(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best pots & pans

• Good quality non stick pans; duo set lids optional but recommend at least one. example or something similar quality.
  
  
• Take care of your pans!!! Actually read the care instructions. Do not let other's cook in your pans unattended. The smallest scratch just grows and everything flakes off and you're not supposed to consume teflon. There are alternatives cookware types though. I enjoy cooking as a past time and having nice cast iron around is fun but I haven't fallen into the habit of using it full time.
  
  
• Variety of non-stick pan friendly cooking utensils. You want these to be strong. You also may want something thin to flip delicate items. Don't buy them if you cannot test their strength in the store. Including a whisk. Just everything should be non-stick friendly.
  
  
• A few wooden spoons also strong. A few silicone spatulas for baking/stirring batter. These are a godsend for scraping anything sticky or oily out of a non-stick pot or glass bowl.
  
  
• Silicone tipped tongs. SILICONE TIPPED TONGS
  
  
• PARCHMENT PAPER!!! Get the giant two pack from Costco. I put this under anything that needs baked. I even line entire casserole dishes. Parchment Paper is made of SILICONE ALL HAIL TO SILICONE. Make cleanup a breeze. But do not cook higher than ~425-F for that long. It does burn under a broil.
  
  
• non-stick two quart pot with tight fitting lid. All of your non-stick utensils will come in real handy. Also non stick large stock pot type pot with lid.
  
  
• I personally haven't looked into plastic materials but in the long term if I ever put money into pantry & fridge food storage I would like to go with commercial kitchen type containers. But as it is right now we get these pretty cool reusable quart sized takeout container from the local Thai place so that's our primary tupperware.
  
  
• Rice cooker to free up your stove burners and cookware. They'll no longer be used for regular rice. I guess if you don't eat rice much it may not be an issue.
  
  
• We do have a couple metal pots that we use our vegetable steamer in.
  
  
• If you get a food processor do not get anything smaller than 14 cup capacity. I repeat, nothing smaller than 14 cup capacity. Even then that might be small for you. I have the 14 cup one and it seems you might like to scale things up a bit more than I. But think of the possibilities. I love a slew of roughage in my chili and bunch of diced small carrots is great texture. That's what I love the food processor for.
  
  
• kitchen speakers :) Something to listen to while you work.
  
  
• Love your knives correctly. sharpen them once or twice per year and follow good care instructions.
  

As an avid veggie-eater, here's a few pointers:

1. Choose fresh veggies, not canned or frozen, if possible. Some veggies are okay frozen, like peas; others, like brussels sprouts and spinach, turn into a slimy mess.
   
2. Proper cooking is key. Vegetables shouldn't disintegrate at the touch of your fork, they should still be intact while you're plating them up. I'd suggest, steaming, roasting, or stir-frying most veggies.
   
   a. Steaming is very simple, just get as steamer basket (something like this, they're available at basically any store with home goods). Cut up some vegetables, put them in the steamer, put the steamer in a pot with just enough water to not quite touch the bottom of the steamer, put the lid on and let them cook. Poke them with a fork after a few minutes, and if the fork goes in with some resistance, it's done. Don't overcook. In my opinion, the best veggies to steam are broccoli, green beans, carrots, asparagus, and spinach.
   
   b. Roasting takes a little more work, but is super delicious. You just need an oven-safe pan (a baking pan, a cookie sheet, something like that) and some oil (I usually use olive oil personally). Good roasting veggies include brussels sprouts, beets, carrots, asparagus, cauliflower, zucchini, and squash. Drizzle cut-up veggies with a bit of oil (don't go overboard or they'll get oily and soggy) and the seasoning of your choice (salt and pepper, seasoning salt, balsamic vinegar, or herbs like thyme, rosemary, and sage, just for starters), bake at 375F until they're done (same fork test as steaming).
   
   c. Stir-frying. Good for leafy greens like spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and cabbage, as well as pea pods, bell peppers, green beans, and most other green veggies. Put a bit of oil in a pan, set to medium or medium-high heat, toss in veggies, stir around until veggies are done, season to taste (tastes good with some sesame oil and soy sauce).
   
   
3. Salads. Listen, people always go on about salads as if they're the healthiest possible thing, but they're only as healthy as you make them. If you can only stand salads drenched in creamy dressing, don't force yourself to eat it because it's "healthy". Also, if you're not used to salad greens, a lot of them might seem really bitter to you (stuff like arugula or kale) and turn you off. If you want to go for salads, I'd suggest some baby spinach and a nice mild lettuce like romaine, topped with whatever other veggies you like raw (radishes, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms...). Throw on some other fun stuff like dried cranberries, feta cheese, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, whatever strikes your fancy. Drizzle with vinaigrette and go to town.
   
   
4. Raw veggies can make good snacks. I'm a big fan of carrots, sweet bell peppers (the red, orange, or yellow ones), snow peas or sugar snap peas, radishes, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. These veggies, especially when bought in season, are delicious and can be much sweeter than you might expect. I'm eating cherry tomatoes out of my garden right now, and they taste like candy they're so sweet. Lots of people also like raw broccoli, cauliflower, green bell peppers, and celery, although those aren't my favs. They might be yours though. If you want, try eating them with a yogurt dip or hummus.
   
   Hope that helps a bit!

I'm still not sure why carbon steel frying pans haven't caught on yet.

Basically carbon steel frying pans are a kind of happy medium between cast iron and your standard non-stick pan. Like non-sticks, they heat up pretty quickly, but like cast iron they are very durable, can tolerate very high heats (unlike a non-stick!) and once properly seasoned are pretty non-stick. I love it for making eggs in the morning because unlike a cast iron, I don't have to wait 5-10 minutes for it to get properly hot.

If you recognize the metal from their use in woks, which are pretty bad at holding heat, skillet style carbon-steel pans like the kind I'm talking about tend to be a little thicker and hold heat better.

There are downsides: fast heating means fast cooling, too, so unlike cast iron, they can't hold heat as well and you're not going to get the kind of sear and heat you can get with a cast iron or a stainless steel pan. On the other hand, they're not terrible at holding heat, and if you get a bigger pan (which you might want anyway) and leave yourself some breathing room, this isn't a problem most of the time.

They're also more expensive than cast iron and most non-sticks, but not by much. They also last forever (unlike non-sticks) so it ends up paying for itself over time.

If you're trying to minimize kitchen items, the carbon steel frying pan is a great all-around, utility player.

A good option is the Lodge Pre-Seasoned Carbon Steel Skillet, which like their cast iron comes pre-seasoned (but it's a good idea to do a round or three of seasoning anyway). If you get this, I highly recommend you pick up a silicone handle. It's almost a necessary accessory as it turns the pan from painful to hold due to heat and form to a friendly handshake from your frying pan.

That is the one I have and it's easily my most used pan. That said, I do eat way more eggs than seared meats. On the other hand, if I had to I'd still feel comfortable cooking a good, well-seared steak in this pan if for some reason I couldn't reach for my cast iron (I couldn't say the same about a non-stick).

If you want a little bit better heat retention, the deBuyer is in the same price range, but it's a little heavier, which'll help it retain heat. It doesn't come pre-seasoned, so you'll have to put a little bit more work into it. I don't own this, but it's generally a good, popular brand.

I don't have time to make sure it's comprehensive and everything but I can throw some stuff together real quick:


Knives

You really only need 2, a chef's knife and serrated knife. A pairing knife is occasionally useful but rarely necessary. If you really like sharp knives, buy a whetstone and learn to sharpen, cheap knives can get just as sharp as expensive ones.

• https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-Chefs-Knife-8-Inch/dp/B008M5U1C2
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Update-International-KP-05-German-Offset/dp/B0029SMITC/
  
• If you want a pairing knife, just buy an ultra cheap one, it's not something that really needs to be sharp
  
• Here's a cheap and decent whetstone if you want to learn to sharpen knives. Def recommend doing that, there's a million Youtube vids about it, not that hard really https://www.amazon.com/Sharpening-Whetstone-Non-Slip-Sharpener-Waterstone/dp/B074YJRL7T
  
  ​
  
  Pots and Pans
  
  You need four or five things here. I'd say your mainly looking for a large saute pan, a stock pot, and a sauce pan. If you cook eggs you can grab a non-stick saute pan too. Don't use non stick pans for things that don't stick to pans. They wear out fast and they're garbage when they lose their coating. Oh and a sheet pan.
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Finish-Aluminum-Frying-Commercial/dp/B002AGY7OW/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=aluminum+saute+pan&qid=1563996953&s=home-garden&sr=1-3
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Cooks-Standard-12-Quart-Stainless-Stockpot/dp/B01M7RNBZA/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-719-16-Classic-Stainless-Saucepan/dp/B00008CM69/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=sauce+pot&qid=1563997129&s=home-garden&sr=1-3
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Cooks-Standard-02569-Nonstick-Anodized/dp/B079ZLDG14/
  
• https://www.amazon.com/New-Star-Foodservice-36831-Commercial/dp/B009LA10OA/
  
  ​
  
  Other Shit
  
  
• Possibly the most useful cooking thing ever https://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Commercial-Products-FG1962000000-Silicone/dp/B0000CFO2S
  
• Cheese grater, garlic press, zester all in one https://www.amazon.com/Microplane-40020-Classic-Zester-Grater/dp/B00004S7V8
  
• A wooden spoon, like any wooden spoon
  
• A spoon with holes in it, you probably have one already
  
• A sturdy metal spatula, like this https://www.amazon.com/Winco-TN719-Hamburger-Turner-6-Inch/dp/B001VZAKGM (fucking lol at calling that a "harmburger turner")
  
• Any type of cutting board is fine as it long as it's not glass or marble or something (those are probably the best example of conning rich people with an actively horrible product)
  
• This is better than any colander out there and has other uses too https://www.amazon.com/New-Star-Foodservice-34127-Perforations/dp/B009LLIJCA
  
• Some kitchen scissors, any are fine but these are nice https://www.amazon.com/Joyce-Chen-51-0621-Unlimited-6-25-Inch/dp/B0009XYW9
  
• Any knife steel, a cheap one like this is fine https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Knife-Sharpening-Rod/dp/B07J1TZ4DK/
  
• A ladle and a whisk, you probably already have them
  
• A cheap immersion blender is a great alternative to ridiculously expensive food processors/blenders
  
  ​
  
  This is just suggestions if you don't have the stuff already, I think the real bottom line is that the stuff you already have is likely fine, and being a good cook is about knowledge and technique and putting effort into tasty food for people you care about, not gear.

Consider an induction range with a convection oven. I, too, had an electric range until recently. I absolutely despised electric. And I, too, was looking into a gas range... but then I tripped on induction ranges, bought one, and I love it.

I like induction better than gas. I had gas for many years before moving to a home with an electric range. Induction reacts instantly to temperature changes. It heats incredibly fast. The top is nice and flat so it stays nice and clean, where gas ranges tend to get pretty grimy with all those grills and indentations that get burned on grease that is almost impossible to get off. And stuff doesn't burn on to an induction cook-top like it does with electric. There are other pluses too long to get into here.

You'll need cookware that works with it, but we found some great stuff for decent prices, and much of what you have may work just fine... if a magnet sticks to the bottom of your pan, it will work on induction. If it doesn't stick, it won't work. This is the stuff we bought. We like it better than our all-clad stuff, and it costs a fraction of the price: This, this, and this.

Anyway, look into induction. Like this one.

Carbon Steel. I used to use cast iron like every one else in America but I got a carbon steel pan for Christmas. I love it. The crusts I'm getting are fantastic. I need more practice before I say for sure that the sears are better than cast iron but they're at least as good, maybe better.

Lighter weight than cast iron. They heat up quicker and cool down faster, which is great for going from searing to making a pan sauce.

