(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best kitchen cookware
We found 6,555 Reddit comments discussing the best kitchen cookware. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 2,431 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
21. Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Griddle With Easy-Grip Handle, 10.5 Inch (Pack of 1), Black
Foundry seasoned, ready to use upon purchaseUse on all cooking surfaces, grills and campfiresOven safeSauté, sear, fry, bake and stir fry to heart's contentMade in the USA
Specs:
Color | Black |
Height | 1.5 Inches |
Length | 15.87 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 10.5 Inch (Pack of 1) |
Weight | 4.40924524 Pounds |
Width | 10.62 Inches |
22. Chef Craft Classic Stainless Steel Steamer Basket, 1 Pack
- Constructed of stainless steel and rust resistant
- Expands out to 9 1/2 inches, fits great in an Instapot
- Great for vegetables, fish, and more
- Has three legs on the bottom to keep steamer out of water with silicone feet so it doesn't scratch pots
- Dishwasher safe for easy clean up
Features:
Specs:
Color | Stainless Steel |
Height | 5.5 Inches |
Length | 2.75 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | January 2021 |
Size | 9.5 inch 6 inch diameter |
Weight | 1.5 Pounds |
Width | 5.5 Inches |
23. Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Reversible Grill/Griddle, 16.75 Inch x 9.5 Inch, Black
Item Shape: RectangularIncluded Components: Measurement Guide
Specs:
Color | Black |
Height | 0.63 Inches |
Length | 16.75 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 16.75 Inch |
Weight | 9.38 Pounds |
Width | 9.5 Inches |
24. Ball Mason 4oz Quilted Jelly Jars with Lids and Bands, Set of 12
- Ball 4 oz quilt jelly
- Ideal for preserving jams, jellies sauces, mustard & flavored vinegar
- Custom time tested ceiling compound help ensure a quality seal with each lid
- New brushed silver design on the outside lid matched kitchen designs
- Refrigerate up to 3 weeks, freeze up to 1 year, fresh preserve and store up to 1 year
- Ball 4-Ounce quilt jelly
- Ideal for preserving jams, jellies sauces, mustard & flavored vinegar
- Custom time tested ceiling compound help ensure a quality seal with each lid
- New brushed silver design on the outside lid matched kitchen designs
- Refrigerate up to 3 weeks, freeze up to 1 year, fresh preserve and store up to 1 year
Features:
Specs:
Color | Clear |
Height | 3.5 Inches |
Length | 12.3 Inches |
Number of items | 12 |
Size | 4 Oz |
Weight | 3.4 Pounds |
Width | 9 Inches |
25. 4-Pack of Fermentation Glass Weights with Easy Grip Handle for Wide Mouth Mason Jar
- High Quality Materials—Our food-safe glass is lead free and non-porous so it never absorbs food odors, flavors, or colors.
- Innovative Design—our smart bulge handle design makes it easy to take these weights out of your Mason Jars and offer a much more stable solution than other grooved weights.
- Excellent Unversal Fit—Fits perfectly with typical wide-mouth Mason Jars, making them just right for small batches of fermented veggies and improving the entire lacto-fermentation process.
- Studry And Effective --Large and heavy enough to keep vegetables submerged below brine for best results of fermentation—better than DIY weights effective than DIY weights.
- 100% Satisfaction - If you are not happy with your fermentation weights, we will give you a full refund!
Features:
Specs:
Color | Glass |
Height | 2 Inches |
Length | 5 Inches |
Size | Glass Weights |
Weight | 0.97 Pounds |
Width | 3 Inches |
26. Ball Mason "PINT" Jars Wide-Mouth Can or Freeze - 12pk (by Jarden Home Brands) WM 16 Oz
- Ball wide mouth pint jar
- Ideal for preserving jams, jellies sauces, mustard & flavored vinegar
- Custom time tested sealing compound help ensure a quality seal with each lid
- Brushed silver design on the outside lid matches kitchen designs; Jars are not plain jars
- Refrigerate up to 3 weeks, freeze up to 1 year, fresh preserve and store up to 1 year
Features:
Specs:
Color | Clear |
Height | 11 Inches |
Length | 14.6 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | WM 16 Oz |
Weight | 8.4 Pounds |
Width | 6.1 Inches |
27. Microwave Pasta Cooker - The Original Fasta Pasta - No Mess, Sticking or Waiting For Boil
- Perfect al dente pasta everytime
- Saves time, energy and water
- No boil over
- Cooks evenly without sticking
Features:
Specs:
Color | Clear |
Height | 3.5 Inches |
Length | 11.5 Inches |
Release date | April 2008 |
Weight | 0.5 Pounds |
Width | 5.63 Inches |
28. Lodge 8 Inch Cast Iron Skillet. Small Pre-Seasoned Skillet for Stovetop, Oven, or Camp Cooking
8-inch Skillet can saute, sear, fry, bake and stir fryPre-Seasoned and ready-to-useSuperior heat retention and even cookingSturdy handle with hole for hanging when not in useMade in the USA
Specs:
Color | Black |
Height | 1.9 Inches |
Length | 12.8 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 8-Inch |
Weight | 2.20462262 pounds |
Width | 8.7 Inches |
29. T-fal B36290 Specialty Nonstick 5 Qt. Jumbo Cooker Sauté Pan with Glass Lid, Black
Heat mastery system: T fal's heat mastery system is a three ingredient recipe for perfectly delicious cooking results every time; Superior and longer lasting non stick coating, an anti warping, even heat base and patented thermo spot technologyThermo spot indicator: The ring around the spot turns so...
Specs:
Color | Black |
Height | 3.5 inches |
Length | 23 inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | March 2006 |
Size | 5 quart |
Weight | 4 Pounds |
Width | 12 inches |
30. Lucky Iron Fish Ⓡ A Natural Source of Iron - The Original Cooking Tool to Add Iron to Food/Water, Reduce Iron Deficiency Risks - an Iron Supplement Alternative, Ideal for Vegans and Pregnant Women
- QUICK AND EASY ----- Make iron-fortified water for drinking, or for making grains, rice, oats, smoothies, juices and even ice! Add it to any liquid-based meals like soups, sauces & curries for a natural and safe boost of iron every day!
- WHY USE THE ORIGINAL LUCKY IRON FISH INSTEAD OF OTHER ALTERNATIVES ----- Our NEW patented ingredient releases more bioavailable iron, with no side effects, supported by published clinical research, unlike other unproven imitations on the market. Our iron is made from food-grade, highest purity iron powder, no preservatives, no additives, and is 100% natural. The Lucky Iron Fish is rigorously tested to ensure quality, purity, and consistency of iron release. ESTABLISHED 2012
- SAFE AND EFFECTIVE ----- The Lucky Iron Fish is carefully tested and backed by continuous global clinical research. Lucky Iron Fish/Leaf is now made in one of the largest manufacturers in the world for high purity iron approved for food fortification worldwide. It is also an ISO 9001, 14001, ISO 22000 & OHSAS 18001 certified facility and its products are also certified Kosher and Halal. It meets Food Chemical Codex (FCC) standards.
- NO UNPLEASANT SIDE EFFECTS ----- Our Lucky Iron Fish adds a significant, yet gentle and easily absorbed amount of iron without causing constipation or nausea. Adding iron to your diet helps prevent iron deficiency anemia.
- HOW MUCH IRON DO I NEED ----- Lucky Iron Fish is a safe, natural and clinically proven way to add iron to your meals. Since most people (depending on age) need 8-18 mg of daily iron, the Lucky Iron Fish can provide 6-8mg of bioavailable iron + It's SUSTAINABLE and REUSABLE for about 5 years which is around 1800 uses!
- CAN THE LUCKY IRON FISH HELP ME ----- Our iron-fortification cooking tool is natural and safe for the whole family. It is ideal for those who are menstruating, vegan, or vegetarian, as well as athletes. Talk to your healthcare professional to see if this product is right for you.
- CONCERNED ABOUT RUST? No problem! ----- Though harmless, iron is prone to rusting, however this new patented electrolytic iron formula is easier to care for. Simply add a little lemon juice and soap on the Fish and give it a good scrub, rinse, dry and apply our Lucky Iron Protection Oil (sold separately). ***NEVER let your Fish air dry or let it sit wet as this is when rust forms.
- SOCIAL IMPACT ----- Did you know iron deficiency is the world's largest nutritional challenge and negatively impacts millions of people? As a dedicated BCorp, impact is at the core of everything we do. Lucky Iron Fish is a simple and effective solution to help combat this complex problem. For each purchase, we donate a portion of the sales to our impact fund, which is used to help pregnant people, those who menstruate, and young children improve their health. "Help us put a Fish in every pot".
Features:
Specs:
Height | 1 Inches |
Length | 4 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 1 Fish |
Weight | 0.39903669422 Pounds |
Width | 2.5 Inches |
31. Presto 01362 6-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker
Chicken, fish, meat, and vegetables cook to perfection fast; Helps tenderize economical cuts of meatPressure regulator maintains the proper cooking pressure automatically; Complete 64-page instruction/recipe book includedIdeal for use on regular, smooth-top and induction ranges; Our stainless steel ...
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 8.75 Inches |
Length | 9.12 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 6 qt |
Weight | 6.6 Pounds |
Width | 17.31 Inches |
32. Matfer Bourgeat Black Steel Round Fry Pan, 11 7/8"
VARIETY OF USES: Brings top-notch heat distribution and temperature control, preserving the vitamins and nutrients in your foods, making it excellent for searing meats, browning omelets, grilling fish, and cooking a wide range of dishes, even dessertsNATURAL NON-STICK MATERIAL: Made of of black carb...
Specs:
Color | Stainless Steel |
Height | 0.02 Inches |
Length | 0.02 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 11 7/8-Inch |
Weight | 4.11 Pounds |
Width | 0.02 Inches |
33. Cuisinart Multiclad Pro Triple Ply Stainless Steel 12-Pc. Set
18/10 stainless cooking surface does not discolor, react with food, or alter flavors.Cool Grip Handle Solid stainless steel riveted handle.Drip-free pouring rim.Dishwasher safe.Tightfitting cover seals in moisture and nutrients for healthier, more flavorful results.
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 10.7 Inches |
Length | 24.2 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 12 Piece |
Weight | 26 Pounds |
Width | 14.2 Inches |
34. Amco Collapsible Steamer, 1 EA, Metallic
- Crafted from durable, rustproof stainless steel
- Steamer basket expands up to 9-inch in diameter to fit a variety of pots
- Removable center post for larger vegetables; post includes ring for lifting
- Steaming enhances a vegetable's flavor and preserves nutrients
- Dishwasher safe(top rack recommended) for quick and easy clean up
Features:
Specs:
Color | Metallic |
Height | 9 Inches |
Length | 5.7 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 1 EA |
Width | 11.6 Inches |
35. Jarden Kerr Wide Mouth Half-Pint Glass Mason Jars 8-Ounces with Lids and Bands 12-Count per Case (1-Case)
12-Count Kerr Wide Mouth Half-Pint 8-Ounces Glass Mason Jars, Lids and Bands included.Ideal for fresh preserving recipes such as salsas, syrups, sauces, fruits, and vegetables.New and Improved Sure Tight Lids. It helps keep canned food sealed for up to 18 months.Step-by-step instructions on the bott...
Specs:
Color | Clear |
Height | 2.8 Inches |
Length | 3.4 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 12-Pack |
Weight | 2.2E-6 Pounds |
Width | 3.4 Inches |
36. Lodge Pro-Logic Wok With Flat Base and Loop Handles, 14-inch, Black
One Lodge Pre-Seasoned 14 Inch Cast Iron WokLarge handles and flat base for easier handlingUnparalleled heat retention and even heatingPre-seasoned with 100% natural vegetable oilUse to sear, sauté, bake, broil, braise, fry, or grillUse in the oven, on the stove, on the grill, or over a campfireGre...
Specs:
Color | Black |
Height | 4.44 Inches |
Length | 18.06 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | May 2004 |
Size | 14-inch |
Weight | 11.48 Pounds |
Width | 14.56 Inches |
37. Bayou Classic 1144 1144-44-qt Stainless Stockpot with Basket, 44 quarts, Silver
- 44-qt Stainless Stockpot
- Vented Lid
- Secure Welded Handles
- Perforated Basket that sets 3-in above the bottom for steaming or boiling.
