(Part 2) Best pots & pans according to redditors

Available here

Price - $141

Here is cool video demonstrating how it works - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DruRvB5peNA

Vegetable steamer.
https://www.amazon.com/Sunsella-Vegetable-Steamer-Stainless-Steel/dp/B00KYDZHSI

How to make a filling meal for $1 even if you don't know how to cook

I am 6'1", weight 165 pounds, and run 10-15K three times a week. I love pasta, and often eat a pound of cooked pasta for dinner:

• $1 for a one-pound box of uncooked pasta (turns into two pounds cooked)
  
• $1.75 for 24 ounces of pasta sauce (six ounces per pound cooked pasta)
  
  $3.50 for 8 servings of pasta sauce + $4 for four boxes of pasta = $7.50 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 $7.50.
  
  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 ~$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.

Amazon has them.

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

Looks like a collapsible steamer.

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

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!

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

For those looking to buy their own.

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.

It's actually the 8", it's an add-on item on Amazon

They also have the 6.5" for $8, which isn't bad

Pot dealers are a thing of the past.

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-77-412-Classic-Stainless-12-Quart/dp/B0000UV01S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422665177&sr=8-1&keywords=pasta+pot&pebp=1422665187120&peasin=B0000UV01S

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

My thoughts on gifts

Lavatools PT12 Javelin

A Nice carbon steel wok

A good Dutch Oven

A torch for searing, or Creme Brulee

An awesome knife

Another awesome, but cheaper and well rounded knife

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

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.

You must be pretty bad at Googling, $25 on Amazon and it was recently on sale for like $17 shipped:

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LCS3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Skillet/dp/B00008GKDJ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1427497733&sr=8-4&keywords=iron+skillet

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

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

EDIT: Updated the link i put the wrong one in

It's a takoyaki machine.

https://www.amazon.com/AUTOMATIC-ELECTRIC-JAPANESE-TAKOYAKI-Sugiyama/dp/B000Y2YJPQ/

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

No. You can't use a pressure cooker in place of a pressure canner.

At a minimum, the only tested and validated safe pressure canners are required to hold a minimum of six 1L/1Qt jars. Anything smaller can't hold sufficient heat energy to ensure it will properly kill harmful bacteria (particularly C. Botulinum).

In addition, a pressure canner must have a gauge (dial or weighted) that can hold the pressure at a specific setting (generally 5, 10, or 15lbs of pressure). The cooker you've linked has no such gauge.

There are no substitutes or shortcuts here. You need a pressure canner.

With a simple google search of "automatic takoyaki machine" it was the first result!

US Amazon

JP: https://goo.gl/1T5o2S

EDIT: link didn't work. Had to reformat

These were the things I initially bought when gathering cookware.

Enameled cast iron dutch oven

Cast Iron Wok or a carbon steel wok.

Stainless steel cookset

Pressure Cooker

Cast Iron skillet

Stainless steel roaster

*Pyrex Bakeware

Kinda depends on what it really is. The Lodge L14SK3 is a 15" skillet with about a 12" cooking surface, or there is the L12SK3, which is about 13.25" across the top. You could ask the seller what numbers and letters they see on the bottom near the logo. I think you're looking at the L14SK3, which sells on Amazon for $50, so $20-25 would be a pretty good deal.

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

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

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

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

non-stick skillet

enameled dutch oven

normal kitchen tools

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

And then probably a couple of normal saucepots.


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

> The stove top ones are the dangerous ones.

Even with those, the danger is over stated. If anything, I'm more confident about one I use on the stove, because I can inspect all of the parts easily for damage everytime I use it.

Even an old pressure cooker will be UL rated, unless it's ancient.

https://www.ul.com/marks/

You'll have a blow-out plug, for anything made after 1977 (so within the last 40 years).

https://www.amazon.com/Presto-Pressure-Cooker-Canner-Overpressure/dp/B0016CV0X2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1526768658&sr=8-3&keywords=pressure+cooker++plug

These are still made today; they use weights on top, all three for 15 pounds of steam, two for 10 pounds, and just one for 5 pounds.

If you have to go back further than that, they have parts going back to 1957.

https://www.amazon.com/Presto-Pressure-Indicator-Regulator-Cookers/dp/B00M7VWGES/ref=pd_sim_79_8?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00M7VWGES&pd_rd_r=P6HHAYRW3XD075H1Z6EE&pd_rd_w=Rgk2e&pd_rd_wg=6yMgB&psc=1&refRID=P6HHAYRW3XD075H1Z6EE

It's basically the top, the bottom, the seal, the plug, and the weights.

You inspect everything every time you use the pressure cooker.

Anything doesn't look right, you replace them.

The more modern ones use a twist orifice, instead of weights... that can get clogged with food (you inspect to make sure it's open).

If you get them on sale, either style, they're much less than $100.

https://www.amazon.com/Presto-8-Quart-Stainless-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B0000Z6JIW/ref=sr_1_22?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1526768988&sr=1-22&keywords=pressure+cooker

Either way, you have a pressure vessel in your kitchen, the only difference is that the old design has been used billions of times (people have been canning with them for years, same for cooking). The digital ones are nice, but you probably won't get parts for them in 10-20 years.

i use one of these directly over the flame.

36 quart for $35 also a good deal.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009JXYUA/?th=1&psc=1

Non ref link

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.

u/DickMasterson. Your spatuler sucks. If you use some old fashioned solid plastic spatuler it's going to rip that egg up. Upgrade, duuuude. Get a silicone spatuler, as flat as possible because some have big old bumps where the internal metal skeleton pokes through, and slide that paper-thin edge under the egg.

Also, get yourself a one egg wonder frying pan. It'll keep the egg together and build it up thicker, less susceptible to breakage. With the small pan and bendy flipper I haven't broken a fried egg in years.

Not OP but I get away with using a very small of olive oil by using exactly what you suggested, a tiny egg pan with a nonstick coating. This Tfal pan is the one I use! Works super well. Only downside is the gentle ridicule from my housemates for owning a "doll sized frying pan," haha.

I agree with loveshercoffee. I would have to say if you want your salsa that way you need to make a fresh batch when you want it. I have made some tested cooked salsa's that were amazing and very shelf stable. If you want to can salsa, please for the love of God follow a tested recipe. I personally would not eat what you put on your shelf. The pH test strips might not accurately test the chopped veggies even if the juice is correct.

Something that has been tested for a pressure canner and has no instructions for a water bath means it needs to be pressure canned. Sorry, but unless you buy a pressure canner for $75 bucks please hold off on trying the peanuts.

we don't want you to die or get sick

Get one of these, make takoyaki yourself any way you like. :)

My MIL has one, it's an automatic takoyaki maker, kind of fun to watch them go.

https://www.amazon.com/AUTOMATIC-ELECTRIC-JAPANESE-TAKOYAKI-Sugiyama/dp/B000Y2YJPQ

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

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

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

Carbon steel skillets work really well too, and they are lighter and easier to handle than cast iron.

