Cooking with tinned copper

We recently were given a large, heavy, beautiful copper saucepan that's lined with tin. While we have one other copper pan that I use a lot, it's lined with stainless. I know that tinned pans can be ruined if you get too much heat into them. Can anyone out there give me an idea of just how careful I need to be with this thing? For instance, can I brown meat in it without worrying about destroying it?

There are three things to worry about with tin:

o It's reactive, as are copper and unseasoned ironware. Be careful with acidic foods such as tomato sauce.

o Tin is soft and scratches and gouges easily. I would treat it as one would teflon (wooden or plastic utensils). And no metal scouring pads.

o Be careful with really high heat. I'd say you're good for a hot saute or stir-fry, but don't leave the empty pot on the burner, and I wouldn't use a tin pan for something done over really high heat, such as blackened red fish.

And no matter how careful you are with it, a tin-lined pan sooner or later will need to be re-tinned.

-Paul W.

Thanks, Paul. That gives me a little more confidence that I won't do the thing in right away.