I don't think most Americans have used a carbon steel pan. Most of the people around here are going to tell you to get cast iron. I'd ask them if they've ever tried carbon steel. My guess is that they haven't. I'll never go back.

Edit: here is the one I have. I chose it because it was recommended by America's Test Kitchen.

It's a little more expensive than cast iron but well worth it. I mean, you're gonna have the thing forever.

Oh yeah, they're just as non-stick as cast iron if not more so.

What I always suggest is to first decide what you're going to can, how much you will be canning at one time and what size jars you will be canning in.

These are important to know because, as others have said, jellies, jams, fruits, pickles and properly acidified tomatoes can be done in a water bath canner, while vegetables and meats must be pressure canned.

Knowing what size of jars you are going to be using makes a difference in what size of canner(s) you will need. If you're canning for a family, you will likely need to use quart sized jars. But if you are a single person or a couple, you will probably only want to do pint jars.

Too, it's customary that jams or jellies are canned in half-pint jars although it is perfectly acceptable to do them in pints if you will use that much jam in a reasonable amount of time once it's been opened. Large mouth jars (both pints and quarts) and their lids are more more expensive than the regular mouth jars. However, meats and things like whole pickles or pickle spears almost require large-mouth jars.

The jar size also matters because some canners don't work with larger sized jars. Also, very large canners will accept two layers of jars which is great for canning many jars at a time but time and energy wasting to use for small batches.

To get started water-bath canning, the only must haves are:

1. Jars
   
2. Lids and rings
   
3. Stock pot or canner (with lid) at least 3" deeper than your jars
   
4. Jar lifter
   
5. Trivet to keep the jars from touching the bottom of the pot (a layer of extra jar rings works brilliantly for this)
   
   The most affordable places to buy these supplies are going to be somewhere local to you. None are very expensive at all. Some water-bath canners come with a rack inside them, which is both a trivet and a jar lifter itself. New boxes of jars come with lids and rings. The rings (also called bands) are reusable, the lids are not, but anywhere that sells the jars will have more lids. Walmart, Target, K-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot, ACE Hardware and places like that will have nearly everything you need for water-bath canning.
   
   As for pressure canning, you will need:
   
   
6. Jars
   
7. Lids and rings
   
8. Jar lifter
   
9. Pressure canner (equipped with lid, gasket, weight, gauge & trivet)
   
   I highly recommend that you read up and shop around before buying a pressure canner. They are somewhat of an investment at between $70 and $400. When you're ready to select a pressure canner, come back and ask and I know everyone around here will help you decide what's right for you. The inexpensive canners are very good but there are also very good reasons to buy a more pricey one and it takes a whole post in itself to discuss them!
   
   Something inexpensive and very nice to have is a little canning set like this no matter which method of canning you do. These tools will be safer to use rather than winging it and will save you infinite amounts of time and frustration. I've seen these same sets at Walmart for something like $8-$10.
   
   I hope this helps!

ooo I like this game.
A small microplane is great.
A good quality paring knife too I love the garnishing set from opinel. Or any opinel paring knife for that matter.
handheld little blowtorch (check amazon, there are some decent ones for under 30$)

as a woman of the cheffy persuasion I always love getting little gourmet ingredients in my stocking too.

Have you ever had "Noble" syrup? https://www.mikuniwildharvest.com/shop/product/noble-tonic-01-tuthilltown-bourbon-barrel-matured-maple-syrup/

the tiny bottles of this product are ridiculously adorable.

I also love getting infused salts.

A tiny pestle and mortar might be cool too! They are around 10$ or so.

Also a little cast iron pan. And then suggest that she bake a chocolate chip cookie in it and that you top it with ice cream and you eat it together. Then you're pretty much a hero.

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LMS3-Miniature-Skillet-3-5-inch/dp/B000LXA9YI/ref=sr_1_27?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1449512537&sr=1-27&keywords=cast+iron+pan

plus it's cast iron, so will last forever. like your love. (aww)

I know the feeling. The minutia of every day life is overwhelming sometimes. It can get better though. Not perfect, but definitely better.

​

Regarding food, cooking, etc - first off, there's nothing saying you have to eat 3 meals a day. It's not a rule, it's just kind of how we usually grow up thinking we're "supposed" to eat. But it's totally not necessary. As long as you're getting adequate calories/nutrients it doesn't matter to your body whether you eat 3 meals or just one or what time of day you eat or anything like that. Food is fuel.

​

About the groceries, I totally feel you there. There's too many choices, too much information, it's overload. So the easiest way to deal with that is to eliminate some of the choices and simplify things. Focus your meals on protein and produce. So shop around the edge of the store, get you some meat/protein you like, some sort of produce to go with it, and maybe some fruit or dairy if you're feeling fancy. Buy yourself one of these, put your veggies in the bottom, your meat on top or in the middle, salt, pepper, spices if you like them, and then stick that sucker in the oven for an hour or 2. Super easy, low effort tasty meal. Even better if you make a LARGE batch, and then you have meals for the next two or three days and don't have to cook again until then.

​

Simplifying where ever possible is the key to dealing with this shit.

​

Little routines help as well. For example, the teeth thing, make it a point to always brush your teeth right after you get out of the shower. Morning, afternoon, whenever you take a shower, right then as soon as you get your naked self out of the shower, brush your teeth. After you it a while, the brain will just go on autopilot and you'll find yourself doing it without having to try so hard to remember to do it.

​

Take a look at your environment too. Is it cluttered and full of crap you don't really need? If so, take baby steps to get rid of all that junk. That stuff weighs on you mentally and emotionally. And just fucking looking at it sometimes is exhausting. Like where to even start?! It's paralyzing, exactly like what you're describing. And it makes you feel like shit - like you just keep asking yourself "why is all of this so damn hard?", and then it just goes downhill from there. But it is fixable, in tiny little 5 minute doses. Carve out small spaces for yourself, just a little bit at a time, like one day make sure your bed is cleaned off, and then the next day pick up the clothes off the floor, just one little step, one little five minute window of activity at a time. It's much more doable and less overwhelming when you think to yourself, "Well I only have to pay attention to this for five minutes" than if you're thinking, "Oh god this is going to take hours" because then of course we don't want to get started and nothing gets done.

​

And you can do the same thing with the driving. It doesn't have to be a lot, just little windows of practive here and there. Start by driving around the block. Or just practice reversing down the driveway a few times until it starts to feel more comfortable. Like all the rest of it, it doesn't have to be a huge effort, just little ones that you stick with more or less over time.

​

And forgive yourself when you forget something. It's going to happen. The thing to tell yourself is that just because you fucked up doesn't mean you ARE a fuck up. You're just an imperfect human being like the rest of us, and from time to time you're not going to live up to everything you expect from yourself. That's ok though. That's just being a person.

These days I use a stainless steel steamer basket for most things I make with the Instant Pot.

Something like this

You should be able to get one right now at Walmart. It won't cost more than 5-10 bucks.

Why a steamer basket is better than the free trivet that comes with Instant Pot:

• Sits a bit higher than the free trivet: allows you to catch (or use) more liquid without immersing the food in liquid
  
  • If it's too high for you, you can use a hack saw or file to trim the legs to the height of your liking
    
• Fine mesh: allows steam to pass through just as easily, but smaller food pieces will not fall through
  
  • Also, you will be able to easily steam loose peas, beans, corn, etc.
    
• Conforms to the pot interior better: food pieces will not fall through the gap between the pot and the basket
  
• Easier to lift out food: the central handle on the steamer basket makes it easier to lift out done food, reducing the chances of spills and messes
  
  Basically, a steamer basket does everything the free trivet does, but better. And it lets you do things you can't do with just the free trivet. It might be one of the best value upgrades / hacks you can do for your Instant Pot.
  
  Edit: Sorry, somehow missed the part where you said you have a steamer. I would avoid using plastic in the IP. Suggest you get an all stainless steel one for IP usage.

Subscribe to this subreddit, good first step.

Visist www.homebrewtalk.com and join up there too, a HUGE treasure trove of knowledge.

Buy this: http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/essential-brewing-starter-kit.html

Watch the DVD.

Now, I don't know your budget, if you want to just make some beer this should get you going.

If you want my recommendation for stuff to get now:

A good brewpot, large enough to boil all grain and do brew in a bag, here's a pretty badass one:

http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1144-44-Quart-Stainless/dp/B000FTLY1K/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1396500991&sr=8-8&keywords=stainless+stockpot

A wort chiller:

http://www.amazon.com/Copper-Immersion-Chiller-Length-Drain/dp/B007ZDIIOA/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1396501051&sr=8-6&keywords=wort+chiller

A good propane burner, I got this one for free on special a while back and love it:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/the-dark-star-burner.html

This is basically all I use to brew all grain beer, I don't like to get too fancy I just want to make some good beer, and I produce pretty good beer, if I do say so myself.

I'll just list everything that I can, how's that?

The bakers rack on the left is This

The left most skillet is an AUS-ION
They're made in Australia and so smooth. Some nice touches of the piece are the very detailed cut-out of Australia on the handle and another nice engraving on the bottom.

Then there's the Stargazer. My first expensive piece. It's also very smooth. It's had a hard time keeping its seasoning, and I've admittedly been babying it by seasoning and seasoning it with flaxseed oil and a Crisbee puck.

Then there is the Finex group. It starts with the 10" grill pan. Then there's the 12" and 8". I just love the different geometric shapes of them.

All the way to the right is the Lodge Sauce Pot

I haven't used it a whole lot other than to make a few dips.

Between the big hanging skillets are some Lodge 4" and 5" skillets that I thought just looked cool and rounded out my collection.

The griddle is just a double sided griddle from world market. It's my go to pancake tool.

Then there is an A1 Chef pizza pan that I honestly don't use very much. I tend to just use some cheap aluminum pans with holes on the bottom because they're easier to form the crust on.

On the middle shelf from left to right are my 10" and 12" lodges. The 10" was my very first cast iron skillet. They've both been stripped and reseasoned and are much smoother than factory. I don't see myself giving up my first two skillets. I still use them a lot.

In the middle is the 10" grill pan from Lodge. I honestly hate cleaning the grill pans and have found that the lines in the meat aren't really worth the scraping. There's also some cheap fajita skillet that I don't think I've ever used.

And on the right is the Lodge enameled dutch oven but in the light grey. I love this thing, and got it for a song on Amazon one day.

On the bottom shelf on the left is the Lodge Wok I have definintely not used it. It seems like it would be better on a gas range, which I don't have. This was an impulse buy, and I don't know how to really cook any asian food, so who knows.

Then last but not least is the regular Lodge Dutch Oven
Many a roast has been made in this. The drip spikes on top does the basting for you. I just got a sous vide setup, so I'll probably be using it less and less, but sometimes I know I'll want the smell of a roast wafting through the air all day on a cold Autumn day.

Bonus pieces Kitchenaid Stainless Steel cookware set on top with All clad non-stick pans to the right of those.

Then there are some Lodge Stonewear on the other bakers rack

I love all of my kitchen Gadgets and it is hard to choose just one that is my favorite. I really love my pasta machine. I don't use it every day but I use it a lot to make fresh pasta. I also love my new spiral vegetable cutter. I can now make all sorts of healthy dishes and they look great too!

I have wanted one of these for years especially now since i have to eat all healthy and stuff :)

Let's do it in the kitchen.