I use my skillet almost daily. If properly seasoned (), it is almost perfectly non-stick and cooks great. It might help though, that I have a gas stove, and this particular model is known for its even heat distribution. If you don't have that, then maybe cast iron is a slightly better option.

Cast iron doesn't adjust temperature quit as quickly, but when properly pre-heated it can (partially) make up for stoves that have uneven heat distribution.

) I never use soap when cleaning, instead scrubbing with coarse salt. I make sure, it always has a very thin film of drying oil (e.g. walnut or linseed) when I store it. Also, I make sure to store it completely dry to avoid rusting.

American here. I use a Lodge Carbon Steel 12" skillet, cast-iron Lodge and Field 12" skillets and a stainless steel, aluminum core All-Clad D3 12" skillet.

I like all these skillets and all have their own niches in my cooking with plenty of cross-over.

I still have a non-stick Calphalon skillet too but I no longer use it. I get plenty of non-stick characteristics with my other pans and I feel the other pans are more versatile and healthy.

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

Something like this

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

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

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

Here's something pretty solid

Steamer basket

Nah, it's a pretty basic, low-rent kitchen tool. Can also use it for veg, etc. You lose fewer nutrients since the veg isn't in the water. Also helps from keeping them cooking to mush.

https://www.amazon.com/Maxi-Aids-Steamer-Basket/dp/B00012K5I4

> How do I learn heat levels?

You can't trust the heat settings on your stove, as they can vary alot among different models. For example, 5 on my stove is a little cooler than what most would consider "medium heat".

You have to play it by ear and adjust. Practice something simple like just dicing and sauteing an onion. Watch how it reacts to different levels of heat. Don't even worry about the final product, just throw it away when you're done. Onions are cheap, and if you're learning from it then it's not a waste of food. Pay attention to the moisture levels in the pan, which is one of the key things you need to control as a cook.

> Does it really matter what size a pan is?

Sometimes. The pan should be big enough to comfortably hold all the food you're cooking, and also the right shape for the job. More surface area = more evaporation. I once messed up a Filipino adobo by using a dutch oven instead of a regular saute pan (the liquid couldn't evaporate fast enough and it tasted gross until I removed all the meat and reduced the sauce down—definitely wasn't as tasty as it could have been).

> Another thing is storing and taste. Lets say I make fries, how should I keep them from being soggy the next day?

Fries are just never going to be as good the next day, but it's mostly how you reheat things that matters. You could bake em in the oven and they'd retain at least some crispiness. Most important thing in food storage is to keep things out of the "danger zone" (40°F-140°F) for any longer than necessary—especially if the food is low-salt and low-acid (like homemade stock). Almost everything can safely be covered in plastic film and refrigerated for up to a week, or frozen for many months. Tight wrapping/tightly lidded tupperware will prevent weird flavors from seeping in/out of your leftovers.

As far as which hardware you need, I'd suggest the following, which should allow you to make basically anything:

• 12" stainless steel saute pan (curved or straight side) WITH A TIGHT LID
  
  
• 8-10" nonstick teflon frying pan
  
  
• A saucepot or two. I'd suggest one steel and one nonstick between 6"-8".
  
  
• A stockpot as large as you can comfortably fit in your kitchen. Bigger the better imo.
  
  
• 3 knives: 8" chef's, 10" serrated and a small paring knife. Make sure these are extremely sharp at all times.
  
  
• Mesh strainer
  
  
• THERMOMETER!!! Seriously man, this shit takes so much guesswork out of cooking. I have two, a probe style like this and an instant-read.
  
  
• Steamer basket
  
  > I could learn some healthy stuff
  
  Buy veggie, steam it. Buy meat, sear it on high til the outside is brown, then bake it until your thermom says it's done. If you wanna get real fance, make a pan sauce. I can have this weeknight dinner cooked, eaten and cleaned up in under an hour.
  
  

Here are a few Week 24 ideas for people who don't have grills or smokers:

• Try wok smoking (also works in a regular pot with a lid) with a steamer basket
  
• Feature a pre-smoked protein, like smoked fish, smoked ham hocks, smoked sausages, smoked bacon, etc
  
• Experiment with liquid smoke
  
• Make something including smoked spices (smoked paprika, smoked salt, etc) or smoked cheeses (brie, gouda, some kinds of cheddar, etc)
  
• A smokin' hot dish, just for the pun
  
• Make something that's literally smoking--bust out the dry ice, baby!
  
• Make something you'd eat if you were, uh, smoking the devil's lettuce

Maybe this one

The thing about non-stick is that they are very bad (ie poisonous) at high temps and you really want high temps when cooking with a wok.

Including shipping this is the cheapest thing

I really really want this wok so I can cook and eat a little bit healthier. Doctors orders.

Thanks for the contest!

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L14SK3-Skillet-Cast-Black/dp/B00063RWUM

It's stainless steel.

https://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1036-Stainless-Steamer/dp/B0009JXYUA

It was the first time we had used it and we cleaned it lightly with tap water. I'm cleaning it with PBW right now. We had used a smaller and lighter pot for our previous biab try's. The pot is certainly my suspicion as well

I use this burner and this kettle.

Any thoughts on the 44 quart SS Bayou Classic pot? I'm about to pull the trigger on it.

http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1144-44-Quart-Stainless/dp/B000FTLY1K/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=22WSWWQDSQRRM&coliid=I11UN4MGGJX0VV

Or you could get something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FTLY1K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It already has a pre-drilled basket (and you can cook craw-fish in it if you so desire :) )

You're welcome! Making blocks of brown butter was worth buying them for that feature alone! If you don't need an army-sized quantity of pasta, I have a great little kitchen tool called the Fasta Pasta ($15 shipped on Amazon) that lets you microwave your noodles:

• https://www.amazon.com/Microwave-Pasta-Cooker-Original-Sticking/dp/B000YT2XOI/
  
  My procedure is:
  
  

1. Fill with the dry noodles you want (about halfway max)
   
2. Fill to inner lip with water
   
3. Microwave for 15 minutes (I have a 1250-watt microwave, for reference)
   
4. Attach lid & drain over sink
   
   This actually does a phenomenal job of making al dente pasta! You'll have to adjust it according to your microwave; it comes with an instruction sheet, but I pretty much just fill it up with noodles halfway & then fill the rest with water to the inner lining & it does a good job regardless of what shape of pasta I use. It makes enough for 1 or 2 people. They did come out with a larger family-sized model, but I haven't tried it: (yet...lol)
   
   

• https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H0SSBWI/
  
  The unit is nice because:
  
  

1. You don't have to boil water on the stove first
   
2. You don't have to babysit it (no stirring required)
   
3. When finished in the microwave, you just pop the lid on & drain it using the vent slits in the lid, then load into a bowl or plate & rinse out the container, super easy!
   
