It is important to eat healthily, but do you know the cookware you use in preparing the food is also important? It is not OK to eat healthy foods without being concerned about what you use in cooking them. In our markets today, you can easily find different brands of cookware, but the difference between them is the materials they used to produce them.

There are some made with toxic materials, while others are made with non-toxic materials. The ones made with toxic materials are harmful to human health when used over time can result in health challenges.

This is why it is important only to make use of the best non-toxic cookware in your homes. Non-toxic cookware is one that cooks your food without posing risks to your health.

Without further ado, let’s consider the four types of non toxic cookware and what to look out for when purchasing one.

What to Look Out for When Choosing Your Cookware

When you are choosing your pots and pans, ensure that they are made from non-toxic materials like tempered glass, ceramic, porcelain enamel, carbon steel, or lava rock. It is important to know which cookware is harmless and toxic-free when choosing to get one. The materials used in manufacturing and coating determine if it is non-toxic or not. 

You might be eating healthy food, but if your cookware is made with toxic materials, you are prone to health challenges. Most non-sticky pots and pans are made with toxic substances that are harmful to humans, and they flake off into your food while you cook. These materials are dangerous when they come in contact with heat, and they can cause thyroid hormone disruption, cancer, and even affect the immune system.

Types of Non-Toxic Cookware

Stainless Steel

This is one of the well known non-toxic metals used in making cookware. Most companies are now making cookware with stainless steel, which has no perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) in it. There are many grades of stainless steel in the market ensure you buy a high quality one or a food-grade Stainless Steel, this lasts longer and does not contain any nickel. If its bottom is clad with aluminum, it heats evenly and is non-sticky as well.

When buying your cookware, consider getting one made with stainless steel because it is one of the best options in the market and has the following advantages.

• Non-toxic, which makes it safe for cooking
• very easy to clean
• it easily retains heat when used in baking.
• Scratch-resistant and high heat retention
• Lightweight and non-stick design
• Durable and even heat distribution
• Does not flame off

However, it is important to be careful when washing your stainless steel cookware to avoid the leaching of metals into your meals. When handled in a harsh manner or with abrasive cleaning agents, this could result in leaching of metals because the lining will get damaged. It is advisable to fill the cookware with hot water and detergent for a while before washing — this aids in removing food particles.

Glass

Glass cookware is a hundred percent free of toxic materials, even when heated. It is a safe choice to consider when getting your cookware. It lasts longer and is free from highly fluorinated chemicals or poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Glass cookware is eco-friendly. However, it sticks easily; it is also not versatile in nature, it cannot be used in cooking all kinds of dishes, but glass is a good option for savory dishes. Some of its advantages include :

• Green, which is environmentally friendly
• Durable option
• Non-toxic cookware
• Safe and healthier to store leftover meals than in a plastic container
• Retains heat well
• It can be used to serve meals as well.

 Ceramic Cookware

Ceramic cookware is one of the safe choice cookware to use; it is made with natural materials, it does not flake off into your food, it is non-toxic. Ceramic cookware stands the taste of time and lasts longer than other cookware. Most companies have produced a hundred percent non-toxic and non-sticky ceramic cookware. This cookware is free from perfluorooctanoate.

Cast Iron

This is one of the oldest types of cookware, it can be traceable way back to the 1990s, it is old fashioned cookware made from cast iron, and it has its form of health benefit. These sets of cookware are durable and affordable. Cast iron is a good conductor of heat, it leaches iron into your food which is healthy for the body, and this makes it non-toxic in nature. It is the safest cookware available even in this modern age. 

Some of its pros are :

• It can stand a high heat
• Impressive heat retention
• Does not include any toxic substances
• it helps to increase the iron in your food

Conclusion

Although some cookware may look harmless on the outside, it could become harmful when you start cooking with it because of its make up. Harmful chemicals like the highly fluorinated chemicals, PFAS, are used in manufacturing some cookware that is why it is essential to be selective when buying your kitchen cookware. These chemicals make them non-stick, resistant to stain, and waterproof, but they are harmful to health. So they cannot and should not be considered as an option.

