Cooking gadgets
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wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 00:52 last edited by
Sort of related to my sous-vide turkey thread.
What gadgets do you have that you use ALL THE TIME.
I use my sous-vide about twice a month. Steaks are great, to be sure.
"Air Fryer?" Don't have one.
My InstantPot has been great. I use it 2-3 times a week. Today, it was for mashed potatoes. Great for hard-boiled eggs. I LOVE pork chops in the IP. To be sure, there's a curve to learn what's good and what's "okay" in the IP, but after almost two years, I've got the "good" part down.
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wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 05:00 last edited by
We we probably use the air fryer about 10x a week - but some of that is my spouse's predilection for french fries. The rice cooker is used for oat meal and rice - perhaps 9x a week. The one thing we never use is our blender. We use the Instant Pot a couple of times a month - soup or occasionally a roast. We have yet to dip into the sous vide world, at least partly as we rarely eat steak.
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We we probably use the air fryer about 10x a week - but some of that is my spouse's predilection for french fries. The rice cooker is used for oat meal and rice - perhaps 9x a week. The one thing we never use is our blender. We use the Instant Pot a couple of times a month - soup or occasionally a roast. We have yet to dip into the sous vide world, at least partly as we rarely eat steak.
wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 12:54 last edited by@kluurs said in Cooking gadgets:
We we probably use the air fryer about 10x a week
Which one do you have? What else do you make in it?
Is there a difference between the oven-shaped ones and the ones that look like a pot?
We talked about air-fryers a while ago, and my understanding is that it's basically just a small convection oven.
my spouse's predilection for french fries
Heh. Yeah, mine too.
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wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 12:56 last edited by
We’re pretty basic. I don’t even like to use a microwave. I have thought about buying an induction stovetop for work.
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wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 14:33 last edited by
I use my grinder on occasion for ground round or to make small batch sausage, but I guess the two that get used the most are the Kitchenaide stand mixer and the Crockpot. Unless y'all consider the Keurig a gadget. That's in daily use.
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@kluurs said in Cooking gadgets:
We we probably use the air fryer about 10x a week
Which one do you have? What else do you make in it?
Is there a difference between the oven-shaped ones and the ones that look like a pot?
We talked about air-fryers a while ago, and my understanding is that it's basically just a small convection oven.
my spouse's predilection for french fries
Heh. Yeah, mine too.
wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 15:02 last edited by kluurs@george-k said in Cooking gadgets:
@kluurs said in Cooking gadgets:
We we probably use the air fryer about 10x a week
Which one do you have? What else do you make in it?
We got one at Costco - a cheapie that didn't take up much counter space. I think it was $97, an investment that if it didn't work out, we could get rid of it w/o much despair. It looks a bit like this one.
Besides the infinite number of french fries, it does a nice job as a rotisserie having used it for chicken, turkey breast and roasts. It is magnificent for frozen egg rolls/pot-stickers or reheating them. Brats or Polish sausage come out great - and I use it for making teriyaki chicken or other things we might have done on our gas grill.
Again, the only reason we opted for this unit was the fact it didn't take up counter space and was cheap as hell. Amazingly, it has become a go to appliance for us.
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@george-k said in Cooking gadgets:
@kluurs said in Cooking gadgets:
We we probably use the air fryer about 10x a week
Which one do you have? What else do you make in it?
We got one at Costco - a cheapie that didn't take up much counter space. I think it was $97, an investment that if it didn't work out, we could get rid of it w/o much despair. It looks a bit like this one.
Besides the infinite number of french fries, it does a nice job as a rotisserie having used it for chicken, turkey breast and roasts. It is magnificent for frozen egg rolls/pot-stickers or reheating them. Brats or Polish sausage come out great - and I use it for making teriyaki chicken or other things we might have done on our gas grill.
Again, the only reason we opted for this unit was the fact it didn't take up counter space and was cheap as hell. Amazingly, it has become a go to appliance for us.
wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 15:04 last edited by@kluurs thanks for the reply.
Mrs. George always asks if we should get one. I have a good spot in our kitchen for one, in a corner that's basically wasted anyway.
I'll measure and decide.
What kind of fries, by the way...frozen?
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@kluurs thanks for the reply.
Mrs. George always asks if we should get one. I have a good spot in our kitchen for one, in a corner that's basically wasted anyway.
I'll measure and decide.
What kind of fries, by the way...frozen?
wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 15:06 last edited by@george-k said in Cooking gadgets:
@kluurs thanks for the reply.
What kind of fries, by the way...frozen?
We mostly use it for frozen. Previously, I never thought reheated restaurant fries were very good - but they come out halfway decent now.