   Then you can grab a stick of brown butter & add it to your pasta as desired! Here's a good, simple starter recipe: (when draining, put a 1/2-cup measuring cup in the sink & fill, so that you can save half a cup of the pasta water for the recipe)
   
   

• https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019980-pasta-with-brown-butter-and-parmesan
  
  The combo of the Fasta Pasta & Souper Cubes is nice because if you're feeling both hungry & lazy, you can have a meal for one (or two) with hardly any effort at all, and it's not some cheapo dish like Chef Boyardee (nothing against them!) - it's legit pasta with, in this case, brown butter & Parmesan! For this recipe, all you have to do is:
  
  

1. Prepare the brown butter in the Souper Cubes ahead of time
   
2. Cook the pasta of your choice in the Fasta Pasta for 15 minutes & save 1/2 cup of the pasta water
   
3. Melt a stick of your brown butter down in a skillet & turn off the heat
   
4. Toss with the pasta & then stir in the cheese until melted
   
5. Stir in the pasta water a tablespoon at a time until glossy (you probably won't need the whole half-cup)
   
6. Serve topped with freshly-ground black pepper & more Parm on top
   
   As far as the Parmesan goes, I vac-seal & freeze my cheese for storage, then shred with a Salad Shooter: (electric shredder)
   
   

• https://www.amazon.com/Presto-Professional-SaladShooter-Electric-Shredder/dp/B0000Z6JJG
  
  Using the "fine"-sized aftermarket cone:
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Shred-Replacement-Presto-Professional-Shooter/dp/B00TYYBA8O/
  
  Laziness through technology! Hahaha.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You don't need a fancy instantpot or whatever. This one works just as well and is far more economical. I use mine at least weekly. But as another Redditor said, you can make this in a regular pot as well.

Even cheaper Presto 01264 6-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006ISG3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_nXwzyb18VT21N $23.

Not exactly expensive.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00006ISG3/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1398884138&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

Or for absolute cheapest monotub and pressure cooker grow:

• Aluminum rocker-weight PC: $25
  
• A spore print ($10) or syringe ($20)
  
• Some jars $0-$10
  
• Bag of Whole Brown Rice, Bird Seed, popcorn.. etc: $4
  
• Three bricks of coir from the pet store: $7
  
• Big bag of verm: $7
  
• Plastic tub: $3-$10
  
• Lifetime supply of polyfill: $5
  
  This could yield 4-6oz dry per tub, with enough coir to do 3 grows, could be 4oz(pessimistic)-18oz(optimistic) dry for ~$88.
  
  Subsequent grows will cost much less: coir/verm/bird seed would be the only recurring expenses making it $18 for 4-18oz.

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&qid=1372969721&sr=8-4&keywords=cast+iron+skillet

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

How good of friends are they, or how good of friends do you want them to be? Buy them both one and a couple of handles and you've got two 10" Lodges for ~$40 shipped!

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

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

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

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

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

If you get a really big one you can use it as a pressure canner. I have this and it just baaaaaaarely fits a single can, which is better than nothing because it means I can do things like make caramelized onions in a jar.

Moreover, even if you don't think you'll ever want to pressure can anything, a large cooker is nice because you don't want to fill them up entirely, so you can't just think about it as a soup pot: you need to leave room up top whenever you make anything.

There's also no downside to getting a large one except that it takes up more space when you store it. There is no reason to worry about matching burner diameter at all, let alone exactly, but you don't want it to be smaller than the burner because then of course you're just wasting energy heating it up.

So, my suggestion is to go as large as you can without breaking the budget, unless you have storage concerns, in which case go as large as you can before it gets too big to store. Especially if you're going to be cooking for 6-7 people sometimes, you'll want a pretty good sized pressure cooker.

If you need specific numbers, mine's an 8-quart and it's more than large enough for cooking for one person. Cooking for 3 I'd maybe feel a little cramped sometimes but I'd likely be fine. Cooking for 6-7 I might want something even larger but if I'm making food that won't foam up or otherwise require lots of headroom, 8 quarts might still cut it.

If you're set on steaming, I've found there is a world of difference between frozen and fresh broccoli. My first piece of advice is to get one of these spaceship-lookin' guys if you don't already have a nested steamer pot attachment. Cheap as shit and gets the job done with basically any vegetable. You'll want to get the water in the pot at least halfway up the legs of the basket to avoid it all boiling out, then throw that on high heat and monitor once the water starts boiling. Shouldn't take more than 8-10 min to steam with the lid on, but you'll want to monitor and stick the broccoli through the stems with a metal fork. You may notice some pieces getting that deeper green than others, and if so, just move it around in the pot so the lesser cooked pieces are towards the bottom of the pile and more towards the middle of the pot.

After cooked, you can either pull the basket from the steamer, pour the water down the sink and throw in butter to melt in the pan (or olive oil), then salt/pepper/cayenne/red pepper flakes/etc and toss the broccoli around in that, or if you're feeling like a fancy boy, melt the butter in a separate pan with some chopped garlic as the steaming is finishing and then pour it into the emptied pot and dump in the broccoli for a nice toss. Delicious.

Sorry for the long post... I have an irrational love for broccoli and it was a huge staple when I lost like 75lbs in a year. Still crush broccoli with dinner at least 4 times a week.

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

And this is the wok they recommend.

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

He also reccomends carbon steel woks:
https://www.seriouseats.com/2010/06/equipment-how-to-buy-a-wok-which-wok-is-the-best.html

Specifically, this one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001VQIP4/ref=as_at?creativeASIN=B0001VQIP4

You can drain your runnings into a fermenting bucket, and then pour that into the kettle when you have the correct volume. It's what I do.

I have a 36 qt (9 gal) brew kettle and that's fine for a 5 to 5.5 gallon boil (starting with about 6.5 gallons, usually). $72 with Amazon Prime (not sure how much if you don't have Prime).

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009JXYUA/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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

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

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

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

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

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

I suppose THESE in aluminum aren't terrible for the budget minded, You can find several different varieties for around 15-20 bucks. They include folding spork, bamboo spatula and other goodies.

The One Egg Wonder is popular with the UL community, just chop that handle off. Be mindful of the "one egg" deffinition as this pan is 4.75" around, i.e. SMALL but lightish.

If you want something that actually functions as a frying pan, I use THIS but it comes in heavier @ about 10.5 oz. I use it rarely but it actually works for frying where the THIN titanium/aluminum pans do NOT.

You must properly "season" the MSR pan, but it works beautifully.

The eggs? Yeah, they come out almost perfectly round because I cook them in a little one-egg pan like this.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wings are a little difficult to do well for a tailgate. The best way I've found is adapted from Alton Brown's method, straight grilling just results in tough, chewy wings. This gives similar results to deep frying without screwing around with turkey fryers which are a pain in the ass, somewhat dangerous if the lot is crowded, and still require about as much effort.

Steam the wings the night before. 10 minutes if thawed, 13 if frozen, pat dry with a paper towel and refrigerate overnight.

Line the grill surface with cheap cooling racks and grill on medium high (shoot for roughly the 425 listed, but it's not crucial). This makes them cook mainly via convective heating. Conduction with the much larger grill grates cooks them way to fast, causing charred skin and tough meat.