A fire pit is one of the hottest outdoor trends. It is a crowd-pleaser and can instantly up the aesthetic of your backyard, depending on the pit’s design. More than form, it is also functional. It is a great way to keep you warm when you are outdoors. It can even be a makeshift bonfire.

To make the most out of the fire pit, one of the most important is the right type of wood to use. This will act as the fuel and will make it easy to maintain the fire. If you want to know more about the best wood for fire pit, keep on reading and we’ll talk about some of the best options to consider.

Things to Consider When Choosing Wood for Fire Pit

The options will be countless, but you should not take this as an excuse to decide in haste. To help you narrow the list, here are some important factors to consider.

Hardwood or Softwood?

The first thing that you need to decide upon would be the type of wood to use. Hardwoods are more common. They are known for their ability to burn longer and hotter. This will be handy on cold nights when you need fire to keep you warm. Softwoods, on the other hand, burn quicker and are cheaper. They are also easier to split, and they have a nice aroma.

Seasoned or Unseasoned?

When it comes to fuel choice for a fire pit, it is undeniable that seasoned wood is the best option. It lights fast and burns longer compared to unseasoned wood. Seasoned wood is dark on the outside and white on the inside. It has a lot of cracks. Unseasoned wood, on the other hand, looks very fresh and is wet.

Our Recommendations on the Best Wood for Fire Pit

Make your fire pit burn longer and hotter. The secret lies in your choice of wood. That said, this section will quickly talk about some of the best options to consider.

Ash

Creating a list of the best fire pit woods will be incomplete without mentioning ash. It is extremely hot when it burns, and it is also easy to prepare. Even if the wood is still green, you can already burn it. Another good thing about ash is that while it burns hot, it does not generate too much smoke. This makes it a great option for an outdoor fire feature in your home.

Hickory

Recognized as one of the top woods to use in smokers, it will equally be impressive when used on fire pits. It is one of the hottest burning hardwoods. The good thing about hickory is that it is easy to find, which we can attribute to the high demand. Like many of the options that are included in our list, it is also long-lasting.

Oak

Like hickory, oak is a common choice for smokers and will do equally great in fire pits. One of the best species to use is Black Oak, especially if you are from South California. It creates a slow but steady fire, making it the perfect choice for evenings when you need to stay warm. It also does not generate as much ash as other oak species, which means that it will be easy to clean. Oregon White Oak is another promising option. It also burns long and hot, although, expect that there will be a lot of ash once the flames are extinguished.

Maple

This is another wood used in smokers that will also be great in fire pits. It may be difficult to split, but the effort will be worth it. It is efficient and hot-burning. Look for hard maple varieties, such as sugar maple. While this wood can effectively keep you warm during cold nights, you won’t be enveloped in thick smoke.

Beech

It is quite similar to ash when it comes to heat performance and longevity. One important thing to note about beech is that the wood has a high moisture content. Because of this, expect that it will take quite a while to season. It can also create sparks, so this is not recommended if you are looking for a wood to use in an indoor fire. It is also not good for cooking.

Almond

This may not be as easy to find as more popular fire pit woods, but this is another great option to consider. Whether for a fireplace or cooking, this is a good pick. Almond has a high heat content, so it can effectively keep you warm. It is also a good thing that it does not spark, and it does not create thick smoke. You will also love how easy it is to split this wood.

Apple

A popular cooking wood, apple will also be impressive when you use it as firewood. However, because this type of wood looks good when it is used in furniture, it may be quite hard to find it nowadays. The good thing about apple is that it has a sweet smell as it burns, which is also the reason why it is commonly used in cooking applications.

Cedar

This is another firewood that will produce a great smell. It produces slow and steady heat, making it perfect for a fire pit. While it burns hot, it is a good thing that it does not create big flames or thick smoke. It is also easy to split, so you will not have a hard time preparing this firewood.

Conclusion

At this point, we hope that you can now decide on what to choose for the best wood for fire pit. While having a fire pit at home can be beneficial in more ways than one, it can also be frustrating. To avoid the latter, make sure to use the right wood, including our recommendations above.

Cut of pork can be confusing, especially if you don’t go to the butcher often or if you do not know your meat. The terms can be overwhelming. For the uninitiated, it is easy to be baffled.