Start simple. The best way to learn to cook for your family is gradually. It'll be trial and error but you'll slowly add dishes to your arsenal. Steaming veggies is also great. Pick up a stainless steel collapsing steamer and you'll have veggies ready in less than ten minutes. I suggest starting with fresh baby carrots, frozen broccoli, frozen peas, frozen corn, frozen string beans. Kids love them and they keep well. Steam them until just tender then remove from heat. Empty water from pot and put vegetables back in. Dress them with butter or olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Once you have that down you can start using soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, parmesan cheese, etc to flavor them. Find a basic chicken soup recipe...then add baby spinach to it after its done...once spinach is the norm switch to kale. Good luck! If you want some more recommendations feel free to PM me.

From Season 8: A New Way with Turkey

TESTING NOTES


**


WINNER
Rated as RECOMMENDED:

• Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel Roasting Pan with Rack - $119.95
  
  > This heavy, sturdy pan features good handles and an efficient, gently flared interior shape, making it especially easy to stir and deglaze. It was also the best at browning. Comes with sturdy nonstick U-rack.
  
  Amazon Link
  
  
  
  Three others were also rated as RECOMMENDED:
  
  
• Cuisinart Chef's Classic Roasting Pan - $79.95
  
  > Very good on the stovetop, but testers saw some uneven browning in the pork loin test. Excellent handles, good heft, and an overall solid feel were more than enough to overcome that small demerit. Comes with useful V-rack.
  
  Amazon Link
  
  
• KitchenAid Gourmet Distinctions Roasting Pan with Rack - $49.95
  
  > This pan shined brightest in the potato test, but buckled a bit on the stovetop with both the turkey drippings and the pork loin. It has some of the winning attributes of two pans above, but wasn't quite in their class for heft and performance. Comes with U-rack that has awkward hinged handles.
  
  Amazon Link
  
  
• Granite Ware Oval Roasting Pan - $15.70
  
  > Very fast, even, deep browning on the potatoes, but this pan's thin bottom made it highly temperamental on the stovetop. Also, testers found the raised, patterned bottom to be problematic when deglazing. No rack included.
  
  Amazon Link
  
  **
  
  
  
  RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS:
  
  
• Farberware Classic Accessories Large Roasting Pan - $34.95
  
  **
  
  NOT RECOMMENDED:
  
  
• Metro Roasting/Lasagna Pan
  
• Anolon Accessories Stainless Steel Roasting Pan
  
• Metro Stainless Steel Oval Roasting Pan with Domed Lid
  

I'm a big fan of my carbon steel over my cast iron, mainly due to the same ability to heat up, but they cool quicker (more responsive when sauteing), and most importantly are a fair bit lighter. They retain the same non-stick properties as cast iron as well.

As for the EU, I have to assume you can get any of the big French manufactured pans that we have to import to the US. De Buyer, Matfer, Mauviel. I have the Matfer Bourgeat Black Steel and I love it.

As for seasoning, just follow the traditional French method that most of the pan manufacturers recommend (potato peels, salt, and oil). America's Test Kitchen found it had perfect results with it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xxMGT1ocWI

Most people will agree that Blichmann is top of the line, but you don't need a $400 pot to make good beer. I would recommend a 10G Bayou Classic stainless steel, you can typically find it for under $100 on Amazon.

You'll see a lot of pots out there with lots of different bells and whistles, but those extras are marginally helpful. The 3 main options you will see are: sight glass, thermometer, ball valve

Sight glass - nice to have, fun to see your liquid level inside the pot, but if you take proper measurements and know your boiloff rate, then this becomes almost completely unnecessary.

Thermometer - If you are mashing in your kettle / BIAB, you'll want to check your temperature with a fast reading digital thermometer anyway. The analog thermometers that would be installed are too slow to respond in changes for it to be useful. If you are mashing in a cooler and only boiling in the kettle, then the thermometer really isn't necessary - you don't need a thermometer to tell you whether or not your wort is boiling.

Ball valve - This option is helpful, but less so if you have a regular brew partner. 5-6G of wort weighs 50-60 lb, so depending on your setup it may make sense to get a ball valve. That being said, Bayou Classic makes an 8, 10, and 16G kettle with ball valves for $116 - $160.

The thing is, even if you want all this stuff, it's way cheaper to buy the BC kettle and just add those bits and pieces onto it. You can buy anything you need from brewhardware.com or bargainfittings.com and still spend less than a megapot or blichmann

I've cooked roasted pieces of chicken, like breasts and thighs, but obviously not a whole chicken. It cooks significantly faster. I usually just stick a thermometer in my roast chicken and walk away... As far as quality of the meat afterwards, it isn't really any different... Still nice and juicy.

We use it a lot for salmon because you can do baked salmon in little under 15 minutes. It's also great for frozen food, like it'll shave about 5 minutes off of the oven cook time for frozen foods (I have a soft spot for dinosaur chicken nuggets).

I have this guy https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0097D2T7S/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I paid 35.99 (Looked up my order history on Amazon) for it. So it looks like it's currently overpriced

Order Summary
Item(s) Subtotal: $35.99
Shipping & Handling: $0.00
Total before tax: $35.99
Estimated tax to be collected: $2.16
Grand Total: $38.15


As an aside, for whole roast chicken I think this is the best way hands down. https://smile.amazon.com/Lodge-L8DO3-Pre-Seasoned-Dutch-5-Quart/dp/B00006JSUF/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1474895325&sr=8-11&keywords=lodge+dutch+oven

Corn oil, peanut oil and sesame oil are best for the temperatures needed for really good stir fry. And, as they're listed above is ascending in flavor and cost; corn oil being worst for taste and best for cost, while sesame is best for flavor and worst for cost (somewhat subjective there in terms of which tastes best).

Also, this sums up pretty well how and why to heat a wok properly. Short story: round bottom is better with open flame, flat bottom is better with electric (with open flame being vastly preferable if available).

The best way to get authentic stir fry in your situation is with a round-bottom wok and a wok ring placed over your gas burner cranked to max. Just make sure to get a good wok, nothing with non-stick coating (unless you like eating poison :)

Ok, here are a few easy suggestions:

Most veggies can be oven roasted for extra flavour. I often toss a bunch of "about to go bad" veggies into a cast iron oven like this tossed with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add anything you can think of - sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, onions, whole cloves of garlic are awesome - the more colours the better. Let it all sit in the oven for ~1h at 350 and you have an amazing pot full of nutritional goodness. I'll often have just these veggies with a piece of meat I've cooked separately, or sometimes I add meat to the pot (peameal bacon, chopped steak).

It's a very easy way to get a lot of great vegetables into you :)

Another one of my favourite recipes for using a ton of veggies is stuffed peppers. I posted it here:

http://www.reddit.com/r/fitmeals/comments/ilp7p/stuffed_peppers/

Here are some pots to consider:

• Bayou Classic 36 quart (9 gal) Stainless Steel - $75
  
  
• Granite Ware 50 quart (12.5 gal) - $59.99
  
  
• Bayou Classic 44-Quart (11 gal) SS pot - $111.14
  
  
• Bayou Classic 36 quart (9 gal) SS - $75
  
  
  Here are some turkey fryers to consider if you want to make a bigger investment.
  
  
• Bayou "Basics" with 30 quart (7.5 gal) Aluminum pot. $56.77
  
  
• Bayou Classic with 32 quart (8 gal) SS pot - $140.98
  
  
  Both Aluminum and Stainless steel make great pots. Stainless takes a bit to heat up, but holds up really well to Clean In Place cleaners and oxygen based cleaners.
  
  Aluminum has to have a passive oxidized layer built up on it. Just fill the pot up, boil water in it for 30 minutes and the pot is good to go for the rest of its life. The only negative is you can't use Clean In Place/Oxygen/Bleach based cleaner on it. Some warm, non-scented soap works nicely though.
  
  Good luck.

A stock pot with a steamer and colander is more useful than just a stock pot. Something like this Just an example, I'm sure there are others.. Stock pots really don't need a thick bottom, as stock is not likely to burn in hot spots, same with boiling pasta and steaming, but a thick base like this one has will work well making stews, chili and other thicker soups. It also makes searing pot roast easier and you then use it as a dutch oven. A double boiler pot would make it perfect.

12" skillet seems big. Most burners I have used really don't cover that area well. For a primary first skillet I'd go with a 10.25".

Most decent knives are BIFL, so find one that is comfortable to use. personally I did not like the grip on the Victorinox, but over all a good knife.


It is strange they don't list a sauce pan.

Under $10

Under $20

$$$ I have this guy on my own wishlist! It's good for canning low-acid items like green beans and beets and etc.

As a bonus, here's a fun book: Put 'Em Up. I have it and it's great! Also, you can make things like jam with little sugar by using pectin, or if you aren't into jams and preserves, you can pickle things and can sauces. It's just generally awesome.

Meanwhile...you also asked about a wok. Woks seem to have their own holy ground, with some cooks saying cast iron (again) makes the best wok, because you can heat it to blazing high temperatures; while others praise carbon steel woks for more precise temperature control. The most popular place to go online for a genuine Oriental wok at a decent price is The Wok Shop, which will sell you woks of both kinds. If you go looking for a wok in the real world and not online, look for one with a curved bottom; some so-called woks actually have a flat bottom, which negates the whole idea of having a special hot spot right at the center of your pan for cooking. Some of the better woks will have a curved bottom and a flat base to place on your stovetop, while the traditional Oriental woks usually require you to get a separate wok ring in order to place the round-bottomed wok on your stovetop.

One thing I can't recommend highly enough for your wok is a wok turner, also called a wok shovel. And that's exactly what it is: a utensil shaped like a shovel, which works perfectly in a wok. It's so easy to turn your stir fry around with this utensil, you can actually feel the difference between this and a usual spatula or spoon. You absolutely must get a wok turner for use with a wok -- and it must be shaped like a traditional Oriental wok turner. Most of the "turners" they sell in grocery stores are just spatulas that aren't shaped right for a wok.

Again, my bias for cast iron is speaking here, and you can skip this part if you want: I used a generous Amazon gift certificate last Christmas to get the Lodge cast iron wok, a heavy duty monster of a wok that I absolutely love. I use it at least once a week, often more, and it's well seasoned by now. The best thing about this heavy-duty wok is the way it stays firm and solid on the stovetop, so that I don't have to hold the pan with one hand while I stir my food in it. The bare cast iron lets me use a metal wok turner without worrying about scratching or damaging it. If there's a wok that would best suit /r/BuyItForLife, I'll gladly nominate this for the award. (A less expensive but still heavy-duty cast iron wok can be found here: the Cajun Cookware 12-inch wok with handle).

Yes, lots of others would have chipped in to help, if they knew who to contact.

We walked away from the events of April 27th with a few lessons.

1. It takes about 3 days for everything in 7 foot deep freeze to thaw out if you leave the lid closed.
   
   
2. You can never have too much bottled water on hand. Gallon jugs for washing up are a necessity.
   
   
3. A grill is nice, but a turkey fryer is a godsend for boiling water.
   
   
4. There's a reason it's called a Dutch Oven for a reason, you can actually bake in these. I always used mine for beans and stew until my buddy showed me how to make biscuits, cobbler, and cake.
   
   
5. A hot shower is probably worth a lot more than you think when you haven't had one for a few days. Baby wipes warmed in the sunshine are a lot better than a washcloth with cold water.

I can't recommend a dutch/camping oven enough for campfire cooking. I used to go to summer camp where every meal was dutch oven cooked. A cast iron dutch oven is also a useful tool at home. This is the closest style I could find that you would want for a home/camp use. You need the lip on the lid to hold hot coals, but the legs are pretty unnecessary, especially if you want to use it on a home burner. If you have a gas stove with high grates, then the legs shouldn't get in your way.

