Best products from r/cookingforbeginners
We found 63 comments on r/cookingforbeginners discussing the most recommended products. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 264 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.
1. Victorinox Fibrox Pro Knife, 8-Inch Chef's FFP, 8 Inch, Black
- For home chefs & professionals. This Fibro Pro chef's knife has been the top choice of both home chefs and professionals alike. Expertly crafted with a tapered stainless steel edge that cuts with ease and efficiency.
- Fit for all tasks. Designed to handle kitchen tasks both big and small, This durable knife's razor sharp and laser-tested blade effortlessly chops, minces, slices and dices. An essential for every kitchen.
- Easy handling. Each knife features an ergonomic handle made from thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) for a non-slip grip - even when wet. This exceptional knife is weighted and balanced for easy handling.
- Knife Dimensions. Blade made out of stainless steel material - 7. 9 inches in length. Made with dishwasher safe materials for an easy clean.
- Trusted Swiss quality. Expertly crafted in Switzerland in 1884, Victorinox provides a lifetime against defects in material and workmanship. Making a Lifetime commitment has never been so easy.
- Included Components: Fibrox Pro 8-Inch Chef'S Knife, Ffp
Features:
3. Cuisinart CSB-75BC Smart Stick 200 Watt 2 Speed Hand Blender, Brushed Chrome
- 2 speeds (low and high) for all your blending tasks. BPA free
- 200 watt motor handles more blending tasks
- Stick design reaches into pots, pitchers, and bowls to extend blending options, Dishwasher-safe blending shaft and beaker make cleanup effortless
- Ergonomically designed grip offers comfortable hold and more control while blending. When mixing liquids, especially hot liquids, use a tall container or make small quantities at a time to reduce spillage and splattering
- To operate: press and hold the Lock/Unlock button located on the top of the hand blender before holding High/Low speed options
- Limited 3-year warranty
- NOTE: Check instruction video available before use
- 2 speeds (low and high) for all your blending tasks
- Stick design reaches into pots, pitchers and bowls to extend blending options
- Ergonomically designed grip offers comfortable hold and more control while blending
- Operates with a one-touch control for easy, one-touch blending
- Dishwasher-safe blending shaft and beaker make cleanup effortless
Features:
4. Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking
- Scribner Book Company
Features:
5. Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil 1 L, Non-GMO, for High-Heat Cooking, Frying, Baking, Homemade Sauces, Dressings and Marinades
CHOSEN FOODS AVOCADO OIL is pure, delicious, and always made from naturally refined avocados, ripened to perfection in warm, sun-drenched groves.FOR COOKING, BAKING, DRESSINGS, and MARINADES, avocado oil is the kitchen workhorse. Imbued with a neutral flavor and 500°F smoke point, avocado oil can b...
6. Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet with Assist Handle Holder, 12", Red Silicone
One Lodge Pre-Seasoned 12 Inch Cast Iron Skillet with Handle HolderAssist handle for better controlUnparalleled 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 cam...
7. How to Cook Everything The Basics: All You Need to Make Great Food--With 1,000 Photos
- Houghton Mifflin
Features:
8. OXO Stainless Steel Good Grips Potato Masher with Cushioned Handle, Single
- Great for mashing potatoes, root vegetables and fruit
- Sturdy, stainless steel wire head
- Soft, comfortable, non-slip handle absorbs pressure
- Dishwasher safe
Features:
9. STAUB Cast Iron Perfect Pan, 4.5-quart, Cherry
Oven Safe up to 500FSmooth enamel bottom works on all stovetopsEach piece is one of a kindRough texture results in exceptional browningRequires no seasoningDishwasher safe
10. Complete Children's Cookbook: Delicious Step-by-Step Recipes for Young Cooks
- DK Publishing Dorling Kindersley
Features:
11. Joy of Cooking: Joy of Cooking
- Joy of Cooking
- Anniversary edition
- Recipe cookbook with cooking in all food categories.
Features:
13. Crock-Pot SCCPVL600S Cook' N Carry 6-Quart Oval Manual Portable Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel
- Spacious 6 quart manual slow cooker serves 7+ people or fits a 6 pounds; roast; polished, silver stainless steel exterior with black accents and plastic handles. The lid should be left unlocked while cooking, as the additional pressure can result in the food being overcooked
- Easy to use locking lid featuring lid gasket provides extra seal for less mess on the go
- Set cooking time to high and get a hot meal in no time or set it on low and tonight’s dinner can cook while you’re at work
- Keep food at an ideal serving temperature for as long as you need to with the convenient warm setting
- One pot cooking means there are less dishes to clean, plus the lid and removable stoneware are dishwasher safe
Features:
14. Anchor Hocking Glass 6 x 9 Inch Mini 1 Quart Baking Pan, Set of 2
GlassRectangular shape with two helper handlesUse for making a mini casserole, lasagna, or meat loafMade in the USADishwasher safe
15. Wilton Recipe Right Non-Stick Mini Loaf Pan Set, 3-Piece
Set of 3 mini loaf pans lets you bake more at onceMade of steel; non-stick surface for easy release and quick cleanup5.75 x 3 in. (14.6 x 7.62 cm)Limited 10-year warrantyDishwasher safe; however for best results, wash in warm, soapy water before first and after each use
16. The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs
- Little Brown and Company
Features:
17. The Super Easy Vegan Slow Cooker Cookbook: 100 Easy, Healthy Recipes That Are Ready When You Are
- Leading Manufacturer Of High-Quality Products
- International Renown For Our Diverse Range Of Award-Winning Products
- Fully Equipped With State-Of-The-Art Technology
- All Products Have Been Designed With The Professional In Mind
- Constantly Modernizing Our Powerful Devices To Meet The Demands Of The Modern User
Features:
18. Lavatools PT12 Javelin Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer for Kitchen, Food Cooking, Grill, BBQ, Smoker, Candy, Home Brewing, Coffee, and Oil Deep Frying (Chipotle)
- 3-4 second ultra-fast response time with an accuracy better than ±0.9°F.