20 minutes on one side, flip, and about 10-15 on the other depending on the size of the wings.

His wing sauce is a decent basic recipe, although you can get crazy creating your own.

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

Just go to Target or whatever and get a steamer basket for $5. Or Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-175-Stainless-Vegetable-Steamer/dp/B001FBCP7O

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

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

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.

I borrow one that is similar to this guy:

https://www.amazon.com/Presto-6-Quart-Aluminum-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B00006ISG3/ref=lp_289825_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1485481958&sr=1-1

I use it for agar. Have to put a few canning rings down to elevate it. I tried a few bags inside, every single time they melt to the side of the pressure cooker. It just gets too hot on the sides.


I've never seen a pressure cooker of any kind in my local good will.


I have 2 of these. They work awesome:
https://www.amazon.com/Presto-01781-23-Quart-Pressure-Canner/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1485482118&sr=1-1&keywords=pressure+canner

Of course all American is the best you can buy:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002808ZM/ref=twister_B00DR737G2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I have 1 of those too.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006ISG3

Walmart too.

> $40, Presto - Stellar reviews, however, the product is aluminum and not stainless steel as advertised. Reviews warn about rusting and overall poorer quality in models purchased after 2012.

Presto makes both aluminum and stainless models:

• Stainless - $33
  
• Aluminum - $27

This one here will easily fit 6 half pint wide mouth jars and it come in at a pretty nice price.

My mom has made soup her entire life and now she always makes soup in a pressure cooker. Very little steam/aroma is able to escape, and because it creates a seal, I believe that the soup cooks at a higher temperature. So what would take a couple hours to cook takes 30-45 minutes. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006ISG3?keywords=pressure%20cooker&qid=1450279755&ref_=sr_1_6&s=kitchen&sr=1-6

I've been using this simple & inexpensive stove-top pressure cooker for a few months & it's great.

It's a quick & easy way to make large quantities of food at low-cost, and the food comes out way better than a microwave.

I throw in a few pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts & about 25 minutes later, I've got enough chicken to split across meals for a few days.

I cut a few sweet potatoes into big chunks, toss 'em in the pressure cooker, & in less than 10 minutes they come out soft enough to easily mash for a tub of mashed sweet potatoes that last me a few days.

At first, I was a bit intimidated by the thought of potential dangers with the pressurized pot, but I read the brief instruction booklet very carefully & learned just how easy it is to use.

Buy a new one. They are cheap
http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L5SK3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Skillet/dp/B00008GKDG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1394327954&sr=8-3&keywords=lodge+cast+iron

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.

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&qid=1393822556&sr=8-2&keywords=lodge+cast+iron

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L5SK3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Skillet/dp/B00008GKDG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1393822556&sr=8-3&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.

For whatever it's worth, you can get a similar set of Lodge pans from Amazon for about $12 more (but only one silicon handle cover instead of 3):

​

Lodge 12 inch with silicone holder: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G2XGC88

Lodge 10.25 inch: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006JSUA

Lodge 8 inch: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008GKDG

​

​

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

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008GKDJ/ref=twister_B007YYNG3S?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0096K1ZDG/ $60

No idea what kind of knifes you need. I like this set. I avoid serrated knives as they tear the meat.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008GKDJ/ $15
Lodge is pretty much the go to cast iron pan. It's relatively cheap, but it is a pretty simple design after all.

You have 75 bucks left in your budget, I would get this:

https://www.amazon.com/Lavatools-Javelin-Limited-Ambidextrous-Thermometer/dp/B01F59K0KA/

Resist the urge to go cheap on instant read thermometer, it was the single best thing I purchased that drastically improved nearly all the food I cooked - especially steaks.

I think is the closest you can get at low cost and weight.

Edit: You can later use it for cooking.

Everyone needs a cast iron skillet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

With the acid/tomato thing, I have found that once the seasoning is well established I can make chili and other acidic things without any real issues. Same with soap which I'll use after broiling fish in the pan.

I'd say that my dutch oven doesn't get as much use as my skillets, but then if I had a something like this or the oven listed in the original post, at least the lid would be used often. My current one has a self basting lid that is a pain to clean and season.

Really, the lid is a make or break for the thing. If you want to use coals on top, get one with a lip. If you like to see your stuff cook, find one with a glass top. You get the point.

I have Griswold, Wagner, Lodge, and Benjamin & Medwin pans. The Griswold was a gift from someone that doesn't cook in cast iron pans, and the others were purchased new. The Griswold is used the most, Wagner and Lodge both seem to be fine, but I like the handles and the (semi) polished surface of my Wagner pans a bit better. The Benjamin & Medwin pans were purchased new about 20 years ago and are have the worst quality control. I don't believe they are still made.

The one the OP posted doesn't have legs nor a rim to retain coals. It's an indoor/oven model. For real outdoor cooking one needs to have what Lodge calls a "camp oven."

I've made dump cakes for groups of 40 with mine. There are better cakes for sure, but none easier.

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

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

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

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

> Was yours not used because the dish wasn't made often or because other things were preferred to be used when the dish was made?

A little of both. The pot in question was very much like this one here without the separate strainer basket. It was huge and you usually don't need twelve quarts to cook spaghetti for three. It took up a big piece of cabinet real estate and as such was always relegated to the darkest corners of the cabinets and remained out of sight and mind even when it might be useful.

IDK about the elctric models, but Presto makes an very good cooker (nonelectric) for the money. I own both a fagor and a presto and probaly use my presto more, it may not be as "nice" but for almost half the price I dont mind if it gets a scratch or burn...

http://www.amazon.com/Presto-01370-8-Quart-Stainless-Pressure/dp/B0000Z6JIW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1463228260&sr=8-4&keywords=8++quart+pressure+cooker

Just found an 8 quart stainless steel pressure cooker on Amazon knocked down to $50, supposedly originally $100. Presto 01370 8-Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000Z6JIW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_wz0zDbAPC5KRW

You can usually tell if they're going to be quiet by the absence of a "jiggler" on top - although not a perfect gauge, it works pretty well.

Here's a T-Fal and a Presto that are inexpensive and highly rated.

As always, I have to throw in a recommendation for Hawkins - although their best value is in their hard anodized cookers like this one. The Futura line lets out a fairly constant quiet hiss when the flame is appropriately set. Their more traditional ones (appear like jigglers) don't jiggle, but give a periodic concentrated burst of steam. That's because these are "modified 1st gen" technology. But, I am a fan of the simple lid locking mechanism.

Yep, steamer basket like these fit in everything and work better than most included steamer baskets.

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

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

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

for almost 8 years now.

Heres a cast iron ( legitimately good sale not kidding look at camelizer) to re-heat it

Ha! I probably have the least manly/cool wishlist ever.

The manliest thing on my list is probably this cast iron skillet.