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wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 15:07 last edited by
I don't use electric gadgets too much, although I have a food processor, minichop, immersion blender, blender, Instant Pot, crock pot, regular blender. I LOVE my Breville toaster. My espresso machine lives in the basement.
Things I use a lot are my tomato knife, zester, pizza pan, other knives. I was thinking about a meat grinder, which would be handy at times.
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I don't use electric gadgets too much, although I have a food processor, minichop, immersion blender, blender, Instant Pot, crock pot, regular blender. I LOVE my Breville toaster. My espresso machine lives in the basement.
Things I use a lot are my tomato knife, zester, pizza pan, other knives. I was thinking about a meat grinder, which would be handy at times.
wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 15:22 last edited by@mik said in Cooking gadgets:
I don't use electric gadgets too much, although I have a food processor, minichop, immersion blender, blender, Instant Pot, crock pot, regular blender. I LOVE my Breville toaster. My espresso machine lives in the basement.
Things I use a lot are my tomato knife, zester, pizza pan, other knives. I was thinking about a meat grinder, which would be handy at times.
When you can find boston butt roasts on sale, you can make your pan sausage for close to $1/lb, seasoned how you prefer. And it will be lower in fat. You can also stuff your own link sausage, but I don't hot smoke, I cold smoke or use it fresh on the smoker. The cajuns have a dark brown gravy made with fresh link sausage that I'm still trying to get right.
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wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 15:38 last edited by
Got a butt in the fridge defrosting now. Going to make taco meat. Probably just do it in the oven instead of smoking it.
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wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 16:19 last edited by
Food processor is really about it for me.
My wife loves our insta-pot blender. Cooks as it blends. It makes incredible soup of a very specific kind, but I don't use it much myself.
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wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 18:15 last edited by LuFins Dad
Prep: I generally do almost everything by hand. I’ve used a food processor maybe 4 times in my life. I’m just too lazy to get everything set up and taking it back down afterwards. And cleanup? Ugh… Give me a knife and a cutting board (though I wouldn’t mind some classes on knife techniques… I think my process could be improved). It’s the same with the blender and other electronic gathers except for the immersion blender…
Cooking? Occasionally I will use s slow cooker, otherwise it’s all stovetop, oven, and charcoal/open fire. Unlike the the prep work, this is about the process and I love the process. I don’t think that I will ever get a gas or pellet grill. If I do, it will just be for the convenience of grilling some burgers quickly…
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wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 18:40 last edited by Mik
I’m a lot like Lufin. For most things it’s easier to do by hand. I’d like to take knife skills classes too.
I have a PK, a Weber kettle and a Broil King gasser. The gas grill is very handy.
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Food processor is really about it for me.
My wife loves our insta-pot blender. Cooks as it blends. It makes incredible soup of a very specific kind, but I don't use it much myself.
wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 19:27 last edited by@aqua-letifer said in Cooking gadgets:
Food processor is really about it for me.
incredible soup of a very specific kind,
What kind is that?
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@aqua-letifer said in Cooking gadgets:
Food processor is really about it for me.
incredible soup of a very specific kind,
What kind is that?
wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 19:47 last edited by@kluurs said in Cooking gadgets:
@aqua-letifer said in Cooking gadgets:
Food processor is really about it for me.
incredible soup of a very specific kind,
What kind is that?
The actual Insta-Pot brand blender. It's great.
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@aqua-letifer said in Cooking gadgets:
Food processor is really about it for me.
incredible soup of a very specific kind,
What kind is that?
wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 19:48 last edited by@kluurs said in Cooking gadgets:
@aqua-letifer said in Cooking gadgets:
Food processor is really about it for me.
incredible soup of a very specific kind,
What kind is that?
Oh the soup you mean.
Basically creamy soups. -
@kluurs said in Cooking gadgets:
@aqua-letifer said in Cooking gadgets:
Food processor is really about it for me.
incredible soup of a very specific kind,
What kind is that?
Oh the soup you mean.
Basically creamy soups.wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 23:25 last edited byBesides french fries, my spouse loves to make soup. I was thinking this might make an appealing acquisition though she seems to make humongous quantities and then freezes in serving sized containers - which partly explains the need for multiple freezers. Similar things happen with applesauce.
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wrote on 28 Nov 2021, 23:28 last edited by
Gotta love a woman who makes great soup.
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wrote on 29 Nov 2021, 01:34 last edited by
@kluurs said in Cooking gadgets:
Besides french fries, my spouse loves to make soup. I was thinking this might make an appealing acquisition though she seems to make humongous quantities and then freezes in serving sized containers - which partly explains the need for multiple freezers. Similar things happen with applesauce.
Each batch for us makes 2.5 bowls, with enough left over to fill about 2 pint jars. So, not a ginormous batch, but enough for leftovers. And (1) it's fast and (2) the results are better than a pot. Very good.