Features:
Specs:
Color | Silver |
Height | 19 Inches |
Length | 15 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | December 2006 |
Size | 44 quarts |
Weight | 17 Pounds |
Width | 15 Inches |
38. IMUSA USA R200-12W Aluminum Mug for Stovetop Use or Camping 1.25-Quart, Silver
- Made of Aluminum
- Stovetop Safe with Side Handle
- Perfect 1.25-Quart for Single Serve Use
- Can be used for Camping, and other Outdoor Activities
- Ideal for Chocolate, Coffee, Tea, Soups and More
Features:
Specs:
Color | Multicolor |
Height | 7 inches |
Length | 5 inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 1 Count (Pack of 1) |
Width | 4 inches |
39. Lodge 12 Inch Seasoned Carbon Steel Skillet. Large Steel Skillet for Family Size Cooking.
Takes high heat for best browning/searing12 gauge carbon steel heats quickly and retains heat for even cookingBrutally tough for decades of cooking. Steel riveted handleUse on gas, electric, induction stovetops, outdoor grills or open fireRefer user guide below before using the product .Made in the ...
Specs:
Color | Black |
Height | 3.5 inches |
Length | 20.87 inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 12 Inch |
Weight | 3.41 Pounds |
Width | 12 inches |
40. De Buyer Mineral B Frying Pan, 10.2 Inch, Silver-Grey
100-Percent Natural and 99-Percent Pure IronGuaranteed without PTFE or PFOA and no chemicals added; naturally non-stick after seasoningBee Wax was discovered by deBuyer as a by-product in nature to help protect these pans against oxidation and assist in seasoningCare : don't put it in the dishwasher...
Specs:
Color | Gray |
Height | 6 Inches |
Length | 19 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Size | 10.25'' (Pack of 1) |
Weight | 4.19 Pounds |
Width | 10.25 Inches |
🎓 Reddit experts on kitchen cookware
The comments and opinions expressed on this page are written exclusively by redditors. To provide you with the most relevant data, we sourced opinions from the most knowledgeable Reddit users based the total number of upvotes and downvotes received across comments on subreddits where kitchen cookware are discussed. For your reference and for the sake of transparency, here are the specialists whose opinions mattered the most in our ranking.
TL;DR warning
Are you willing to invest in some tools? Do you like Five Guys? (skinny burgers) The fastest burger procedure that I know of is Kenji's Ultra-Smash technique, which makes a pair of thin patties in no time. Takes about a minute per burger (two patties with cheese). Details here:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/03/the-food-lab-maximize-flavor-by-ultra-smashin.html
You can also do a regular smash burger, which is thicker (McDonalds-thin), but takes longer (~1.5 minutes per side, about 3 minutes total per burger):
http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2012/09/the-burger-lab-smashed-burgers-vs-smashing-burgers.html
The advantage of the ultra-smash is that it's super quick & you can toss a piece of cheese to melt between two patties, so you can pump out a ton of burgers in no time. You will need a few tools, namely:
It's not rocket science, but getting a proper setup will let you have a workflow that makes cooking for a crowd a breeze. I have a big extended family, so I cook in bulk a lot, but I also use this for just my immediate family because it's so fast to get setup. There is an up-front investment required, but everything you'll buy will pretty much last forever, so it's worth it if you like to eat burgers!
So the first two things you need are a metal cooking surface & a heat source that can pump out a lot of heat. I don't recommend a regular grill because they simply don't get hot enough; you need 600 to 700F to do this. You can either do a compact setup (a 2-burger surface with a single burner) or invest in a quality flat-top setup (more expensive, but lets you do more burgers at once). The ideal surface to do this on is a Baking Steel, which is very expensive. There are knockoffs for cheaper, but I like BS because they have a Griddle version with grooves to catch the grease:
http://www.bakingsteel.com/
You can also do it with cast iron. Lodge has a griddle for $25:
http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LDP3-Double-Reversible-Griddle/dp/B002CMLTXG
If I'm just doing a single regular smash burger at a time, I use a 12" cast-iron pan. $28:
http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Cast-Iron-Skillet-L10SK3ASHH41B-12-Inch/dp/B00G2XGC88/
If you do get into cast-iron, read up on this seasoning procedure (i.e. the way to keep it smooth & slippery without Teflon). It's a bit of a pain, but it's worth learning because anything you buy in cast-iron can be handed down to your kids because it lasts forever:
http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/
You will want a heavy smashing tool as well. I have this massive 2.5-pound cast-iron press. It fits inside the 12" pan above (but not the 10"). $13:
http://www.amazon.com/Update-International-Heavy-Weight-Hamburger-Commercial/dp/B002LDDKZ6
If you plan on doing ultra-smash burgers, you'll need a scraper. This is the one Kenji recommends, but you can probably find something locally: (Home Depot or Lowes)
http://www.amazon.com/Plextool-Wall-Paper-Stripper/dp/B00AU6GQLQ/
Anyway, getting back to the cooking part: you'll need a hi-temp burner. I like Bayou Burners, they sell them on Amazon. I have an SP10: ($50)
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-SP10-High-Pressure-Outdoor/dp/B000291GBQ
I use that with my 12" cast-iron pan for when I'm just doing a few burgers for the family. 15 minutes = 5 burgers. You can also slap a flat surface like a cast-iron griddle or Baking Steel on that puppy. Also comes in a square version (not sure how the BTU's compare). I also have some KAB4 burners that I use with my Baking Steel, among other things. More expensive, but larger shell & burner: (more even heat over the cooking surface)
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-KAB4-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B0009JXYQY/
For cooking more at a time, you can get a cooktop. Blackstone has a 36" cooktop available, but it doesn't get very hot (don't get me wrong, it's an awesome tool, but I've had trouble breaking 500F on mine, which means you're not cooking 1-minute burgers on it, plus the heating is kind of uneven, so you have to work in the hot spots for faster cook times). Also comes in a slightly smaller 28" version (but it's only like $50 less, so it makes more sense to get the full-sized version because you get so much more cooking area). The nice thing with this setup is that for $299 (or a bit less if you shop around at places like Cabela's), you can cook like 20 burgers at a time, it's absolutely insane! I make epic breakfasts on it. Plus it folds up for transport, which is really handy. We use it for all of our family events & holidays:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DYN0438
A better version is from Tejas Smokers. They make camping stove carts that have burners built-in & have griddles available separately. They get super hot, downside is the cost: you can easily spend $700 on a nice setup.
https://tejassmokers.com/Camp-Stove-Carts/23
Oh yeah, Blackstone did just come out with a compact outdoor griddle which can run off those little one-pound green tanks if you want. They go for around $99 ($79 if you have an Ace Hardware near you). I have not tried this, but it gets good reviews. I'd be curious to see what kind of temperatures it can achieve:
http://www.amazon.com/Blackstone-Portable-Griddle-Outdoors-Camping/dp/B0195MZHBK
So that's a basic introduction to the cooktops: you need some kind of decently-sized metal surface, a hi-temp burner, a smashing tool, and optionally (but recommended) a scraper. You will also want to get a strong, high-quality spatula. A good one is $32:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/07/equipment-the-due-buoi-wide-spatula-my-new-fa.html
Available here:
http://www.duebuoi.it/x/uk_usd/catalog/p/spatulas~805-16x10.html
If you opt for cast-iron, get an infrared temperature gun (doesn't work too well on shiny metal surfaces like steel tho). $17:
http://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Lasergrip-1080-Non-contact-Thermometer/dp/B00DMI632G/
A cheap digital kitchen scale is useful too, for measuring out the proper amount of meat. $14:
http://www.amazon.com/Ozeri-Digital-Kitchen-Capacity-Stylish/dp/B003E7AZQA/
This collection of tools ensures that you have the proper workflow: a metal surface to cook on, the ability to bring the surface to a high temperature (and know what that temperature is for precise control), the ability to weigh your meat so you can pre-measure out what you need, the ability to smash the burger down, and also to properly scrape it off. Again, it's not rocket science, but if you have a wussy grill or a crappy surface or weak smashing/scraping tools, you're gonna have a bad time. You just need the right setup to pump burgers out fast!
So on to prep. For ultra-smash, you do a pair of 2-ounce ground beef balls. In the tutorial above, they use a mix of meat for 25% fat. I just grab some regular 80/20 ground plus some salt & pepper. For regular smash burgers, do a single 4-ounce ball (optionally 5 ounces...useful if you have a big cooktop for a bunch of burgers at one time & are only doing a single patty per burger). The nice thing is, there's no special prep required for the meat, so you can make all of your burger balls ahead of time. If you have 10 people & are doing ultra-smash, let's say half of them get 2 burgers, so 15 burgers total, or thirty 2oz balls. If you have 20 people & are doing regular smash, again with half getting an extra burger, that's 30 burgers total or thirty 4 or 5oz balls. So that takes care of prep...adjust as needed. If you're feeding mostly dudes, you'll want to add more seconds (and thirds) to the equation.
There are a variety of buns you can get. Crap buns will make for a crap burger. See if you can find potato buns or brioche buns. Those are pretty soft. Buns aren't overly hard to make, but I have yet to find a decent recipe that takes under 40 minutes, so I usually only doing fancy home-baked buns for my family rather than a crowd. Buying 5 or 10 pounds of ground beef & making smash balls out of them will take you all of ten minutes, but making buns can take forever. Here's a good recipe if you want to try it out tho:
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/07/light-brioche-burger-buns/
Or this, if you wanna get crazy:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/05/fresh-cemita-rolls-mexican-sandwich-burger-bun-bread-food-lab-recipe.html
Or this one, nom nom nom:
http://amazingribs.com/recipes/breads/brioche_hamburger_buns.html
But eh, just hit up Sam's/Coscto/BJ's and buy some hamburger buns in bulk, problem solved. Or find a local bakery that has good rolls. There's a good shootout of buns here:
http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2011/04/the-burger-lab-whats-the-best-bun-for-my-burger-taste-test.html
(continued)
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.
One of my favorite memories as a kid was on our trip to Disney. We didn't have a lot of money but my moms boyfriend at the time was wealthier and decided to take us all on a nice trip. The trip didn't start off great. I'm the oldest and while I was excited to be going to Disney (I love rides) I knew I'd probably be spending a lot of time either babysitting or going on baby rides. I also felt really alone because even as far as the plane ride went we couldn't get seats together so I ended up having to sit in a different part of the plane with people I didn't know. From pretty much the second we got there my mom and her boyfriend began arguing, the timeshare we were suppose to stay in was messed up, etc. My sister and I who were never close (spent the majority of our lives arguing) were stuck in an extremely small room together along with my baby brother. So then started our Disney trip. My mom decided it was a good idea for us to save up our allowance for souvenir money at the parks which was a smart idea EXCEPT she also decided that we should have to use our allowance money to pay for the parking in the park and my brothers stroller rental to help "pitch in". Within the first couple of hours my brother ended up getting separated from us which led to a huge freak out and a lot of arguing between my mom, her boyfriend, and park staff. As a pre teen I was extremely embarrassed but luckily everything turned out fine, he just wandered of. The second day we ended up spending 99% of the day in the kiddie areas to avoid another issue like the day before. Then finally on the third day my sister and I convinced my mom to let us go off to some of the bigger rides by ourselves. Before we went off her boyfriend pulled us aside and handed us the money we had given "to pitch in" and then some. He explained that we shouldn't have to use the money we saved up to pay for anything and some extra for being good sports. And we were off! After some initial arguing about where we wanted to go first (we had a time limit) we were stopped by some park staff. Again we argued because we were convinced we were in trouble or that our mom had freaked out and wanted us to come back, another embarrassment. We were wrong and the staff asked us if we wanted to join in on a little talent contest they were having. So we went with them over to where some other staff, dressed as characters were, along with a bunch of other people. It wasn't anything huge just about 10 people including us. So they went around asking other people to do their "talents" some people sang, one woman did sign language, etc then they got to us. Immediately my sister and I looked at each other and just began dancing. We did the whackiest dances we could think of and hysterically laughing. We ended up winning the "talent show" and my sister got to take her picture with all the characters and get all of their autographs (something which was really important to her). After that we agreed on rides we would go on together, stopped off to get some snacks, and souvenirs before going back. This is an important memory for me because pretty much ever since then our relationship changed. We all of the sudden didn't mind being in a small room together even though we had shared a room our entire lives and hated it. We actually started talking to each other and almost 15 years later we have a great relationship. Haha funny thing is shes moving to Florida soon so maybe one day we'll revisit Disney and win another talent contest. Thanks for the contest and taking me down memory lane!