The key with dutch oven open fire cooking is watch your food. Otherwise make whatever recipe you'd make at home, just make sure you apply enough oil/fat to the cooking surface. Oven too hot, take some coals off, keep your food moving, it's really not that difficult. If you want to get really fancy, you can bake some pretty epic breads and cobblers in your dutch oven. Just try to use coals, and not burning logs, coals have more stable temperatures, and you are less likely to get smoke and soot in your food. You can use charcoal if you want to be more precise. Each briquette equals fifteen degrees or so, so 15 briquettes on top and 15 on the bottom is 30 * 15 = 450. Enjoy!

Lodge has a couple other woks that might be better for you since they are larger: P14W3 14" Cast Iron Wok, and LC12SF 12" Stir Fry Skillet. I've got both as well as a traditional carbon steel wok. I've done more cooking with the steel wok than the cast iron, but I do think the steel wok is a bit more flexible because it heats and cools much more quickly than the iron wok. I also steam lots of stuff with the steel wok and lid, but I don't think cast iron is really the right tool for steaming. Moisture tends to promote rust, but maybe it'll be better once my iron seasoning is more solid. The iron wok is great for serving at the table because is stays warmer so much longer.

Zojirushi.

I've had many other rice cookers, from the target and Walmart brands to black and decker.

Zojirushi is just plain and simple worth it. It will consistently give you perfectly cooked rice...every...single... time.

The reason is it has this thing called fuzzy logic where it's computer can determine how to cook things depending on the weight and what not (not sure how it works exactly, but it works great!). The initial buy in is a bit more expensive than other rice cookers but it's worth the investment. It will last very long.

For steaming, you could use the vegi steamer tray for a pot. It's honestly 100x faster because you don't have to wait like 15 minutes for the water to boil.

This is as good one: http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-NS-TSC10-Uncooked-Cooker-1-0-Liter/dp/B0074CDG6C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1394815672&sr=8-2&keywords=zojirushi+rice+cooker


This is the one I have: http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-NS-ZCC10-Uncooked-Premium-1-0-Liter/dp/B00007J5U7/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1394815672&sr=8-4&keywords=zojirushi+rice+cooker

I can't praise it enough.

Also, this for steaming veggies. Works amazing, I've had it for years:http://www.amazon.com/Amco-Collapsible-Steamer-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000Q4N2LO/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1394815756&sr=8-9&keywords=steamer+tray+for+pot

This is the kettle that I use. It's an inexpensive ($20) 21.5 quart steel/porcelain canner, and it works great. It's also recommended in How to Brew by John Palmer, which is an excellent resource.

Also just found this active groupon for a brewing equipment kit. I bought this same deal over a month ago, and I'm about to bottle my first batch with it. It's a great deal, and I highly recommend Midwest Homebrewing. The recipe kit that comes with the deal is a quality kit, and the people are very helpful.

The one on the left does not look like cast iron. At any rate, the real value of cast iron is in heat retention which comes from its heavy weight and thickness. The one on the left looks really thin - which completely defeats the purpose. The Walmart review ratings are quite bad as well - 1.6 out of 5.

I have a cast iron wok which is handed down the generations - it is certainly thicker than the one on the left but its thickness and weight is midway between the extreme lightness of a carbon steel wok and a regular cast iron skillet.

My suggestion would be to go with the carbon steel wok. Just make sure the bottom is as flat as possible and it has as much depth as possible (should be fairly high). You want maximum contact area with the circular heating element in your glasstop, and you want your wok to be fairly high so you can toss things around without it falling off.

If you are okay with the higher price, you could also get something like the Lodge Logic cast iron wok - it has a flat bottom, will take its time to heat up, but when it does heats up properly, it will sear like a champ as it will have all this retained heat. But it is heavy and cumbersome and more difficult to clean and i guess more expensive than a carbon steel wok - so that really is the tradeoff.

tl;dr - do not buy that carbon steel one on the left. Either buy the one on the right, the carbon steel one, or buy a good quality cast iron wok. And if you are buying the one on the right, make sure the handle is sturdy as that is what usually ends up breaking or failing.

If you like fish, I'd recommend this recipe: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/ginger_steamed_fish_with_troys_hana_style_sauce.html.

I recently made it with my SO. It was pretty easy, and we loved it. Instead of bass, we went with cod. You don't need a bamboo steamer. I used a metal steamer that I already had for steaming veggies. You can find one on Amazon. I highly recommend it as a kitchen essential. http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-175-Stainless-Vegetable-Steamer/dp/B001FBCP7O/

1. I got a Canning Pot from my fiance as a super awesome surprise gift =3
   
2. I will be needing a Canning Kit to do it correctly, i've been told.
   
   Thanks for the contest :D

Your Lodge should serve you well. Here's a photo of mine after 30+ years of use.

By the way, I like this red silicone handle (link to Amazon page). I originally bought one for my 12" Lodge High Carbon Steel pan but I tried it on my 12" Lodge cast iron pan (as shown in my photo) and I think it works great. I had to firmly force it on the 12" Lodge cast iron pan handle but, once on, it stays in place great (there is an inch or so of extra length that hangs off the end of the handle but that doesn't bother me in the least).

Of course, that means that pan stays on the stove top and doesn't go in the oven anymore but I have other cast iron pans I use in the oven. This is my 17" Lodge that I mostly use in the oven.

I have enameled cast-iron Dutch ovens, which I use quite a lot. And yes, they work great. You are correct that cast iron handling characteristics are comparable to my steel skillets. The noticeable difference is that the skillets are much more responsive to me adjusting the heat of the burner.

As a first approximation, you can compare going from a cast-iron pan to a steel pan as a similar epiphany to what you'd experience when going from an electric stove to a gas stove. Things are similar in principle, but adjustments take effect immediately and cooking is much more straight forward.

The other difference is that many cast iron pots/skillets have a very rough surface. Even after seasoning them, they still tend to be somewhat sticky, whereas steel doesn't have this issue. Enamel can address that, but it has its own pros and cons (e.g. enamel cannot be seasoned).

My ideal choice for a basic set of cookware is:

1. carbon steel skillets and wok
   
2. enameled cast iron Dutch ovens
   
3. stainless steel clad stock pots and sauce pans
   
   I linked a couple of products that should be a good starting point. I tried to go with choices that I know to be good quality, but where possible avoided paying extra for well-known brand names. Of course, you can pick alternatives, if your preferences are different. Also, for a well-stocked kitchen, you probably want multiple different sizes of each.

My pan is a Matfer Bourgeat Black Steel Round Frying Pan, 11 7/8"

It's 100% amazing. I love this thing and I use it almost every day. By far the best fry pan I've owned. Would mostly definitely recommend it.

I really like french pans. De Buyer makes excellent iron (not cast iron) pans. They are heavy, but not as heavy as cast iron. You can season them well enough to cook eggs, they make a beautiful sear, and they are perfect for frying.

http://www.amazon.com/DeBuyer-Mineral-Element-Frypan-Round/dp/B00462QP0W

Rice cookers - you've already got great info below.

For Woks - it depends on what you want to put into it, as expensive /can/ mean better - but there are good entry level woks that will do almost everything a 'professional' grade will. Flat bottom Woks are going to be better for electric - but I've had no problem (with the right ring) converting my round bottom to work on electric well. Though you'd have to season it yourself - I'd recommend something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001VQIP4/ref=psdc_289834_t1_B002AQSWMU and either get flat bottom or the ring to go along. IMO - you really want to stay away from Teflon/non-stick on a wok - it takes away the ability to move things up the side to remove them from some heat as you add things into the center (which is part of the good part of a wok). As well - you cant get a sear on teflon - and frying can be a touch harder. The worst part for me was the 3-4 hour process to season the wok the first time - but after that its been a breeze to clean (even when my gf somehow burned stuff in it).

EDIT: Updated the link i put the wrong one in

If you are going to do a lot of camping with it you may want to look into one that has legs and allows you to put coals on top of the oven too. like this one I have one that I got for Christmas. But I cannot remember the name of it to save my life. Something red. But I LOVE the thing! The legs mean I dont have to worry about a tripod or stand when we use it. We camp at a lot of race tracks so its a little different than camp grounds. We will either dig a hole in the ground and plus the coals and dutch oven in it or I will place it in the tailgate grill we have and use that. Both ways works perfectly!

I really want this dutch oven because it's sexy and Le Creuset: ain't nobody got cash for that!

This is my $20 item because I'm pretty sure I'm the only one left on the planet that hasn't read these.

BTW, I think this is the most demeaning reddit raffle phrase ever... C'mon...gimme. ?!?! I'm going to go wash my mouth out with soap. ;D

You guys are BAMFS! (and look delicious. Is that weird?)

1. Cook turkey
   
2. Slice turkey
   
3. Make delicious sandwiches
   
   Post-thanksgiving is my favorite time for lunches because I get to make delicious turkey+cranberry sauce sandwiches using extra rolls :).
   
   If you're stuck at #1, it's really not that hard, and you basically just need a roasting pan, butter + seasonings, a meat thermometer and several hours of patience. I forget the specifics, but basically rub butter + seasonings under the skin and inside the body cavity (optionally put in stuffing to sop up the drippings and help season) and baste (squirt drippings) occasionally (I'm lazy, so I actually just wrap the turkey in foil to prevent leakage). You can also pressure cook it, deep fry it and I'm sure there's a crock pot recipe out there.
   
   As for #2, you can get a fancy meat slicer or just go at it with a good knife. I like the breast on sandwiches and eat the rest of the meat by itself.
   
   This recipe by Alton Brown looks decent and fairly easy. I have my own recipe, but it's nothing special.

I'm a huge Kenji fan myself. I've cooked nearly half of the Food Lab book, and dozens of his recipes from the website, great stuff!

My thoughts on gifts

Lavatools PT12 Javelin

A Nice carbon steel wok

A good Dutch Oven

A torch for searing, or Creme Brulee

An awesome knife

Another awesome, but cheaper and well rounded knife

The list could go on, and on, and on....just some thoughts though.

Chuck roast. salt and pepper the roast and put in roasting pan and add beef broth till about half way up the meat. cook at 350 for 1.5-2.5 hours till it starts to pull apart.

that's all that's really needed and it will taste great but if you want to make it even better start by searing the meat in a cast iron pan with a little oil.

you can also throw pretty much anything else in with the roast, onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, celery, mushrooms. and I like to add Worchester, balsamic vinegar, and hot sauce to the broth.

I agree, I can actually whip up my favorite meal in half the time as macaroni and cheese. I will take some cheap fish like Tilapia, dust it with whole wheat flour and toss it in the olive oiled pan. Cook 3 minutes, add sauce (which sizzles and caramelizes from the sugar). Serve with short grain sushi rice on the side with japanese rice seasoning (not soy sauce).
Great!

Stir fry pro-tips

Pre-heat the pan with no oil, on high.

Add oil to hot pan and them immediately add ingredients.

Give raw meat a minutes head start.

Add sauce at the very end and immediately remove from heat, stir.

Make real teriyaki sauce from real soy sauce (not hydrolyzed soy protein) and mirin(sweet japanese rice wine). I get it from asianfoodgrocer.com. Add a squirt of chili sauce,a pinch of ginger, and a tablespoon of sugar.

Also, my lodge cast iron wok is the best pan I own.
http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Pro-Logic-14-Inch-Cast-Iron-Handles/dp/B00063RXQK/ref=sr_1_1?

I would stay away from that starter kit. Not because its bad per se but its not worth 180 bucks. And I prefer plastic buckets over glass carboys. If you want you can convert a cooler to a mash tun but I would start with BIAB and you then can increase the complexity of your system as you see fit.


Here is my recommendation of equipment. I am function over form driven when selecting my gear. I find that these items serve their purpose at a reasonable price and are of good quality and unless you want to start doing 15 gallon batches they should serve you well.

