Looking for tips on cooking with Xtrema pure ceramic? I cover how to use and look after Xtrema ceramic pans to help you get the best out of your new solid ceramic for longer.
Remember this: the pans you treat with care will last you much longer than those you don’t.
Take time to read the info below. A few minutes can save you problems in the long run.
For info on the company, see my article covering details of the brand names. The all-ceramic cookware will last you a lifetime with care. But like all items you value, you want to make sure you get to enjoy them as best you can. Here are my tips on cooking with an all-ceramic frying pan.
For nonstick cookware, see my guide on how to use care and store nonstick cookware.
The solid ceramic cookware can be used on the highest of heat settings.
You can enjoy cooking everything from eggs, meat, oatmeal, to vegetables in this cookware.
The Xtrema ceramic skillets and pots are extremely oven safe — see my post on ceramic pans that can handle high heat.
Here are the basics to maintaining your ceramic cookware…
Before first use
Before you use this cookware for the first time, make sure to hand wash it in warm water with a dash of mild detergent, and then, rinse. Unlike solid cast iron cookware, you don’t need to season solid ceramic cookware.
Cleaning
The surface of the Xtrema cookware is durable and easy to clean. Note: Although dishwasher safe, I always recommend handwashing. It’s important to avoid sudden changes in temperature with your cookware. It’s best not to pour cold water or place the cookware in cold water when hot. Allow it to cool first.
Using Cooking Utensils
Having a hardened surface this 100% ceramic cookware won’t scratch from metal utensils when stirring but you may get gray marks (the ceramic is tougher than the metal alloy). Use silicon, wooden, bamboo, or the like when cooking with ceramic cookware for best care of your cookware.
Chef Kitchen Cooking Utensils Set
Available at Amazon
Storing
After you’ve used the ceramic pots, they are best stored separately with the matching lid placed upside-down on the respective pot. This will avoid incidental damage. Pot protectors are an ideal way to store your pots and pans safely so they don’t get chipped or cracked.
Pan Protectors
Available at Amazon
The above look pretty and come at a cheap price if you’re looking for pot protectors. But if you can spend the extra dollars, Xtrema have their own cookware protectors, which are better suited to keeping pure ceramic in good shape and are worth the extra $.
They are double-sided and shaped to give the ideal coverage for Xtrema pots and pans. They also won’t stick together like some cheaper brands where you to have to wrestle to take them apart from the cookware. They come in a set of three: 1 medium (15.25″ diameter), 1 large (19.25″ diameter), and 1 extra-large (23.25″ diameter).
How to cook with Xtrema Cookware
People have been using pure ceramic pots for the preparation of foods since around 4,000 BC. Archeological finds of pots, with fish and shellfish residue, date back to this time.
This type of cookware heats slower but retains the heat longer than modern metal pans of stainless steel or aluminum.
Frying foods in a pure ceramic skillet
Allow the skillet to preheat for a few minutes before adding ingredients.
A smidgen of grapeseed oil or other high-temperature oil or fat works best when frying eggs or shallow frying bacon in an Xtrema skillet. This ceramic type is not entirely non-stick. A slight greasing, however, is all you need to get cooking.
Always apply the oil or fat before heating the pan. You can always add more as needed to prevent food from sticking.
Slow cooking and hot oven use
Pure ceramic is excellent, not only for frying but for slow cooking of foods and hot oven use. It’s also suited to microwave cooking, which I cover elsewhere, as well as baking, boiling, and steaming.
It’s non-reactive, so you can cook the types of food that are acidic. The solid ceramic pans are perfect as they are metal-free.
Slow cooking locks in flavor and nutrition when preparing meals. We know a ceramic crockpot is perfect for slow cooking. But you can also do this with a solid ceramic frying pan with lid, for example, to cook tender juicy braised steak or similar.
The great thing is you can put 100% ceramic pans in the oven up to very high temperatures. Being just ceramic, they resist higher temperatures than everyday cookware. The Xtrema brand is said to withstand temperatures up to 2500 ºF.
Things to cook in a ceramic pan in the oven includes casseroles, pies, baked vegetables, potato bake, and basically anything you can cook in bakeware.
When not to use 100 percent ceramic cookware
You can’t use 100% ceramic cookware on induction cooktops. This is simply because there is no metallic layer in the base of the cookware that is compatible.
How to maintain your Pure ceramic cookware
In a nutshell…
- Hand wash them
- Avoid rapid change in temperature
- Store them unstacked or if stacked, with protectors
- Avoid metal utensils or harsh scrubbers on them
Caring for pure ceramic cookware
By hand cleaning rather than by dishwasher, you avoid possible damage from harsh dishwasher detergents or the dishwasher arms.
You can stick these in the dishwasher. But they are easy to clean by hand and I always recommend hand washing your good stuff.
How to hand wash ceramic pans
- Wait until the pan has cooled, then add a little water to soften any residue and let sit for a while
- Check to see if the ceramic cookware fits in the sink
- If not, sit it on the bench, add dishwashing water and wash
- Don’t use harsh scrubbing pads
Hand wash pan with soft sponge or cloth. Using harsh scourers won’t necessarily damage the cookware but may leave gray marks on the surface.
Avoid temperature shock
Rapid change in temperature can harm any pan. With these you risk cracks. Always let your pan cool before immersing or adding cold water.
After cooking, ensure your ceramic pan has cooled before washing. Adding cold water to a hot pan can crack one made of solid ceramic.