This is under $20
WOODPECKER
Look to see if there is a restaurant supply store near you that's open to the public. They'll usually have no frills, practical equipment for a good price.
Some people discount nonstick pans, but I think they have their place, especially for a beginner. Don't bother getting anything expensive, though, because the nonstick coating won't last forever no matter what you do. I like this one, it's a good family-size skillet and surprisingly sturdy: http://www.amazon.com/T-fal-Specialty-Nonstick-Dishwasher-Cookware/dp/B000EM9PTQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1427525734&sr=8-3&keywords=t+fal+skillet
I like T-Fal's nonstick skillets in general, they're good without straining your budget. Personally, I'd skip the mandoline. They're nice, but unless you anticipate needing to slice a LOT of things consistently paper thin, it's probably best to invest in a good chef's knife and develop your knife skills. Out of your asterisked items, I'd say a food processor is the most helpful. I'd also hold off on expensive appliances or or specialty tools like microplane zesters until you're certain you'll use it often enough to justify the cost.
Get a big Crock Pot.
Then make a [beef stew] (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/14685/slow-cooker-beef-stew-i/). That recipe should yield about 6 servings.
Get up early Sunday morning, toss everything in the slow cooker around 7am, have dinner at 7pm. Put the rest into individual serving size Tupperware containers, some in the fridge, some in the freezer. Bring the frozen ones to school for lunch.
That should take you no more than 15-20 minutes to prep and start cooking.
Cereal for breakfast is fine but you can do better. Learn to cook eggs. I'm partial to Gordon Ramsay's scrambled eggs. I usually have mine on a toasted English muffin hand I'll throw a few strawberries or some other friends on the plate top complete it. Takes no more than 10 minutes to start the day right.
Buy a whole bunch of chicken breasts, 3-5 pounds depending on how much you love chicken. Cook them to at a time in your cast iron skillet. 6-7 minutes on a side. Should take about 45 minutes to do them all, but since they just sit there for 6 minutes at a time, you can be doing other things too, like putting 8 scoops of rice into your Instant Pot and filling it with water. Meanwhile you'll also be able to cut up a bunch of tomatoes and make some home made salsa.
When the chicken is all done, you can start shredding it with a couple of forks (you can also shred some chickens while the other are cooking if everything else is done.
Put the rice, chicken, and homemade salsa into separate Tupperware containers in the fridge. It's pretty basic but chicken and rice with salsa is pretty good in a pinch.
Get a griddle, buy a big 5 pound bag of shredded cheese at Smart and Final along with a big package of flour tortillas. Toss a totilla on the griddle on medium heat, put a handful of cheese and some of your shredded chicken on it. When it starts getting melty fold it in half. Boom! Quesadilla!
The fact is, cooking for your self is a skill. You'll suck at it so badly when you are first starting out and it does, of course, take more time than walking into a buffet with your meal plan or having some Pad Thai delivered, but it's worth it. It will always be cheaper than the alternatives and, once you get the hang of it, it'll be much better than food you'd get at all but the very most expensive restaurants. Not to mention the pride you'll be able to take in the skill you develop.
Honestly, during the school year, I probably spend 4-5 hours a week cooking. I don't do much, if any, big bulk prep work because I haven't felt so crunched for time that it was necessary. When I do get swamped with exams or other school stuff, I can always order a pizza.
The fact is, unless your parents are financing a lavish lifestyle for you, you're going to have to learn to cook. My girlfriend and I usually spend between $100 and $150 per week on groceries and go out to eat (maybe) once a week.
If we were going out or ordering in for every meal... We'd have to double or triple our food budget. So, thought of another way. If we save $200/week by cooking and I only have to cook 5 hours/week, it's like I'm paying myself $40/hour to cook, not bad!
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.
Original post: Dug this up at a thrift store. It had some vintage photos of it, with it, but what is it?
Comments:
Author: scoobytardis Body: It’s a reproduction Roman coin. My ex’s mother had a whole set of them that she kept on the coffee table. The size is exaggerated(obviously) and the patina is part of the manufacturing process.
Author: harveym8 Body: Really??? That's so bizarre
Author: scoobytardis Body: I always thought the idea was interesting, but making it so hard to see the detail in the coin kinda defeats the purpose imho. Still a cool find. I haven’t seen any around in years.
Author: PCsNBaseball Body: Why would it be so huge tho?
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Author: -ishouldgethelp- Body: Probably to help display more detail
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Author: Skystrike7 Body: I've got an actual roman coin. You cannot see a speck of detail on most of them without a magnifying glass and lights because of the extreme wear/corrosion. The detail is highly exaggerated, in actuality, even in this picture.
Author: FittyTheBone Body: I got offered “2000-year-old coin!” at every bus stop in Turkey. Still have one of them! Even though they’re bogus, it’s a cool little keepsake that’s worth the few dollars I paid for it.
Author: cjohnsto1594 Body: My dad has a shield like that and it is pretty cool. He hung it on his wall
Author: NortWind Body: Looks like an oversize reproduction of a roman coin.
Author: plipyplop Body: That's good to hear. From the thumbnail, at first I was like: "Oh no! Someone else found a cluster submunition!"
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Author: nigelolympia Body: My thought was one of these iron adding cooking things.
Author: a_lane515 Body: I had no idea these existed. Does it work? It seems so strange.
Author: nigelolympia Body: Supposedly they do. I know using cast iron cookware does the same thing.
Author: BrownWhiskey Body: I thought for sure this was psuedoscience but just read Geerligs PD, et al. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2003 and it seems there's some legitimacy to it. Their research suggests that introduction of iron cookware to developing countries without the resources could reduce the rate of anemia. I'm truly surprised.
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^Bugs
Go to second hand store or garage sale and buy crockpot and a rice maker with built in steamer so you can steam veggies (and buy a few items like chopping board, cutting knife, spoon, etc). Also buy one of these pasta cookers for your microwave for $10 (I have one, totally works): http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000YT2XOI
I figure breakfast and lunch will be easy so here are some dinner ideas:
-crockpot BBQ shredded chicken sandwiches
-green salsa tacos. 2 chicken breasts (they could even be frozen) and half large jar of green salsa on high for 3-5 hours. Shred, serve on tortillas with lettuce, tomatoes, etc.
-crockpot lasagna (Kraft has a fabulous recipe where you can just put the dry noodles in)
-crockpot roast with potatoes and carrots (use 1 package of onion soup mix for flavoring. Optional: 1 can of coke, rootbeer, sprite or gingerale with soup mix.)
-Stir fry. Never done this before....but you could try cooking the chicken breast and marinade in the crockpot while the rice cooks and veggies steam in rice cooker.
-"crockpot chicken" (my own recipe). Chicken thighs on bone, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup light soya sauce, juice from can of pineapple, 1-2 cups of water (whatever looks good so chicken marinates in enough liquid), some ginger and garlic and sliced carrots. Cook on low all day. Add half can of pineapple RIGHT before serving (it tastes better that way). The chicken literally falls off the bone, the carrots turn out amazing. Serve with rice.
-spaghetti (use fasta pasta for the pasta), crockpot to make sauce unless you just use a jar of sauce which is easier.
-Crockpot chili, stew, corn chowder or soup
-"risotto" or "rice pilaf". You can totally add diced onion, chicken stock, cheese etc to rice cookers....I've done it before.
-Salsa chicken. Add layer of salsa in crockpot, add frozen chicken breasts, sprinkle chicken with chili powder and cook. Sprinkle chicken with cheese and cover back up until melted. Serve on rice with sour cream and salsa (from crockpot).
-Baked potato or sweet potato/yam (in microwave). Just look up internet directions on how to do that. If you like mashed, you can scoop out the insides, mash with fork in bowl, add a little milk, butter and salt. Viola.
Bonus: If you like eggs for breakfast, you can buy a egg cooker for the microwave. Makes perfect sized eggs for egg mcmuffins. Oh, and bacon can totally be cooked on a plate in the microwave with a paper towel overtop, should you wish to add bacon :)
Edit: Formatting. iphone suck at that. I'll add more ideas as I think of them.
Recipe ideas for a family:
Recipes: Nothing beats cheap lazy vegan: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEjkioV3LO_OIUaSWRxFZ3A
Containers I use: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01MQTYZE8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Regarding Lentils/beef dishes/meaty dishes the following ingredients are a must for me to make them taste hardy and win my omni friends over: Nutritional Yeast also known as Nooch, Soya Sauce, miso paste, and liquid smoke. Also, all lentils are not equal don't just swap red with belugas or with brown.
Apart from recipes
Staples to have in kitchen:
Best cook books for vegan:
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.
These are only absolutely necessary items. Sticking to the bare minimum is the easiest way to eat cheap :)
Appliances:
http://www.amazon.com/T-fal-Specialty-Nonstick-Dishwasher-Cookware/dp/B000EM9PTQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426036253&sr=8-1&keywords=deep+frying+pan
The beauty of a deep frying pan is the variety of things it can make. Stir fry, chili, soups... Bet you could make pancakes or toast on it too!
And that's it for tools/appliances. It's all you'll need. Of course it's nice to have a blender, food processor, oven, etc. but these are just the basics. A microwave is nice too but not really necessary.
As for my personal pantry staples:
I don't know anything about gardening and don't have the space to but the best deals on produce are with co-ops! I use Bountiful Baskets. They're almost everywhere in the US. $15/week for a ton of food. Variety changes every week.
As for recipes, I make killer oatmeal cookies. My roommates adore these: 1 C. Oatmeal + 2 Bananas (mashed) + 1tsp vanilla + 2tsp cinnamon (or more). Optional: sugar, raisins, or even chocolate. Mm chocolate. If you have an oven/toaster oven, set it to 350 and pop them in for around 15 mins. Delish, cheap, and healthy!
I should also mention I'm vegan, which is one of the cheapest ways to eat. Animal products are too expensive. No animal products, no problem! :)
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
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.
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
If you're vegetarian, or eat a ton of rice, get the rice cooker. Otherwise get the slow cooker.
Where you're living and what foods are readily available and affordable are all factors that could affect this.
A slow cooker is great if you eat a fair amount of meat, which the rice cooker is useless for. Cheap items like rump roast and pork shoulder are ideal things to put in there, and it's not bad for chicken either, although I prefer it baked. It's also super convenient. Basically, all you do is cut up the vegetables and dump everything in. Many of them have a timer so that when the food is done cooking, it will stay warm until you want to eat it. So you can start it in the morning and come home to dinner. The slow cooker can also do almost any soup or stew. So it's pretty versatile.
A rice cooker is a minor convenience unless you happen to eat rice every day, in which case it will save you a lot of time. It can steam, but you can also do that super easy with a cheap steamer basket.
Not to confuse things too much, but a toaster oven is also a great thing to have. You can bake quite a few things in there, and its great for reheating things that the microwave may not do well with.
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
Ah, the great outdoors.
I'd love to have this cast iron skillet off of my 'I could really use' wishlist.
Thank you for giving me motivated to go for a walk today. =)
Yeah it is a long drive, but just get up early and drive out there, takes a couple hours, and trust me, it's worth it. In Ocala, you can hike all day, then setup camp, and then walk over and go swimming in a spring, two nights in a row. But you need to either hike with a partner and self shuttle, or pay someone to drop you off on the other end of the trail. But definitely you want some easier overnights under your belt. I think Hillsborough and Starkey would be good shakedown hikes.
Edit: alcohol is cheaper, and since you're student, if you want advice on making an alcohol stove, you can start here: http://andrewskurka.com/2011/how-to-make-a-fancy-feast-alcohol-stove/
Couple things:
Have your vitamin B levels been tested? Low ferritin is often caused by low B levels preventing absorption of the iron. In that case, iron supplements alone won’t help. Vitamin B is water soluble, which means if you take too much it gets excreted in your urine, so if for some reason you can’t get your levels tested you could just try taking a B supplement to see if it helps.
Vitamin C helps with the absorption of iron. It’s good practice to take some form of vitamin C (orange juice, a supplement) at the same time as your iron supplement. Also a water soluble vitamin.