- Large 1.4" easy-to-read display and IP65 splash-proof construction.
- Integrated magnet for convenient storage on refrigerators or ovens.
- Meat thermometer also perfect for liquids, fryers, bread, chocolate, yogurt, and cheese.
- NSF certified superior build quality like nothing else on the market. Backed by an industry-leading 3-year limited warranty.
Features:
19. Victorinox Swiss Army 10-1/4" Serrated Bread Knife with Fibrox Handle
Serrated edge allows you to easily slice through everything from crispy breads and sandwiches, to melons and delicate fruits and vegetables without squashing tender interiorsCurved blade allows you to comfortably slice with a rocking motion and offers plenty of knuckle clearance for ease of cutting"...
20. Integrity Chef PRO Citrus Zester & Cheese Grater | Ergonomic Non-Slip Grip Handle, Dishwasher Safe, Antibacterial Cover, Lemon Zester Tool | Handheld Rasp for Ginger, Garlic, Vegetables | SAVE A LIFE!
- ✅DISCOVER A NEW AND EXCITING WAY TO GRATE & ZEST YOUR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES – Ergonomically designed, the non-slip handle of IC Integrity Chef PRO Citrus Zester & Cheese Grater is comfortable to hold and makes cooking preparations a breeze. Crafted with professional materials, our new and improved zester grater helps reduce kitchen mess. Keep other kitchen tools away because this is an all-purpose rasp that you may use as fruit, vegetable, or cheese grater with handle.
- ✅TREAT YOURSELF LIKE ROYALTY WITH PROFESSIONAL GRADE QUALITY – The reinforced handle of our heavy-duty graters for kitchen is made with ultra-high quality, rust-free stainless steel. Our artisanal quality zester/grater are crafted with the highest quality stainless steel and undergo a professional grade inspection to ensure they can last 5 times longer. Our product comes with a unique cover for its razor-sharp blade to protect your fingers.
- ✅DRAW ATTENTION EVERYWHERE YOU GO – We aim to make you a kitchen champion through quality kitchenware like this lemon zester. Whether you're grating cheese over a delicious pasta or making a scrumptious lemon zest pie, wow everyone as you efficiently and easily grate and zest your produce into delicious, bite-sized pieces! With your new zester/grater, you can be a popular neighbor with all the coolest kitchen gadgets! Maintaining this kitchen tool is easy because it is dishwasher-safe.
- ✅PARTNER WITH US TO SAVE A LIFE! – We've partnered with World Concern to help children in third-world countries who lack access to clean drinking water. For every Integrity Chef lemon zester or cheese grater you purchase, you also help 1 precious child. We hope you'll partner with us to bring renewed hope into a child's life! As of today, 21,968 children have been SAVED thanks to you.
- ✅100% CUSTOMER SATISFACTION GUARANTEE – Our family-owned business hopes to make you a master in the kitchen by providing the finest quality kitchenware and superior customer service. This ergonomic, non-slip cheese grater and lemon zester is an excellent addition to your amazing kitchen tools.
Features:
part 2/2
Second, there are ways to take a more cost-effective approach. I always bring up the physics example of the apple falling on Newton's head, which made him realize gravity existed, and then he dedicated his whole life to figuring out the formula for gravity; then you saunter up to science class one day, learn F=ma, and that's that! Likewise, a lot of smart & persistent people have worked hard to create formulas for food, called recipes, which you can try & learn & get good results at simply by following their step-by-step checklist.
Part of getting good at cooking is learning the underlying tools, technique, and knowledge required for flavor combinations, food pairings, spice mixes, cooking methods, etc., but part of it is also just burning through a bunch of recipes & getting exposure to good results & to various processes, without having to master every single one right off the bat & then think up new ways to use them. So in addition to learning how to cook in general, I'd also recommend simply following a bunch of recipes initially, rather than trying to re-invent the wheel, which can help you get better results initially, simply because you have proven instructions to follow! There are a million great resources for doing this; I'll share just a few here:
Third, it helps to have some good introductions to the different aspects of food. Here's a few links to read to help kick-start your education process:
Anyway, learning how to cook can definitely be discouraging & can absolutely be a money-drain, because you're going to have to make a lot of mistakes, due to the learning process, and make also a lot of just plain mediocre food before you start hitting some home-runs. I'd recommend making sure that you have a recipe storage system for capturing the recipes & workflows you really like.
