Pots and pans are a necessary addition to any kitchen. But many people are not sure what to use each pan that comes in their collection for. Here is a list of the necessary pots and pans for your kitchen, and their best uses.
There are many types of pots and pans that are available on the market. To determine which type is best for you, you should figure out how often you plan to use them and how often you replace them. If you want a durable, reliable set of pans that you will not have to replace for years to come. I personally recommend a good, heavy duty, stainless steel pan with a copper bottom. The reason for this is that solid copper pans are extremely expensive and tarnish easily. Aluminum pans react with certain acidic foods and ruin the food and the pan. However, unless you plan to chemically analyze your entire recipe, you probably won’t realize this until it happens.
Necessary Pans
Double Boiler: A double boiler is two pans that work together. One pan fits into the other. You place water in the bottom pan and the heat from the water simmering in the bottom cooks the food or other contents in the top. This is typically used for heat sensitive foods and the water should not touch the bottom of the top pan.
Dutch Oven or Kettle: A dutch oven is a large, heavy pot. It has a lid and two handles. It is typically used for soups, stews, chili and braising meats.
Saucepans: These have many uses in the kitchen. It is helpful to have many different sizes.
Skillets: These pans are also known as frying pans. A skillet with a sloping side helps liquid evaporate faster and one with straight sides reduces the speed at which liquid evaporates. If you plan on using your skillet in the oven, you should purchase one that has a metal handle or one that says it is oven safe.
Vegetable Steamer: A vegetable steamer is a colander that can be cooked in. It is more of a basket that holds the vegetables while they cook. It also comes in handy for cooking pasta.
Specialty Pans
Griddle: A griddle is a flat pan that makes it easy to flip pancakes. It also allows fat to run onto the sides of the pan rather than reabsorb into your food.
Omelet Pan: An omelet pan has sloped sides and is non stick. It makes folding omelets easy and also makes it easy to slide your omelet onto the plate without tearing it.
Grill Pan: A grill pan is a heavy, stove-top pan. It has grooves in it that allow grease to drip off of the food and drain into a pan below. It also adds amazing grill marks to food without the charcoal or propane.
Wok: A wok is a deep pan that is used for frying. It is great for cooking vegetables or a larger amount of food. You can get them with a rounded bottom or a flat bottom.
Tip:
It is recommended to use certain types of utensils with each type of cookware. You should typically use a plastic or wooden type utensil in a nonstick or a coated pan.