Let’s talk cookware
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@aqua-letifer said in Let’s talk cookware:
@lufins-dad said in Let’s talk cookware:
@aqua-letifer said in Let’s talk cookware:
Get a proper wok, and you'll save money by not buying half the crap on your list.
What happens when you have to cook 4 things at once?
Put it all in the wok.
Obvi.
lolz
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I'd suggest updating the pieces individually vs a full set. For example, we buy a new skillet every few years since we use it (medium and large) very often, whereas the larger pots have much less wear/tear on them. We also have a cast iron skillet for cooking steaks.
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@89th said in Let’s talk cookware:
I'd suggest updating the pieces individually vs a full set. For example, we buy a new skillet every few years since we use it (medium and large) very often, whereas the larger pots have much less wear/tear on them. We also have a cast iron skillet for cooking steaks.
Use the cast iron for more than that… Burgers for sure, chicken, pork, I love cast iron…
Me/rry/Christmas
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@lufins-dad said in Let’s talk cookware:
@89th said in Let’s talk cookware:
I'd suggest updating the pieces individually vs a full set. For example, we buy a new skillet every few years since we use it (medium and large) very often, whereas the larger pots have much less wear/tear on them. We also have a cast iron skillet for cooking steaks.
Use the cast iron for more than that… Burgers for sure, chicken, pork, I love cast iron…
How's the grill set-up look? We use our grill outside for all burgers, chicken, etc. Didn't you realize get a new one or a smoker or something?
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It takes 30 minutes to get a good fire going and to the proper temp. Unless you want to pretend you are grilling and use gas… Some days you need to cook indoors…
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@jolly said in Let’s talk cookware:
Or maybe just say, "To Hell with it, it's only money!". So make Mik jealous...
Too much work. Great stuff if you have kitchen staff.
“I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~Winston S. Churchill
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@lufins-dad said in Let’s talk cookware:
It takes 30 minutes to get a good fire going and to the proper temp. Unless you want to pretend you are grilling and use gas… Some days you need to cook indoors…
Put some flavor in your gas grill. I tend to use pecan or crabapple...
Link to video -
@mik said in Let’s talk cookware:
@jolly said in Let’s talk cookware:
Or maybe just say, "To Hell with it, it's only money!". So make Mik jealous...
Too much work. Great stuff if you have kitchen staff.
Yeah, Copper looks great but is a pain in the behind…
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I set em up…
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@lufins-dad said in Let’s talk cookware:
We need to update our cookware. I have finally convinced Karla to quit with the non-stick coated pans. Any recommendations?
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Cast Iron - I already have 2 skillets that are okay, but I don’t think they hold a seasoning as well as they should. I am thinking of moving these 2 to our outdoor/camping equipment and buying a Lodge or two (these are a Costco purchase, not Lodge…) but while cast iron is awesome for certain things, I think it’s a little too heavy for a lot of uses (pancakes and eggs immediately spring to mind) and I don’t want to go through the cleaning process with every single meal…
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Enameled Cast Iron - better at clean up plus I can use it for acidic sauces and such. Still very heavy… I am thinking that a single Dutch oven might make sense…
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Stainless Steel - probably the front runner if I buy a set, but it is going to have to a higher end with copper or aluminum core. Any recommendations?
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Carbon Steel… Kind of intriguing. Looks like it has all the pros of Cast Iron but a little easier maintenance and MUCH lighter. Still not great with acidic foods, though.
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Ceramic - Don’t know much about it except it looks like it’s from my grandmother’s kitchen…
Any recommendations? Mix and Match? Buy a set? Brands?
Yes to #3. All-Clad Copper Core is very good. We use that for nearly everything. Get a set that fits your use to save some bucks compared to buying each piece separately, then add some pieces to the set for uses that fit your cooking needs.
Williams-Sonoma gives you a discount when you use their card, and they have nice sale events. Combine the two to get a good deal. It still won't be cheap, but golly they are mighty nice and will last the rest of your life. I wish we had gotten the All-Clad before the Calphalon set we owned. It would have saved us a bundle overall.
Good for you to get rid of the nonstick stuff. I got so I hated mine, and they were the high end Calphalon brand. I need stuff I can put in the dishwasher without any worries, and that won't have the lining gradually scraped off into our foods. I also appreciate the browning capability of the All-Clad versus the non-stick.
You're on the right track. Make it happening.
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My setup:
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Cast iron
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2 all-clad stainless steel frying pans (one regular size, one large)
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Enameled dutch oven
That's probably 80% of our cooking. We have a non-stick for eggs. One non-stick wok. Small sauce pan and a stock pot.
We used to have cabinets full of crap until we deliberately cut it down.
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We recently got an enameled Le Creuset cast iron skillet. I like it. Also got a French press coffee maker from them, which has totally replaced my drip coffee maker.
Our new skillet was individually crafted by French artisans from the finest quality materials. Since 1925, Le Creuset enameled cast iron cookware is beloved for its perfected design and exceptional heat retention that produces superior results from stove to oven to table. Designed for generations of durability, the porcelain enamel requires no seasoning, minimizes sticking and is dishwasher-safe. But that's just IMO.
Education is extremely important.
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@horace said in Let’s talk cookware:
We recently got an enameled Le Creuset cast iron skillet. I like it. Also got a French press coffee maker from them, which has totally replaced my drip coffee maker.
Our new skillet was individually crafted by French artisans from the finest quality materials. Since 1925, Le Creuset enameled cast iron cookware is beloved for its perfected design and exceptional heat retention that produces superior results from stove to oven to table. Designed for generations of durability, the porcelain enamel requires no seasoning, minimizes sticking and is dishwasher-safe. But that's just IMO.
Mom was a big Le Creuset fan. It's great cookware, but it will chip...
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I could see paying 2-3 times more for the All-Clad but 5-6 times the cost of a Cuisanart set? From what I can see, both seem to cook about as well, but the All-Clad lasts forever and the Cuisinart will be replaced every 6-7 years. Does that seem accurate to those of you that own the respective pieces?
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A review on the Multiclad:
https://vivaflavor.com/cuisinart-multiclad-pro-review/
I don't remember how long we've had them, but I paid less than half what they go for today. I like the stainless lids, mostly because I have a wife that drops lids. You do have to learn a little different technique to cook with SS pans.
We don't cook like Mik. We do much simpler fare. But we do work our cookware.
I think we have around fifteen skillets, two sets of old Revere Ware pots to go with the Cuisinart pots, a Magnalite roaster, a cast iron dutch oven, a couple of big Club Aluminum (3 gallon?) pots, two Lodge porcelain on cast iron 8 qt pits, cast iron specialty pans ( corn bread sticks, biscuit ring pan) and some other stuff I'm forgetting.
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@lufins-dad said in Let’s talk cookware:
I could see paying 2-3 times more for the All-Clad but 5-6 times the cost of a Cuisanart set? From what I can see, both seem to cook about as well, but the All-Clad lasts forever and the Cuisinart will be replaced every 6-7 years. Does that seem accurate to those of you that own the respective pieces?
Wait for a good sale on the All-Clad. Use the W-S card for an additional discount on top of the sale price. Layer the discounts, and do this while you're still young enough to get many years of use from it. (Don't wait until you're an old fart like ... ahem.)