Have you tried the lucky iron fish? A friend of mine can’t stomach supplements and she says it works well for her. I just got one, haven’t tried it yet: https://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Iron-Fish-cooking-Standard/dp/B01LX5S5FP
I’m thinking dark circles might also be a vitamin D deficiency. Most people in North America are chronically vitamin D deficient. I’m in Canada and I’ve had multiple doctors tell me I should always be taking vitamin D, 2000 IU a day.
Hope this helps!
You did say each of my wishlists, right?
Here I go:
Thank you for this discussion. It's helped me get a bit off my chest. I hope you don't mind.
I just started keeping plates and isolating individual colonies for propagation. Start up was pretty inexpensive:
*$6 agar
oil lamp - made from an old salsa jar and some lamp oil I had on hand. I also use candles to help with an updraft, for whatever they're worth. I haven't had any contaminated plates with about 2 dozen made. I keep a bic lighter on hand for sterilizing the loop.
I'm looking at getting a microscope and some methyl blue next, b/c I'm a little tired of estimating cell counts and viability. So far, the most difficult part of streaking plates is getting good quadrants. My inoculation loop is a fairly fine metal that just cuts into the agar, making it difficult to get a good streak. I usually end up with some individual colonies, but not as many as I'd like. It often ends up looking like this. This is a good example of an overfilled plate, due to not cleaning off my loop between streaks.
My process is simple and hasn't caused any issues yet: cook up some DME to form a hot break (SG around 1.030), transfer it to some mason jars and stir some agar into one of the jars and put them all into the pressure cooker. Let the cooker do it's thing until all is sterile, which takes about 15 minutes or so from when the relief cap starts rocking. Then you let it all cool down inside the cooker, not too cool though or the agar will set in the jar. When it's still pretty warm I start pouring the wort w/ agar into the pre-sterilized plates. Last time I had some agar wort left over, so I froze it until I did my next batch in the cooker, re-sterilized it and re-used it on some more plates. As for the tubes, I have some borosilicate glass test tubes that can go in the pressure cooker as well, so they can be filled with a bit of the agar wort before they go in the cooker, then you lay them down on an angle to dry on a slant. My slants are still sitting in the fridge, empty... I've yet to transfer from plates onto slants for some reason.
On hand, I have:
Brett Clausenni (the darker colonies in the picture posted above)
Ommegang's Hennepin
Brett Lambicus
Brett trois
Brett Brux
Orval's
WYeast 3711
Ybay saison blend
Some wildlings
Here are some pots to consider:
Here are some turkey fryers to consider if you want to make a bigger investment.
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.
Emphatically, no.
I use a combination of Cuisinart Multi-Clad Pro, Cooks Standard Tri-Ply, and yes, All-Clad.
I cannot tell the difference between the All-Clad 10" fry pan and the Cuisinart 10" fry pan. They are heavy, solid, and retain heat exceptionally well. All-Clad is actually infamous for its terrible handle design.
Likewise, my 11" Cooks Standard tri-ply saute-pan has a better handle than All-Clad, and it was $44 with Amazon Prime. $44! Even if you scour Marshall's and T.J. Maxx, you will pay $125+ for the same piece from All-Clad. And that's at a clearance-goods store, where they may not have what you're looking for!
Read the reviews of the Cuisinart and Cooks Standard. They are exceptional pieces of gear. My brother-in-law was a sous chef for a fancy San Francisco eatery, and he swears by his Multiclad Pro set. He said that unless he had a $5,000 range in his house, he would not be able to justify the triple or quadruple price of the All-Clad. My sister is also a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and she endorses the Cuisinart.
You can get a used set for $247 on Amazon right now. That kind of money will buy you one All-Clad saute pan, or maybe a pair of saucepans from Marshall's.
http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-MCP-12-MultiClad-Stainless-12-Piece/dp/B0007KQZWU
Here's the Cooks Standard, which is a similar product. Very heavy, very solid.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B004APTMPK/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used
$185 in like new condition with Prime shipping. You absolutely cannot beat that deal. That's less than the cost of a single new All-Clad fry pan.
You would be much better off saving your money for a new range or better knives. Or better spices, or new cookbooks, or cooking lessons, or farm-raised meats, or fresh eggs, aged cheeses, cured meats...
Edit: To all the people saying you can get All-Clad tri-ply and D5 for $50 at the clearance stores... prove it! I've never seen an All-Clad piece under $100, with the exception of maybe a 1.5 qt saucepan. Prove it!
I have one of these. It's very nice for the reasons you mention. I also have an Imusa 12cm and a Toaks 750ml pot. All are useful in different ways and for different applications. One is tall and skinny (Toaks 750), one is short and wide (Toaks 700), one is tall and wide (Imusa). My main criteria is being able to fit 2 cups of water, but right now am really liking the Imusa for its wideness (to better accommodate my Fancee Feest alcohol stove) and its tallness because I was able to make a nice aluminum flashing windscreen that I can fit inside the pot when I'm not using it.
One other thing I have discovered is the lid to the 700ml fits my lidless Imusa pot perfectly.
Dirt simple way to get started:
Repeat every few days. I like batch cooking for 3-7 days in advance, hence the 5-packs of chicken breasts. Once you're comfortable doing these things, you can swap each item out with another item of the same kind. Barley instead of brown rice. Salad instead of steamed veggies. Pork chops instead of chicken. Etc for the rest of your life. Feel free to expand into more complex recipes.
Does he enjoy outdoorsy stuff? Maybe some camping/hiking gear would be appreciated. You could get him something to neatly store this sock collection. Or you could choose something more universally useful: insulated water bottle, external battery charger, Google home/Echo, really nice reinforced and long phone charger, Amazon Prime membership of his own!, a really nice backpack (like this that can be professional too, microwave pasta cooker, or just some more really cool socks lol
We generally get home at 6 and can often eat dinner by 7; I've found a lot of things I can get done in 30-40 minutes. what's been a huge help for me is that I get stuff going and I can walk away and do other things - like help my son with his homework - and not be rushing to the stove all the time. So things might take longer than 30 minutes, but I can get stuff done during that 30 minutes. I have a cookbook or two for mine, and I honestly don't use them. I use blog posts and a Facebook group. I google what I want to make and add "instant pot" to the search. :)
I use the trivet that came with my instant pot, an inexpensive metal veggie steamer basket, my 1qt white corningware casserole dish, and a stainless steel bowl. I have a bundt pan as well but use that rarely. The only things I had to buy were the steamer basket and the bowl.
We quite often will make pasta and meatballs; pasta and water in the pot, meatballs on top. Cook. Add in sauce. That one I can usually have done in 20 minutes. A small pork tenderloin on the trivet, steamer basket balanced on top with red potatoes is a 15 min. cook time; about 10 min. to come up to pressure and I wait 5-10 to release pressure. Anything with chicken breast is really fast. The other day I did a chicken rice and broccoli dish that took under 30 min. Last night we had a baked egg casserole. Taco Pie is another favorite here, but it works best if you have a 7" springform pan.
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).
What you're doing is called a mash. Chillichump on YouTube has some videos on them;
I think this is one of them, though for whatever reason I can't play YouTube videos right now to make sure.Narrator: It wasn't. But this one is.
Chillichump uses 2-3% salt for this. 10% seems really high when you think about it, but it's a figure I've seen a lot... personally, I'll try 3-4% first.
I'm coming up dry on a good single source right now, but most recipes call for blending your peppers and then mixing in 10% salt by weight. It'll make its own brine as the salt pulls the moisture out of the pepper flesh; mixing a brine yourself is generally for peppers that are whole or have been halved/sliced rather than blended/processed.
Keeping things submerged is a good idea for a brine ferment, but your ferment will produce a layer of CO2 that will stop growth on the top, so you can just give it a shake/jostle/mix for the first few days and then check it occasionally for mold. As you've seen, though, submersion isn't something that'll happen with a mash, so it's just a matter of giving it a mix if necessary for a while and then monitoring it until you're confident it's given up on cultivating its own fungus.
I've only done three ferments so far, all of them using brine; I use really basic airlock lids and fermentation weights, which have been effective so far. Planning on a mash next, though it'll be just the airlock and a daily mix for a few days for that.
[edit: Updated with correct video.]
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.
Happy to help! Pickling is one of those cooking things that I love because it's so simple. You put stuff in a jar, and then forget about it for a while. I can handle that.
I usually just get these: http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Mason-Jars-Wide-Mouth-Freeze/dp/B001DIZ1NO
they're available all over the place, really nice and well made, work for canning and dry goods storage, and they come in every size known to man.
Make sure that you throw a label with the date you started the pickling on it, or be a heathen like me and just write on the jar and then scribble it out when you put something new in. Its pretty handy to know how long stuff has been in there.
For me, I went semi-paleo. I hike at least once a week (each one minimum 8 miles roundtrip), so on those days, there's absolutely no way to avoid eating carbs (or else I'd collapse halfway through the hike).
Aside from the hiking days where I load up on breakfast burritos and sandwiches, my meals are typically:
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Guacamole. Decaf coffee with blackstrap molasses as the sweetener.
Lunch: Chicken or Beef with a huge serving of Broccoli sautéed with onions and mushrooms
Dinner: Huge serving of sautéed spinach and smoked salmon (or salmon sashimi)
Snacks: Sunflower Seeds. Pistachos. Carrots. Cucumbers. Hummus. Roasted yams/sweet potatoes.
A few notes:
It's not coffee itself that will flare up the eczema, it's caffeine. Coffee is wonderfully nutritious, so just grab the decaf. If you exercise 4-5 days out of the week, your energy levels will be just fine and you won't need caffeinated beverages to keep you awake.
I typically will bbq the chicken or beef, and I'll switch between a simple dry rub (salt, pepper, cayenne) and coating it in sunflower oil. When I'm lazy, I'll grab the rotisserie whole chicken from Costco for $5 and split it up into 2-3 meals.
Spinach shrinks like no other when it's cooked, so I usually sauté those pre-washed 1lbs bags, which is just enough for one serving. For the broccoli, the 1 lbs bags are usually good for 2-3 servings.
I've spent alot of time figuring out what I can and shouldn't eat. When I first started my new diet, my first week consisted of roasted chicken or some kind of fish with broccoli or spinach. Breakfast, lunch, dinner was just some combination of those 4 items. Then I threw in decaf coffee. Ok, solid, nothing bad after a few days. Threw in green tea. Again, nothing bad after a few days. Eggs - cool. Then I just kept adding things and played the elimination game until I had general categories of what I could eat fine and what I could eat that would cause flare-ups.
Although, I will admit, I do cheat ALOT (cheesecake, for example, is my kryptonite even though the dairy and excess sugar flare me up pretty bad). And my typical menu looks limited, but it's really because I'm cheap and lazy. I also love going to all you can eat Indian buffets where I'll load up on the spinach daal, curried cauliflower and carrots, and the tandoori chicken -- no flare ups, and I can pig out on the cheap!
You'll also want to look up "black strap molasses" and how naturally nutritious it is. Acne and Eczema sufferers have reported some good results, and I'm happy to say that it hasn't had any negative side effects for me. I also have gone a bit hippie and drink Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar everyday (plenty of blogs and threads here on Reddit about that).
Edit: Another thing, I'm so lazy when it comes to cooking. I use this pan, and the lid is perfect for steaming/sautéing the veggies. Then throw in half of the store-bought rotisserie chicken, and I've got the lazy man's lunch/dinner. I like paying a bit more for sashimi-grade salmon/ahi tuna because I can eat it raw and not have to cook it! Eggs are also really fast to cook, and I buy the pre-made guac.
First, I doubt you'd get a satisfactory electric pressure cooker for that low a price (electric pc's are sometimes called "multi-cookers" too). It might work okay in the beginning (or not), but won't last well or may just have problems (or any non-stick inner pot will eventually need to be replaced), etc.
If you want an electric pc, I'd suggest waiting for upcoming Black Friday and getting one of the models of the brand "Instant Pot" (IP makes various models, though the DUO60 7-in-1 is the best selling of all). Probably most of the IP models will have very significant sale prices on Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day (twice a year). There are also lots of Facebook groups for those with IP's where you can get support, questions answered, tips, recipes, etc.
