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Author Topic: recommend some Pots and Pans  (Read 14212 times)

Offline Stevie

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Re: recommend some Pots and Pans
« Reply #45 on: June 18, 2014, 12:54:40 pm »

I'd say cast iron is pretty nifty but not for all applications. The same goes for non-stick technology.

Yep. I love my cast iron, but stainless is the best option when it comes to getting a quality sear on a price of fish.

I don't know, I can get a pretty mean sear in my cast iron.


Steak for sure, but with fish I find it isn't as appealing to the eye.


Also there are times where I don't want the pan to hold heat like cast iron. Times where i want to get a sear upfront and then allow it to braise or come to temp more slowly.

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: recommend some Pots and Pans
« Reply #46 on: June 18, 2014, 04:22:22 pm »

I'd say cast iron is pretty nifty but not for all applications. The same goes for non-stick technology.

Yep. I love my cast iron, but stainless is the best option when it comes to getting a quality sear on a price of fish.

I don't know, I can get a pretty mean sear in my cast iron.


Steak for sure, but with fish I find it isn't as appealing to the eye.


Also there are times where I don't want the pan to hold heat like cast iron. Times where i want to get a sear upfront and then allow it to braise or come to temp more slowly.

I see your point about searing fish in cast iron, though I get the cast iron much hotter to sear a steak. Except for making blackened fish, where I get the cast iron pretty hot. All good.
Jon H.

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: recommend some Pots and Pans
« Reply #47 on: June 18, 2014, 05:48:50 pm »
That company that was at the NHC with the finned pots... they also have pans etc... if you have a gas stove... Obviously I have no idea how evenly they heat.. but in theory it should be pretty even and pretty efficient.

I talked to that guy.  Evidently they are really efficient.

Yep, data showed coming to temp in half the time. most of our heat goes up the side, not into the pot.
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Offline majorvices

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Re: recommend some Pots and Pans
« Reply #48 on: June 20, 2014, 07:24:54 am »

I'd say cast iron is pretty nifty but not for all applications. The same goes for non-stick technology.

Yep. I love my cast iron, but stainless is the best option when it comes to getting a quality sear on a price of fish.


I don't know, I can get a pretty mean sear in my cast iron.


Steak for sure, but with fish I find it isn't as appealing to the eye.


Also there are times where I don't want the pan to hold heat like cast iron. Times where i want to get a sear upfront and then allow it to braise or come to temp more slowly.

Aside from blackened I don't know that I've ever seared a fish. I do have some nice heavy bottom stainless skillets. Only thing I hate about them is they are a pain to clean and stick something terrible. But I'll keep on mind for the fish searing thing.

Offline Stevie

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Re: recommend some Pots and Pans
« Reply #49 on: June 20, 2014, 08:13:28 am »
Crispy salmon skin, nuff said. Maybe sear is the wrong word, I'm no epicurean.


I normally deglase to clean, other wise 1 or 2 hour soak gets most anything off. If I still have trouble, bar keepers friend + elbow grease gets it sparkly.

Offline euge

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Re: recommend some Pots and Pans
« Reply #50 on: June 20, 2014, 08:28:34 am »
I'll put forth the proposition that the bulk of us, myself included- only think we know how to use pots, pans and skillets properly and to the best effect.


A hot soak with baking soda tends to lift burnt hard to clean crusty material off steel pans. Give it a try.
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Offline MDixon

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Re: recommend some Pots and Pans
« Reply #51 on: June 20, 2014, 10:30:41 am »
I tend to use pots and pans instead of trying to levitate liquids and foods directly over the flames. I could, but it saps my strength to get the liquid to remain cohesive while levitating above open flames.  ::)
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Offline euge

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Re: recommend some Pots and Pans
« Reply #52 on: June 20, 2014, 10:55:28 am »
I'm sure it is especially difficult with boiling water...
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline majorvices

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Re: recommend some Pots and Pans
« Reply #53 on: June 20, 2014, 08:40:38 pm »
Crispy salmon skin, nuff said. Maybe sear is the wrong word, I'm no epicurean.


I normally deglase to clean, other wise 1 or 2 hour soak gets most anything off. If I still have trouble, bar keepers friend + elbow grease gets it sparkly.

Wasn't busting your chops, man! I'm serious! Sounds great.

Offline Stevie

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recommend some Pots and Pans
« Reply #54 on: June 20, 2014, 08:54:56 pm »
Wasn't trying to be a jerk either. Need more emoticons. ; )

But honestly, crispy salmon skin is amazing. Medium high pan, enough oil to coat the bottom, 5 minutes on skin side and 1 on the flesh side. 1,000 times better then crispy chicken skin.
« Last Edit: June 20, 2014, 08:58:20 pm by Steve in TX »

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: recommend some Pots and Pans
« Reply #55 on: June 20, 2014, 09:19:01 pm »
I'm no epicurean either - I just like to eat well.  ;D   I've read enough, watched enough, and had enough cooking jobs in my younger (college) years to make good food and not make my friends ill !  I'm finally pulling it off pretty consistently. But kitchen cooking, grilling, and real smoked BBQ are definitely different disciplines. I'm at least serviceable in all three, maybe getting pretty good. Damn I'm hungry.
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Offline Stevie

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Re: recommend some Pots and Pans
« Reply #56 on: June 20, 2014, 09:24:54 pm »
Smoking meat is like making beer. Anybody can do it and it's hard to screwup; but if you go to heavy in one area, it is inedible.

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: recommend some Pots and Pans
« Reply #57 on: June 20, 2014, 09:30:22 pm »
Smoking meat is like making beer. Anybody can do it and it's hard to screwup; but if you go to heavy in one area, it is inedible.

Agreed. Not that hard, just takes determination and a little know how. Low and slow .
Jon H.

Offline erockrph

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Re: recommend some Pots and Pans
« Reply #58 on: July 04, 2014, 07:06:12 am »

I'd say cast iron is pretty nifty but not for all applications. The same goes for non-stick technology.

Yep. I love my cast iron, but stainless is the best option when it comes to getting a quality sear on a price of fish.
I have a stainless, clad-bottom pan (Emeril's, I think) that I use primarily for Steak Au Poivre and for scallops. You can't beat stainless for those times you want a nice sear, then deglaze to make a pan sauce. I like it the best for seafood as well.

I love cast iron, but it's a lot easier to ding a glass cook top with it. The only cast iron I use regularly is my enamel-coated dutch oven.
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Offline majorvices

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Re: recommend some Pots and Pans
« Reply #59 on: July 09, 2014, 05:02:35 am »

I love cast iron, but it's a lot easier to ding a glass cook top with it. The only cast iron I use regularly is my enamel-coated dutch oven.

Well, of course I would only cook on a gas range, so there's that. ;)