Aluminized Steel and Acid Foods

[Maramixi]

I'm planning on getting a couple of jelly roll pans and I want to get some that will not react with acidic food as I'm planning on occasionally roasting tomatoes on them. I've looked at stainless steel pans but there seems to be issues with warping and generally not cooking well. Today I read about aluminized steel, but I can't seem to find a straight forward answer as to whether these are okay with acids.

[paulj]

I have roasted a variety of vegetables including tomatoes on standard aluminum half sheet pans without any noticeable reaction (of either the pan pitting, or the vegetables picking up a metalic taste). Roasted vegetables are usually coated with oil, and the juices evaporate quickly.

[Maramixi]

Hmm... You do have a point there.

[SanityRemoved]

I haven't had any problems either with aluminum sheet pans. I also use a quarter sheet pan next to my cutting board for waste with no problems. The pans I use are restaurant quality and have retained their original shapes.

I do hand wash the aluminum stuff as dishwashers tend to make a mess of aluminum.

[iluvcookies]

I echo paulj's comments. I even roast tomatoes and make tomato-based dishes in foil-lined pans with no issues.

Additionally, you could always use a piece of parchment between the food and the pan.

[kaleokahu]

Hi, Maramixi:

Tin is a lot less reactive than aluminum (<10%), and although most people associate tin with copper, both steel and aluminum can also be tinned. I would try Fante's in Philadelphia for tinned steel. And then there is this: http://www.amazon.com/Agnelli-Baldass... If you Google "Genoise pan", you should also come up with some excellent choices.

Aloha,
Kaleo

[Chemicalkinetics]

Some aluminized steel pans are coated with Teflon. These will be fine with acidic foods.

Other aluminimized steel pans are just aluminim on the surface. It is okay-ish to use acidic food like tomatoes, but it will probbaly get oxidized and turn gray over time.

[Maramixi]

Ah, sad day. I don't use non-stick, which is why it's been hard to find something.

I've read somethings that say anodized aluminum is fine with acids which made me wonder about the aluminized steel, as I can find that type in the size I want.

[Chemicalkinetics]

<anodized aluminum is fine with acids >

For all intents and purposes in the food area, I don't think most food acidicity is enough to damage it, but you can damage it with real strong acids.

If you can find anodized aluminum pan, then sure, but I don't know any.

[Maramixi]

Hmm... Looks like Fat Daddio's makes them, but I'm not sure if a standard cooling rack would quite fit...
http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Daddios-Ano...

[Chemicalkinetics]

Looking good. I do have one point to clarify. Earlier you wrote:
<I've looked at stainless steel pans but there seems to be issues with warping and generally not cooking well>

I have heard of the argument that stainless steel pans do not cook well in the oven. It is true that stainless steel does not conduct heat well as aluminum, but this effect should be minimal inside an oven where the heat is coming in all directions. It is not to say it does not matter, but I think the true effect may not be nearly as great as some think. Most importantly, I disagree with the warping assertion. Yes, stainless steel can warp, but it is certainly not as easily to warp as aluminum. In fact, the whole argument for the "aluminized steel" is to have the (a) heat conduction of the aluminum and (b) the physical durability of the steel. So you can definite find a steel pan which is less likely to warp than an aluminum pan.

[Maramixi]

True, but the problem is that stainless steel is more expensive to make than aluminized steel and to "make up for it" manufactures have been making poor quality pans.

Just check out the reviews for any of the stainless steel pans on amazon, nobody makes nice ones apparently. =/

[GH1618]

"I don't use non-stick, ..."

Then you have a dilemma, because PTFE is the most nonreactive cooking surface there is.