I'd also recommend adopting the "growth" mindset when it comes to cooking, because it's easy to quit in the face of setbacks & label yourself as a terrible cook or view cooking at home as hard or dumb or whatever. If you look at cooking from a big-picture perspective, you're going to be alive until you die, and you've gotta eat every day, so imo at least, it's totally worth learning how to cook so that you can save money & enhance the enjoyability of each meal that you cook while you can!
I think part of that is just accepting that it's going to take some time & practice (and money) as you grow & develop your skills, your personal recipe database, and the various workflows available for things like making breads or grilling or stir-frying or whatever you want to dive into. Probably the best way to save money, at this point in your cooking education, is to find & follow top-rated recipes. Pinterest has a pretty good algorithm for bubbling up really good recipes, so if you type in "chocolate-chip cookie" into the Pinterest search & try a recipe (exactly as printed, step-by-step) on the first page of results, then you're likely to get much better results than just winging it...while also building up your cooking skills in the process & getting that background knowledge & hands-on time required to get better at cooking!
TLDR: I made a shopping list at the end.
​
I think most people who are serious about having a good set of knives would advise you to not actually buy knives in a set. It is useful to keep in mind that most knife sets, especially at your budget range or lower priced, are sets for marketing reasons and not a value buy. Certain traits like the number of items included in the set make them seem like you are getting a lot of items for your money, and then shortcuts are taken to increase the number of items versus the quality items. This is a marketing trick. It sounds like you are getting more value the higher the number of stated pieces there are.
For example of typical cost saving shortcuts used in sets: you typically want a bread knife to be 9 or 10 inches, or a 8 inch chef's knife, but shorter lengths will be typical when in a set. You probably don't need to be concerned about having the 6 or 8 steak knives of low quality (again, to increase the number of pieces in the set to make it seem like a good value). In fact, just 3 or 4 high quality knives will perform everything you need of them. For the most part, you can get by on 90% or 95% of what you might do with just a workhorse chef's knife if you need to.
​
My recommended path therefore is to build your own set. This also has the benefit of letting you pick and choose for each specific piece rather than being locked into one brand or one style, and can allow you to budget things out to pick up a quality piece when you can afford it rather than thinking you should have everything all at once.
In order of how you should acquire your pieces:
First, knives are tools that are subject to degradation in performance as they are used. It is important that you mitigate this by investing in protecting the edge of the knife when not in use and that you are able to regularly maintain the edge. You will want either a good wood block or knife edge guards or a good drawer holder to keep your knives safe from non-use related damage. I would lean towards definitely having a wood block or wood drawer holder. It is probably worth planning for the future here, so get what you need. This item should last for a long time so the money will not be wasted.
Look for something that will hold everything you eventually need. Make sure there is a slot that will hold a honing rod. You might want a kitchen shears in the future, so a slot for that is good, too. Ideally, there will be more than one slot that will handle a larger knife (2 inch wide or larger, for more than one chef's knife, santoku, etc.) and if it is an angle block the high positions will be long enough for 10 inch or longer knives. I really like the 17 slot options from cutlery and more. These are normally $50 or so, but can go on sale multiple times per year. Again - this will last you for your lifetime so find what you want for your ultimate plan and go for it.
Again, since it is not worth having a knife that doesn't work, you will need to maintain the edge. You do not need to be an expert sharpener, as you can find this as a service, but regular honing is a good way to only need this service maybe once or twice per year. Keep in mind that a sharp knife is safer than a dull knife, because you can stay in control and not need to use excess force with a sharp knife. An ER visit because of a dull knife will cost a lot more than what you spend on a good knife that can be kept sharp. You can shop around for this, but I would still look for something of quality. The Shun honing steel has a nice feature where it has a built in angle guide (this is at 16 degrees, but that is very close to common for a lot of knives).
So now that you are finally ready to look at knives, you want to start out worried only about 3 good knives: A chef's knife, a bread knife, and a paring knife. You do not need to spend a lot on the bread or paring knives to get you going, in fact some of the options at low price ranges for these are really good performers.
For a bread knife, the Mercer Millennia 10 inch wavy can be found for about $15. (as mentioned before, you'd likely get a shorter length in a normal set in a big box store). For a paring knife, a Victorinox 3.25 inch will be just a few dollars. It's nothing fancy and perhaps the handle seems small and thin, but for getting going this works great.
The chef's knife will be your main workhorse, easily taking care of 90% or more of what you are doing in the kitchen. It is very worthwhile to invest in this piece.
It is also worthwhile, in my opinion, to have more than one chef's knife (or mix with other workhorse knives, i.e. a nakiri or santoku, etc.). I would recommend making a long term plan to save for a quality piece in this category eventually (and with my approach of your knife block being able to handle more than one of a main type of knife you will not need to worry about storing it safely). Eventually you might want to look at the $130+ options in this category, but that is for the future.