Starter Kit

KAB4 Burner

44qt Pot with basket

Ball Valve for Kettle

Thermometer

Bag for BIAB

DO NOT GET A ROUND BOTTOM WOK

I'm telling you this because I have a round bottom wok, a stove similar to yours, and a wok ring, and I don't like it and I want to buy a flat bottom wok, but I'm too cheap and will just keep putting up with the difficulties.

The main reason why it doesn't work well is because the burners simply don't output enough heat. When I try to get some browning by laying everything in an even layer up the sides of the wok, it only browns on the bottom half, and anything on the walls don't brown well at all, it just kind of simmers. You can get things a bit hotter by removing the wok ring and keeping the wok right on top of the steel grates, but then you have an unstable and very hot wok. Not a huge problem if you're careful, but certainly not ideal. Also, the wok ring barely fits over my steel grates, and it looks like it will barely fit over yours. They slide around quite a bit if you like to toss/shake the pan while you stir fry.

So with a flat bottom wok, which I don't have an am only assuming here, you can spread things out further on a surface that is hotter, so you can get better browning. Plus, you will have a much more stable wok to work with.

I would strongly caution against a 35 quart pot. The Bayou Classic 44 quart (11 gallon) pot is only a little more, and it's of dimensions more ameniable to brewing (tall, rather than squat). If you plan to migrate to BiaB, the version with the basket is quite useful; you'll be able to fire your heat source without worrying about scorching the bag.

For ingredients, I would recommend looking around for a LHBS (local homebrew shop). You'll likely not save much money ordering those online, due to their weight/cost ratio, and a LHBS is often the centre of your local community of homebrewers.

With regard to literature, my bible is John Palmer's How To Brew. You can also read the first edition online, but much has been learnt since that was published and the latest edition has current best practices.

That equipment kit is decent, but there are a lot of things in it you'll probably wish you hadn't bought.

You will want:

• 6 gallon primary fermenter carboy
  
• 5 gallon secondary carboy, for dry hopping (can't find any that ship with prime)
  
• A bench capper (wing/emily cappers are cheaper, but it's not worth it)
  
• An autosiphon
  
• A bottling bucket, with spigot
  
• A bottling wand
  
• Sanitizer (Starsan looks more expensive, but a bottle will last a long, long time. Especially if you pick up a spray bottle at the dollar store.)
  
• Two carboy caps and airlocks

I like to steam green veggies like broccoli, spinach, asparagus, green beans, etc. Get one of these things, put it in the bottom of a pot, put about 1/2 inch of water in the pot, bring water to boil, add vegetables, cook for ~5-15 minutes depending on veggie type and quantity, toss veggies halfway through, and enjoy.

I will add 1/2 tsp butter and sea salt. It doesn't take much, the vegetables are full of natural flavor. If you're cooking fresh spinach, garlic powder is a good addition.

The answer is seasoning! When we open we crank it and put a few thin layers of oil on it which burn on, creating a wonderful nonstick surface just like you would on a cast iron pan. If you're looking for a pan that performs exactly like a flattop's surface, look into carbon steel. They develop a beautiful patina that is so nonstick, gliding your fingers over the surface will make you giddy.

Stainless steel could be seasoned, but that's kinda missing the point of stainless. Best forget about doing scrambles in them and get yourself a nice carbon steel pan or griddle.

To get her started, I would get her a book like this one, and depending on her stove top a water bath canner for gas/electric or flat top, also this set, and don't forget the jars. There are probably other stores than Amazon to buy these things, I usually get great deals at Ace hardware. There are some other great books out there, and depending on what she is interested in, a pressure canner is a big one too.

Cast Iron all the way. Or a good Carbon Steel one. Cast iron may have a slight learning curve at first but once you get the hang of it, it is extremely satisfying as the issues youre having now with non-stick pans will evaporate.

Here is the brand of Carbon Steel I use. Love it.
https://smile.amazon.com/DeBuyer-Mineral-Element-Frypan-Round/dp/B00462QP0W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1506022731&sr=8-2&keywords=de+buyer

Totally off-topic, but have you looked at Cooks Standard on Amazon? They are great quality stainless, but far cheaper than, say, Cuisinart. :)

We have a cheap one from Crate and Barrel but we really want this Joyce Chen wok or this basic wok from Sur La Table. Or this Mauviel wok because I like the shape and Mauviel makes nice pots, but I’ve never used their carbon steel. The Joyce Chen is definitely my number one pick.

For my own recommendation I would say do an extract beer can kit. You'll get about 40 bottles of beer out of it.

Almost everything below you can get at your local homebrew shop. In fact, many of these items might be part of a "beer starter kit" etc. I do recommend getting the 5 gallon carboy instead of a kit with pails. You'll thank me later. pails can get messy.

1. Coopers Brew Can Kit ($15) *comes with yeast you need
   
2. A 5 gallon carboy (I recommend a big mouth plastic one) ($20)
   
3. An Airlock for your carboy ($5)
   
4. A 4 foot blowoff tube to attach to the airlock center column ($5)
   
5. An empty 2L pop bottle to use as the blowoff container. (free)
   
6. 1KG of sugar *and some more for bottling later ($2)
   
7. A Hydrometer to take your Specific Gravity readings and a container for the hydrometer $25
   
8. A 5 Gallon pot $30 (I highly recommend you follow the kit or use 3 gallons of water during the heating/boiling as I have done...dont try to boil 5 gallons in a 5 gallon pot)
   
9. An Auto-Siphon for siphoning the beer. $13
   
10. A Wine Thief for stealing the samples from your beer (which you read with the hydrometer and then drink) without disturbing the beer too much and risking infection. $13
    
    Total $128 by my guestimates, but you do get 2 cases of beer out of it and $113 worth of brew equipment. Hell, in Ontario the two cases of beer can easily be more expensive than $128 lol... Not cheap, but everything here you will use over and over and over again (except of course the sugar and the brew kit)
    
    ---------------------------------
    
    The Coopers Can Kit comes with instructions to make your beer, a hopped extract and yeast.
    
    After you make your beer it'll be a few weeks before the fermentation is done (which you'll know by hydrometer readings)
    
    In that time you can start getting your stuff together for bottling and carbonating them.
    
    You'll also need (for bottling) 48 empty clean bottles (cleaned and then sanitized with star-san solution) NON TWIST OFF TYPE
    A handheld Beer capper
    Bottle caps (box)
    
    
    I gotta run, but this was fun to type out. If you need any help, glad to help ya.

Summertime and the livin' is easy

Here's a beach in Tel Aviv, Israel. I took this picture when I went with some friends for my 16th birthday.

Here's a little tiny skillet (Kitchen wishlist) that would be perfect for making eggs over the campfire in the morning :)

I got tired of holding the bag over my brewpot while it dripped, but I didn't want to lose any of the wort. It occurred to me to put it in the super fancy double pot that we got for our wedding and never use (well, we never use the pasta insert). It's some version of this.

There's at least a half gallon of space for additional liquid. I like being manly and scalding myself, but I also like not scalding myself.

I could also press it with a colander (that I was using for skimming), to get maximum liquid out of the mash.

try this:
http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-175-Stainless-Vegetable-Steamer/dp/B001FBCP7O/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1426356535&sr=8-7&keywords=steam+cooking

just put frozen vegs in, eggs on top, ready to go

you can also add potatoes but you to chop those a bit first because otherwise they are not done at the same time

staple meal of mine because its easy to cook and clean (just single pot) and u dont have to watch it plus lots of veggies and protein

edit: does not work w/ frozen fish for some reason, the boiling water spills over (not sure why, has to be the fish obv)

You'll be just fine with 200.

Any starter kit from your local homebrew shop, or from any major site like midwestsupplies.com, northernbrewer.com, or morebeer.com.

The starter kit will be about $80-100 depending on what's all in it. But I'd actually recommend trying to stay to the lower end of that range, so he can customize in the future.

The only things that doesn't include is a pot and bottles. For a pot, get a 5 gallon stainless steel pot on Amazon to start. They are $30. And for bottles, just drink craft beer (not twist-offs) and save the bottles.

So I'd recommend these:

• http://www.midwestsupplies.com/brewing-basics-equipment-kit.html
  
• http://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Stainless-Steel-Stock-Pot/dp/B000FRJJSM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415399480&sr=8-1&keywords=5+gallon+stainless+pot

I have regular cast iron one, no enamel or colors here. I like it better, actually, since I'm used to cast iron and seasoning it and stuff. I got the big 9-quart one even though I live alone. I just make really big batches of soup then pour the left overs into zip top bags and put them flat on a baking sheet in the freezer (it works like a heat sink and helps them freeze faster). After they're frozen flat, they stack easy. Later, when I'm hungry and too lazy to make a meal from scratch, I just thaw out a bag and warm it up.

And while this won't help most people, the Lodge factory is on my drive from where I live to where my parents live (South Pittsburgh, TN). They have a factory outlet store there and they have an entire section of "Seconds" which are just as good as their normal stuff, it just might have a ding or scratch in it, but they're a good bit cheaper than the normal stuff. Lodge isn't really expensive, but if you're ever in that part of TN, it's a good idea to stop by and stock up on all your cast iron needs.

[Matfer Bourgeat] (https://www.amazon.com/Matfer-Bourgeat-062005-Frying-8-Inch/dp/B000KENOTK/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1540054719&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=matfer+bourgeat+black+steel+frying+pan&refinements=p_n_srvg_2947266011%3A2972982011) black steel pan.

It's not a beautiful piece of cookware like stainless steel, but after seasoning this is the best pan I've ever had. Lighter than cast iron and indestructible.

The non-stick surface can be restored anytime with any high heat oil.

You could use frozen but I like to buy fresh so that it steams faster. If you don't have a steamer you can get one REALLY really cheap at any home/kitchen store, they're like $5-7. Here's one on Amazon as an example:

http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-175-Stainless-Vegetable-Steamer/dp/B001FBCP7O/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1413872936&sr=1-1

If you absolutely can't get one, boiling is OK... just put the vegetables so that they're maybe half-submerged in water. Cover and cook on medium heat for a bit. Check every so often. Depending on how soft you want your veggies it could take 5-15 mins.

Another option is the microwaveable veggie bags, though personally I can't eat THAT much in one sitting.

If you buy a good carbon steel pan, and cook in it every day, it will pretty much become the best pan you've ever had. Will last forever. Once seasoned, it's pretty damn non-stick.

https://www.amazon.com/DeBuyer-Mineral-Element-Frypan-Round/dp/B00462QP0W

Long weekend on the coast was muddy and wet but also a lot of fun. Hiked a bunch, ate a bunch.

In other news all my bread making supplies will be here tomorrow. Picked up a Lodge Enameled Dutch Oven since it would be the most flexible if I don't stick with baking. Hopefully I'll have results to show off on Sunday or Monday.

Carbon steel is my GO TO pan for damn near everything now. I fry my bacon in it, then my eggs. I'll use it for quesadillas, burgers, grilled cheese, etc. I haven't had my stainless pans out of the cupboard in at least a month. My cast iron pan is now reserved for potatoes, perogies, cornbread, and anything where my carbon steel pan is a bit small.

http://smile.amazon.com/Matfer-Bourgeat-062005-Frying-8-Inch/dp/B000KENOTK/ I do reccommend a proper french pan over the lodge ones. They're much smoother, and Matfer Bourgeat welds the handles so you don't have rivets on the inside of the pan (I prefer that for egg pans) I have the 9 1/2" pan which is big enough to cook 4 half strips of bacon, fry an egg or two (I've had 3 in there, but if you do that you're gonna have them in weird shapes instead of being round. IDGAF, but you might). I'm currently preparing a 10 1/2" pan for my mom's mother's day gift, and I'd probably recommend that one as an egg pan. I'll do 6 half strips of bacon in it, and 3 eggs with no space issues. It seems to be the right size if you're cooking for more than just yourself. Then again, you might as well but a few because they are awesome.

