BariatricEating.com Health & Nutrition
Linda’s Recipe & Cooking Forum!
Essential Equipment Series - Cookware
Perfectly matched pots and pans are not a necessity in the kitchen…high-quality cookware IS, in my opinion. Investing in a few good pans is rewarding in that they will last you practically a lifetime.
Not only will it make cooking easier it is less likely to ruin your hard work. Pans that are too thin can burn or cook unevenly, creating hot or cool spots and are more prone to scorching.
In this case, spending a little more will save you money in the long run.
You don’t need cupboards and cupboards full of every size imaginable. Four or five basic pieces will serve you in just about every instance. Then, if you feel the need for more specialized pans, such as a fish poacher or a crepe pan, you can add on depending on what and how you cook.
Copper, aluminum, double-quadruple thick on the bottom…all of this will be up to you and what YOU feel is the best pan. Each of those options have their own pros and cons.
SAUCEPANS
Saucepans will be your work horses…good all around kettles for sauces, hot cereal, boiling vegetables or eggs. A 3-4 quart one will be perfect for bigger jobs, and a 1-quart will be something you turn to again and again. Make sure they have a tight-fitting lid.
These can also take the place of a double-boiler. A stainless or heavy glass bowl that fits on top of the saucepan without sitting so far in that it touches the water is the perfect double boiler.
STOCKPOT
A large stockpot is invaluable for making soups or chowders. The tall sides let things boil away without fear of running over, and you know how it is with soup….it tends to ‘grow as you go’!! I’ve started out trying for 6 or 8 servings and end up with enough to feed the block!
You can find these with steamer/colander inserts which are nice to have,
also. Makes draining large amounts of vegetables or seafood easier AND
safer when you can simply lift out the inner basket and leave the heavy
pot of water on the stove.
DUTCH
OVEN
A Dutch Oven is perfect for slow-cooking large cuts of meat or chicken
on the stovetop, but they are also made to go into the oven after your
initial browning and adding other ingredients is finished. They are heavy
with a tight, heavy lid that holds in the moisture. They cook evenly and
hold the heat.
ROASTER
A roasting pan is a good investment and you’ll get a lot of use out of it. Two chickens, a large turkey, a big rack of ribs or a whole fish…all fit great in a roaster. It should have very sturdy handles, be 3-4 inches deep and very solid. Most of what you put in this pan will be heavy. They should have a thick bottom and can even be put over the burners to finish the gravy after the meat is removed. I LOVE that…not an extra pan to wash!
One with a removable rack in useful, but not necessary.
SKILLETS
Skillets are probably used twice as much as saucepans by most cooks. They are wide and shallow, perfect for seeing exactly what you are doing and for cooking large amounts of onions, burger, or scrambled eggs. The heat surface is larger than a saucepan and this makes it easy to do whole batches of chicken breasts or fish fillets at once, with minimal stirring and possibly breaking down your ingredients into mush.
Of these you may find you want several, but if I had to pick two I’d not be without a 12-inch and 8-inch. Aluminum, stainless steel or nonstick, is up to you. Just make sure they are thick and FLAT on the bottom for even heating.
You certainly can have, but don’t need, a specialty omelet, crepe
pan, wok or fryer. Those two sizes should fill most every bill. They will
work as a griddle too, if you don't want or have one of those.
There are always extras that you find you can't live without...that's
fine. If an egg-poacher is a must have, great. A braiser, double-boiler,
griddle or cast iron skillet...all those are wonderful, but not absolutely
necessary for the home kitchen or the cook just starting out.
