Your most useful pots or pans?

[Tacori E-ring]

What pot/pan do you use the most? I realized I registered for a 3-quart saucepan, 3-quart saucier, AND a 3-quart casserole. I am guessing it would be better to get more variety but I guess I don't really understand the difference between the three kinds of pots. So confusing!

ETA: oh AND a 3-Quart Saute pan.....

 

[JulieN]

a saucier has sloped sides. good for medium evaporation, like...risotto.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 8/3/2006 8:28:46 AM
Author: JulieN
a saucier has sloped sides. good for medium evaporation, like...risotto.

Thanks for the quick reply! Do you think I need all three pans in the same size or is there another size that would be better?

 

[JulieN]

what's a casserole?

if you don't already have a good saute pan, need that. If you already have nonstick, get a classic, or vice versa.

If i had to pick 3, I think a stockpot (needs to hold a chicken, stock, and enough room to work,) saute, and saucepan.

You might want to hit up your local library and check out the Cook's Illustrated mag: they have a kitchen tools review section.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Here it is:

Also what size frying pan do you use the most?

 

[JulieN]

I really rarely use a fry pan (straight sides.) I use it when making pasta sauce-that's it. I prefer the saute pan with sloped sides, because it is better for evaporation and I don't fry anything. I only cook for one, though, so the size thing will have to be answered by someone else.

So why do you need a 3qt casserole and saucepan? Is the difference in the handle(s)? I figure you need 2 of those 3 qt, between the saucepan, the saucier and the casserole: one with straight sides and one with sloped sides.

 

[AsscherGirl]

I use my 10" frying pan & 12" saute pan the most. I cook almost everything on the stove top, so that really explains why

.

Probably the pot I use the most next is my 20qt stock pot. I have issues - I''m Italian and even though there are only 2 of us in the house, I have to make massive amounts of tomato sauce or chili at one time (hence the extremely large pot). I can''t even see over the top of it without standing on my tippy toes!

I think out of the three you registered for, I would get rid of the casserole. The short handles will get hot & I bet you''ll end up using the sauce pan instead (which should have one long handle). I would keep the saucier as it shaped differently.

P.S. All-Clad is the best

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Thanks so much. When I registered for my set they added open stock pieces too so I just noticed that I probably don''t need all of it.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 8/3/2006 9:11:50 AM
Author: *~*Danielle*~*
I use my 10'' frying pan & 12'' saute pan the most. I cook almost everything on the stove top, so that really explains why

.


Probably the pot I use the most next is my 20qt stock pot. I have issues - I''m Italian and even though there are only 2 of us in the house, I have to make massive amounts of tomato sauce or chili at one time (hence the extremely large pot). I can''t even see over the top of it without standing on my tippy toes!


I think out of the three you registered for, I would get rid of the casserole. The short handles will get hot & I bet you''ll end up using the sauce pan instead (which should have one long handle). I would keep the saucier as it shaped differently.


P.S. All-Clad is the best

Thanks! Hopefully they are worth the money. I am going to delete the casserole right now!

 

[ChargerGrrl]

Tacori- we just bought a Le Creuset 5qt oval french oven and we LOVE it!!! FI has had his eye on one for awhile, and we decided to bite the bullet and get it.

We''re big into making "casserole" type dishes and pot meals like jambalaya, etc...

We''re now bitten by the Le Creuset bug and plan to register for a couple of pieces- the risotto pot & the tagine.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 8/3/2006 11:09:56 AM
Author: ChargerGrrl
Tacori- we just bought a Le Creuset 5qt oval french oven and we LOVE it!!! FI has had his eye on one for awhile, and we decided to bite the bullet and get it.


We''re big into making ''casserole'' type dishes and pot meals like jambalaya, etc...


We''re now bitten by the Le Creuset bug and plan to register for a couple of pieces- the risotto pot & the tagine.

I registered for all All-clad but I will have to look into your Le Creuset''s french oven.

 

[FireGoddess]

I guess the two we use the most are our 12 inch nonstick fry pan and a similar wok type pan (though not nearly as high - maybe 3 inches high on the sides or so? The deep pan is great cuz you can cook up some meat or something and add a bunch of cooked pasta or what have you and mix everything in the same pan.

 

[jcrow]

i am sure you know, but i posted a cookware thread a while back which may be useful.

 

[movie zombie]

in the winter i use my 5.5 quart le creuset and 8 quart calphalon pots all the time...in fact so much so that i have two of each. soups, stews, etc. i make enough to have leftovers which my hubby loves to take to work.

personal opinion: it is best to have a variety of pot sizes to accomodate different cooking needs. while i don''t use my skiillets that much, when i do i want them. however, a good 12 inch everyday pan can suffice for most things, even pasta sauce.

movie zombie

 

[ladykemma]

calphalon regular surface 5 qt sauteuse. it''s a great big frying pan. great for quick reductions.

 

[movie zombie]

my 8 quart pots are the sauteuse! i also hard boil my eggs in them....enough room the can move around w/o bumping into each other and crackin!

movie zombie

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 8/3/2006 2:17:42 PM
Author: jcrow
i am sure you know, but i posted a cookware thread a while back which may be useful.

I remember that thread but I am more confused about the sizes/kinds than the brand.

 

[jcrow]

Date: 8/3/2006 2:49:27 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring

Date: 8/3/2006 2:17:42 PM
Author: jcrow
i am sure you know, but i posted a cookware thread a while back which may be useful.

