How is waterless cookware constructed, and is surgical stainless steel really the best material for waterless cooking or is there another material that is just as good?
Rapid heat transfer, even heating, and a material that will hold the heat inside the pot is needed for a waterless cooking utensil to work properly. Surgical stainless steel is an excellent material for holding heat, as well as many other advantages. It contains the properties needed for waterless cooking, with one exception; stainless steel is not a good heat conductor. This problem could be overcome by making the base very thin, but this could make having a flat base impossible. A flat base is clearly needed for good contact with the heat source. Both aluminum and copper are excellent heat conductors, that’s why the base of most waterless utensils contain a thin layer of either copper or aluminum between the layers of stainless steel and other metals. However, aluminum is somewhat moderate in texture. During the process of waterless cooking there is a tremendous amount of steam-heat produced, and aluminum would have a tendency to become damaged during this process quicker and easier