The manliest thing I've probably ever done was change my tire on the side of the road. I was pretty damn proud :)

Can't go wrong frying with a cast iron! Here is a [large diameter pan.] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00063RWUM/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492195064&sr=8-1-fkmr0&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=cast+iron+skillet+16+inch+with+lid)
I linked the 15", but there is a 17" as well. You may need a larger diameter heat source for the bigger one though.

I see you have a mash paddle in there, but I don't see a mash tun. Are you going to BIAB or use extract? Then I don't think you need the paddle.

Or do you already have a tun lying around?

If you want an even sweeter all-grain system, consider an extra pot - I'd get one a little oversized, maybe this 36-quart Bayou classic. Then use your smaller pot for hot liquor, and the big pot for boiling a full volume.

You're going to have a hard time boiling 5 gallons of wort in a 20-quart pot. At best I could fit 4.5 gallons in mine, and I had to be very careful for boilovers - I recommend Fermcap-S to help control the foam; 2 drops per gallon as you heat to a boil.

I may have just gotten too cautious with the trub as I was siphoning, but I stopped as soon as everything I was sucking up was extremely cloudy, which could have been about a .5 - 1 gal left still. Also I don't know if 85 degree humid weather in the south caused any faster boil off. But my kettle is definitely a good bit taller than wide (like this one) and I had 12lbs of grain.

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

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

This is what I have specifically https://smile.amazon.com/T-fal-Specialty-Nonstick-Cookware-4-75-Inch/dp/B000GWG14Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492517929&sr=8-1&keywords=t-fal+one+egg+wonder

Notice that bottom image, how the bottom of the pan has that spiral cut into it I think that really helps the heat distribution especially on something like my alcohol stove that really only heats the outer edges.

The bottom of mine measures 4 inches with the outer edge coming it at 5 inches. So that may be a little small depending on what you plan on using it for. Not big enough for a trout but plenty for eggs or small pancakes.

Edit: If you have a Walmart in your area I picked mine up there for 5 bucks.

I use this. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000GWG14Q/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?pc_redir=T1

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

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

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

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

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 have a glass top stove and one thing manufacturers are concerned about (with any pot) is if the bottom is bigger than the burner. You don't want the pot to be on the surrounding glass top. Presto canners have a thick metal disc (the one on the left) on the bottom that keeps it the size of the burner but the pot still is large in diameter.

If you can find a larger stock pot (I found one at Costco), that fits your burner size and is no bigger, you could go with that. Canning rings tied together make a good rack on the bottom.

But be warned! You may decide you really like canning and want to get into pressure canning. I do meats and chilies and soups now, when all I used to do were jams and applesauce. You might want to go with the 16 qt Presto as it is able to pressure can and water bath food. If you do get this one, I recommend getting the three piece weight to use instead of the mushroom looking one it comes with. This way you won't have to babysit the dial gauge (which you have to get calibrated every year and can be off right out of the box). If you shop at Wal-Mart you can get one without the dial gauge and not have to get the three piece.

Under $10

Under $20

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

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

I have this one and [this one] (http://www.amazon.com/Presto-1755-16-Quart-Aluminum-Pressure/dp/B000QJJ9NY). The big one is for canning (meat and or low acid vegetables) but I've done huge batches of food in it too.

This is the one we have and we love it. There are cheaper options, but you don't really want to cheap out on something that's essentially a bomb, do you? Also an issue if you're looking at used ones. They may be warped or have bad seals, potentially being dangerous.

Heres a link if ya want one

GOOD NEWS EVERYONE!

Fasta Pasta A pasta cooker for the microwave. It works well.

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

This is from the reddit amazon ad. If only I could order it without outrageous shipping cost, I would SO buy that. Seems to solve OPs problem too. :( Can anyone comment on whether it actually works that well? I always think amazon comments are fishy and purely written by mechanical turks for half a cent.

Get one of these (Fasta Pasta Microwave Cooker). Changed my life, seriously. It cooks spaghetti in about 5 minutes; you can get some pasta sauce heated up, sprinkle some parmesan, and BAM! delicious meal for one.

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

$6.71 for this steamer I need for baby fooooods!

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.

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

There are several lighter alternatives that are still cast iron.

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

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

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

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

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

Here are a few examples:

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

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

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

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

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

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).

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

Amazon has the Carbon Steel Skillet for $40.

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

​

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

When people say cast iron and lighter in the same sentence I typically recommend carbon steel.

Similar to cast (seasons the same way, similar characteristics when cooking.) but is no where near the weight. That's what you lose, the thermal mass and heat retention that cast has. For a camping skillet I'd want the carbon steel every time.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KYDZHSI/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_UjVHDbC8VNZJA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Also, maybe a simple cookbook could help?

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

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

The cheap cooker I found on amazon is here. It's not electric, so I imagine this is why its so much cheaper. I think the end of my other comment sums it up for me.

> I guess this whole exercise proves to me that, if you have nothing else, the versatility of this appliance could make it worth it. But if you already have a fully functional kitchen, it seems pretty unnecessary.

Yes, but you shouldn't have to pay that much for a decent one.

I've had this one for over two years now and I use it 3-4 times a week and it's still going rock solid.

https://www.amazon.com/Presto-6-Quart-Aluminum-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B00006ISG3/ref=sr_1_5?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1501169089&sr=1-5&keywords=pressure+cooker

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).

1. Hiking or biking
   
2. at least 120 minutes
   
3. at least 600 minutes
   
4. I would love to be this person walking through these woods in Scottland
   
5. It's not exactly a national park, but Groton State Forest. Other than that it would be the Cleveland Metroparks.
   
6. Over 50 miles
   
   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. =)

here’s a link to the cheap lodge pan! Lodge 8 Inch Cast Iron Skillet. Small Pre-Seasoned Skillet for Stovetop, Oven, or Camp Cooking https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008GKDG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_PKoRCb5BYBCQZ

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...

Cheese Burger Dip:

​

INGREDIENTS

• 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
  
• 1 yellow onion, diced
  
• 1/2 lb. ground beef (I used 80/20)
  
• 7 slices bacon
  
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  
• 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1 tsp garlic powder
  
• kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
  
• diced dill pickles, for garnish
  
• minced fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
  
  

  INSTRUCTIONS
  

  
  

• Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.  Spray an 8 inch cast iron skillet or 1.5-2 qt baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
  
• To a large skillet, add bacon slices and cook over MED-LOW heat until browned and crispy.  Remove to paper towel lined plate, reserving grease in skillet.
  
• Increase heat to MED-HIGH.  Add onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.  Add ground beef, crumble and cook until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.  Transfer beef to another paper towel lined plate to absorb excess grease.
  
• When bacon is cool enough to handle, crumble.  Add crumbled bacon, cooked hamburger and onion, cream cheese, 1 cup of the cheeses, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl. Mix well.
  
• Transfer mixture to prepared skillet or baking dish, top with remaining 1/2 cup cheeses and bake until bubbly, about 12-15 minutes.
  
• Top cooked dip with diced dill pickles and a sprinkling of fresh parsley (if desired), and serve hot.  I like to serve this with potato chips.
  
