Titanium non-stick pots and pan

A post by Jon prompted me to cook pancakes in a titanium pan. I was successful, but only by using an excess of oil to distribute the heat.  I believe he was experimenting with a disc over the flame for better heat distribution. If you’re cooking something like sausage and keep shaking it around, it’s fine. Mostly titanium is good for boiling water.

Non-stick will not be helping with heat distribution I guess. Any other solutions to be able to put the pots in the dishwasher?

My decades old evernew 900 was non stick.

It all came off a long time ago.  Hopefully it came off when I was cleaning it, not when I was eating food from it.

It’s never dirty enough to warrant putting in dish washer.

Your tent has a dishwasher?! I am jealous.

GSI has a line of anodized aluminum pots: “Halulite”.

MSR makes ceramic coated anodized aluminum pans.

But I would never put ANY metal pot or pan that I cared about in a dishwasher. That’s just begging for poor performance and short life. Glass is ok.

Nonstick titanium will have the same problem: a few cycles in the dishwasher and it will be time to replace it.

Besides, if it is nonstick then you can wipe it out with a cloth and store it. No need for a dishwasher. Even soap should be optional.

I wonder how non stick anodized and ceramic is

Bill; yes she sometimes comes along.

But mostly I refer to an actual dishwasher and the freedom it is to put titanium pots in it after a trip. So many tasks after all five have been out with drying the tent and zenbivy’s and this and that. At least It would be nice to not clean pots and pans by hand.

Maybe try one non stick titanium and transition to stainless steel if it doesn’t work.

No soap after frying a fish?

My age old anodized alumiunium pots needs to be retired.

“Ceramic” coatings are the new Teflon: they are terrifically non-stick when new, but erode quickly. They are nice for some things (scrambled eggs, omelets), but require gentle treatment. It is not like any normal ceramic from the past.

Tip: Learn to “deglaze” pans with a small amount of water, gentle heat, and light action with a wooden or silicone scraper. It is a skill that largely replaces nonstick pans.

I just got rid of one non stick pan at home.  I have another one but it will have limited lifetime.

I have a carbon steel pan with a finish like a cast iron pan.  That isn’t real non stick.

I think you’re right, there are techniques to get non stick pans to work.  Maybe heat the pan up, then add oil, then put your food in.

Henrik: Yes, no soap. The deglazing trick is like magic for ALMOST anything. There are some extreme exceptions, like when you burn the oatmeal to the bottom. But most stuff cleans up remarkably easily when you learn how to do it.

(You deglaze while the pan is still hot; before you stow it).

And the deglaze is a tasty addition to whatever you’re cooking

The deglazing tecnique is something I use already but it does not work on the sidewalls of the pots – unless you boil lots of water. Kids like meatballs in «brown sauce» as it’s called in Norway. It still needs cleaning before stowing it away until next time. When I’m out alone

Wish there was a solution for this (rather than a sleeping pad with an integrated pump).

I just switched to ceramic nonstick aluminum Evernew pots. So far only a couple of times frying and eating out of the pots, but there is no wear yet. They wipe out easily with a towel and a little water. I haven’t tried pancakes, so I can’t attest to that. I am babying these pans. Plastic utensils and hand-washing.

They are pretty light, though. The metal is pretty thin so I always keep my food moving, but haven’t noticed any hot spots, even when boiling water.

That’s good news about the Evernew pans, Dustin. They make some excellent light cooking gear.

I don’t mean to be critical of ceramic coatings: they are the current state of the art in nonstick. I just mean that I am happier with them after accepting that they wear out. Yes, treat them gently. Maybe avoid overheating them, too.

The main concern about Teflon / Ceramic pans are that the coatings degrade in the 460/500 F range.  While normally fine, backpacking stoves are known for hot spots.  The best solution thar I have found is two fold: use a diffuser plate and elevate the pan about 2” above the burner.  For easy cleanup, consider using parchment paper on the bottom of the pan, this is the ideal solution when frying fish.  Another alternative is steam baking, particularly if you are heating up something that does not need a crust like the Swedish meatballs.  My 2 cents.

Leave them a little hungry, those pots will get clean.

Jon; Not sure how to fry a fish using parchment paper. Could you elaborate some?

I’m going for a Titanium non-stick.

«We» have put people on the the moon, but making a lightweight non stick backpacking pot that can survive a dishwasher is too complicated. This world of ours…

Sea to Summit Alpha cookware. Here’s a write-up I did 6 years ago. Still using the cookware on some backpacking trips and all of my solo car camping trips (when I don’t bring my wife and travel trailer).

hard anodized aluminum and fried eggs

so it is non stick

do you put butter or oil first?  Do you wait for the pot to heat up first?

so you can cook : )

Cut a disk of parchment paper about the size of your pan. Add a little oil to the pan then add the parchment paper. You can drizzle a little oil on top as well.  Add the fish and cook like you normally do at home.  For large fish, I would us a large titanium plate, works great and is a lot cheaper than a coated pan.  I have a video somewhere. My 2 cents

you’re not supposed to heat parchment paper above 450F, it turns brittle

but it appears in your video that the parchment paper didn’t get brittle so I guess it didn’t get too hot

that looks like a really nice piece of fish.  I only fry fish.  I don’t think boiling it or whatever is appealing.

maybe I’ll have to take up fishing

Jerry,

A little bit of canola oil.

Thank you, Jon – for that video. Interesting technique. The world of outdoor cooking is opening up to me here. I actually had to abort a trip half way through this winter as I was unable to eat another freeze dried meal. This is to be explore further on my end.

When it comes to more precise cooking and to even out heat, it looks like Trangia might have the best solutions with a combination of pressure regulated gas stoves and the possibility to increase the distance between the stove and the frying pan – though a very heavy solution. Am I wrong?

there are individual packets of oil, like canola or olive.  I bet you could use that to fry your fish, or eggs

Henrik,

I think that for the broadest range of cooking  capability using alcohol, I think that a Trangia system can’t be beat.  Yes, heavier and bulkier but a full system is pretty impressive.  Not just boiling but frying, baking song with great wind protection with the full system.  You can also get an isobutane stove to swap out the alcohol stove . As a turn key system, it’s pretty great.  My 2 cents.