ISO advice w/pots and pans

[Brenna]

I am having problems choosing new pots and pans. I don't know what kind I have right now, but they burn so easily. its crazy. One I'd like for cooking big batches of noodles. and maybe a smaller one for quickly boiling frozen foods, like frozen shrimp, frozen veggies, etc.

the rest I plan on buying in cast iron or clay.

any ideas?

 

[jennyema]

Clay?

Cast iron is great for a skillet or two and a Dutch oven, but IMO a much better and more practical idea would be to buy some decent SS cookware and supplement it with a CI skillet and Dutch oven.

 

[Brenna]

yes, clay. I'm getting my clay flameware skillet from claycoyote, god willing this monday. can't wait. I do plan on getting a cast iron griddle and maybe a cast iron skillet mostly for juice steaks.

but I'll probably get some other clay pots for cooking beans, frittatas, etc.

 

[CWS4322]

Interesting web site. Aren't you afraid of they'll chip or crack or break?

 

[jennyema]

claycoyote, interesting yes.

Seems pretty impractical for everyday use, IMO

 

[justplainbill]

Check out Demeyere and perhaps treat yourself to one piece. Over the years you may decide to buy additional pieces. We have two pieces (a gigundo water kettle & an Atlantis 3.5 qt conical / curved saute pan) that we are very satisfied with.

 

[CWS4322]

Seems pretty impractical for everyday use, IMO

My thought, besides chipping, etc., was how much space one would want to store them. I'd be hesitant to do any stacking. My Romertopf lives in its box, but I sure wouldn't have enough room to have many more boxes...not to mention the pain to take the pan out of its box everyday...I guess if one has lots of cupboard space or special racks so the pans can stack without touching each other, the storage space wouldn't be an issue...or, I guess one could hang them--but I hate having pans hanging over my head...not to mention dust on the ones I wouldn't use daily...and fly dirt (I live on a farm--cluster flies are a fact of life). And, Saint slime (it flies and does reach the ceiling).

 

[chopper]

CWS, I think that was maybe a TMI for me. I grew up on a farm with what Dad called s@@@ flies too, and it brought back some not so good memories. LOL. Anyway, I have had a clay roaster like the one you keep in it's box for 20 or more years. It has never broken, and stacks with other things just fine. It hasn't broken yet.

 

[justplainbill]

I have a couple of Roemertopfs and stack one inside the other with paper towel padding between them.

 

[Brenna]

for clay pots, a little education goes a long way. fine cracks can be filled up with milk treatment. there is a little pre-treatment, like soaking it in water before use it. and No, its not impractical at all. I have found sometimes when I'm cooking more than one thing at the same time, when I cook food at lower temps, like medium, I don't have to panic about it burning at any second, etc. and yes, the food takes longer to cook, but not THAT much longer. at least with certain foods. I really don't see clay pots as needing any more intense care than pyrex dish, corning ware, etc.

my 50 cents.

 

[jennyema]

My definition of impractical is soaking something in water before use it.

Clay is heavy and slow to heat, but it does hold heat well. More impracticalities.

The only thing you need to cook without fear burning is some decent fully clad stainless steel cookware. A lot cheaper and more practical than clay.

I have several clay pieces that I seldomly use but I like. I couldn't imagine in a million years basing my everyday cookware equipment on cast iron and clay. Sorry. But I cook a lot...

 

[Andy M.]

for clay pots, a little education goes a long way. fine cracks can be filled up with milk treatment...

How often do you have to do that?

 

[CWS4322]

I love using my Romertopf (sp), but I couldn't see using it every day (or anything made like it). Sorry, but I'm very partial to my Le Creuset pans and the stainless and CI pans I have. And yes, I realize Le Creuset has gone up in price (my starter set was $75--I recently did the replacement cost for the ones I have--the ones my mom bought and the extras she bought me at the same time--$1500). The clay pans are very pretty, but then I think my Le Creuset are also "pretty" (just wish purple had been available when my mom bought mine for me 30 years ago). The only damage my pans do is if I drop them on the ceramic tiles in the kitchen!

 

[Brenna]

I believe you only need to do it once to fill in the cracks. soaking it in water, is just a one time thing, you shouldn't have to do it again.

 

[GB]

I believe you are supposed to soak clay cookware in water before every use.

 

[justplainbill]

Roemertopf is clay ovenware and should be soaked prior to each use. Do not know about stove top clayware.

 

[Brenna]

it depends on what type of clay. claycoyote.com has some good differentiation between the types. the kind that I got is flameware, and you can use it directly on the stove, go up to medium heat without worries, didn't crack, no prewater treatment at all. isn't needed for flameware. so far so good. it has been pretty nice. the flavors are stronger. eggs are creamier. not as stiff are rubbery.

 

[ChefJune]

I believe you are supposed to soak clay cookware in water before every use.

If it is traditional Mexican cookware, it doesn't need to be soaked again once it is seasoned.

I do, however, question the practicality of large amounts of clay cookware. No question it breaks and/or gets damaged more easily than stainless steel.

 

[Brenna]

I beg to differ. I do think a couple of high quality clay dishes are very practical. like frittata. its perfect in a cazuela. its perfect for dishes that require slow cooking. especially because food cooked in metal tastes different than food cooked in clay. whether its good or bad, thats the way it is.

 

[jennyema]

All a frittata needs is a plain old skillet. It's a super easy non-fussy dish. Unlike other dishes it absolutely needs no special cookware.

Stainless steel imparts no taste to food.