If you don't mind getting a stovetop pressure cooker instead of an electric, one inexpensive one that works really well is Presto (about $35?). Some people turn up their noses at most of the less expensive stovetop pc's but we've had Presto's in our family for years and they're still going strong. The least expensive ones will be made from aluminum rather than stainless steel, but they still work fine for pressure cooking (though won't do some of the other things many electrics will do and have other disadvantages). Presto also has stainless steel models now:
https://www.amazon.com/Presto-6-Quart-Stainless-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B00006ISG6
more Presto:
https://www.google.com/images?q=presto+pressure+cooker
https://www.google.com/search?q=presto+pressure+cooker
You said you found one on Amazon for $38. Would have been good to give a link to the exact one you're referring to.
But what did the Customer Reviews at Amazon say for that one?
.
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
There are almost always seasonal sales at your local supermarket / hypermarket, these will be the best deal.
Meijer and super Walmart are going to have equivalent base prices (or cheaper) than Amazon and in the fall will have various types of 20%, 33%, and on some luxury items 50%. For example, a quick google search shows a 2016 summer sale at Meijer $6.15 for 12 pint jars (not even a good sale) compared to random guy on Amazon 17.44 for 12 pint jars.
The only way to beat the hypermarket prices is to find local used jars on Craiglist, Ebay, or Salvation Army and pick them up. Even then, you'll need to buy new lids which makes the savings pretty small unless you get a great deal.
I'd recommend against a kit because you won't learn a lot but If you do get a kit, get one that comes with jars because they're re-usable.
here's a link that shows how to do pf tek.
I kinda amended the stuff you need below
1/2 pint wide mouth canning jars The tall 1/2 pints or even 1 pints work but these are best
Pot/Pressure cooker (Pc isn't necessary but preferred). For non pc grow google (fractional sterilization)
Vermiculite and Perlite (can be found at hardware stores. you need both.)
Brown rice/Brow Rice Flour (buy it and blend it. blender or coffee grinder. Or you can order it online)
Tin foil
70% Iso alcohol
Plastic Tote (you've probably got one already)
6500K florescent bulb (not a must, just need some light that's not too hot)
1/4 inch drill bit/Drill (not really necessary)
Hammer/Nail
Mixing bowl and spoon (or a bucket and your hand)
Gypsum (don't need it)
Spore syringe
Latex gloves (don't need them but use em if you have em)
Dust mask (don't need it)
Lighter (or better to have a big candle)
I will say that if you live in a country where you can order fully colonized subs (i see you don't) :( , kits are a little more practical but still a waste of money.
I recommend thesporedepot.com for spores.
Good luck
I don't normally recommend so much cooking gear, but since it sounds like you actually cook on trail I recommend:
Imusa 12cm aluminum pot (aka stanco grease pot) would suit you well. Good capacity at 1.1L and only weighs ~3.5 oz.
https://www.amazon.com/Imusa-Aluminum-Mug-1-25-Quart-12/dp/B004444XMY
I don't know about pans, but I imagine a really lightweight aluminum pan could be found around. Maybe even non-stick. The MSR Quick Skillet is listed at 5.9 oz - https://www.moosejaw.com/moosejaw/shop/product_MSR-Quick-Skillet_10238436_10208_10000001_-1_
As for a cup - I like the sea to summit x-cup. The best thing about it is that it collapses flat and takes up very little pack space. - https://www.amazon.com/Sea-to-Summit-XSSCUP-X-Cup/dp/B0065J3JWG
For real cooking I wouldn't go with titanium. It heats unevenly and has hot spots that can cause burnt food. Cheap aluminum is generally lighter than titanium anyway.
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.
I've never seen one like this so I can't comment on the quality or anything.
I have a very inexpensive, no-frills Presto. It's not expensive but it works great. It's got a nice, heavy bottom that makes it great just to use as an extra saucepan as well. You can also buy an alternate weight for it (part number 50332) that will allow you to use varying pressures (5, 10, 15psi) with it.
That pc is aluminum. I would probably pass on that. Stainless steel is much better as it will not leech flavors you don't want into your meal like aluminum will, especially if you use it for acidic food like spaghetti sauce.
Some better options:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00006ISG6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501187271&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=stainless+steel+pressure+cooker+stove&dpPl=1&dpID=41tlHqnnxSL&ref=plSrch
After doing my research, I chose the 8qt version of the following:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0018A9ATS/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501187425&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=magefesa%2Bpressure%2Bcooker&dpPl=1&dpID=41Oz0xosloL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1
I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but I've read decent things about it. But I'd a little more pricey. When it comes to a kitchen tool you will have for awhile, it's probably best to spend some money on it rather than cheaping out on it. But then again I wouldn't spend $200-$300 on some of them out there.
Do your research and choose what's best for you.
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:
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.
When I was in college, my favorite thing to make was "skillet pizza". All you need is tortillas, sauce (I usually used whatever pasta sauce I had), cheese (or not), and whatever toppings you want.
I don't know what it's officially called, but I used a pan that was flat with like 2 inch sides and a lid. Anything you can cover with a lid (like whatever pan you have and one of your pot's lids) will do.
(EDIT: This is basically what I have. I still have it like 10 years later, and I think it may be my all-time favorite kitchen purchase along with my crock pot.)
First, I would put the tortilla in with no oil and set it to medium high to start warming it up. As that was going, I would get out the sauce and put on how much I want. Then, I would put on the toppings with the cheese on top, so the cheese would hold it together. I would wait until I saw the cheese melting and then turn it down to either medium-low or medium (it depended on how good my apartment range was) and cover the pan. Finally, check periodically for all the cheese to melt and the tortilla is as crispy as you want. Usually, it would take between 5-10 minutes total, maybe 15 in one of the really old apartment complexes.
You can do an awful lot with the hotel fridge and a microwave. Any perishable items should be fine in the fridge, and if you just experiment some you can cook a wide variety of foods in the microwave pretty well. Americas test kitchen even tested microwave pasta cookers something like this and they worked great.
Even without refrigeration as long as you can heat it, you can get relatively healthy shelf stable rices and things like canned chicken breast or tuna/salmon. Buy a little whole wheat bread or the like and possibly some canned vegetables and you can mix things up and keep it much healthier than hotel lobby food or fast food.
Everybody loves blender bottles. Well, mostly. Some people prefer glass. In that case there are plenty of wide mouth jars that fit the bill.
Wide mouths for adding powder/cleaning. Easy to seal for shaking. Feel free to shop around and find better deals than my hasty links. These are also easy to find in grocery stores in my experience.
Mondays I can deal with, what I really hate is sunday evenings.
Oh god, I just wanna stay up and play computer games but I have stupid work/school tomorrow nooooo....
This skillet would be nice. I can use it to make delicious, delicious foods...
That or these slippers. I'm pretty sure my apartment doesn't have an insulation...
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
Cheese Burger Dip:
​
INGREDIENTS
INSTRUCTIONS
TO COOK IN SLOW COOKER:
Make sure you have a heat proof dish or three that will fit inside the IP. It needs to be <8" at the widest, so for square dishes that's the diagonal. I don't think Pyrex is safe if you want to broil, so you may need a metal dish or ceramic ramekins/souffle dishes.
A collapsible veggie steamer basket works better for catching smaller food than the wire trays. People recommend the OXO one, but I like my cheapo one.
If you plan to even attempt yogurt or desserts you will need an extra sealing ring. My first IP meal was ham & bean soup, and my gasket still smells like ham two months and several meals later.
I have an extra inner pot and I really like being able to cook while one pot is in the fridge or dishwasher.
I’m no professional but that sounds like me when I’m anemic. Iron supplements come in lots of forms but can be a bit of a hassle to take cause they make your stomach feel like a ton of nickels and they turn your stool black. This is not an excuse not to take them, just be prepared and take precautions. I take my iron before bed so these feelings pass in the night. Take iron supplements with vitamin c to aid absorption (I always take them with a glass of OJ) and never at the same time as calcium supplements or coffee. And you have to take lots (my Dr says three tabs a day). Liquid supplements are a little easier on the body but expensive and a little harder to find. Other things such as cooking on cast iron or placing an iron fish (Amazon link below) in your liquid food can up the iron in your diet. There are injections and blood transfusions available if you really can’t get enough iron through diet and supplements so it is worth going to your doctor to work out a treatment plan.
https://www.amazon.ca/Lucky-Iron-Fish-cooking-Standard/dp/B01LX5S5FP/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?adgrpid=69593117028&amp;hvadid=310058151569&amp;hvdev=m&amp;hvlocphy=1002113&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvpos=1t3&amp;hvqmt=e&amp;hvrand=11968491825039289426&amp;hvtargid=kwd-298840764201&amp;keywords=iron+fish&amp;qid=1554549380&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-1-spons&amp;psc=1&amp;smid=A24GX4JT8SAG0Q
Do you have any Eastern markets nearby? I'm in a larger city (Nashville), and there are plenty of Indian, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, and other such grocers. You can get cheap authentic spices at these places. And really once you've got the spices, you're 80% of the way there.
Another useful thing to pick up is a pressure cooker. Many recipes implement cooking with these, and they're relatively cheap. I recommend one like this which has ample room (6qt) and is stainless steel.
Lastly, find some good recipes. I've become a big fan of VegRecipesofIndia despite being a pretty big carnivore. The restaurant-style dal makhani and rajma masala recipes are great and highly recommended.
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?
Very highly rated all clad knockoff made by Costco. It's NSF certified which for me is the icing on the cake, I'm strongly considering this set despite not really needing 13 pieces of cookware.
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11631728
I don't think costco messes with reviews (newegg has had a history and I'm often skeptical of reviews on sites other than amazon) so here are some other reviews on Amazon, one negative:
http://www.amazon.com/Kirkland-Signature-Stainless-Cookware-559728/product-reviews/B005SYWLBE/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&amp;showViewpoints=1
And while I personally can't vouch for it, based on the quality of costco stuff that I've dealt with, their products are top notch. They also treat their employees well from what I've read and have good overall corporate ethics and the lowest margins in the industry which is why I'm gladly a member for $50 a year. It pays for itself by buying paper towels, trash bags (~$12 for 200 well made draw string kitchen bags), over the counter drugs (picked up $10 for 365 pills of claritin (loraditine) ! and 2 x 365 81mg of coated aspirin for $4 last week when I went there). This isn't /r/frugal but just more reasons to plop down for the membership but as you can see from amazon its $220 on there, cost of membership is $50, so you can buy it without it. Some other considerations: return policy is great (for most products other than electronics there isn't any) and they'll also refund your membership at anytime. No I don't work for them, just like the place a lot.
One of the reviews on Costco mentioned this as an alternative:
http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-MCP-12-MultiClad-Stainless-12-Piece/dp/B0007KQZWU
I probably will end up buying one of these though as I just ended up researching it quite a bit recently and this is these are at the top of my short list.. but do I really need 12-13 pieces of cookware? So I might end up just buying stuff individually. We'll see.
I use the wide mouth pint ones that have a picture of asparagus on them and it's a perfect fit for probably 95% of bath bombs. These are pretty smooth all the way down so you don't have to worry about getting it over bumps and it pops back it perfectly. The only ones I've had issues with have been Golden Wonder and occasionally Big Blue if the center piece hasn't been smoothed over.
A couple of ball 2 quart or 1 quart wide mouth jars.
https://www.amazon.com/Ball-Wide-Mouth-Quart-Bands/dp/B00CNHCDR6
Some plastic rings (optionally). Cause the metal bands rust easily
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075KN8B2K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
The easiest airlock system are the silicone lids. Some have nipples. Others are flatter like these:
https://www.amazon.com/Maintenance-silicone-waterless-fermentation-dishwasher/dp/B072N42T61/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=Silicone+mason+jar+airlock&amp;qid=1575128032&amp;s=home-garden&amp;sr=1-4
I would skip getting the separate plastic airlocks that brewers use because they take up space, are messy, and if the straw part extends into the liquid, it pushes mess up.
And then some glass weights, preferably with easy to grab parts
https://www.amazon.com/4-Pack-Fermentation-Glass-Weights-Handle/dp/B076V66FZ4/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=Mason+jar+glass+weights&amp;qid=1575128079&amp;s=home-garden&amp;sr=1-4
There are kits that have all of these which may or may not be cheaper. None of the brands I linked above are special other than I do like “Ball” brand mason jars. Everything else has lots of competitors selling more or less the same thing, so just pick what looks cheapest, has good reviews, etc.
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
Mmmm wings ....