In the meantime, with the budget range, I would go for the Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8 inch chef's knife. Usually around $35-$45. I have knives 3 times as expensive but still grab this if I need to swap to a clean knife or think I will need to be a bit more rough with the chopping.
​
Current Shopping List (prices subject to change with sales/economics):
This would fit in on the low range of your current stated budget and set you on a good path towards adding pieces (because of the knife block choice) once you can determine what you want and save towards them.
Keep in mind that if you can set yourself up to cook at home more and enjoy cooking and all of that, you will automatically shift your budget towards being able to keep improving your home cooking experience as you save from not eating out and wasteful food practices, etc.
​
Good luck!
My recommendations:
Videos:
Websites/Books:
These are more advanced, but Serious Eats (google it) never lets you down when it comes to recipes, but they’re definitely more involved (hours to days).
One of the serious eats writers, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt is a PhD Biologist (I think biology...) who wrote The Food Lab. This man is the god of cooking. 100% scientifically and experimentally tested, this book will teach you everything you ever need to know about cooking and then some. HIGHLY recommend getting a copy. The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393081087/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DgUuDb85KVPJ8
Finally, if you don’t want to drop $20 (it’s dropped by ~60% since I bought it! Definitely get a copy!!!) on that, but want to be healthy and learn easy, flavor packed recipes, pick up a copy of The Thug Kitchen. It’s vegan, but the skills are useful anywhere and I’ve yet to find anyone - carnivores included - that’s disliked a single recipe. I got a copy for myself, my girlfriend, a good friend of mine, and my brother.
Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck (Thug Kitchen Cookbooks) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1623363586/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_miUuDb8363PR2
Sounds like you're way overthinking and over complicating this.
Mashed potatoes
Mashed potatoes are the simplest, easiest ever. Find a starchy potato. I like russets for my mashed, but Idahoes and Yukon golds will work, too.
As you get more comfortable with making them and learning what the consistency should look like, then you can try adding cream or sour cream or cheeses (I like to add cream cheese sometimes) for additional richness and creaminess. But it's really easy to go overboard there. Keep in mind that the point of mashed potatoes is POTATOES. It's not about trying to add as many ingredients as you can. It's about making the potatoes shine.
​
Gravy
Gravy is a little trickier but really not hard. It mostly requires practice.
As a basic rule, gravy proportions are this: 2 T fat (butter, drippings, oil, bacon grease), 2 T flour, 1 cup liquid. Scale up for more gravy. Add more liquid if you want a thinner gravy, less liquid if you want thicker gravy. As you make gravy more often you'll learn how it works best for you and be able to eyeball it better.
The absolute key is to COOK THE FLOUR IN THE FAT FIRST. Too many people add the flour into the stock later and then you get that raw flour taste in the back of your throat. Ick.
Cooking in cast iron/Carbon steel woks is very good for health and you can use them for a lifetime but maintenance is a big issue. They need to be seasoned every time after the wash. Also, they are not dishwasher safe. Carbon steel is expensive compared to cast iron. I like 'Mineral B' carbon steel pans. You can check them on amazon. I have a Lodge cast iron skillet and it works well.
Enameled cast iron- I haven't tried it yet. The enamel coating on the iron pan is completely safe and much easier to maintain than Cast iron or carbon steel woks. Le creuset is a very good brand and very expensive. I want to buy Stuab wok and waiting for a good deal. Here is the amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Staub-1312906-Perfect-4-5-quart-Cherry/dp/B00IWYWHK2/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=staub&qid=1566845320&s=gateway&sr=8-2
Aluminium wok - A durable one like the above pans and relatively very cheap. I bought a 4qt one at a local Indian store for $30.
Hard anodized non stick woks - I swear by Calphalon and Circulon brands. I'm rarely using nonstick these days.
You can find all these brands on amazon. See the company's website and retailers like Kohls, Macy's for good deals. Sorry for giving you a lot of options :).
Also, if you want to use oil for high heat cooking, go for cold pressed or expeller pressed refined oils. I started using 'Chosen foods refined expeller pressed Avocado oil ' lately for high heat cooking and I love it. The taste is almost neutral unlike peanut/coconut oils. Here is the link - https://www.amazon.com/Chosen-Foods-100-Pure-Avocado/dp/B00K4QF4HO/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1G03DHYDDHU4T&keywords=chosen+foods+avocado+oil&qid=1566845959&s=gateway&sprefix=chosen+foods+%2Caps%2C849&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExS1U4NUo1UlhYOUtTJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTUxOTI0MkRSUEdaTUdaVktZNyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDM4Mjk5SzlYRThYNk9KN1JLJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
for nutrition, head on over to your Health Care Provider's website. They should have many helpful articles on eating right. Failing that, check out WebMD's suggestions.
I'm gonna presume it's just you (for now at least). One of the things you'll notice about a lot of recipes out there is that the serving sizes. Check out r/CookingForOne.
Also look over r/AskCulinary. It has a great FAQ (covers books, equipment and ingredients for beginners and experts alike) and Index.