  

  TO COOK IN SLOW COOKER:
  

  
  

• Complete steps 2, 3, and 4 as directed.  Next, transfer to a 2 quart slow cooker, sprinkle with remaining cheeses, cover, and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or HIGH for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until warmed through and bubbly.  Proceed with step 6 as directed.

Lodge cast iron pan.

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LCS3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Skillet/dp/B00008GKDJ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1406190835&sr=8-3&keywords=lodge+cast+iron+pan

Nah. You can get a new Lodge 10" for $15.

Lodge makes them in the Tennessee. The are awesome, and cheap too. They come in all shapes and sizes. A good starter is a 10in. Here it is on Amazon for $20. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008GKDJ

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008GKDJ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=WILOBRGT6J2V&coliid=I14JH8NMKXA3YY&psc=1

I second Lodge. I do 80% of all my cooking with these two:

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-EC6D43-Enameled-Island-6-Quart/dp/B000N501BK

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LCS3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Skillet/dp/B00008GKDJ

http://smile.amazon.com/Lodge-LCS3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Skillet/dp/B00008GKDJ

They're $15 on prime. Stop procrastinating and make awesome steaks. Also home fries. My home fries game stepped up dramatically once I started using this bad boy.

I have a 10" Calphalon Cast Iron skillet that I got for like $20 at Target. I have another cast iron skillet 12" that I got from World Market. It's enameled on the outside and bare on the inside and unless I'm cooking eggs just about anything skillet/pan related happens in one of those pans.

I have some calphalon non stick skillets that I use for eggs/fish/etc. But they might get used once for every 20 uses of the cast iron. Aside from that I have some le Crueset enameled cast iron stuff. I have their Wok, and a Dutch Oven, and a big cast iron fish pan like 14" oval shaped thing. It's great for whole fish, but I don't use it for much else.

But if I were starting from scratch it'd probably be something like the following:

Dutch Oven

Stainless 12"

Cast Iron 12"

Cast Iron 10"

Saucier

Multi Pot

Pot 2 qt


I'd possibly get two of the Multi Pots. I know the additional steamer/pasta baskets are redundant but it's nice to have another pot for things like chili or pasta sauce (Although you could use the dutch oven) But with two stainless pots like that you can do sauce in one and pasta in the other. Also looking up another 6-8 qt stock pot it looks like the same Calphalon pot is $75 while the multipot set is $80, and you could always use the additional baskets as colanders.

You'll probably want some decent glassware, casserole dishes, and a few cookie sheets, loaf, and/or lasagna pans to really round out the kitchen. But the pots/pans listed above would be a great place to start. I should get back to work. :)

I had this from Amazon, for $15 you can't go wrong.

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

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

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

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

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

This

lodge 12 inch, 8 qt .

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

Just get this

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

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

I have this one

I have been using this one for many years. Normally $60 when in stock:
https://www.amazon.com/Presto-01370-8-Quart-Stainless-Pressure/dp/B0000Z6JIW

• A basic pressure cooker (stainless steel stove top)
  
• A good knife
  
• Cast iron pan
  
• Dutch Oven
  
• Sous Vide

This is not an old school version, it has several backup safeties. Here.

Lots of people will say to look at the Instant Pot which is a combination electric pressure cooker/slow cooker/rice cooker ("multi cooker"). I had a bluetooth enabled "IP-SMART" 6qt model of theirs (actually three: first had a safety recall, second was dented on arrival, third still exhibited regulation issues). Lots of people are happy with Instant Pots, but I had a lot of issues with the pressure control being flaky for certain recipes. Additionally, much of what makes slow cookers safe when you are out of the house is their low wattage heaters... typically 250-400W... and low complexity (basically it's a small electric blanket that is wrapped around a very heavy ceramic pot). The Instant Pot has a 1000W heater, and is more complex (microcontroller + a thermocouple), so this negates some of the safety aspects of unattended slow cooking... though it is UL listed and has a thermal fuse in case anything goes wrong.

My recommendation if you are interested in pressure cookers and slow cookers:

1. Presto 8qt stovetop http://www.amazon.com/Presto-01370-8-Quart-Stainless-Pressure/dp/B0000Z6JIW $69 More volume than electric pressuer cookers (8qt > 6qt) which is important since safely pressure cooking needs lots of headroom between the food and lid valve so as not to clog. Typically headroom is 1/3rd volume for most foods, 1/2 for foamy foods like rice, etc. Thus a 8qt pressure cooker effectively has a volume of 4-5qt. When using it without building up pressure, it can double as a large 8qt stockpot. I ended up preferring stovetop over electric since I can get an initial brown on meat without having to use multiple pots, and I don't have to wait for an electric heater to come up to temperature (10+ minutes on the Instant Pot for me).
   
   
2. Hamilton Beach 6qt set'n'forget slow cooker http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-33967A-Programmable-6-Quart/dp/B00EZI26DW $50 Check reviews on thesweethome.com for it, but it beat out a lot of more expensive crock pot models. Oval shape lends itself better for some slow cooker recipes, such as mini, chocolate lava cakes, roasts, etc.
   
   $120 for both.. around the ballpark of the cheaper Instant Pots, you gain an additional pot for stove use, pressure cooker is of bigger size, slow cooker is safe unattended and a more conventional shape, and IMO will last longer. You lose automatic rice cooking capabilities but... by a $20-$30 rice cooker and probably get better rice, or just do it on the stovetop.
   
   By the way, no idea what food you like to eat, but these are two of my favorite cookbooks if you are getting started and wanted to build up some experience:
   
   

• America's Test Kitchen 100 Recipes http://www.amazon.com/100-Recipes-Absolute-Best-Essentials/dp/1940352010/ Good for in-depth explanation of 100 recipes across a pretty big range of techniques.
  
  
• Cook's Illustrated Cookbook http://www.amazon.com/Cooks-Illustrated-Cookbook/dp/1933615893/ Shorter explanations but lots and lots of recipes.
  
  And major shout out to Kenji's (from Seriouseats.com) new book if you want more detailed science information:
  
  
• The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking through Science http://www.amazon.com/Food-Lab-Cooking-Through-Science/dp/0393081087
  
  This post ended up being much longer than I expected, but those are my recommendations if you are just starting out. ;) The main thing I've learned since beginning to cook is that 90%+ of the recipes online (and even in print) are untested crap, and to look for recipe sources you can trust. The second thing is that a finished recipe is much more dependant on the technique (the steps you use to modify ingredients at specific times, temperatures, and textures) and way less dependent on the ingredients themselves (you can easily sub ingredients for many recipes once the core techniques are understood).

I've had this Presto pressure cooker for almost a year and haven't had any issues with it.

By modern, what do you mean? Is this considered modern: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000Z6JIW/ref=ox_sc_act_image_3?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

I'd definitely second the recommendation for a pressure cooker. Also consider the plain old non-electronic kind. This is what I have: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000Z6JIW

Electric pressure cookers cook at somewhat lower pressures, so it takes longer. Also, it's about 1/2 the price of the 8 quart Instant Pot.