Baked Wings:
• Steam wing for 10 minutes. I use one of these and do them in batches.
• Place on cooling rack(s) set over a lined baking/cookie sheet. (Line with newspaper, paper towels or parchment paper to catch grease.)
• Place baking sheet with the rack of steamed wings in the fridge, uncovered, for several hours. This step is critical if you like crispy skin on your wings!
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• Pull wings from fridge long enough to take the chill off the meat and baking sheet. About an hour, depending on your house temp. You don't want to throw the cold meat and tray in the oven, it will drop the oven temp.
• Preheat oven to 500°F = 260° C
• Reline baking sheet with fresh parchment paper ... or Reynolds Wrap© 🙄 😀, and place wings directly on lining, in a single layer and space around each wing. (They tend to stick to the rack and it rips the skins, so I don't use a rack.)
• Bake for approximately 20 minutes, then turn each wing and bake for approximately another 20 minutes. Keep a close eye while baking, ovens differ. Timing depends on how crispy you like the skins and it doesn't take much for these to overcook and become sad, dried, little mummified things.
• Spin in your favorite sauce. We do two sauces. Hubs likes the traditional hot wings Frank's© style sauce, while I like a mix of his and BBQ sauce.
We serve ours with bleu cheese dip instead of ranch. If your interested in wing sauce and/or the bleu dip recipes, let me know. I haven't found a good* recipe for ranch that doesn't involve a packet of ... stuff. Yeah, stuff.
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskCulinary/wiki/faq
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What I have posted before.
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If you have a TJ Maxx or like minded discount scratch and dent/seasonal store go there. I picked up All clad pans for about 50% to 75% off. That's a $150+ pan for about $70.
Or check out if you have a restaurant supply store near by.
And cast iron is the shit and only $20 to $40 (just don't use with acidic products unless iron deficient). If you find one that works for you. For me I love this one; for my "breakfast" items. It's alot better for me then a frying pan.
http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Logic-Pre-Seasoned-Griddle-10-5-inch/dp/B00008GKDN/ref=sr_1_6?s=home-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1374432138&amp;sr=1-6&amp;keywords=cast+iron
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But only buy what you really need right now. Then build up later. You can do lot with just a few items.
Check out this:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2011/01/equipment-the-7-most-essential-pots-and-pans.html?ref=obinsite
And this
http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/08/equipment-the-all-clad-vs-tramontina-skillet.html
For storing paraphernalia/lighters/whatevs, nothing beats a nice wooden box. Now, onto airtight containers for the ganj itself.
This is my foolproof method for un-smelling your stash. It got me through a year in the dorms with an active RA. First, you'll want a prescription pill bottle. I linked to Amazon in case you don't have one lying around. Next, you'll need a mason jar. That link will buy you twelve, so you can use the other ones to drink out of/store produce or jams or jellies/make candles/do shenanigans. You place the pill bottle into the jar, and-here's the genius part I have yet to see on Reddit-fill the jar with ground-up coffee. Fresh stuff is preferable, as is stronger stuff. Seal the jar. Enjoy the incognito storage.
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:
Funny, I went the opposite route and got a cast iron with no sides on it. Love this thing and use it for about everything.
The only cons:
I'm sure the All-Clads are really nice (I enjoy the couple pieces I have), but I don't think there's any way they actually cook 4x better than, say, a set of Cuisinart Multi-Clad Pro, which also gets excellent reviews.
Pepper Paste
From Fermented Vegetables by Kristen & Christopher Shockey
Variation! Splash a bit of raw apple cider vinegar into the brine to create a tangier flavor.
Details of my attempt
I had a total of 3 pounds and 11 ounces of peppers that all had to be picked today because the weather's turning. So I processed those in the food processor, added 31 grams of salt, which wasn't enough. In total I probably added 40 grams of salt, which tasted right to me. I also added 2 tablespoons of raw cider vinegar. Packed into jars, added plastic wrap and weights, and now we wait!
edit: formatting
I ordered my jars from Amazon because I also couldn't find the wide mouth jars at Home Depot/Walmart/Ace/Lowes. Dfw-guy is spot on, he is a helpful dude. Good luck dude, hope you get some nice fruits!
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.
"can and freeze jars" look like this.
I've done endless batches of chili in them, but don't think it's tempered glass or anything. They do not go from freezer to microwave. It's best to let them thaw out in the fridge the night or two before and move to a lunch container to reheat later that day. I like borosilicate glass food storage containers with the plastic snap lid
Also, because you're not pressure canning, I would buy these plastic lids and reuse them over and over.
(non-payola amazon link because of photo and server uptime, buy them where you want.)
Rotini Arrabbiata for a busy bachelor:
Buy a Fasta Pasta at Amazon.
1 box of Rotini
1 jar of Rao's Arrabbiata marinara (expensive but worth it)
2 mild uncooked Italian sausages.
1 wedge of Fresh Parmesan.
1 loaf of garlic bread (fresh, or even Pepperidge Farm 5 cheese garlic bread from the frozen aisle).
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The Fasta Pasta needs no explanation -- it's a microwaveable dream-come-true for al dente pasta for dummies. Throw the garlic bread in the oven (15-20 minutes at 350, typically). Put the sausages in a large pot (membrane off mind you). Mash them up as you brown it over medium heat. Once it's cooked thoroughly, pour the sauce right in the pot over it and stir. Rao's Arrabbiata already has some good kick, but add red pepper flakes if you like it spicier. Grate your Parmesan and add a bit to the sauce. Simmer that up while the pasta's finishing (17 minutes makes a serving for 4 with the Fasta Pasta. Done. Absurdly easy and awesome.
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&amp;qid=1506022731&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=de+buyer
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000BYD0F/
These are what you need. It looks like your grow stalled due to contamination. Two options really are being presented here, you could toss the grow and start new or you could bury those cakes in the garden.
The tops of your cups aren't sealed which is how they usually place grows inside cups. Usually a layer of tape or something to keep moisture in and contaminants out.
Good luck friend.
The mycelium can tend to stall in taller jars, but people definitely get away with it. Whatever size your jar is, the BRF/PF tek recipe is simply 2 parts vermiculite, 1 part water, and 1 part brown rice flour. When doing taller jars I would err on the side of less BRF.
Not sure if you can purchase from Amazon but here is a dozen 1/2 pint, wide mouth jars for £14.95
This UK Supplies thread might be able to point you in the right direction in the future. Good luck
I've only had the Costco rotisserie chicken (2,640 calories) once and ate two thirds of it at one sitting, but I have once finished off a whole Costco combo pizza (about 4,000 calories) by myself in one meal; and another time ate two of them by myself in three days.
I'm like /u/henrysleepingbag; 6'1", 160-165 pounds, run 10-15K three times a week. The running helps a little, but what really keeps me thin is simple calorie counting; there is no magic, and no such thing as a "fast" or "slow" metabolism. I splurge like that for fun every so often (yesterday, 2,300 calories from McDonald's plus 36 oz of diet soda for dinner), but I normally tightly adhere to the roughly 2,000 calories a day I need to maintain my weight. Something I've posted before:
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How to make a filling meal for $1 even if you don't know how to cook
I am 6'1", weight 160 pounds, and run 10-15K three times a week. I love pasta, and often eat a pound of cooked pasta for dinner:
$3 for 8 servings of pasta sauce + $4 for four boxes of pasta = $7 for eight meals of one pound of pasta + sauce, providing about 1,000 calories per meal. A woman or smaller man would eat less, so would get up to 16 meals from the $7.
Variation 1: Instead of pasta sauce, use salad dressing. $1.50 for 16 ounces of Italian dressing (four ounces per pound cooked pasta), or the same amount of ranch dressing (2.5 ounces per pound cooked pasta).
Variation 2: Add tunafish to the pasta and sauce/dressing. One $1 5 oz can is enough for two meals.
With pasta sauce, the meal has 935 calories, 182 g of carbs, 9 g fat, and 32 g protein for $0.88.^1 Tuna adds 90 calories, 2 g fat, and 20 g protein for another $0.50.
And yes, there is no cooking involved other than filling a container with water. I highly recommend Fasta Pasta to cook pasta in the microwave.
^1 It's not hard to find lower prices. Around here canned pasta sauce is $1 for 24 oz, and 64 oz of ranch or Italian dressing is $3.50-4.50.
The good news is, all the vegetables you listed are great in stir fries and curries. Plus, if you mix up a teriyaki stir fry or a thai curry dish, the flavors from the sauce add a lot on top, if you don't like the 'bitterness' that can come from plain vegetables sometimes. I also suggest trying cabbage, snap peas, and cremini mushrooms in your stir fries - you may find that veggies you didn't like turn ok when they are fried up with garlic, ginger, soy sauce & oyster sauce!
These can be made on the stove. Get a broad, flat pan (say, Like this 12 inch one - pick a day when you're not working, make as much stir fry/curry as you can fit in the pan, with brown rice on another burner or in a rice cooker. Portion out rice, then dish into lunchbox size tupperware containers. Boom, you've got yourself 3-5 meals taken care of in one go. Just microwave and eat.
Cheers! If you like the grill pan you may like one of those dual sided griddles (example below). It's great for large volumes or large items - it's what I use for grilled veggies (grill side) or whole fish (flat top). Just heat it to temp in the oven for even heat than transfer to stovetop for cooking.
https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LDP3-Reversible-9-5-inch-16-75-inch/dp/B002CMLTXG
I have this and I love it:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002CMLTXG/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
As others have mentioned, this thing is pretty much on my stove 24/7. Great for all breakfast foods, making paninis, and grilling meat. When I do steak (which I do on the flat side for optimal heat transfer), it'll get smokey enough to where I need to disable all the detectors in my house first. I'll let the thing heat up for about 10 minutes on high before putting the steak on. Of course, this is because I like my steak crusty on the outside while still rare to medium rare on the inside.
They work great so far. Here is the link do yourself and get some weights as well.
Easy Fermenter Wide Mouth Lid Kit: Simplified Fermenting In Jars Not Crock Pots! Make Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Pickles Or Any Fermented Probiotic Foods. 3 Lids(jars not incld), Extractor Pump & Recipes https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DJVVORE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_x4epDbEKK7H0Y
4-Pack of Fermentation Glass Weights with Easy Grip Handle for Wide Mouth Mason Jar https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076V66FZ4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_T6epDbKRM0CDH
[Matfer Bourgeat] (https://www.amazon.com/Matfer-Bourgeat-062005-Frying-8-Inch/dp/B000KENOTK/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1540054719&amp;sr=1-1-catcorr&amp;keywords=matfer+bourgeat+black+steel+frying+pan&amp;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.
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
Second this! Taking supplements isn't always ideal or efficient. Aside from eating more red meat and organ meats, cooking in a cast iron pan is a safe and effective way to get more iron into your system. There is also this Lucky Iron Fish that you can drop into whatever you're cooking and it will deposit iron into it. Pretty cool.
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.
I don't have a super huge list like everyone else, but I have one of these in my current kitchen and it is one of the best, easiest, and cheapest thing we've ever used.
Picture: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81tWg31dRRL._SL1500_.jpg
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!
3 pans I use the most:
Iron Skillet. It's good for manly items like steaks. Also a grill pan now that I think of it. Skillet with a cover, I use this the most. When a recipe says you need to cover your skillet and simmer, this is the guy for you. Dutch Oven, this pan is my favorite. It's really good for a lot of recipes. This one would probably be the last on the list, because I would consider it advanced, because you use it to braise meat, but you could use a crock pot and it would be much easier.
Note: I just picked links for pictures, I'm not recommending these specifically
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
No! This is not a safe canning method, "open kettle canning" should not be used! It's especially dangerous for the types of sauces you want to make! As stated in the post above from lissabeth777:
http://extension.psu.edu/food/preservation/news/2014/avoid-open-kettle-canning
"You'll want to get bottles that have been tested to seal in home waterbath canners like these or you can use the super small 4 oz jars with the two piece lids like this.
Also, you need to use an approved safe recipe such as this ketchup or this BBQ sauce"
Congrats, I just accepted a job offer as well!
No soup for you!
My favorite meat would probably be a nice ribeye cooked medium (or medium rare) mmmmm so juicy and tender.... great now I'm hungry...
I'd summon a million people if I could, but I'll just stick to the one that needs it most, /u/szor needs to put some meat on them bones :)
Oh oh, my kitchen item is this! of all the kitchen stuff I have, I'm still missing a decent cast iron pan.
