The Absolute Best Uses For Windsor Pans

When we move into a new home, we tend to stick with what we need. No one wants to drag a million pots and pans around with them, and cluttering a kitchen on day one doesn't really help with an easy setup. Those who aren't big cooks also like to keep things simple: a few saucepans, a frying pan — what more do you need? But if you are a cooking enthusiast, and you have the space, you might start to venture into the territory of specialty equipment, like Windsor pans.

Also known as the fait tout pan, a Windsor pan is a specialized metal saucepan with a small, round base and flared sides. The sloped shape allows for rapid evaporation, making it especially useful for dishes that benefit from reducing liquids, like a simple chicken gravy, a small batch of risotto, or simple syrup.

For similar reasons, Windsor pans are great for making sauces. One of the best uses for them is hollandaise sauce, as the lack of sharp corners and narrower bottom makes whisking and concentrating mixtures easier. A Windsor pan also streamlines browning butter, as well as cooking a French beurre blanc, a red wine jus, or a small batch of marinara. 

While Windsor pans' unique shape facilitates liquid reduction and sauce making, their shape limits floor space, making them less conducive to tasks like cooking meat. You'll also benefit from noting that Windsor pans aren't just for dinner time. Because it's so easy to whisk or stir their contents, you can use them to make custards, like pastry cream, crème anglaise, and sabayon. They're useful for puddings, too, along with curds and even oatmeal. 

All of that being said, Windsor pans aren't exactly a necessity. They do a lot of the same things a saucier can, and many cooks find sauciers better for tasks that require a lot of stirring. A saucier pan might also work better for a large batch of something since Windsor pans are typically found in smaller sizes. If you want to learn more about sauciers, check out our guide covering differences between sauciers and saucepans. Getting all of this pan information down can be a lot at first, but once you're ready to stock your kitchen, you'll want to invest properly.