Essential Cookware

[lewismalpas]

Hey everyone,

Been reading DC for a while now so thought it was time I stepped out of the shadows and joined the community.

I have been reading up on cookware as I am looking to invest in a few pieces of good cookware for everyday cooking which will stay with me for a few years whilst I improve and learn. At the moment I am a litte confused and overwhelmed by all the information I have read so hopefully you guys can point me in the right direction.

The majority of people recommend Tri-ply stainless steel, is this correct or should I be considering other materials?

Should I be looking as stainless with a non-stick surface or would it be better to learn to cook using uncoated stainless and buy one/two non-stick pans for eggs etc?

In terms of frying pans it seems most people recommend purchasing a 8", 10" & 12" - Do you guys have any advice on saucepans and saute pans?

Ideally the cookware would be oven safe so I can transfer the pans etc straight from the gas hob to the oven.

I get a lot of satisfaction out of well designed, functional products so I am willing to spend a decent amount of money on these pieces if needed. That said my local restuarant supply store is Nisbets (nisbets.co.uk) and therefore any advice on the stock they carry would be ideal. I did pay them a visit last weekend to look at their Vogue range which I have seen Gorden Ramsey using but I wasn't sold on the flat handle which I felt was too long and hard to handle, and thoughts on these?

Vogue Non-Stick Aluminium Frypan (S341) - | Nisbets Next Day Catering Equipment

Thanks everyone,

Lewis.

 

[Andy M.]

Hi Lewis. Welcome to DC.

It's hard to go wrong with tri-ply stainless. It'll do just about everything very well. This is the type I use. I prefer it to anodized aluminum as that's a surface coating that can be damaged. Also, SS is DW safe if that's a consideration. It would be oven safe if you got ones with metal handles.

However, it's not the only answer.

One or two small non-stick aluminum skillets of different sizes (8" for two eggs or a small omelet, a 10" for three or more eggs). I have a couple of inexpensive non-stick skillets that are made with enameled aluminum. Enameled aluminum is DW safe as it won't discolor in the DW.

You should also consider getting a couple of pieces of the completely un-chic alternative of cast iron. A 12" CI skillet is versatile and indestructible.

For me, kitchen tools, cookware, should be completely functional. That includes durability and ease of care. This is important unless you have a host of minions lurking in the background while you cook who can wash all your tools as they are dirtied and put them away. Sadly, I do not.

 

[Zereh]

nm <3

 

[Dawgluver]

Welcome to DC!

I agree with Andy. Love my SS pans, along with a couple of CI skillets and some cheapo nonsticks. I also have some little enamel pots for sauces. It's enough for me!

 

[Andy M.]

nm <3

What does this mean?

 

[pacanis]

What does this mean?

Drawing back from school days... nm is less than 3.


I was wondering the same thing

 

[Kylie1969]

Welcome to DC

 

[Lardeffect]

Stainelss steel pans and pots are very good. Also those non-stick coated. I wouldn't go for some fancy brand. I usually get mid-range stuff from restaurant supply stores. It's durable, good stuff and here in Europe is about 4-5 times cheaper than the stuff of similar quality and exctly the same usability in cookware shops. And they are for professionals that need reliable, durable stuff and demand that. Usually the handles are just metal, so they are oven safe.

I use those that are listed on this page:
Roestvrijstalen (steel)pannen Professional
other restaurant suppliers carry this model of pans under their brand - they are made in China.

In my opinion this is the best functionality+quality/price ratio available on the market. And because they are cheap, you can always buy a new one if it burns or is destroyed by kitchen experiments

I'm sure if you just go with mid-range restaurant stuff you will not go wrong

 

[Zereh]

What does this mean?

nm = never mind (I had too many threads open and replied in the wrong one!)

But I did find what America's Test Kitchen ~ Cookware 101 had to say about which basic pots and pans one should equip their kitchen with very interesting! The ones they list are indeed the ones I use over and over.

 

[lewismalpas]

Thanks for the warm welcoming everyone, I really appreciate your time and effort.

In terms of tri-ply stainless which brands would you recommend which meet my criteria? Would you also recommend looking at stainless with a non-stick surface or is it better to regular/uncoated SS?

In terms of pots and pan what would you guys recommend, i.e what sizes / types?

Thanks all!

 

[Lardeffect]

I cook for one-two people most of the time.
What I use most often:

I have stainless steel pans with non-stick coating (20 and 24cm). I don't really use pans without the non-stick surface, I do not see any advantage.