These are a little spendy but are actually purpose built. Honestly though, having gone down this road a number of times I would suggest sticking to an aluminum or titanium cook pot to boil your water in and use your favorite over the counter bottled water brand bottle of choice. I personally like Smart Water brand. They're stupid durable, available in a variety of shapes and sizes. When you're done with your camping trip just throw it away and get another one next time.
I would suggest using the tiny 4 oz canning jars instead of 8 oz. Half as many batches of jam to make! And also, those jars are going to be really heavy to carry to the reception, so this would make them a bit more manageable. We did this for my sisters wedding (although we only had to make about 70) and that size seemed perfect for favours. We decorated them with fabric circles under the lids and little custom labels tied on with pretty martha stewart baking twine.
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/B00462QP0Whttp://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
[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.
Sit on a log or a rock? I carry a <1oz piece of foam as a sit pad. But I wouldn't bring a book because it's heavy and nature is amazing all by itself. (that's just me though)
I usually bring a hammock rather than sleep on the ground, so since I already have that along it's great for lounging. r/hammockcamping
I drink coffee/mixed drink (whisky and water) straight out of my 2.5oz aluminum cook pot/mug: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004444XMY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_lyYNzbQEFTK4N
Bringing a second container is redundant weight.
I've been looking at this aluminum core set for when I upgrade. Typically I would just buy the pieces separately, but these pots and pans are the exact sizes of the hodge podge I've assembled over the years. It also has some pretty good reviews and isn't crazy expensive (considering these will last a lifetime of cooking).
I'm quite fond of this one for eggs:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00008GKDN?pc_redir=1395344132&amp;robot_redir=1
Fits up to 4 over easy and also the perfect size for omelets.
These are similar in design and material as All-Clad, but a lot less expensive, especially if you are look to replace the whole set. I got them as a wedding gift, and so far I love them. The reviews on Amazon will give you a good idea of their quality and performance.
If you eat meat, get a digital instant read thermometer.
It takes guessing out of knowing when meat is safe and not over cooked.
Roast a whole, spatchcocked chicken. You’ll have chicken to eat all week.
Save the bones/carcass.
When you have the bones from 2 birds, make chicken soup.
I save back ~6 wide mouth 16oz mason jars with plastic lids of chicken soup (no noodles) to freeze.
I cook the noodles separately.
When I cook pasta, I do 2 lbs, or rice, 1 and half cups dry, and refrigerate the extra.
When you are at the grocery store, check the “old” discounted meat for steaks.
Reverse sear steaks- plural.
You can refrigerate and then thin slice for sandwiches.
I picked up a coulpe of these jars. They work great at keeping the smell in. Also 4oz Mason jars work great for smaller amounts.
Ah, grill. I see your question now.
The quick alternative answer would be the same Coleman stove, but with a grill built in.
https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Camp-Propane-Grill-Stove/dp/B000W4VD8C
I've used one of these for years and it's great. It does get nasty (greasy) under the grill - but its not terrible to clean. At $70 its a good deal.
&#x200B;
Otherwise - you could get a cast iron grill thing to put on top of your existing grill. It's heavy and bulky, but it does the job well. I also have this for my Coleman 2-burner. It's not ideal because the heat isn't evenly spread - but once it gets up to temp it's not terrible.
https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Reversible-Griddle-Combo-Double-Sided/dp/B002CMLTXG
That's about three pounds right there which is pretty good for not touching the Big 3. Obviously the tent, sleeping bag, and pack are the biggest issues, but those would be expensive to replace.
I misspoke in my first couple sentences there. You need half pint jars. In my experience, the taller the jar, the worse the result (with BRF). The best jars I've used are sold for ya right here - I've had a lot of experiences of uneven moisture in the taller jars as it drops slowly to the bottom and the dry verm layer starts taking some of the moisture. Not that I've had more contam issues, but colonization times with shorter jars are noticeably quicker. For BRF, you kinda lose the option of a larger jar. It takes a bit longer to colonize, the jar remains sealed with the full lid, etc. I mean technically you could do it, but it will take a long time. I would really recommend following your tek of choice step by step for your first time. It'll massively raise your chances of success and then you've got your spore prints and it's off to the races with either more and more jars or switching over to bulk (coir, poo, etc.).
I bought this steamer basket. Works pretty well and fits in the DUO60.
Doesn't seem to be available on Amazon.com, sorry if you are from the US :(. But I'm sure something like this or this would be almost exactly the same.
What the others said. They peel ridiculously easy, the texture of the whites is ideal, and the yolks are creamy and delicious. I do 5 minutes on high vs 6, but the real key is the ice bath immediately after quick release. I let them sit in a bowl of ice water for about 15 minutes to completely stop the cooking process. Perfectly yellow yolks with no hint of green.
Oh, and a vegetable steamer basket like this one allows me to cook about 18 eggs at a time in a nice little stack.
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
Just give him a pressure cooker..!! He will be amazed and would never never ever expect it to come from an american..!! It is pretty standard marriage gift by the way..!
http://www.amazon.com/Presto-01362-6-Quart-Stainless-Pressure/dp/B00006ISG6
I love ice cream so much that I got an ice cream maker for Christmas a couple of years ago and started making my own, so it was really disappointing to realize just how small a serving is. But I bought a box of these adorable half-cup mason jars and that is what I put my homemade ice cream into now. It's exactly one serving per container, and the fancy glass makes the ice cream feel like the indulgence it really is.
So...maybe try getting really fancy tiny cups/bowls for eating ice cream out of? I don't know what else to say, ice cream is my Achilles Heel, lol.
Here's my tried-and-true recipe that I've been developing for years:
Supplies:
Weigh cabbage and measure out 2% of its weight in salt. Cut cabbage into bite sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Add salt and toss to mix. Set aside for 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine garlic, red pepper, and remaining ingredients in a small bowl.
After sitting with salt, the cabbage should be somewhat wilted and wet. Mix again, squeezing and kneading with hands to squeeze out liquid and soften the cabbage. Add garlic/chili/other seasonings and mix thoroughly with cabbage. Place in container or jar and set weights on top of cabbage (I usually can fit 2-3 weights.) The weights will help keep everything under the liquid.
WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP!!
Store container at room temperature away from sunlight for 1-4 weeks. If using a jar, "burp" the jar once a day by loosening the lid to release gas (you will hear a hissing sound.) There will be a lot of gas for the first week, and then it will slow down and you won't need to burp it as often. When kimchi reaches desired sourness, store in refrigerator.
Edit: forgot the scale
These work great. The only thing I would suggest is that you get a two burner stovetop griddle. They're less than $50, are reversible (flat top option) and heat up very quickly. Possibly one of the most useful kitchen investments I've ever made.
Link
I use the first linked lids and they do a great job. They very compact too so they fit well on my self. I would recommend you get weights. These are the ones I got for my wide mouth jars. If you are wondering (and just to show off a little bit) here are those lids and the weight in action on a recent hot sauce ferment I started
I bought this set from Amazon a few years ago:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007KQZWU/ (Cuisinart MCP12 MultiClad Pros.)
I've been really happy with them. They seem to be built extremely well, do a fine job at distributing heat evenly, and they clean up as easily as any other non-Teflon pan I've ever used.
I think they're probably BIFL if you treat them properly, and they're not ridiculously expensive. I paid $230 for my set, on sale. They're presently $262, and I bet they'll stand toe to toe with much more expensive offerings.
edit: It looks like these pans have changed. More recent reviews are not flattering; it looks like they're no longer 18/10 stainless, but Cuisinart didn't change the model, so that people are buying inferior pans based on ratings from a superior model. Looks like an avoid.
It's a damn shame, because my set from 2010 is really good!
I can't find the one that I have because it's so old, but here is one that is similar cast iron griddle. It is reversible and the grill side comes in handle at times. Works great on a flat stove top.
An added bonus is the lid also perfectly fits the Lodge 8" skillet.
https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L5SK3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Skillet/dp/B00008GKDG
Iron deficiency anemia solution, The Lucky Iron Fish, Natural alternative to iron supplements for anemia with NO adverse side effects; iron supplement that is Organic, Gluten free and Vegan friendly https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LX5S5FP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_AoXHzbFEG3FTT
I strongly suggest you watch this, then find or buy the whole DVD. It is comprehensive, and RR is well respected (mod on Shroomery). It is, give or take, gospel.
You can find the exact mason jars for BRF cakes here. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jarden-Home-Brands-Mouth-Canning/dp/B0000BYD0F/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Jarden+Home+Brands+12Pk&qid=1572027665&s=kitchen&sr=1-1
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You can probably get them cheaper if you are in the US, or bulk buy from https://www.luckyvitamin.com/p-673056-kerr-wide-mouth-8-oz-half-pint-mason-jars-freezer-safe-12-count
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.
Don't know if being sarcastic, but they are amazing and cheap!
http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LCC3-Logic-Pre-Seasoned-Cooker/dp/B0009JKG9M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1393822556&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=lodge+cast+iron
http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L5SK3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Skillet/dp/B00008GKDG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1393822556&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=lodge+cast+iron
Also I usually try to shoot for 2 inch thick steak. I heat grape seed oil in the skillet, sear on both sides and cover in sea salt and pepper. I pick it up lay it on a bed of rosemary and throw it into the oven at 225 until it comes up to temp. Let rest and then enjoy.
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
http://www.amazon.com/Fasta-Pasta-The-Microwave-Cooker/dp/B000YT2XOI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1314785013&amp;sr=8-1
That thing has been a life saver. There are holes on the top that let you measure serving sizes. Comes out of the microwave just like you boiled it. Awesome stuff.
If you have to go with a set, These are probably your best bet for quality and price. They will occasionally sell for under 200. Also if you have a Costco membership, the Kirkland 12 piece stainless is really good and usually runs around 169$.
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).
My solution is this rack
https://www.amazon.com/Zicome-Stainless-Steel-Steamer-Steam/dp/B06XBFZGYV/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1
Note the 2.75 height
and a generic steamer
https://www.amazon.com/Chef-Craft-Stainless-Steamer-9-5-Inch/dp/B0029728H0/ref=sr_1_6?s=kitchen&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1498274594&amp;sr=1-6&amp;keywords=steamer
Combined with the trivet that comes with the iP it is great for steaming two things at the same time. for my default fast meal, i steam chicken on the bottom and greens or veggies on top (with a veggie chicken broth resulting on the bottom.
One option that may work is this used as staked steamer stand.
https://www.amazon.com/K-Steel-Electric-Pressure-Steaming-EggAssist/dp/B01NA6H0WR/ref=sr_1_5
Amazon.
Jarden Home Brands 12Pk 1/2Pt wide Mouth Jar Canning Jars https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000BYD0F/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_S7pGub08H552X
I'm sure you can find them somewhere locally too.
If I had a chance to start my first grow over, I would've tried a monotub instead. Look into that if you truly can't find the correct jars anywhere.
what kind of breakfast stuff - bacon and eggs? i might be in the minority here but I think a 10'' griddle is the best breakfast cast iron
Wide mouth Ball canning jars (mason jars) work completely fine, buy 'em as a case of jars in the canning/baking isle at a supermarket in various sizes, pretty cheap.
Half-gallon
Pint
Quart
Grocery stores will usually have them available as single jars, and in smaller sizes as well for a travel jar or such.
The flip latch lids are just a little nicer/easier than the screw top on a mason jar.
Hmm I think I link these for a lot of these kinda posts, but probably the skillet, water bottle, and fruit basket/banana hook combo.
They aren't too exciting, but I get excited about buying anything that I need in general. haha
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.
Microwave spaghetti with this.
Make hard-boiled eggs with this.
Make microwave bacon with this.
They're small and cheap, and you can't argue with those amazon reviews. Makes great stocking stuffers.
Also, make microwave eggs.
Mmmm... now I want a bacon-egg-and-cheese croissant sandwich.
There’s also a little fish made out of iron that was created for developing countries where iron rich foods are not naturally prevalent or are too expensive. Since you can throw it in while boiling water it might sneak some more into your diet. Worth a shot & it will provide one to someone anemic in the developing world who might not be able to get any or very subpar medical treatment for it.
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 would advise AGAINST a microwave and toaster oven. Instead, purchase one of these:
Lodge cast iron griddle .... only $15.