Cast Iron, preferably the old Griswold or Wagner as it doesn't have the more rough surface of lodge, it's great especially for skillets and dutch ovens. As for other pots and pans you need a small sauté pan and a large sauté pan, a small sauce pan and a larger sauce pan, you also need a pot for boiling large quantities of water in (pasta, stock, and such). For the sauté and sauce pans it's hard to beat All Clads lifetime warranty though I am a big fan of Paderno or better yet save some money and look at Vollrath. For the pot I'd go with any something cheaper than the All Clad like the pot and steamer set here: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-77-412-Classic-Stainless-12-Quart/dp/B0000UV01S/ref=sr_1_5?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1412954973&sr=1-5&keywords=cuisinart+pot but again Vollrath from a restaurant supply store could be an even better option.

All Clad is the best, but it may fall into "crazy" territory depending on your budget. You do want tri-ply though. I've found cook's standard to be a good budget All Clad alternative:

https://www.amazon.com/Cooks-Standard-NC-00239-12-Inch-Stainless/dp/B0055Q2CX2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1496676468&sr=8-4&keywords=cook%27s+standard

I'd also suggest buying the exact pieces you need and not a pre-selected set. Maybe start with a 12" skillet and a 3 or 4 qt pot. Cook for a while with those and see what else you may need - smaller/larger pots, cast iron, non-stick skillet for eggs, etc...

I hope you don't have an electric stove, because round-bottomed woks absolutely will not work on one. If you have a gas stove, you need to find a wok ring that will fit over one of your burners.

I also highly recommend a strainer dohickey like this one. Get one with nice big basket on it (mine's about 7" diameter, I definitely wouldn't get one smaller than that).

A hundred times, yes. I have the 10" and 12" on the stove top at all times! Do yourself a favor and get the LODGE CAST IORN WOK. It's amazing!

Thanks for the reply!
That option seems like a good one. I'm still convinced that there's a way to make a folding directional 2.4GHz antenna that'd be packable, though...I could probably build a Yagi myself. I'm also thinking of some sort of folding quasi-parabola, sort of like those collapsible steaming baskets: https://www.amazon.com/Amco-Stainless-Steel-Collapsible-Steamer/dp/B000Q4N2LO

I've been impressed with the Cooks Standard brand sold on amazon. This frying pan or this saute pan can be pretty versatile cooking tools. They include lids and are oven safe.

Go cheap. There's really no point in spending a ton of money on a wok unless you want it to look nice/have some brand recognition. Those cheap carbon steel ones are thin and heat up super quick - exactly what you want in a wok. Serious Eats and Cooks Illustrative both recommend this wok for $36 and Spruce Eats recommends this one for $24. I own the second one and have had it for a couple of years now. It does a great job.

It won't get the same effect but you can. You just want to invest in a large metal stock pot, it's about the same price as a crock pot and allows you to make massively oversized crockpot meals. I love these, I just scale the recipe up as big as I can go into the pot, low on a crockpot is 190 and high is 250. I go to 200 which is about as low as my oven goes and just simulate a slow cooker on a bigger scale. Hope that helps and if you have any questions DM me or something.

Steam your eggs!
Of course you can buy a dedicated electric eggcooker, but it’s exactly same as steaming...

Get a steam basket, maybe like this and use it to steam your eggs. I steam for exactly six minutes, but try out your own preference!
Cold water after steaming, easy to peal!

Which 12" skillet are you using? the lodge L10SK3? I believe that clocks in around 8.5 lbs

There are several lighter alternatives that are still cast iron.

Here's one example at ~4lbs
http://www.amazon.com/ExcelSteel-Inch-super-lightweight-frypan/dp/B0010D6RMG

CI did a review of several of them but found the performance extremely uneven; but you may be able to adapt to their properties.

The best alternative to maintain all of the properties you're looking for would be an uncoated carbon steel pan. You season and care for it similarly to cast iron and it develops a similar non-stick coating.

As long as you get a model with a metal handle it can handle the same amount of stovetop-to-oven traffic as your cast iron.

Just as with cast iron, the thicker the carbon steel pan, the more heat retention it will have and the more even the heat will tend to be; but at the expense of weight and responsiveness.

Here are a few examples:

http://www.amazon.com/DeBuyer-Mineral-Element-Frypan-Round/dp/B00462QP0W

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-CRS12-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet-12-inch/dp/B005U93RYW

http://www.amazon.com/World-Cuisine-Black-Steel-Frying/dp/B001KZHF1G

Here's some approximate specifications I was able to dig up

• WC: 1.5mm thick, ~2-3lbs (~2 for 10", over 3 for 12.5"
  
• debuyer mineral B: 2.5mm-3mm thick ~4lbs 10", ~5.75lbs 12"
  
• lodge: 2.64mm thick, ~3lbs 10", ~4 lbs 12"
  
  [edit] It looks like the de buyer mineral b pan has a silicone button on the end that will likely be bad for putting under the broiler, but couldn't find any manufacturer recommendations for oven temperature or if you can just pop the thing off.

Welcome!

The definition of a hard boiled egg depends on the consumer - varies depending on what consistency you want! Here is a recipe with some guidance for you u/jackschocolatecake.

WHAT YOU NEED

Ingredients
6 large eggs, cold from the fridge
Cold water
Ice

Equipment
Saucepan
Timer
Slotted spoon
Bowl

INSTRUCTIONS

Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover them with cool water by 1 inch. Cover pan with a lid and bring water to a rolling boil over high heat; when the water has reached a boil, set the timer for the desired time. Boil for 6 – 7 minutes over medium-high heat for perfect hard boiled eggs.

HOW LONG TO BOIL EGGS

• For soft-boiled eggs: 4 minutes
  
• For slightly soft-boiled eggs: 5 minutes
  
• For custardy yet firm soft-boiled eggs: 6 minutes
  
• For creamy hard-boiled eggs: 7 minutes
  
• For firm yet still creamy hard-boiled eggs: 8 minutes
  
• For very firm hard boiled eggs: 9 minutes

I just got my first All Clad pan (saute style, vertical sides) off eBay; a little scratched up but only paid $85 shipped. It is a beautiful pan. If you dig deep enough in the reviews the one thing people hate or tolerate about them are the handles; why they don't have a top is beyond me. I am not too picky so am fine with it but they are pretty bad. I then found myself in need of a small saucepot and tried out the Cooks Standard line - very inexpensive tri ply and I am very impressed by the quality and ergonomics. Personally I'd pay less then half and get this and spend the rest of your money on something else, like more cookware or a nice japanese knife or cutting board.

I love this miniature skillet. It’s so tiny and cute.

Edit: someone already said tiny skillet!!!! So I’m changing mine to gem-shaped candy/gelatin molds

Well, if he can get past the gadgety-ness of it, an electric grill (so he can do it year round!) and rice cooker might be good.

http://www.amazon.com/George-Foreman-GR136B-2-Serving-Classic/dp/B00LU2HXRK/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1449489548&sr=1-2&keywords=george+foreman+grill

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-RC3406-Cooked-Cooker/dp/B000UWD9OW/ref=sr_1_5?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1449489490&sr=1-5&keywords=rice+cooker

That with a vegetable steamer (if they don't already have one) opens up the door to lots of easy and healthy meals.

http://www.amazon.com/Sunsella-Vegetable-Steamer-Stainless-Steel/dp/B00KYDZHSI/ref=sr_1_9?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1449489827&sr=1-9&keywords=steamer

Also, maybe a simple cookbook could help?

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Cooking-Two-Cookbook/dp/1936493837/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1449463366&sr=8-4&keywords=cooking

As for Blue Apron, I wouldn't recommend it. Their meals are delicious, but most of them have a lot of steps and might be overwhelming for someone that doesn't cook much.

I trust Lodge to make good pre-seasoned cast iron. For the most part Amazon.ca has prices that are reasonable enough for me since I already have prime for the free shipping - http://www.amazon.ca/Lodge-LMS3-3-5-Inch-Miniature-Skillet/dp/B000LXA9YI/

NICE. I wish I had had more patience for searching out used pieces. I gave in and bought some that I'm sure is sweat-shop produced in China because I am a grocery store person.

I ended up buying this stock pot:
https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/salt-stainless-steel-stock-pot/3305769?poc=226082&skuId=46799784

Skillet:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0055Q2CX2/ref=s9_acsd_al_bw_c_x_2_w

And both sizes of this saucepan:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00421AYIG/ref=s9_acsd_al_bw_c_x_4_w

I kept a cast iron griddle and skillet, as well as one non-stick skillet for eggs. I got rid of all of the rest of it and haven't looked back. The stainless is SO MUCH nicer than my hard-anodized non-stick giant wedding set with useless cookware sizes.

For the fire bowl - A collapsable steamer

http://www.amazon.com/Amco-Collapsible-Steamer-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000Q4N2LO

The grill is going to be trickier, but just about every department/home improvement store sells inexpensive replacement grills that would easily fit in a backpack

Made the most killer beef stew while camping last week - dutch ovens are a ton of fun.

Also, it's great to make chili and freeze it, then pop that in your cooler to keep other things warm. Works for meat balls as well, just reheat over a camp stove with a jar of sauce (or make your own). Pesto sauce freezes nicely and can go with all sorts of things. Lastly I highly recommend pre-marinating skewers of meat to grill over a camp fire.

The Multiclad Pro is a little different from the French Classic, and IMHO is designed more smartly with rounded edges. Their handles are much better than All Clad too.

I'd get a handful of pans over a set. There's often too much overlap. TBH although this stockpot looks pretty, this multipot is so versatile.

For sure with electric ranges, but gas ranges work good with a burner adapter like this
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00012F3X6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_W.PJBbA6EERC9

Here is the one I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FTLY1K/ref=twister_B007QWO94S?th=1

The quality is pretty good. There is also a basket included and they have different sizes. If you are planning on doing all-grain or BIAB 5 gallons I recommend buying 44qt.

Ever used a wok ring? Other than stability, are they any benefit?

Not having a 15000 BTU burner, I'd like a way to get more heat on my wok. I was wondering if that would help with that by letting me set it over the burner sans grate and concentrate the heat.

Purchase a 5.5 gallon pot you want but without anything added to it.

https://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Stainless-Steel-Stock-Pot/dp/B000FRJJSM/ref=pd_sim_79_6?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000FRJJSM&pd_rd_r=6PQ2AMFEHC2QZZ0F78MZ&pd_rd_w=34FEi&pd_rd_wg=um6x3&psc=1&refRID=6PQ2AMFEHC2QZZ0F78MZ

Then purchase a weld less ball valve. https://www.amazon.com/Weldless-Stainless-Steel-Valve-Spigot/dp/B0028ZLEE6

and a weld less thermometer
https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-800-770-Brew-Thermometer/dp/B008FEPE18/ref=pd_bxgy_328_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B008FEPE18&pd_rd_r=222Q1R1CKYW4HFP57VT9&pd_rd_w=m7gkT&pd_rd_wg=pyRcb&psc=1&refRID=222Q1R1CKYW4HFP57VT9

Then purchase a step bit: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dlawngarden&field-keywords=step+bit

Make sure it has the correct size.

Then purchase this bit for drilling pilot holes in metal: https://www.amazon.com/Century-Drill-Tool-26208-Cobalt/dp/B004UUFAYW/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1481229448&sr=1-1&keywords=1%2F8+stainless+steel+cutting+bit

Drill the pilot holes where you want the ball valve and thermometer, then use the step bit to widen the hole to the correct size.

I have been using this exact setup with an 8 gallon pot for 5+ years and it doesn't leak one little bit. Also you can choose whatever size pot you want, just remember that you should probably leave the thermometer at least an inch or so from the bottom and keep in mind the bottom water will be hotter than the top.