A steamer basket might open up a lot of opportunities for you. http://www.amazon.com/Maxi-Aids-Steamer-Basket/dp/B00012K5I4

Also, you can stab a potato a few times with a fork than "Bake" it in the microwave. Works just as well as an oven.

With one of these things. Just insert into normal pan.

I think someone suggested one of these once:
http://www.amazon.com/Maxi-Aids-Steamer-Basket/dp/B00012K5I4#
It expands and collapses, fits most pots.

I would say pressure cook it but I doubt you could fit it in a household one. maybe if it is cut up. add some aromatic's stock to fill like a braise not covering the meat totally. try to keep the meat off the bottom. I altered a metal steam basket I ripped the legs out and extra gear on it. Like this http://www.amazon.com/Maxi-Aids-Steamer-Basket/dp/B00012K5I4 . I ripped everything off the basket with pliers including the center screw in nut.

Here is the mobile version of your link

I'm not sure if Amazon links are allowed here, but here's the one that I am using https://www.amazon.com/Joyce-Chen-22-0060-Uncoated-14-inch/dp/B0001VQIP4/

Why not this one

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

To expand on this a bit...

Definitely check out Craigslist and/or call Goodwill/SA/thrift shops in your area. Many times they have cast iron stock for next to nothing. Cast iron is cast iron... Unless it's cracked, it's fine. Nothing some oven cleaner and lard/shortening won't turn back to brand new.

I've got quite a few sizes, but I find that I use my behemoth Lodge:

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L14SK3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Skillet/dp/B00063RWUM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395461461&sr=8-1&keywords=lodge+skillet+16

More than anything. Great size for two ribeyes, big enough to brown 8# pork butt before going into the slow cooker, and you can cook an entire breakfast (bacon, eggs and hash) in one pan. It also keeps stovetop spatter to a minimum when doing burgers due to it's size.

It also doubles as a formidable weapon. :)

For cooking steaks... My way is a bit different than /u/AliasHandler, and more like Alton Brown's. Kosher salt steaks 45m-1h before and keep on wire rack. Toss pan in 500 degree oven. Oil steaks with canola oil. Pull pan, set on hot burner. Toss in steaks, sear for 1.5 minutes or so. Flip, add a pat of butter on top, shove back in oven. Cook another 2-5 minutes depending on thickness and doneness desired. Rest 7-10 minutes.

You want that pan HOT. In the summer I'll put the cast in the grill, as I can get it up to 600+ degrees, and get even better sear/caramelization on the outside. After doing it in cast iron, you'll never want a gas-grill-grate cooked steak again. :)

Edit - And please understand that rare doesn't equal raw. Don't be afraid of the pink. ;)

It says Taiwan and Made in USA on it??


Keep your eyes open. I looked for one for a long time before I found this one. I only paid $30 for it.

You can also get a Lodge one for $36 on Amazon.com right now.

Cast iron! Worth every penny.

I have a lodge 15 inch cast iron skillet as my largest skillet. It's huge and weighs about 10 lbs, but it's fantastic for searing a meal's worth of chicken and finishing in the oven.

Other options that fit are 2 porterhouse steaks or 9 -10 strips of bacon. I rarely use it to cook entirely on the stove top since my electric range only covers 12 inches. Whatever I make ends up in the oven.

Definitely worth it for being my favorite piece, and one that generates the most conversation when guests see me using it!

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L14SK3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Skillet/dp/B00063RWUM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420409798&sr=8-1&keywords=lodge+15

not sure if it's allowed or not but here it is

Lodge L14SK3 Cast Iron Skillet, 15" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00063RWUM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_sRkZDbY8YK1AP

15 inch Lodge skillet under $40...

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L8SK3-Skillet-Pre-Seasoned-10-25-inch/dp/B00063RWUM/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1478199914&sr=1-1&keywords=lodge%2Bcast%2Biron&th=1

Cool! Welcome!

The Mr. Beer kits are a great inexpensive way to find out if it's going to interest you. If you like it, here's what I would look into:

1. If you want to get into extract, you'll purchase a kit like this one. Of these sort of kits, I recommend cheaper the better. They all include the basics. the difference is usually upgrading the plastic buckets for glass carboys. That's not necessary, and if you decide you want to upgrade, you can build onto your kit from there.
   
2. In addition, you'll need a large kettle. If you ever plan on going all-grain, I'd go at least 8-9 gallons like This guy. They can get pricey... especially with valves and thermometers in them. Shop around.
   
3. Get some reading. Like others have suggested, How to Brew by John Palmer is great. Also Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian. That ones a bit outdated, but still a great read.
   
4. Forums will help a ton. This community here, or the one at homebrewtalk.com are both great resources. There are plenty more out there like beeradvocate, morebeer, etc.
   
5. Podcasts. I love them. I listen to the Brewing Network quite a bit. Basic Brewing Radio is another good one.
   
   As far as tips for starting here: Sanitize, Sanitize. Patience. Time. Sanitize.
   Have fun!!

I've brewed maybe 20 all grain batches in one of these and it's held up great, especially given the price.

http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-1036-Stainless-Steamer/dp/B0009JXYUA/

Yeah, for a typical full boil I start with 6.5g and wind up with a little more than 5g after 60 minutes. I have this 9g pot for $72 and I absolutely love it.

Wort chiller or build an AG set up. I imagine I got my wort chiller before I went all grain or at the same time. Can't recall. For AG I used this. http://www.thescrewybrewer.com/2010/12/screwys-5-gallon-mash-tun.html some of the part number changed like 3-4 years ago, so now probably even more so. I bought an 40 qt aluminum kettle for about the cost of this, but I would have rather bought this. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009JXYUA/

So, just to clarify, most homebrewers will start out by doing a partial boil. This basically means that you will only be boiling ~3 gallons of water to brew the beer, and then adding cool water to your wort once it is in the primary before you pitch the yeast. Because of this, most homebrewers will start with a 4 gallon kettle and then upgrade to a bigger one later on down the road.


I did something very similar to Ardentfrost. I definitely agree with what he's saying about kettles. On one hand, you're trying to save money for your first batch by not buying a 7.5 gallon kettle (and wort chiller). On the other hand, you don't want to have to buy a 4 gallon kettle and then a 7.5 gallon kettle in a few months. I ended up buying a 3 gallon Graniteware kettle, a 7.5 gallon aluminum kettle from craigslist, and finally a 36 qt. stainless from amazon. Fortunately, my first two pots were only $20 apiece, and I can probably sell them both on craigslist for just as much.

Like Ardentfrost said, my 36 qt. kettle is too big for an ice bath in my sink, but I already have a wort chiller.

Here are some pots to consider:

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

No spigot versions of the 36 and 44 quart pots are on a heck of a sale too. 36 is $52.61 and the 44 is $67.70

44 should be perfect for 5 gallon BIAB.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0009JXYUA/ref=mp_s_a_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1468299288&sr=8-19&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=bayou+classic&dpPl=1&dpID=41vXX4VwKKL&ref=plSrch

Something is seriously funky with your link.