When you have leftovers, heat your gas range to 375, throw the food on the griddle and slide it in there for 10 minutes. You now have food that is WAAAY more delicious than microwave reheated leftovers. And I think toaster ovens tend to use more energy and they are kind of small, so don't do that!!!
Seriously, I haven't had a microwave for over 5 years, and I don't miss it at all. I wouldn't even think of buying one ever again. Plus, there is possible evidence that they wreak havoc on the nutritional value of your food.
Also, EXTRA COUNTER SPACE!!!!
Like the other person said, put the pan in and then rotate it. You can also go with a smaller cast iron pan, like the lodge 8 pan (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00008GKDG).
As far as the temp, I just wouldn't worry about it. 220 degrees C is only 428 F. The seasoning on pans is typically fine up to higher temperatures than that. 250 C is 482 F. You'd usually only put the pan that high if you are doing a manual seasoning. (Fahrenheit conversions there for reference).
Np!
I was also gifted these weights for my mason jars and it makes things even easier throw in these airlock lids got these lids and now my ferments don't need any more day-to-day upkeep :)
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.
The pressure cooker doesn't have any settings. I have a presto and I just put it on my stove burner on the highest setting until the top thing starts rocking, then I turn the heat down to 1/3, which will keep the thing on top rocking for the duration I cook. That's how I cook everything. Most meats ~10 minutes, cool under the sink. Most vegetables ~1 minute, cool under the sink. I cook rice for about ~2mins, then set it aside for ~5mins, then cool under the sink.
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.
Yep, I use the ones just like this. They will fit in any wide mouth canning jar. I've used them for quart jars of pickles too.
My go-to for mousses and puddings is a half pint wide mouth mason jar. Like these. Make them ahead and lid them. They are oven and boil proof, stack in the fridge and transport well. Plus they are like 90 cents and infinitely reusable.
1/2 pint wide mouth, probably Kerr or Jarden Home branded. I have the Kerr ones and they are a great size for creme brulee. I'm not sure why the Kerr ones are so expensive on Amazon, maybe shop around.
http://www.amazon.com/Kerr-Mason-Jars-Half-Mouth/dp/B00NE6WALE/ref=sr_1_7?s=kitchen&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1453008223&amp;sr=1-7&amp;keywords=1%2F2Pt+wide+Mouth
http://www.amazon.com/Jarden-Home-Brands-Mouth-Canning/dp/B0000BYD0F/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1453008223&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=1%2F2Pt+wide+Mouth
These are the most recommended jars to use, and they're inexpensive as well.
There are also smaller sized ones to look at, good when storing small amounts of tobacco, or when traveling.
You are welcome! I found quite a few others that will probably work just as well and shave off a few bucks too!
$12.99
6 pack $15.99
Super awesome desserts!
If you'd like a slightly more expensive, but re-usable option, you could always use 4 oz mason jars. You can typically pick them up for about $1 each.
No no no no!!
This is called "open kettle canning" and it's dangerous and products will likely spoil. Read up on it starting here: http://extension.psu.edu/food/preservation/news/2014/avoid-open-kettle-canning
You'll want to get bottles that have been tested to seal in home waterbath canners like these or you can use the super small 4 oz jars with the two piece lids like this.
Also, you need to use an approved safe recipe such as this ketchup or this BBQ sauce
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.
It's maybe two hundred bucks and when combined with an inkbird it makes biab a breeze.
You can't go wrong with lodge. My new stove top grill/griddle only set me back $25.
http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Double-Reversible-Grill-Griddle/dp/B002CMLTXG
Amazon has them for ~$30, though I would recommend checking out your local kitchen supply stores. I see them for less very frequently.
I've transitioned to a carbon steel pan. It has most of the advantages of cast iron, but is easier to work with.
$5 at Walmart, or my local grocery store (C-Town). $8 on amazon.
Another option that people love is the Imuza. Comes in 10CM and 12CM widths.
1L is plenty for 2 people. Also titanium is horrible for actually cooking. It gets hot spots and burns your food. You'll also pay a premium for anodized aluminum. Just go for an Imusa 12cm mug, which is 1.1L or an equivalent non-anodized aluminum pot. It is on amazon for like $5. Save yourself a lot of money.
http://www.amazon.com/Imusa-Aluminum-Mug-1-25-Quart-12/dp/B004444XMY
BTW the foods you listed are all "dehydrated" style foods that can be rehydrated in a ziplock freezer bag slipped inside a reflectix pouch :)
Your stove is fairly heavy, you can save 9 oz with a BRS3000 (.9 oz) and a light aluminum or Ti pot. This is the cheapest way to lighten up if you want to stay with a cannister. A DIY ethanol stove is cheaper and lighter still.
Do you need such a heavy battery?
Are you bringing a phone?
I picked up This set 3 years ago now, and love it. Bought it for my mother last year as well. The price varies on Amazon, I've seen them as high as $350 for the set. After reading all sorts of reviews, I settled on the Cuisinart Multi Clad Pro set. The 12 piece is a useful set, and has everything you'll need to start out. I'm thinking of adding a 12" skillet to the set, but that's it.
Get you something like this and steam it instead of boil it. Much better flavor IMO, and much less watery.
Wide mouth mason jars + fermentation weight + fermentation lid
I personally love these lids but they are pricey and the other ones work fine.
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.
I was wondering if you'd chime in! I appreciate the info for sure. I'm thinking I'll either buy the 16"x9.5" Lodge rectangular dual griddle (I think I could close the lid with this one) or the 12"x12" Lodge griddle pan instead
Simply not true. This is a fantastic set that competes well against all clad. http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-MCP-12-MultiClad-Stainless-12-Piece/dp/B0007KQZWU
>What do you mean by steaming it?
I have a platform, something like this buts flat. I put that in the bottom of a large pot, put a little water in there, slap on the lid and you have enough space to reheat an entire plate of food in a few minutes.
It's better too because you avoid the scalding outside and frozen inside you get with a microwave.
I bought a comal like this one on a whim a few years ago. It's great for quesadillas and comes in handy for a bunch of other small things.
$8 steamer basket works great.
https://www.amazon.com/Chef-Craft-Stainless-Steamer-9-5-Inch/dp/B0029728H0
I found that pressure cooker on Craigslist brand new for $20. Some really nice old lady down the street was selling it. It's regularly sold for $45 on Amazon. As for the grand total, I think it's somewhere around $150-$200. I 'm too tired to add it up now but I'll PM you if you're interested.
Generally speaking 2oz of loose cut tobacco will fill an 8oz jar. Flakes are more dense and you'll be able to fill a lot more into the same sized jar.
I like these 8oz jars since they'll hold a typical tin's worth of tobacco and stack up nicely.
These taller 8oz jars are stackable and work well for flake tobacco.
The 4oz Jars make an awfully small creme brule. I have used them to make little mini flans though. I like the 8 oz wide mouth jars for creme brule. I have found 2 styles: Ball Elite and Jardin. The Ball Elite look nice, but they are a pain to clean and don't work for things like egg bites or flan, because of the shoulders on the jar.
Looks like a collapsible steamer.
Like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Amco-Stainless-Steel-Collapsible-Steamer/dp/B000Q4N2LO
4oz is super common: Ball Mason 4oz Quilted Jelly Jars with Lids and Bands, Set of 12 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B80TK2K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kpJkDbPG6CKAH
No. I highly recommend AGAINST getting the T-FAL Clipso. It doesn't operate at the full pressure as most stovetop pressure cookers do. That means you won't get the full benefits of pressure cooking and you'll have to constantly alter the timing of any recipes from high to medium pressure. The closing mechanism on the lid overly complicates what's normally a simple process - for what purpose??? To be able to operate the lid with one hand, they say. That's utterly ridiculous. How are you going to get it to the stove with one hand when it only has two handles on the sides? I can move a pressure cooker with one long handle around with one hand.
Here's a better pressure cooker from Amazon that's cheaper and works like a pressure cooker is supposed to operate. I own 2 of them, a 6qt and a 4qt, and the lids are identical so they act as backup for each other. The 4qt. size is better to cook for 1-2 people, and it's usually better to use the smallest pressure cooker needed for the job to reduce the time it takes to build up and release pressure, so long as the pot isn't overfilled above 75% full.
For iron, you can use an iron lucky fish - but you have to follow the instructions specifically (boiling for a specific amount of time) and try to include something with vit. C like tomatoes with the same meal to increase absorption.
I take sublingual B12 and liquid D3.
Some people have malabsorption difficulties, so it wouldn't be unheard of that you are having trouble with B12, but you might want to get an opinion from a GI specialist. Also drinking alcohol interferes with absorption, and certain medications.
New to you jars? Get a new box from your local hardware/big box store. I get these locally for around $9:
https://www.amazon.com/Ball-Mason-Quilted-Jelly-Bands/dp/B00B80TK2K/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1527088084&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=quilted+jelly+jars+4+oz
There was a post a while ago from someone who got jars on Amazon from a second hand seller and experienced the same thing.
I have never cracked a new jelly jar when doing sous vide. I have had some very old qt jars crack when doing standard hot water pickle canning but the jars were very old.
I have a round one like this that I use relatively frequently, mostly for heating tortillas or other non messy things. It's also perfect for using as a pizza steel.
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
For 10g samples I think I will just double bag them and keep them in large tins by classification. Hopefully I can use them fast enough before storage becomes an issue. Then I will grab these four ounce mason jars:
Link
for when I buy in 100g increments. I don't plan on buying in bulk- I'd rather pay a premium for fresh and new varieties every month.
These from Amazon:
4-Pack of Fermentation Glass Weights with Easy Grip Handle for Wide Mouth Mason Jar https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076V66FZ4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_VD.DDbQ9AGFZD
I found I could make rice noodles in one of those microwave pasta cookers. I got mine from Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Microwave-Pasta-Cooker-Original-Sticking/dp/B000YT2XOI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1425995818&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=Fasta+Pasta). From there, I can add leftover veggies and spices (onion and garlic powder, soy sauce, chili sauce, etc.). Makes a quick and easy meal. Add leftover fish or other precooked meats for non-veg)
For those looking, I mean mason jars like this I believe fit some diameters of press filters (or you can create a custom screen/trim a stock screen if you need it just a tiny scoche bigger, smaller)
Your food bag is way too heavy. Even a plastic grocery bag would be better.
Replace the pot with an aluminum grease pot or mug like so.
Take a good, hard look at your backpack and pull off anything detachable. Then start trimming anything you don't have a specific use for like interior pockets and straps/cords you don't need. Or sell it and get another.
I'm a little confused about your clothing system. The camp stuff is for sleeping? Is the jacket like a down puffy or something else? The running pants seem heavy to me. This stuff can be switched up pretty easily and cheaply along the way though.
Repurpose the poncho as a rain kilt or drop it.
Replace the rain jacket with a frogg toggs.
Get lighter flip flops.
I think you're double counting your underwear. You have the spare pairs listed at twice the weight of the worn pair but also the quantity as two.
Bring less: wipes, bug repellent, sanitizer, soap. Refill when necessary along the way.
If you don't want to shell out for a lightweight trowel, either cut down the one you have or replace it with a large stake like this.
One carabiner only, if you're using it for bear bagging.
Drop the emergency blanket, you have an entire tarp and sleeping bag. If you're worried about being cold at night rather than emergency use, it's best to address that by changing your sleep set up.
Electrolytes? If you want to use drink mixes that's fine but don't carry around electrolyte tablets or powders just in case and then never use them.
I recently purchased this set and love it. Looks great, cooks great (except for scrambled eggs, but I think all stainless sucks at that) and seems very durable. I can't speak to the BIFL quality of it, but I don't see how it could possibly fall apart. The rivets look very strong, and it has a lifetime warranty should it fail.
Look into the Lucky Iron Fish, they sell on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01LX5S5FP/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_0HISDb59YG9GR
I bought these last year.. solid glass, good grip. https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B076V66FZ4
For a dollar more ($10) you can get a great cast iron skillet. No excuse now!
http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L5SK3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Skillet/dp/B00008GKDG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1372969721&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=cast+iron+skillet
I prefer to use an old fashioned steamer basket. Serving is easier and I can always find it!
Chef Craft 100% Stainless Steel Steamer Basket, 6-Inch Expands to 9.5-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0029728H0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i1aBybT1786NW