Watch some Julia Child and Alton Brown videos.
for books, head over to your used bookstore and get yourself a copy of The Joy Of Cooking, Ratio and The Flavor Bible. This last one will help you a LOT with your spices.
Yes, I'm suggesting that you spend money. But the equipment (knives, cast iron, etc) and books are an investment. And you don't have to get them all at once.
Finally, it's great when you find items on sale in the produce section of your local market. But if it spoils before you use it all, it's wasted money and food. This is when your local salad bar can be a great help.
Good luck.
Edit: get yourself a rice cooker/steamer. a simple one-button model is all you really need. Always perfect rice and you can steam your veggies in the basket as well. Much healthier. Also, once you get more confident, you can look up some copycat recipes for your favorite fast food restaurant items.
OK, so you might be a little insulted by the title but this book ⬇️ is just fantastic for learning how to follow a recipe and cooking a variety of foods. The chocolate chip cookie recipe alone is top notch. There's quite a bit of general information in the beginning about cooking which is useful. Videos and websites are great for inspiration but sometimes it's helpful to know why things need to be done a certain way and what result to expect. A more advanced cookbook and a really great read is Nigella Lawson's How to be a Domestic Goddess. Keep at it - you'll only get better.
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Childrens-Cookbook-DK/dp/1465435468/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_2?keywords=DK+%22Complete+Childrens+Cookbook%22&qid=1551322634&s=gateway&sr=8-2-fkmrnull
Do yourself a favor and get a copy of The Joy of Cooking. If you can't afford it, get it second hand or ask for it for xmas or something. If you find a good and/or cheap ingredient, use the glossary to look it up, and there's usually information about it. Once you have the kitchen skills to follow a recipe reasonably closely, you're golden.
Another tip, think about a food you LOVE to eat (something reasonably healthy, whose ingredients are in your budget). Look up a recipe for that, then make it any time you don't know what else to make (why not make it every day?). Keep making it until it is exactly what you want, and you've internalized the recipe; then, move on to another dish.
My advice is to get stuff to measure as you cook, measuring cups, measuring spoons, a thermometer, and a scale. Try to be accurate when you cook.
Familiarize yourself with using knives. Find out how to do basic cuts. Get a chef's knife, everything else, buy as you need them. Do take care of your knife(s), keep them fairly sharp (sharp knives are safer than dull ones). Things shouldn't take lots of force to cut (if you do, you may be doing it wrong)
Familiarize yourself with fundamental techniques: roasting, sauteing, steaming, boiling, blanching. Easy, once you know how.
Everything else (pans/gadgets/dishes), buy as you need them.
In my experience, everything goes on sale at one time or another, so being able to process any given raw material into edible food is important. The more you cook, the better you'll be.
Also, I don't know if you have time, but some cooking shows are very good at teaching cooking. I really like good eats, which is available on netflix. Never be afraid to ask somebody how to do something.
Good luck.
Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef's Knife (8 inch)
The Fibrox series is the classic chef knife series. Known for good quality and able to keep a good edge for a while. Can't go wrong here. Like other comments have said they also have paring knives and bread knives, all at reasonable prices.
Mercer Culinary M22608 Millennia 8-Inch Chef's Knife
The Mercer Millennia series is great if you're really on a budget. I own one of these but I will say that after about a good 6 months of use it is losing its edge quite a bit (also possibly due to roommates chopping stuff on the hard metal table. I'm a little bitter about it.) Came sharp and will stay sharp with some care.
Mercer Culinary Genesis Forged Short Bolster Forged Chef's Knife, 8 Inch
Same company, forged blade. Little nicer, will most likely keep an edge a little longer.
As far as chef knives go, these are some budget picks and probably what most people would recommend unless you want something much nicer! :)
Edit: Also if you are looking for something much nicer, jump down the rabbit hole that is /r/chefknives
It's a steep slope lol
As a new chef, here are a few places to start:
____
To answer your question about what to cook -- cook what you want to eat.
The basics of cooking don't really differ from recipe to recipe. Barring some of the extravagantly delicate recipes, you're going to be using the same skills over and over again. Sometime it's a longer process, but in general you're just taking ingredients, cutting them or combining them into the right shape and size, putting them in the right cooking vessel, applying heat at the right time, and plating.
Others have mentioned eggs, and that's an okay place to start. As I mentioned above, stir frys, tacos, pancakes, and pastas/sauces are all easy and adaptable.