Among others, pork butt and pork shoulders are two terms that are always used interchangeably. Despite the use of the name butt, this is not from the butt of the pig. Both are from the shoulder, but they are in slightly different locations.

If you are confused, we are here to extend a helping hand. Keep on reading and we’ll talk about pork butt vs pork shoulder. The next time you need to buy meat, it will be easier to grab what you need.

Where Is It From?

When it comes to pork butt vs pork shoulder, the most obvious difference is where they are from. While they both come from the shoulder, they are in different parts.

Pork butt is also called Boston butt. This is from the higher part of the hog. It is from the top part of the shoulder, which is also the portion that is closest to the spine. This is a large and rectangular cut without the skin.

If it isn’t from the butt of the hog, why is it called a pork butt? This is probably the question that many of you might have at this point. The simplest explanation to this is that butt is another word for a barrel, which refers to the shoulder, the part where the port butt is from.

On the other hand, pork shoulder is also called picnic shoulder or picnic roast. This is found directly below the butt. It is a sub-primal cut, which runs from the bottom of the butt to the front of the legs.

How It is Sold?

There are also differences on how they are sold or on how they appear once they are displayed in meat shops. The pork butt is usually sold with the shoulder blade still attached to the meat. The fat, on the other hand, is capped on one side. There is usually no skin. As for the shape, it is rectangular and uniform.

Meanwhile, when you buy pork shoulders, it still has the skin and it is also bone-in. For the shape, it is tapered and triangular. It is irregular, so you have to take that into account when thinking of the best ways to cook this cut of pork.

Which is Tougher?

When looking for pork meat, toughness is one of the most important considerations. Ideally, it shouldn’t be tough so that it will be easy to chew. With this, you should choose meat from a part that is not frequently used. If it is from over-used muscles, expect that the meat will be hard, and hence, will require a longer time cooking if you want it to be easier to chew.

Both pork butt and shoulder are from the muscles that the hog often use. So, they can be tough. However, the pork shoulder is usually tougher and denser. The secret is to cook them long enough to make it easier to chew.

Which has More Fat?

Fat is important because of marbling. Most people like their meat to have a bit of fat, which will also make it juicy. If there is no fat, then expect that the meat will be dry once it is cooked. This can also make it tougher.

If you are looking for juicy marbled fat, then you should go with pork butt. Also, when it is sold, it still has the fat on.

When Should You Use Pork Butt?

With the fat marbling in pork butt, this is best to use if you are cooking low and slow. Stewing and braising will also be great cooking methods for this part of a hog. It easily falls apart and it will be tender.

One of the best ways to use a pork butt is for a pulled pork sandwich. If you plan to do so, make sure to keep it in the oven until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 195 degrees Fahrenheit. At this point, you will be assured that the muscles and tissues have already broken down. It will be tender, and hence, it will be easier to pull it using a fork.

It will also make a nice choice for barbecuing. The marbling or the fat in the meat is the reason for this. It will drip on the meat and will make it juicier. This can impart more flavor.

When Should You Use Pork Shoulder?

When you buy pork shoulder, it is sold with its skin on. Therefore, this is a great meat of choice if you want crackling and crispy skin to be on your meat.

Barbecuing and smoking are the best ways to use pork shoulder. Use hardwood chips and charcoal to infuse a strong smoky flavor on the meat. To achieve the dark and crusty interior of the pork shoulder, make sure that the temperature is from 225 to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spit roasting is another great way to cook pork shoulder. The meat will baste itself. The interior will be brown and crispy. This method of cooking requires a high temperature, so keep the heat at approximately 350 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Conclusion

Now that you have reached the end of this guide, we hope that you were enlightened about pork butt vs pork shoulder. The two are from the shoulder of a hog, but pork butt is from the top part near the spine while pork shoulder is below and nearer the foreleg. Pork butt is well marbled with intramuscular fat. It is a great choice for pulled pork sandwiches, barbecues, and stews. Pork shoulder is leaner and has lesser fat. This is great for smoking and spit roasting, among other recipes where there should be a crispy skin.