I remember that thread but I am more confused about the sizes/kinds than the brand.

true, but i think towards the end we discussed sizes

 

[ladykemma]

Date: 8/3/2006 8:23:03 AM
Author:Tacori E-ring
What pot/pan do you use the most? I realized I registered for a 3-quart saucepan, 3-quart saucier, AND a 3-quart casserole. I am guessing it would be better to get more variety but I guess I don''t really understand the difference between the three kinds of pots. So confusing!

ETA: oh AND a 3-Quart Saute pan.....

bascially the difference is not the names, it''s whether you want water to stay in or go out. low and flat water will evaporate quickly. High and steep, water will stay in.

 

[ladykemma]

edited post to answer tacori's question
my most used piece is the flat shallow straight side caphalon anodized (regular surface) 5 qt sauteuse with lid. i use it daily for everything. makes great fond without burning, in both a roasting and cooktop situation

i use non stick only for eggs, french toast, and fried potatoes. I have a cheap revereware flat griddle and I have two all clad masterchef non stick 3 qt saute pans with lid.

I have 20 qt cheap thin stainless stockpot for boiling stocks and spaghetti.

I have the caphalon anodized (regular surface) turkey roaster. best turkey roaster i ever had. great fond.

i have a variety of shallow and deep saucepans, the little fry pans, larger fry pans, all sizes of saucepans, all a mix of revereware, all clad, calphalon anodized, and farber millenium. nothing matches. in multiples of the ones i use the most.

i have never used the calphalon butter warmer and wonder why i bought it.

use a lot revereware straight side 4.5 and 6 quart stock pot with the lids.

(i get annoyed when i go to friends houses to help cook, people are coming in an hour, and they have, like, ONE saucepan, and usually too small for the dinner party they are cooking for. and then ask for the stockpot and they pull out a 4 qt stockpot, thinking that it's big.) get more than one, folks.

 

[ladykemma]

Date: 8/3/2006 2:32:26 PM
Author: movie zombie
my 8 quart pots are the sauteuse! i also hard boil my eggs in them....enough room the can move around w/o bumping into each other and crackin!

movie zombie

yeah i was looking at those. i want two. ha ha. i almost bought them. gorgeous gorgeous pots.

but then i realized that my calphalon anodized turkey roaster was the exact same thing, LARGE, flat and shallow, straight sides. (no lid though). i make chili for a crowd in it all the time. beef bourginione, spagheti sauce too. fits over two burners.

the names of the pots are misleading -- sautuese, what is that? so I determined: flat and shallow, high and deep, straight or sloping sides, lid or no lid. then what do YOU cook? I could register tacori in a few minutes, but i don''t know what SHE cooks.

i encourage having (more than two) 1 qt saucepans, two each of the other size saucepans, with double boiler and steamer inserts, with lids, a largish casserole shape pot with lid, and a big 20 qt stockpot. and definitely the 5-8 qt sauteuse with lid.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Gosh, I really need to take the opportunity to get new pots when my daughter graduates from college and gets an apratment in the next year! I realize from reading this thread that I know NOTHING about pots! I am not sure what size mine are, but I don''t think they are as large as some mentioned here. I have about 3-4 different size frying/saute pans, probably a couple each of 1 and 2 qt. saucepans with lids, one 3qt., maybe a 6 qt.? pot for boiling pasta. I desperately need a covered roaster (have been using the 3 qt. pot). I rarely cook for a large quantity of people, so these are fine for my family and a couple of guests.

I''m going to read through that other cookware thread, but I may be back to ask questions. I know one of the brands of non-stick is going to be taken off the market if it hasn''t already because it was found to be dangerous. I''d really like to find a brand that has most of the pieces I''d need so I don''t have to research pots like I have diamonds! Ha!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 8/5/2006 9:48:01 AM
Author: ladykemma

Date: 8/3/2006 2:32:26 PM

Author: movie zombie

what do YOU cook? I could register tacori in a few minutes, but i don''t know what SHE cooks.

Haha, that is kind of the problem. I don''t cook that much now (and when I do simple stuff) but I hope that eventually I will get more into it. I was at BB&B yesterday and started questioning my AllClad decision. I am not sure I need something so nice but they do last a lifetime. I have only gotten two frying pans so far. an 8" (which seems really small, I was thinking of exchanging it for the 10") and a 12", both with their nonstick coating.

DS2006, it is so confusing! I am glad pricescope is NOT only for diamonds!

 

[ladykemma]

if I had to pick everything out all over again this is what i would pick

Non stick:
a cheap nonstick flat square griddle
two all clad non stick straight side 3 qt saute pans with lid
two each "meyer commercial grade" teeny tiny fry pans

Regular:
two 20 qt stainless steel stockpots with the lids
two each - a large flat straight side pan either all clad 5 - 7 qt straight side saute pan with lid or the caphalon 5-8 qt sautuese (technically called rondeau)
the caphalon turkey roaster
2 each revere ware 1, 1.5, 2, and 3 quart straight side saucepots with lids and steamer and double boiler inserts
2 each revere ware 6 qt stock pots with lids (doubles as a braisier)
1 each lincoln NSF industrial grade 12 inch fry pan with slopiing sides
apilco casserole baking dishes
added: 1 and 2 qt all clad saucier with sloping sides (forgot about hollandaise)

 

[diamondfan]

I have all clad and calphalon and cuisinart, but some of my favorites are the circlon non sticks. they clean up amazingly. My brother in law, who is a Cordon Blue trained chef, loves them. They are not as expensive as some of the others, but I think they are really great.