Title | VEGAN MEAL PREP - $1 meals
Description | High-carb low-fat food preparation on a budget. Simple, cheap and nutritious plant-based meals to save you time, money, and energy. Easy student-friendly HCLF recipes. ———————————————— Cooked first: potatoes (2lb 3oz - 1kg) brown rice (2¼ cup - 400g) kale (7oz - 200g) Chickpeas curry: 1 tbsp ginger (5g) 1 clove garlic (5g) 1 small onion (50g) 3 tbsp tomato paste (50g) ½ tsp curry powder (2g) ¼ tsp chili powder (1g) 1 cup water (240g) 1 can chickpeas (240g drained) 1 tbsp fresh coriander (2g) salt to taste Rice with mixed vegetables: 1 carrot (100g) 1 red bell peppers (100g) ½ cup water (120g) ¾ cup peas (100g) 3.5oz cooked kale (100g) cooked rice from above ¼ cup almonds (40g) salt to taste ———————————————— NUTRITIONAL INFO: Total Calories: 3248kcal Total Carbohydrate: 646g Dietary Fibre: 64g Total Fat: 41g Total Protein: 90g CALORIC RATIO: 80% Carbs 11% Fats 9% Protein ———————————————— How to cook long grain rice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTxSqmdT5oY Food safety guidelines: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/safe-food-handling/leftovers-and-food-safety/ http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/refridg_food.html http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/homehygiene/Pages/food-leftovers-safety.aspx LINKS: Support us: https://www.patreon.com/thevegancorner Cooking channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/thevegancorner Website: http://www.thevegancorner.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thevegancorner Instagram: http://instagram.com/thevegancorner Our series on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BKY8BPU/ Music by DJ Grumble: https://soundcloud.com/gbeats
Length | 0:06:13
SECTION | CONTENT
Title | VEGAN MEAL PREP - $1 meals | #2
Description | High-carb low-fat food preparation on a budget. Simple, cheap and nutritious plant-based meals to save you time, money, and energy. Easy student-friendly HCLF recipes. ———————————————— Cooked first: 2 cups pearl barley, uncooked (400g) Lentil stew: 1 cup brown lentils, uncooked (200g) 2 tbsp tomato paste (30g) ¾ cup diced carrots (100g) ¾ cup diced onions (100g) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 rosemary sprig 2½ cup water (600g) black pepper to taste Energy bar: 5 medjool dates, pitted and chopped (80g) ½ cup raisins (80g) ½ cup hazelnuts, whole (60g) 2 tbsp + 1 tsp flax seed (30g) If you are wondering if you can use other kinds of nuts for the energy bars, the answer is yes. In regard to the flax seeds, they are needed to make the bars chewier and less sticky, so it is not a good idea to remove them from the equation. Barley salad: barley from above (400g) 2 clove garlic, minced (10g) 2½ cups diced onions (280g) 2 cups chopped green beans (200g) 2 cups diced butternut squash (280g) 12 black olives, diced (40g) ¼ cup chopped parsley (16g) black pepper to taste ———————————————— NUTRITIONAL INFO: Total Calories: 3609kcal Total Carbohydrate: 680.8g Dietary Fibre: 170g Total Fat: 63g Total Protein: 123g CALORIC RATIO: 74% Carbs 14% Fats 12% Protein ———————————————— Food safety guidelines: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/safe-food-handling/leftovers-and-food-safety/ http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/refridg_food.html http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/homehygiene/Pages/food-leftovers-safety.aspx LINKS: Support us: https://www.patreon.com/thevegancorner Cooking channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/thevegancorner Website: http://www.thevegancorner.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thevegancorner Instagram: http://instagram.com/thevegancorner Our series on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BKY8BPU/ Music by: soundcloud.com/jeff-kaale Instagram: www.instagram.com/jeffkaale
Length | 0:04:43
****
^(I am a bot, this is an auto-generated reply | )^Info ^| ^Feedback ^| ^(Reply STOP to opt out permanently)
An Instant Pot (from the official brand, not an off-brand one) is kind of an all-in-one type of device. It can be a slow cooker, a rice cooker, or a pressure cooker based on the settings. It can cook thick meat quickly, but it's not too great for vegetables. Also, they are large so they're not great for a small kitchen with limited counterspace. Here's an article that goes into more details and also has links for where to buy one: https://www.delish.com/food/a51371/things-you-should-know-before-using-an-instant-pot/.
A slow cooker does not have as many functions, but they are often much cheaper than the Instant Pot and you can still cook a lot of dishes in them. This device doesn't really have the capability to cook things quickly though. The minimum time I've seen on a recipe is 2 hours. But this is ideal for putting stuff in before work and coming home to have dinner done. There are a variety of sizes so you can get one appropriate for the amount of food you want to create at once. That also makes it easier to keep in a small kitchen. This is a list of tips to make the most of the slow cooker and some things that recipes may not tell you: https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/articles/14-tips-for-slow-cooker-meals. Here is a great option for $25 on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Crock-Pot-SCCPVL600S-6-Quart-Portable-Stainless/dp/B003HF6PUO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1549838488&sr=8-3&keywords=slow+cooker.
Other easy cooking methods include baking/broiling with sheet pan or casserole-type recipes. These are really great for meal prep or feeding a crowd. One problem is that the prep may take a long time. For example, lasagna requires many cooking steps before you throw it in the oven, which may not be ideal for a beginner. It may also be difficult to get the type of browning you want on meat or knowing when bone-in meat is done. I'd be careful with this cooking method and just make sure you feel confident about the instructions.
Overall, I would recommend slow cooker for a beginner, but focus on what your needs and preferences are. The cheapest option is probably baking/broiling while the easiest is probably slow cooker or Instant Pot.
you can cook anything in that little oven you could cook in a large one. Just smaller amounts. I have a toaster oven and LOVE IT!