I am using a very small sauce pan with straight walls (I think is about 1 liter) and a 5 liter one quite often. I also use a sauce pan (I think its 20 cm in diameter) with curved walls for reducing sauces and stuff like that. I also use a 24cm pan with straight vertical edges (about 7cm high) quite often.

I have a le creuset cast iron grill pan that I have for special uses and a big 15l pot for making stocks that I later freeze for use in many dishes. I sometimes use a wok, but you can use a normal pan.

If you cook for more than 2, you should probably consider buying bigger pans and pots

 

[Andy M.]

For tri-ply, no non-stick, SS surface only. See my comments in my earlier post re non-stick.

Pan sizes depend on what and how much you cook. Basically, you'll need a skillet or two, saucepans (one with a steamer insert)and possibly a sauté (or frypan) pan. If you want to make your own stocks, a large stockpot is good to have. This doesn't need to be tri-ply but should have a multi-layer disk on the bottom (much cheaper and just as good).

All-Clad is considered the gold standard fro tri-ply SS. There are others as well. Cuisinart, Viking, Calphalon to name a few.

 

[CWS4322]

Welcome to DC! Many years ago, my mother bought me a "starter set" of Le Creuset enameled cookware. I still have it--love it, have grown from a novice cook to a rudimentary cook. I also have SS stockpots, and CI skillets, as well as a number of roasters, etc. One of the interesting things about my Le Creuset is that the pans pass the ice cube test. You put an ice cube in a pan, put another ice cube in a glass pyrex measuring cup or custard cup. The sides and bottom of the pan get colder as the ice cube melts. It also melts much faster (almost immediately) in the pan than it does in the pyrex measuring cup. The other thing, is that you can feel the coldness on the bottom of the pan and up the sides. It is an interesting experiment to try with cookware. There are other products on the market that do this as well.

Invest in the best cookware you can afford. I've had my Le Creuset for over 30 years. Love it still. But, I have other pans as well as I've said. I have a ton of Corningware (the blue flower pattern) that I use for casseroles, etc.

What you need are good knives, good pans, and a good cutting board. The rest is gravy.

 

[taxlady]

Thanks for the warm welcoming everyone, I really appreciate your time and effort.

In terms of tri-ply stainless which brands would you recommend which meet my criteria? Would you also recommend looking at stainless with a non-stick surface or is it better to regular/uncoated SS?

In terms of pots and pan what would you guys recommend, i.e what sizes / types?

Thanks all!

No non-stick on the tri-ply. I have a set of Lagostina SS pots and pans that have been doing a very good job for 23 years. They go in the oven too.

I also have some enamelled cast iron and plain cast iron. I don't bother with non-stick. Some of the plain cast iron is dedicated to eggs and is plenty non-stick, since it is seasoned.

 

[Andy M.]

...You put an ice cube in a pan, put another ice cube in a glass pyrex measuring cup or custard cup. The sides and bottom of the pan get colder as the ice cube melts. It also melts much faster (almost immediately) in the pan than it does in the pyrex measuring cup...

Sure. But it's hardly fair to compare cookware to a measuring cup.

Cast iron is a better conductor than glass. Stainless steel is better than CI. Aluminum is better than SS. Copper is better than aluminum.

 

[Dawgluver]

I like my Cuisinart SS set, got a good deal on it from Chef's Catalog, plus a free tea kettle. Goes in the oven and dishwasher.

 

[no mayonnaise]

I recommend:

10" SS fry pan
8" SS fry pan
10" Nonstick fry pan to be used for eggs ONLY
3qt saucepan
2qt saucier
a stock pot

As you move forward, replacing the SS fry pans with cast iron is a great idea, in my opinion. Nothing beats cast iron but learning to use it effectively is paramount and SS pans are a little more forgiving overall, especially in terms of cleanup. I wouldn't waste money on matching cookware sets that have a ton of crap in it when you'll likely end up using only a few pieces of the set and the rest collects dust. I'd also avoid nonstick for anything but a dedicated egg pan.

 

[RPro]

2 words - Carbon Steel

I've come full circle. Been through and still have various stainless steel offerings, have had too many non-stick to talk about. After 40 years I've settled on carbon steel.

 

[Josie1945]

Hi Lewis,
Welcome to DC.

Josie

 

[lewismalpas]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I've been reading up on non-stick vs uncoated stainless steel so I let you know which pans I decide to invest in.