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

Here is the desktop version of your link

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

I just bought this kettle. As a BIAB brewer the insert is worth the extra money to me.

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

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

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

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

You will want:

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

I just bought this kettle to use with a BIAB setup. bayou classic 44qt

I want to add a Ball Valve, Thermometer, and sight glass to it. Where should I get my equipment at??

I give you the egg pan


For me makes a perfect circle with 2 eggs to go on bagels, hard rolls, and toast. I can even flip my eggs sans spatula (most of the time).

I think the secret is to have the oil the right temperature and to have the right pan. Having the right size pan means your eggs won't spread out too much, that prevents the whites from overcooking before the yolk sets. A good non-stick pan will allow you the confidence to flip the eggs which leads to a better looking egg. I highly recommend these from t-fal. If you tend to make 2 eggs at once this pan is just the right size. T-fal Professional Total Nonstick Oven Safe Thermo-Spot Heat Indicator Fry Pan/Saute Pan

If you only like to make one egg at a time this pan is the perfect size.

T-fal Specialty Nonstick One Egg Wonder Pan

The 8 inch pan has an indicator in the center that lets you know when your pan is at the correct temperature. Having the pan hot enough prevents food from sticking. They are non-stick but I always use ghee, coconut oil or bacon fat to cook my eggs for additional flavor. So, bring the pan up to temperature, add the fat, pour the eggs in and let it cook until the edges are brown. Flip, turn off the heat, let cook for 1 more minute.

I use a mini frying pan. I saw it last time I was at Walmart, and couldn't say no!

i have that frying pan, it's the one-egg wonder!

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

just get one of these. It fits in your pot so you can put the lid on

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

So. Friggin. Good.

The Presto 23 qt and 16 qt are both fine canners, and $80 and $70 respectively. I'd spend the extra money and get the bigger one.

This is what I have. Liking it so far.

Do you think 23 qt is too much for a starter pot? I saw that there was also a 16 quart pot, but it looks like it's roughly the same circumference, just shorter, so it would have the same heating problem as the 23 qt, if I understand correctly (though obviously less weight).

My first strain was z-strain. I think it makes a good one for beginners because it seems to colonize very quickly. However, just about any cube is going to be pretty easy to work with. PF tek is a good place to start, but don't be intimidated by grain and bulk. It's not much more complicated and you get yields that are orders of magnitude greater in volume. The biggest advantage of PF tek, IMHO, is not having to buy a pressure cooker.
If you do buy a pressure cooker, I reccomend this one at first. http://www.amazon.com/Presto-1755-16-Quart-Aluminum-Pressure/dp/B000QJJ9NY
It holds 7 quart jars at a time, which is good volume for the cost.

https://www.amazon.com/AUTOMATIC-ELECTRIC-JAPANESE-TAKOYAKI-Sugiyama/dp/B000Y2YJPQ

https://imgur.com/r/interestingasfuck/U8POkgJ

​

Name: "Automatic Electric Japanese Takoyaki Grill Pan"

$141

Amazon Link:
https://www.amazon.com/AUTOMATIC-ELECTRIC-JAPANESE-TAKOYAKI-Sugiyama/dp/B000Y2YJPQ

I'm referring to pasta cookers, which you use in the microwave.

http://www.amazon.com/Fasta-Pasta-The-Microwave-Cooker/dp/B000YT2XOI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314785013&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.

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).
___
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.

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.

https://www.amazon.com/Microwave-Pasta-Cooker-Original-Sticking/dp/B000YT2XOI

Thank me later, boysss

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&qid=1425995818&sr=8-1&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)

The "Fasta Pasta" has been a game changer.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000YT2XOI/ref=sr_ph_1?qid=1462062560&sr=sr-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=fasta+pasta

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

30 seconds: Put an inch of water water in the pot, start the fire, put that steamer rack on top of it, put your vegetables in, close the lid.

Wait 5-10 minutes, eat the vegetables.

30 seconds: Dump the water out, rinse the pot and rack once. Done.

It's just easy as using a microwave, only difference is you use a pot and steamer rack instead of a bowl.

get rid of the skin before you run it through the food mill and everthing will be fine. if you have a lot of tomatoes, set up a steamer while you work the mill. as an idea: a boiling pot with water and a steamer basket.

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

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

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

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

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

This has essentially replaced every pan in my kitchen including a lodge case iron skillet.

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

I got this one.
https://www.amazon.com/Buyer-Mineral-Round-Carbon-10-25-Inch/dp/B00462QP0W/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=de+buyer&qid=1562874346&s=gateway&sr=8-3

I am another supporter of De Buyer high carbon steel.

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

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

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

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

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

I got rid of my nonstick pan and got a carbon steel pan like this:

http://www.amazon.com/DeBuyer-Mineral-Element-Frypan-Round/dp/B00462QP0W/ref=pd_sim_k_6

Nonstick, no teflon or similar, but it needs to be seasoned similar to cast iron.

If cast iron is too heavy, get a carbon steel pan. It too gets seasoned like a cast iron, and is great for searing.

Like this Lodge Logic model.

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

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

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Seasoned-Skillet-Skillet-Cooking/dp/B005U93RYW/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=carbon+steel+pan&qid=1562016624&s=gateway&sr=8-4

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.

RAM: https://pcpartpicker.com/product/3CdFf7/gskill-ripjaws-v-series-16gb-2-x-8gb-ddr4-3000-memory-f4-3000c15d-16gvkb

GPU: https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Ft7CmG/zotac-geforce-gtx-1060-6gb-mini-video-card-zt-p10600a-10l

Frying pan to hit whoever gave you this list over the head: https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-CRS12-Skillet-Pre-Seasoned-12-inch/dp/B005U93RYW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1502015954&sr=8-2&keywords=steel+frying+pan

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

http://www.amazon.com/Sunsella-Vegetable-Steamer-Stainless-Steel/dp/B00KYDZHSI

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

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

This is a steamer trivet
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KYDZHSI/ref=mp_s_a_1_19?qid=1463282197&sr=8-19-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=trivet+steamer&psc=1

But you could use a towel , aluminum foil ..basically anything the keeps it from actually sitting on the bottom of the pot ..and just enough liquid to cover it

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

Most modern pressure cookers don't have a rocker weight.

EDIT:
Seriously, they don't.

• Fagor
  
• NuWave
  
• T-Fal
  
• Fissler
  
• Presto
  
• Kuhn Rikon
  
  Where you see rocker weights is on cheaper, older style aluminum ones and on larger pressure canners. Modern pressure cookers have moved to the easier to manage spring valves.
  

I would start with 6 gallon bucket $8.50 compared to morebeer buy a spigot and airlock as a starting point. Look for a sale on a 7 gallon pot and I think your good.

I have this pan and it works great. T-fal Specialty Nonstick One Egg Wonder Pan

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-CRS12-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet-12-inch/dp/B005U93RYW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1394328042&sr=8-3&keywords=lodge+fry+pan

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

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