I have a set of pans like this in this size.
https://www.amazon.com/Wilton-Recipe-Right-Non-Stick-3-Piece/dp/B002HJ35YA/ref=sr_1_9?
​
they work great for single serve loaf pans in the toaster oven and you would be able to use at least 2 if not all three of them at one time.
https://www.copymethat.com/r/n6pMVVd/meatloaf-with-2-possible-toppers/
you could make these...
https://www.copymethat.com/r/LNYznIZ/baked-pizza-taquitos-baker-mama/
​
These pans should work for your little oven. (I might have to order these for myself)
https://www.amazon.com/Anchor-Hocking-Basics-Quart-Glass/dp/B00CE6Q2HI/ref=sr_1_2?
and your recipes will have to be cut in half
to fit in the pans and into your oven.
For this recipe use half of the package of crescents, maybe bake the rest for breakfast, and then use the remaining for your casserole. you will only use half of the Alfredo sauce so the second half you can use for Alfredo pasta, for pasta with some chicken.
https://www.copymethat.com/r/US6M7TC/chicken-alfredo-casserole-i-dont-remembe/
these are great and easy to break into individuals
https://www.copymethat.com/r/nUiElJG/foil-pack-chicken-and-broccoli-dinner-bi/
https://www.copymethat.com/r/8AUp6f5/smoked-sausage-and-potato-foil-packs/
these work with the Boboli crust or the tortillas
https://www.copymethat.com/r/s2F2BUz/tortilla-pizza/
this half recipe should work for both of your casseroles (from above)
https://www.copymethat.com/r/4GAvJYy/overnight-meatball-and-pasta-casserole/
you know for this one just make what fits on your baking sheet that you have.
https://www.copymethat.com/r/z2ZegXs/30-minute-sheet-pan-potatoes-and-chicken/
https://www.copymethat.com/r/RK4mbU0/baked-flounder-with-fresh-lemon-pepper-m/
https://www.copymethat.com/r/UVW1l7E/honey-balsamic-sheet-pan-chicken-and-veg/
https://www.copymethat.com/r/l6gYGIr/korean-chicken-and-vegetables/
https://www.copymethat.com/r/FfR4QSo/sheet-pan-garlic-parmesan-chicken-and-po/
Hope some of this information helps you out. and maybe some of the recipes
Learning to cook for the first time in college, my standard was:
2 pots (1 big, 1 small w/ lids), 2 pans (1 big, 1 small), tupperware (super important!), a spatula, 2 tongs (1 big, 1 small), measuring cups, cutting board, can opener, peeler, oven mitts, colander, dish/kitchen towel, paper towel rolls and holder, baking pan, a chef knife, and a knife sharpener. You can upgrade your kitchen as you improve/explore your cooking venture.
Keep in mind none of this has to be top notch quality when starting out. Most of my kitchen stuff was from Dollar Tree and lasted throughout my 8 years of college and graduate school. I actually still use the same peeler now I think about it lol. Anything Dollar Tree didn't have, thrift stores, garage sales, and HomeGoods clearance like everyone else suggested!
My one suggestion to splurge on is the knife; it will be your best your friend. I LOVE this affordable one from Amazon for $31. Or you can do what I did and buy a decent $10 one from the local Asian store. Both have lasted me many years with good maintenance. Get yourself a cheap knife sharpener and never let the knife get dull to the point of no return. Again, you can get more/better tools as you improve.
Last tip: All the basics you need to learn can be taught by YouTube.
Hope this helps!
I considered myself a beginner not that long ago and three things I found helped a lot were;
I personally would get the following way sooner if I was building my kitchen all over again.
Also if there is a place you can get bulk spices near by I would go there for your spices, because if you havent already noticed spices are pricey at your local megamart.
Lavatools Thermowand - Same form factor as the much more expensive thermopen but at 1/3 the price.
Lodge cast iron skillet - great for searing meats or as a good starting pan.
OXO Bench Scraper - Makes prep work much easier and safer as you don't use your knife to scrape your food off the cutting board.
Immersion Blenders - When you dont want to use your big blender or want to blend something in your pot or pan.
Stainless Steel Cookware - Has a little bit of a learning curve but is great after the fact.
Aeropress - Life is too short to make shitty coffee.
Edit: added a thermometer/spelling
How to wash a knife safely.
Don't get a set. Sets are designed to get you paying for knives you'll never use. I recommend starting with a chef's knife and a paring knife. The chef knife is your workhorse, you'll use it for almost everything. The paring knife is traditionally used for peeling and detail work, but just think of it as what you reach for when the job is too small for the chef knife. If you bake bread or buy unsliced loaves of it, you'll probably also want a bread knife.
Victorinox Fibrox knives are great knives for a new cook and an excellent value for the money. Here's their chef's knife, their paring knife, and their bread knife. That leaves you with enough money to buy a block and stay under $100. I like the wall mounted magnetic ones with a wooden face like this one myself, but there are plenty of other options if that's not what you want.
