will go away with the second stage - calcination with salt.
• Remove the cauldron from the heat and let it cool down to a temperature close to (30-40 min) approx. 70-80°C (not too hot, but not too warm).

IMPORTANT:
do not cool the cauldron with cold water - it may burst!

• rinse it again with water and wipe it with a dry cloth, this will remove the soot
• now ignite the cauldron with salt is a natural adsorbent that will remove all other production residues from the cauldron:
  • warm up the cauldron
  • pour a package of ordinary edible salt into it (1-1.5 kg of coarse salt per cauldron with a capacity of 5-8 l)
  • so we calcine the cauldron for another 1 hour, stirring the salt along the walls of the cauldron - the salt acquires a beige tint
    • you can turn the cauldron on its side so that the salt spills over the wall, just lies on the wall, and by turning the cauldron, you will gradually process the entire inner surface in this way without worrying too much about stirring
  • then throw away the salt (it is no longer suitable for food)
  • let cool and wipe with a napkin (do not burn yourself)
• We process with oil
  • pour 1.5 cups of ordinary refined oil (the amount of oil is indicated for a 5-8 l cauldron)
  • we heat the oil until it heats up, but does not start to smoke a little (this nuance depends on the oil, so you can just heat the cauldron well, if you heat the cauldron, the oil can catch fire, so keep the temperature of the fire moderate ),
  • you can distribute the oil along the walls with a heat-resistant brush, pouring from the bottom or evenly rocking the cauldron, thus lubricating the entire inner surface of the cauldron. This procedure will take 10-12 minutes.
  • Then let cool, drain the oil and simply wipe with a napkin.

What does calcining a cauldron give?

Cast iron will be cleaned of engine oil and other waste that was caused by production. Salt absorbs the remains after the first stage.
And after processing the inner walls with vegetable oil a thin oil coating forms on the surface, which prevents food from sticking to the walls during cooking.

Over time, it will only be saturated from the dishes being prepared and give them a small, absolutely unique shade of taste and smell to new dishes.

How to temper an aluminum cauldron?

First of all, let's answer the question Why bake an aluminum cauldron? "- just to create a cauldron on the surface oxide, which will prevent free aluminum from getting into food.

Otherwise, the calcination process is no different from what was described above for a cast-iron cauldron.

With one difference:

• time for calcination by any of the stages: just on fire and with salt - no more than 1.5 hours
• follow the fire aluminum cauldrons to ignite needed on low heat and little heat.

How to wash a cauldron?

• Just wipe clean after sponge cooking without detergents(with the soft part of it and try not to use the hard part of the sponge - this way you will break the oily coating that has been so long and carefully made)
• If, nevertheless, trouble happened and the food in the cauldron burned - then, of course, you can rub it with stiffer brushes and metal washcloths, but again without detergents

IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER:
that any detergent contains chemicals that, having interacted with the oily coating of the cauldron, will settle in it, which at least can spoil the taste of the prepared dish, as well as be harmful to health.

Using a detergent when washing the cauldron, you will be forced to repeat the process of calcining the cauldron again in order to return it to its original cleanliness and suitability for cooking

How to cook pilaf?

And finally, for lovers of delicious Uzbek pilaf, we recommend that you watch a video from the famous pilaf master and popularizer of Central Asian cuisine - Stalik Khankishiyev: