Is It Actually Safe To Cook With Copper Cookware? What To Know

Quality cookware is something every home cook should have on hand and invest in. They are not just luxury items reserved only for the likes of esteemed chefs and viral recipe developers who create no shortage of Instagram-worthy dishes. Making sure you have durable cookware with the appropriate coating to ensure your food's safety is key, and among our list of the best cooking pans on the market, you will come across copper-based cookware. Copper pots and pans often evoke the imagery of quaint Parisian kitchen supply stores, like Julia Child's favorite place to buy cookware, and they're typically analogous to authentic French fare. However, with growing discourse around the best cookware material that is not only up for the task of preparing a flavorful meal, but also doesn't have detrimental effects on health, there might be questions for whether or not it is safe to cook with copper.

The good news is copper is typically safe to cook with and has been a mainstay in kitchens for centuries. It is prized for its durability and ability to conduct heat evenly, plus its relative ease of maintenance, which includes a simple way to clean and polish them. However, it's best to opt for copper cookware that is lined with another material like stainless steel, especially when cooking with acidic ingredients. This is because copper reacts negatively to acid, allowing metal to leach into the food, which isn't a major issue in recipes with high amounts of sugar since sugar hinders this reaction.

Good copper cookware can be pretty expensive, which is why secondhand stores are the cheapest ways to build your cookware repertoire. But keep an eye out for the material of the protective lining. This component is what prevents copper from leaching into food, while the metal itself retains superior heat-conducting abilities and precision with cooking temperature. When properly maintained, the surface even functions as a non-stick cooking surface. These characteristics make copper among the best materials to cook with. 

Since copper is incredibly adept at conducting heat, it warms up quite quickly. So, avoid pre-heating your copper pans for more than just a few seconds, and make sure there is some cooking fat in the pan to help absorb the heat during the very brief pre-heat period. Copper's heat-conducting abilities need only a cooking temperature no higher than medium to heat up properly. Also, to protect the lining of the cookware, use utensils made from wood, silicone, or high-heat plastic, and avoid anything that scrapes the protective lining.

Copper cookware also holds its place within Ayurvedic cooking. In fact, this metal is valued in Ayurvedic traditions for its purported anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, among a number of other potential health-promoting traits that support a well-balanced body. Cooking with copper is also believed to enhance the taste of food and preserve nutrition.