Carbon steel, affordable, and durable. Easily the best pan I've ever owned. This was the highest recommended carbon steel pan from cooks illustrated too.

Matfer Bourgeat 062005 Black Steel Round Frying Pan, 11 7/8-Inch, Gray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KENOTK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_FKUmzbFRZEKZP

That must have been a fun find!

Fortunately, we can all get lucky, but I know it's more fun to stumble on cast iron in a store unexpectedly. (I found this link only because your post set me to googling ...)

Get yourself a carbon steel pan, it's essentially the same thing but stamped vs cast.

The benefit is you get a smooth finish like the old school cast irons used to have.

For seasoning put it on a gas range cranked to high, then use tongs and rub around the oil with some paper towel so you have only a thin covering. The oil should be smoking as you apply it. Do that a bunch of times.

After that just use it regularly, eventually even after washing it will have an almost matte almost black surface (shiny after you re-oil before putting it away).

Thats a good idea that came out awesome. As far as drawer hardware for this one you need to find a baby skillet and use it as the pull..... just found this Lodge LMS3 Miniature Skillet, 3.5", Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LXA9YI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_4cqmDb1Z3E966

If it were me, I'd probably go with something like this:

• Cast iron skillet - https://smile.amazon.com/Lodge-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Skillet/dp/B00006JSUB $20
  
• Nonstick skillet (mostly for eggs and the like) - https://smile.amazon.com/Ozeri-PFOA-Free-Stone-Derived-Non-Stick-Coating/dp/B00GG5FBKW $21
  
• General purpose saucepan - https://smile.amazon.com/Cuisinart-Classic-Stainless-Saucepan-719-16/dp/B00008CM69 $17
  
• Stock pot - https://smile.amazon.com/McSunley-606-Stainless-Stockpot-Metallic/dp/B01CS5C49Y $15
  
• Half-sheet pan - https://smile.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Natural-Aluminum-Commercial/dp/B000G0KJG4 $12
  
  Total: $85, leaving you some headroom for another saucepan or a specialty pan (cake pans, roaster, casserole etc.)
  
  That said, I'd take a good look around thrift stores, craigslist and the like too.

I'm Anne...I'm new here. I just did my Intro the other day, but when I first found this sub I gifted some folks because I got really excited!
One thing on my list that I really really really want is a new saucepan!. My sister guilted me the other day because my saucepan's coating is flaking and she said I was going to give my family cancer. : (

/u/sharkoraptor, the greatest predator of all!

If you are going to get a dutchie - I'd go with enameled. You are limited in what you can do with a naked cast iron DO. No acids = no braising.

The 10.5 inch round griddle is another go to - I use it for tortillas, pancakes, crepes, warming my homemade English muffins. The occasional egg (they work well for making omelets too).

The Green enameled 6 qt Lodge dutch oven is super cheap right now. Just sent one as a wedding gift, 38 bucks. The other ones are 50-60 bucks.

Finally, I love my side dish master I use this for small sides (think 2 or 3 people). I also use it EVERY time I use my grill. It can be used for oven to table dishes too (think single serving enchiladas). And it's the new heat enhanced material - so it doesn't rust. They say you can put it in the dishwasher - but I don't have one.

Excellent for sausage patties. I like using the lid from my Graniteware oval roaster with this grill to make really tender chicken breast & other meat. https://www.amazon.com/Granite-Ware-18-Inch-Covered-Roaster/dp/B000050AVC/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_79_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=4HPK5TQNKKZ6ZTXBGYZQ

Nothing wrong with a good (cheaper) stainless steel pot for making pasta. I have one like [this] (https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-77-412-Classic-Stainless-12-Quart/dp/B0000UV01S) that I use all the time. It's got a steamer basket also which really makes some delicious vegetables.

I use a cheap $20 stainless steel 5 gallon (actually I use 2 of them to get a full boil now).

http://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Stainless-Steel-Stock-Pot/dp/B000FRJJSM

Looks like 7.5 gallon pots get you above $50. Mine are that thin stainless steel material (not the super thick you find in $200 pots) and my first one has held up for 5 years so far.

Ace, Crate and Barrel and I think Lakeland has them too.
I would recommend getting a carbon steel skillet instead since they heat up quite fast and you always end up getting a beautiful sear.

I've never used an iron suppliment, but as an FYI they charge a whole 30 bucks for a small chunk of cast iron. You could just as easily get a small (3.5 inch) cast iron pan for 5 bucks, scrub it with steel wool to strip the finish and boil it in water to get your iron.

I like to use a mix of stuff, simply because some things hold water, or produce steam, better than others.

• 5 gallon stock pot (cooks large amounts of pasta, potatoes, cauliflower, etc.)
  
• 4 quart steamer (great for steaming vegetables)
  
• Set of pots and pans, with lids (heat up, or cook, just about anything, and multiple things at once)
  
• Portable casserole dishes, with lids (bake'n'go)
  
• Set of cooking utensils
  
• Set of measuring utensils
  
• 2x Locking, freezable, storage/transport containers, large
  
• 2x [Locking, freezable, storage/transport containers, small] (http://smile.amazon.com/Popit-Little-Big-Box-Container/dp/B00CMTDVD0)
  
  Everything I linked is made from metal, and rates highly on Amazon.

Agreed with the other commenters who say cast iron is a better option than non-stick. Once it's well-seasoned, it's going to work even better at stopping eggs, etc, from sticking than a teflon pan would (and teflon just seems too strange and chemical-y). I just invested in a couple of these pans - just another option that's similar to cast iron. (Haven't had a chance to season them yet so can't speak to how well they work though.) Cast iron is also my go-to for toasting quesadillas or sandwiches.

Is a hand blender really essential? I would add these things:

non-stick skillet

enameled dutch oven

normal kitchen tools

stockpot with steamer insert - many other options for this kind of thing too

And then probably a couple of normal saucepots.


If you want to roast poultry it's nice to have a roasting pan, too.

Lodge is considered one of the best cast iron cookware companies. You can buy a 5qt for under $40. For a couple more dollars you can get a double dutch oven which includes a skillet lid so it's actually a dutch oven and a skillet. I got it for Christmas last year and use it more than anything, highly recommended for under $50.

• 5qt pot
  
• 3qt pot
  
• 2qt pot
  
• 1qt pot
  
• A large non stick and a small one.
  
• A large SS Saute pan with lid
  
• A large and small SS skillet with curved walls
  
• A wok
  
• 10" cast iron pan
  
  You may think wow thats too many pots. But that is what came with my set and I use them all the time. Sometimes I wish I had more pots. I still need a stock pot though...
  
  Not the right store but for an idea of price I would look at these sets/items
  
  
• 1
  
• 2
  
• 3
  
• 4

blini pans I see are usually carbon steel, which do require seasoning like cast iron but are lighter.

They're also inexpensive and a lot of fun to use.

a lot more pricey, but won't ever start a fire.

>Pan Detection w/Auto-Off if No Cookware is Detected for 60 Seconds

Some of them only heat metal pans, and don't transfer heat to anything but metal like this one.

> Compatible with All Induction-Ready Cookware

You'll need to buy pans/pots that are induction-ready cookware, they can be more expensive than normal cookware.

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-719-16-Classic-Stainless-Saucepan/dp/B00008CM69/ref=sr_1_18?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1457380342&sr=1-18&keywords=induction+cookware

^ $20 for a saucepan for soup, pretty expensive, but opens your door to cook other stuff, make tea, etc.

lodge 12 inch, 8 qt .

The little recipe book said use about twice as many coals on the lid as on the bottom. But I was using an open fire, and found that I hardly needed any coals on the bottom at all, due to the heat built up on the bed of the fire pit, but I needed as many coals on top as I could possibly fit. It was kind of like a blazing hot shitty game of jenga to deal with, but biscuits turned out awesome!

Woot is a legit company. They're owned by Amazon. It's about the same price on Amazon if you count Woot's $5 shipping and have Amazon prime. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012N7G60/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_lUT-yb2Z3SFMG

There's a pretty common collapsable Metal Steamer that seems ubiquitous. It has little fit on it and hoists the vegetables up out of the water.

Also, that meal looks tasty!

I built one and it was pretty easy and not very expensive considering. Warning: The following instructions are probably dangerous. This is what I did, and it's to demonstrate how simple it was to make.

1. Get a 10 gallon pot with a steamer basket.
   
2. Drill one or two 1" holes across from each other with a hole saw in the bottom of the pot, depending on how many elements you're putting in. Put some scrap wood inside the pot while drilling for support. One hole if you're doing it for 220, two for if you only have 110.
   
3. Drill another hole for the bulkhead valve.
   
4. Attach your electric elements. If you have 220. If you have 110.
   
5. Assemble everything.
   
6. Wire up the heating elements with some heavy duty wire. I covered the whole element backside with j b weld so that it won't short out.
   
7. Put some GFCI plugs on there to be extra sure.
   
   It's maybe two hundred bucks and when combined with an inkbird it makes biab a breeze.

I've transitioned to a carbon steel pan. It has most of the advantages of cast iron, but is easier to work with.

A miniature (3.5 inch) skillet! It's so cute and my husband would love it. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LXA9YI/

(It's on my Apartment Stuff list)

Depends what you're making, honestly. I use my wok on the stovetop for browning ground beef all the time. But for proper stir fry? No, that's not hot enough. You'll want a wok ring, natural lump charcoal (not the briquettes), and somewhere outside to get it going. I use an old steel wash tub with the rack from my oven on top.

Piggybacking for OP:

For a round-bottomed wok on a gas stove, highly recommend getting a wok rack that holds it in place, and also helps the flame focus a bit (though not too noticeable for a home gas range).

My mouth has been watering over this monster for months.

Unfortunately, my cast iron purchase (16 inch frying pan) eventually pulled my pot rack full of about 20 pots and pans out of the ceiling and onto my lovely 17 inch macbook underneath. Needless to say it's acquired a few dents. The pots are OK, though.

It looks like there is special stand sitting on the burner.
Link

Ya know, a cheap and easy to find solution might be a veggie steamer basket or steamer rack.

We use a big pot like this for canning jam; it's deep enough for the jars to be submerged and the wire rack holds the jars so they can be pulled out of the water easily. If you don't actually can the jam, it should keep in the fridge for a few weeks until the shower as long as it is going to be eaten there. You can also freeze jam instead of canning it.

Looks like a collapsible steamer.

Like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Amco-Stainless-Steel-Collapsible-Steamer/dp/B000Q4N2LO

This works outstanding for me. I can do 10 eggs at a time.

Norpro 175 Stainless Steel Vegetable Steamer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001FBCP7O

A stockpot is pretty simple -- you don't need anything horribly fancy, doesn't need to hold heat like a dutch oven, etc. No need to go crazy on quality. But features can be handy -- I'm using https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-77-412-Classic-Stainless-12-Quart/dp/B0000UV01S/ these days. The pasta insert is really handy -- works for boiling vegitables and making stock too. I probably use it as a steamer as much as a traditional stockpot as well.

If there's an extra $30 in your budget, I just got this one

I haven't used it yet, but I hope to use it for baking and/while camping.

This is what I have. It's kind of light and flimsy but my wok sits in it without wobbling off the stove. There's probably much better out there.