I have a Victorinox Cutlery 9-Inch Wavy Edge Bread Knife and a Victorinox 8 Inch Fibrox Pro Chef's and absolutely love them both. My brother, who is a chef, was impressed with both. He typically uses Global knives, which start at around $150 and go much higher.
With the chef's knife, I make sure to use a sharpener like this one every other time I pull it out (just rub it together 3 or 4 times each side) to keep the edge nice and straight. It actually can cut through tomatoes with minimal effort. Almost as good as the bread knife!
I don't really ever do precise work because I'm lazy so I've not found the need for a pairing knife. But I can see it being essential.
Someone I know is a really good cook and an avid baker, so when I was lamenting my inability to cook (without recipes), he recommend three books: Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking,
The Laws of Cooking: And How to Break Them, and especially Craig Claiborne's Kitchen Primer. :) I only have the last one thus far, but it's great, and I'm hoping to get the others soon.
A heads up for people shopping for meat thermometers on Amazon. There's a lot with fake reviews that make them look better than they are.
Use a site like Fakespot to make sure the reviews are legit. I found this one that has honest reviews and works great.
This is one of the better affordable options. It always gets really good recommendations, especially value for the price. It's what I use.
https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-45520-Frustration-Packaging/dp/B008M5U1C2?ie=UTF8&keywords=victorinox%20knife%208%20inch%20chef&qid=1497059513&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2
Also, make sure to get a steel and learn how to use it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Teh0Cw84QGQ
Surprised no one has mentioned The Food Lab given how popular it is on Reddit. Not only is every recipe in it a certified banger, it also does a great job walking you through the scientific reasons behind each recipe, so in addition to the recipes in the book you gain a ton of skills and techniques applicable when coming up with your own recipes.
> 9 inch chef's knife will get you through most of cooking. Get one of those plastic cutting boards. They last forever.
Or an 8 inch knife, which feels just about right in size for any person.
Victorinox Fibrox 8" chef's knife was the first decent knife I owned, and I still love it. It's affordable and the quality is really great.
Also, a wooden cutting board is better since plastic cutting boards can harbor bacteria.
I LOVE How to Cook Everything: The Basics by Mark Bittman. He goes into not only WHAT to cook, but HOW to cook. Definitely worth it, in my opinion.
This is a good list. I would add a few things to it. A cast iron pan, which can be found at goodwill for super cheap or For $25 from Amazon, and an enameled dutch oven . Which you can use in the oven or on the stovetop.
The bible at this point is The Food Lab which is more about food science and less about recipe how-tos. They also have a site where among recipes and other things they have a section dedicated to techniques. Long before I even heard about Food Lab I learned most from Chef John so you might want to give that a shot as well just make sure you start with some basic recipes so you don't get overwhelmed. Your can start by making a fancier steak 🙃
It's a very good place to start. In addition to that book, there is How to Cook Everything: The Basics, which does a fantastic job of covering method. https://www.amazon.com/How-Cook-Everything-Basics-Food/dp/0470528060 It has a lot of pictures and straightforward instructions.
https://www.amazon.com/Food-Lab-Cooking-Through-Science/dp/0393081087
This is the link for the book. I would recommend it too. My biggest problem was that I knew how to make a handful of recipes, but I really didnt understand what was happening when I mixed things in a certain order or why/how the different variations of a dish exist (poached eggs vs over easy). This book fully explains their recipes and why its being cooked that way.
I would highly recommend it if you have an analytical mindset and trying to learn processes and rules of cooking.
Yes, do try it with the leftover bacon grease. It's even better in a cast iron pan - $25 dollars at Amazon
How to Cook Everything The Basics: All You Need to Make Great Food--With 1,000 Photos
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0470528060/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_WkBQDb19H77Y0
Also Binging with Babish on YouTube has a playlist of basics.
Try 'The Food Lab' by Kenji Lopez Alt. He details a lot of the science behind cooking methods and includes experiments he's done to compare them
https://www.amazon.com/Food-Lab-Cooking-Through-Science/dp/0393081087
Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking by Michael Ruhlman
How to Cook Everything: The Basics by Mark Bittman will walk you through absolutely everything from scratch, including what tools and spices you need and how to set up your kitchen.
https://www.amazon.com/How-Cook-Everything-Basics-Food/dp/0470528060
Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything: The Basics is the cookbook you need!
Cooking Basics for Dummies?
How to Cook Everything, The Basics?
No question: Victorinox Swiss Army 8-Inch Fibrox Straight Edge Chef's Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008M5U1C2/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_ImVtub0NJ7X3K
Don't buy one of those big sets in a block. You won't use most of it, and most of them that aren't expensive are really crappy.
This is your best value for a no nonsense Chef's knife: https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Fibrox-Chefs-Knife-8-Inch/dp/B008M5U1C2 Get a pairing knife (https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Paring-Knife-Straight-Spear/dp/B0019WXPQY) and a serrated (https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Serrated-5-2533-21-1-piece-Fibrox/dp/B000RLJTLS) and you're good to go for almost everything you'll do cooking. You can often find this brand on sale even locally, and the combo should come in under half your budget.