# Pullman Pan Recommendations.



## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

I've decided to start experiementing with pullman loaves. A web search reveals pans available at prices ranging from as low as $15 to as much as $60, with about an equal range of materials.

Help! I can use recommendations as to which one to buy.


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Are these "single pans" with sliding, tight fiting lids, or a series of 3 pans in a wire frame with one lid?

With everything in life, you get what you pay for.  True, single pans are cheaper, but then, so is light guage metal vs. heavier guage metal.

A "good" pan will be of heavy guage construction.  Steel is prefered, but aluminum works well too--althought it dents easier.  "Good" pans will have a zig-zag, or herringbone pattern of lines.  This adds to the rigidity of the pan and produces a "broken up" surface, bread doesn't stick so badly.

The glaze, the glaze, the glaze.... 

Production bakeries and "pro"bakeries use glazed pans.  The glaze is a food safe substance that wears off fairly quickly, yet works well--sugar rich doughs 'attack" the glaze quicker thatn regular doughs.  Most big bakeries have two sets of pans: one freshly glazed, and the other waiting to be re-glazed or already re-glazed,  True, you can grease and flour out pans, but in production bakeries, this is very labour and ingredient costly.  Financially, it makes more sense to have the pans re-glazed every 3 mths (at a cost of aprox $5 per 3-er pan and lid) then to grease and flour each pan for each bake.  A "pro" pullman loaf pan will have a baker's glaze already applied, NOT a teflon or other "permanent" non-stick surface.  These types of surfaces (teflon, etc) wear off just as quickly, and are almost impossible to remove--which is needed in order to apply a baker's glaze.

I am giving you the name of a CDN mnfctr and re-glazer of bake ware, even though I know you are in the States (Kentucky, I presume?), just in order for you to see what pro bakers use and demand here.  Google "Lockwood industries".  I'm sure your area will have something compatible, or even better.


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

Thanks for the rundown, Foodpump.

Originally I was thinking of just a single, or, perhaps, two of them. Then I saw the three-up type and found them very intriguing. My concern is whether I'd get enough use out of it to justify the price of the unit and accessory cover.

Keep in mind I'm a home baker, not a pro. And that I'll continue baking other breads as well. I just like the idea of the pullmans as sandwich bread.

I don't care for straight aluminum cookware. But I noticed there are several made of aluminized steel. That's the same material used for my slider pan and several of my sheet pans, and I'm happy with it. There was also one made of "blue steel," but I have no idea what that is.

I noticed, too, that there were at least three sizes. 4 x 4 x 13, which seems to be the standard size; a smaller one that came in at 4 x 4 x 9; and an extra long one that was 4 x 4 x 16. Do you have any recommendations on that?


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

For home use, I'd go for the 4 x 4 x 9.  The larger ones are simply a matter of economics: You get more slices and still only two ends...


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

Thanks, again.

One more question if you don't mind. The 4 x 4 x 9 would be equivilent to a standard bread pan, right? So a recipe that made enough dough for two loaves would need need two of those as well?


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Should be, maybe less.  Remember, Pullmans are pretty much square, and a standard loave has a "head", more volume and more dough.


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

Makes sense. I was thinking that the extra half inch of height would make up that difference.

I noticed that one site identified them as 1- lb, 1 1/2-lb, and 2-lb capacities, which is why I concluded that they'd be comparable to standard pans.

Guess I'll have to order a couple of them and do some experimenting.

Thanks.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Your right as far as by weight . When I order bread wholesale , it's 2 pound pullman loaf which is squared and unsliced . I use for canapes and croutons. The 1 pounder is same as you can buy in local market wrapped.


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

For sure, Ed. But that's one of the differences between commercial bakers and at-home bread makers.

Most home bakers don't think in those terms. But the fact is, standard baking pans are sized the same way. A regular pan, for instance, produces a 1-lb loaf. The next size up (10 x 5 x 3 1/2) is 1 1/2 lbs. etc. Commercial bakers, of course, weigh the dough, and use the appropriately sized pan.

So I just assumed the same thing would apply with pullman pans.

When you order a 2-lb pullman, how long would you say it is?


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## kayakado (Sep 25, 2003)

read the fine print before ordering, sometimes that low price is only for the pan and they are selling you the lid separately


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

Yeah, I saw that, Kayakado. But it can apply to the higher end ones too. The three-up tray, for instance, does not include the lid, which is sold separately. Don't have the data in front of me, but, IIRC, the tray lists for something like $62, and another $15 for the lid.

For slightly less money I can buy two good quality singles, with lids, which probably makes more sense for my baking needs.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

4 inches longer then plastic wrapped loaf.  22 slices counting ends to store cello wrap  14 inch long  22 ounces 1 ounce per slice rounded top / Pullman at work 4 inches longer ave. unsliced sometimes called Canape bread  totally square.


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