New Star International NCWS9 Steel Wok Rack, 7¾-Inch and 9¾-Inch Reversible Size https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00012F3X6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_l3ppDbM2XH8NY

Ya man. It does everything everything cast iron does, but it is lighter, heats up quicker, and easier to maintain. Since I got this I have only used my cast iron for pizza:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005U93RYW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_vrFuybPTYRCYB

Roasting is good, but this also works well http://www.amazon.com/Sunsella-Vegetable-Steamer-Stainless-Steel/dp/B00KYDZHSI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1452469837&sr=8-3&keywords=Steamer+basket

If you're into it, dutch oven cooking over a campfire or using charcoal is relaxing and you can cook everything from breakfast through dessert in there. I have an 8qt deep dutch oven from Lodge and it's a nice way to cook a group meal on a lazy day in camp.

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L12DCO3-Deep-Dutch-8-Quart/dp/B00008GKDW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406222714&sr=8-1&keywords=lodge+8qt+deep+dutch+oven

A collapsible vegetable steamer or a steamer pot combo. Maybe your kitchen set already has this, but my boyfriend hadn't even seen one, ha.

Do they make mini skillets that are the size of a refrigerator magnet?

Edit: It looks like there is a small 3.5 inch egg and sauce skillet on Amazon for $5. Not quite small enough to be a knick-knack, but it would make an excellent paperweight/magnetic clip holder.

I'll probably mock something up.

Get one of these, use it to steam your veggies until they are soft, and sprinkle some of this on em.

So. Friggin. Good.

This is literally in my amazon wish list

Woo! I know this one - it's a collapsible steamer : http://www.amazon.com/Amco-Collapsible-Steamer-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000Q4N2LO

I don't know what pans you are referring to, but the pans I'm talking about are nearly as heavy as my similarly sized cast iron. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/DeBuyer-Mineral-Element-Frypan-Round/dp/B00462QP0W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1368319450&sr=8-3&keywords=Carbon+steel+pan

I have a lodge enameled cast iron dutch oven and while I've never used a le creuset, it does all the things it's supposed to do and is pretty sharp looking too at a fraction of the price.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012N7G60/ref=twister_B004QM8SMA?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Use a carbon steel pan, they are pretty thin and light; way lighter than cast iron.

I have the heavier cast-iron pans as well but I tend to cook with my carbon steel lodge pan most. All the non-stick and SO much lighter. Doesn't hold heat as well as the fatter pans but has its uses.

Originally I'd have recommended a steamer. However, you can get one of these and then go with the pressure cooker. Looks like there's inserts for it to do steaming as well, so there's that also.

This is correct, and also why most would-be stir fryers would benefit from purchasing a cast iron wok

A dutch oven, a campfire, and/or charcoal briquets. You can "stack" dutch ovens on top of each other, with each oven being a size smaller than the one below it. They do make aluminum dutch ovens, intended to be used by horse or mule pack trains. They are quite a bit lighter than cast iron dutch ovens. Other items that go along with dutch oven cooking are a lid lifter and a lid "rest." You can control the temp of the oven by the number of briquets on the lid.

BTW, the type of lid with a lip all the way around, so that one's briquets don't roll off is really de rigueur. You don't want the type with a "rounded" dome lid.

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Lifter-Lifting-Carrying-Ovens/dp/B0000TPDJE/ref=pd_bxgy_img_2/132-7088107-2513867?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0000TPDJE&pd_rd_r=a15db4a3-c5ec-48ae-a51c-e7e82a6be9e0&pd_rd_w=jZOKH&pd_rd_wg=dy07K&pf_rd_p=a2006322-0bc0-4db9-a08e-d168c18ce6f0&pf_rd_r=K9CA053T5P8AKZW5BS1A&psc=1&refRID=K9CA053T5P8AKZW5BS1A

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-A5-11-Camp-Dutch-Black/dp/B07DR5GTQD/ref=pd_bxgy_79_img_3/132-7088107-2513867?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07DR5GTQD&pd_rd_r=218eacb9-5d6c-4dad-91cf-e16da1dbf183&pd_rd_w=FCwCZ&pd_rd_wg=fzNzP&pf_rd_p=a2006322-0bc0-4db9-a08e-d168c18ce6f0&pf_rd_r=SCQYZACAA61WGGX4V72E&psc=1&refRID=SCQYZACAA61WGGX4V72E

https://www.amazon.com/Texsport-Cast-Dutch-Handles-Handle/dp/B00019H602

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L12DCO3-Deep-Dutch-Quart/dp/B00008GKDW/ref=pd_cp_468_3?pd_rd_w=TDeqb&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=8VGGH6PZZKBJ4R0A6D24&pd_rd_r=875f9396-8df3-4c2e-8746-b23d663c901f&pd_rd_wg=E7Hfs&pd_rd_i=B00008GKDW&psc=1&refRID=8VGGH6PZZKBJ4R0A6D24

https://www.amazon.com/Bruntmor-Legged-Pre-Seasoned-Camping-Flange/dp/B01MSDAZ16/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_468_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Z9HYH8Z0DMHWE7J87NES

Something is seriously funky with your link.

That looks nice, but I'm really interested in the valves for ease of transfer. Also, I've got enough existing kettles lying around that if I add one more I don't have to learn this BIAB process.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/06/equipment-how-to-buy-a-wok-which-wok-is-the-best.html

And this is the wok they recommend.

sounds like you want a Roasting pot of some sort..

I've never used Winco SS that I'm aware of. If you want a BIFL 12" saute pan, I'd recommend a carbon steel one, like this. It's a restaurant staple. SS pans tend to heat unevenly unless they're the 3 ply type with a copper disk sandwiched in. Think 'All-clad'.

To anyone just starting out though, highly recommend these pans for steak duties

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00462QP0W

Not that you shouldn't also own a few decent cast iron pieces.

Doesn't Forkish recommend at 4 or 5qt dutch oven? 7.5 seems a bit big. I got the 6qt Lodge dutch oven off of Amazon and it has worked well.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012N7G60/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Remember that if you're trying to lose weight, it's fibrous veggies you need, not sweet potatoes. The goal is to fill up on the least amount of calories while getting adequate protein to protect your muscle.

You can buy electric steamers. Or maybe one of these will fit in your cooker. http://www.amazon.ca/Amco-10957-Collapsible-Steamer-Stainless/dp/B000Q4N2LO/ref=sr_1_12?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1421347817&sr=1-12&keywords=vegetable+steamers

Try using a bench scraper when shaping instead of hands, and use a little more flour esp on the sides of the boule to prevent sticking. Here is a YouTube video for instructions.

I use a Dutch oven like this one and get consistent results.

You can pick up one of these at pretty much any grocery store or supermarket I've ever seen. You can steam anything with it. Just drop it into a pot of shallow boiling water and cover.

As I've already said elsewhere here, skip the wok, go to a restaurant supply store, and get a carbon steel skillet. They're very much like woks, in that they're thin, cheap, and made from carbon steel. The important difference is that it's shaped flat on the bottom to work on a normal range, rather than round like a big metal bowl. You don't need a wok spatula, use whatever utensil you like. I'm partial to silicone tipped tongs.

A rice cooker is nice but making rice on the stove isn't that difficult. Something to pick up if you can, but not a priority or something to worry about not having. Calling them "very multi-purpose" is down-right dishonest. Yeah you can cook a poofy pan cake in it, and you might once, and yes, you can steam a small amount of stuff in it, but really it's for rice.

It's good to have some extra glass or strainless steel bowls lying around for prep.

If she cooks, I can think of a few things for the kitchen.

• Roasting pan.
  
  
• Ramikens.
  
  
• Rasp.
  
  
• Recipe box.
  
  Or even food like rotini or raspberry jam.
  
  

they just look like mini cast iron skillets.

I use a collapsible metal steamer that folds up against the sides of the 6L - like this one

I like the enameled version of it. Cast iron can leech a metallic flavor into tomato or acidic based soups/stews from what I hear. The enameled version is about $50.

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Color-6-Quart-Dutch-Emerald/dp/B0012N7G60/ref=dp_cp_ob_hg_title_4

I just have a steamer basket like this that I put over a pot of boiling water

I'll be honest with you, the 365+ wok is nothing special. All teflon coated woks perform exactly the same, so there really isn't any benefit to choosing one ikea wok over another. The teflon coating eventually wears off, and then you'll have to buy a new wok anyway, so my suggestion would be to just get an actual carbon steel wok and learn to season it properly. When properly seasoned, carbon steel woks last forever.

I've been using this https://www.amazon.com/Joyce-Chen-22-0060-Uncoated-14-inch/dp/B0001VQIP4/ref=sr_1_23?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1491957309&sr=1-23&keywords=wok

and this https://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-1408186/Sur+La+Table+Professional+Carbon+Steel+Wok;jsessionid=6E724508C0926F8F9CC8C614DFB2F733.slt-app-02-p-app3?cat=TCA-257771_Woks

for almost 8 years now.

So funny to see this here. I have been working on my French omelette technique and was just watching it.

Chopsticks are a good option if you don't want to risk scratching up your non-stick pan. I use an Element B iron fry pan, but I still prefer long chopsticks.

I find that I'm still over-browning the bottoms, and my folding is nowhere near as pretty as his. But oh man, the texture of the French style is just so nice. Practice, practice, practice!

This is the most BIFL quality and with a small cable lock, would lock securely.

I've been using this one for the past two years and it has served me very well. I was even able to mark the sides with a punch to tell me how many gallons. I would also get a spray bottle for your sanitizer because it's so much easier. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FRJJSM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Get yourself a Lodge cast iron wok. Plenty of heat capacity from the cast iron so your temps won't drop as drastically as with a pan when you drop something in. It's nice and deep too.

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Pro-Logic-P14W3-Black-14-inch/dp/B00063RXQK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469144855&sr=8-1&keywords=lodge+wok

Then if you want more heat and control I found an inductive hob both produces more heat than my electric stove and offers immediate response to changes in the heat setting,

I've thought about this for sometime because i want to build out a van so i can do ski touring, and theirs not always a shower available. Anyways, I've thought maybe a 5 gallon pot with a thermometer, being heated on a burner might work. I don't think it would take long to heat up considering that it only needs to be heated to 39C / 102F or so. You could at this point poor that into a pump sprayer, or use a portable shower head and put the pump right into the pot. As to how to do it in the van, i've thought maybe if you sat on a small bench in a portable plastic tub, or built your own wooden tub to your own dimensions. Then just either pour out the water, or pour into a greywater jug. If you built your own tub, you could even install a little drain into it with a rubber stopper.

Ahhhh... one of 'dem 'der fancy ones. I've only used ones like this outdoors with wood fire and/or charcoal. Not the kind I would imagine working well indoors.

Yep: http://www.amazon.com/DeBuyer-Mineral-Element-Frypan-Round/dp/B00462QP0W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1397146040&sr=8-2&keywords=debuyer

It's a pot made for for canning, so it's literally made for boiling water for an extended period of time. It's food-safe as well, if that's your intent.

I am another supporter of De Buyer high carbon steel.

http://www.amazon.com/DeBuyer-Mineral-Element-Frypan-Round/dp/B00462QP0W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410206921&sr=8-1&keywords=de+buyer

Buy a De Buyer carbon steel pan instead, it will outlast you and you don't poison yourself with teflon. Only 37.08e

https://www.amazon.de/Buyer-Mineral-Round-Carbon-10-25-Inch/dp/B00462QP0W?language=en_GB

Amazon has the Carbon Steel Skillet for $40.

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Seasoned-Skillet-Skillet-Cooking/dp/B005U93RYW/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1542850466&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=lodge+cast+Iron+skillet&psc=1

​

Does it flip open and closed? It looks like a vegetable strainer

https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Vegetable-Steamer-Basket-Handle/dp/B00KYDZHSI/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=vegetable+strainer&qid=1574193704&sr=8-4

Actually looks like the 6” model in the pic based off the pour spouts and space taken up on the cutting board underneath.

Edit: yup 6.5 pictured https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Skillet-Miniature-Individual-Desserts/dp/B000LXA9YI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8