What's your favorite cookware?

[Uncle Bob]

Love cast iron of every size and shape....Tri-Ply Stainless is great too...There are several excellent quality brands on the market with various price points.... I have found some of the less expensive brands (Tramontina) to work as well as the more expensive ones...Longevity may be an issue sometime in the distant future...Time will tell. ~ If I owned any 'non stick' pots or pans I would give them to an enemy!! Can't stand the stuff....\

Enjoy!

 

[Timothy]

My wok.

I can't even guess how many pounds of food have been cooked in it.

Wok fry, Deep fry, slow cook, steam, braise, bake...it does all of it.

 

[pacanis]

If I owned any 'non stick' pots or pans I would give them to an enemy!! Can't stand the stuff....\

Enjoy!

Why is that, Bob? I own a few non-stick cookware items and they have served me well, depending on what I'm cooking of course. What is it about non-stick that doesn't work for you?

 

[Uncle Bob]

Cast iron is the original non-stick surface....It works fine...even with eggs ~ I have no problems with Tri-Ply stainless sticking....even with eggs...I routinely (my go to pan) cook/fry eggs in an aluminum pan...no sticking problems there either...So why do I need it???? I don't!

 

[danbuter]

I just made bacon and eggs on my cast iron skillet and it worked perfectly fine. No sticking at all.

 

[chopchop]

The two most important things to look for in pots and pans are mass and conductivity. You need both of these things in a pan. The best that I've used, other than thick copper, is Calphalon. They are by far the nicest pans and sauce pots I've cooked on in years.

Ken Harper

 

[jusnikki]

Most seem to really like the wok. I've never owned one because I'm intimidated by it, lol. It's just looks....i don't know.....intimidating!

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Just cruise on over to Cost Plus and pick up a hammered steel wok, for around 12 bucks American. It's not a big investment, and you will learn to love it. Just keep it greased up until you break it in so that it doesn't rust.

 

[Timothy]

Most seem to really like the wok. I've never owned one because I'm intimidated by it, lol. It's just looks....i don't know.....intimidating!

Hey Nikki!

I was the same way for years. I thought there was some secret Oriental method that must be learned to cook in a Wok.

It's actually very easy and nothing more than what you do already, using other pans.

You can boil and simmer things in it.
You can stir-fry very easily. PM me if you need step-be-step help.
You can slow cook in it.
You can even bake some things in it.

I love my Wok. It's super easy to clean also.

 

[ChefJune]

So the cuisinart is fairly good when it comes to nonstick? Most of the nonstick stuff I've purchased hasn't lasted very long. I don't even get the kind that looks like it may peel, lol. It never last.... and thanks for responding.

Nikki: A word to the wise. Don't buy "non-stick" cookware. None of it holds up very well, and if you use "regular" cookware properly, your food will not stick.

Are you looking for non-stick because someone recommended it, or because you think you will cook healthier with it? Just curious. Can give better suggestions if you talk about what you are looking for and what you want to accomplish with it.

 

[jusnikki]

Nikki: A word to the wise. Don't buy "non-stick" cookware. None of it holds up very well, and if you use "regular" cookware properly, your food will not stick.

Are you looking for non-stick because someone recommended it, or because you think you will cook healthier with it? Just curious. Can give better suggestions if you talk about what you are looking for and what you want to accomplish with it.

Not really looking for nonstick. I haven't had much success with what I've used. It's all peeled at some point and yes I've used wooden utensils and was very careful. Wouldn't even let my husband cook in them, lol.

I basically want something you can cook in and has a nonstick surface. Like when I stir fry it sticks a little. I've learned from you all that I may not be letting my fried foods (not stir fry of course) sit long enough before I move it.

 

[jusnikki]

Hey Nikki!

I was the same way for years. I thought there was some secret Oriental method that must be learned to cook in a Wok.

It's actually very easy and nothing more than what you do already, using other pans.

You can boil and simmer things in it.
You can stir-fry very easily. PM me if you need step-be-step help.
You can slow cook in it.
You can even bake some things in it.

I love my Wok. It's super easy to clean also.

Slow cook, bake?? Really?? I did not know it had that many uses. I thought it was solely for stir fry type cooking. I didn't realize. Thanks for the info Timothy.

 

[jusnikki]

Just cruise on over to Cost Plus and pick up a hammered steel wok, for around 12 bucks American. It's not a big investment, and you will learn to love it. Just keep it greased up until you break it in so that it doesn't rust.

Just might do that for that price. So the care is similar to a cast iron... sounds good to me...

 

[Timothy]

Like when I stir fry it sticks a little.

Stir-Fry should never rest. It must be on very high heat and moving constantly to interchange the lower items with the higher items so that they all have equal time on the hottest part of the Wok.

Just enough oil to coat. I usually use only one tablespoon of oil, sometimes two on large batches.

The constant motion will keep anything from sticking. Stir-Fry is not a type of cooking where you can leave the batch sit at all. Depending on the type of food, sometimes things must be handled more carefully to keep from breaking them up, but still moving constantly. My Stir-Fry takes only one to two minutes usually. Three if the meat is thicker than normal. I try to make the meat about a quarter inch thick and one to two inches long and a half inch wide.

 

[Claire]

Part of it depends on your stove. I now have a flat, glass-top electric stove and a set of Sitram pots & pans. I had to buy all new ten years ago and these have been wonderful. I always (sorry, don't agree with some) have a non-stick skillet or two, have all my life. BUT I do not buy expensive, but mid-range, and simply replace when they wear out.

 

[jusnikki]

Stir-Fry should never rest. It must be on very high heat and moving constantly to interchange the lower items with the higher items so that they all have equal time on the hottest part of the Wok.

Just enough oil to coat. I usually use only one tablespoon of oil, sometimes two on large batches.

The constant motion will keep anything from sticking. Stir-Fry is not a type of cooking where you can leave the batch sit at all. Depending on the type of food, sometimes things must be handled more carefully to keep from breaking them up, but still moving constantly. My Stir-Fry takes only one to two minutes usually. Three if the meat is thicker than normal. I try to make the meat about a quarter inch thick and one to two inches long and a half inch wide.

Yes, I know but even though I'm stirring it stuff still sticks. But that's in my SS skillet. Well...... maybe I don't I don't "constantly" stir...lol.

 

[ChefJune]

Just might do that for that price. So the care is similar to a cast iron... sounds good to me...

Just make sure you don't purchase a wok with a wooden handle. It's a serious fire hazard.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Just make sure you don't purchase a wok with a wooden handle. It's a serious fire hazard.

What makes you say that? My wok has two wooden handles; a long one on one side and a D shaped one on the opposite side. I haven't had them catch on fire yet!

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Nikki: A word to the wise. Don't buy "non-stick" cookware. None of it holds up very well, and if you use "regular" cookware properly, your food will not stick.

I disagree. It's always nice to have a couple of non-stick skillets around, but I wouldn't invest a lot of money in them. I'd buy a couple of cheap teflon coated aluminium skillets at the restaurant supply store and when they start sticking, toss them out and buy new ones.

 

[pacanis]

I don't even recall the handle getting warm on my hand hammered, wooden handled wok. I use it on a standard stove though. Maybe a big commercial burner could have flames large enough to roll out the side.