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#1 Mackus

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Posted 10 October 2016 - 08:39 AM

Made some awesome chicken cacciatore Saturday night.  Despite being half in the bag for the whole process.  Bone-in thighs and drumsticks, mushrooms, onions, peppers, tomatoes, olives, and capers.  Harris Teeter had whole chickens on sale for so cheap they were practically free, so I bought two, made the cacciatore out of the legs, made a big pot of stock with the carcasses and wings, and still have the breasts leftover to make something this week. 

 

I'm no fan of the fall and winter, I prefer the summer months, but I do like that it's the time of year for hearty braised dishes.



#2 NewMarketSean

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Posted 10 October 2016 - 08:44 AM

My wife and I have tried Blue Apron a few times...pretty good food, great recipes with ingredients you either can never find, or don't want to buy a whole lot of when you just need a little. 

 

My wife made this yesterday while I was at the game. She's the cook and I was going to make it Saturday night but we made a seafood stew instead. I found the recipe:

 

http://www.thekitchn...kin-stew-225032

 

Excellent. I think she didn't use pablano peppers...used another, more spicy pepper. I forgot the name.


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#3 Mackus

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Posted 10 October 2016 - 09:01 AM

That looks fantastic.  I really like pumpkin.  And can't go wrong with braised or stewed pork.



#4 NewMarketSean

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Posted 10 October 2016 - 09:15 AM

That looks fantastic.  I really like pumpkin.  And can't go wrong with braised or stewed pork.

It's the best stew we've ever made. Amazing, and perfect for the fall.


I never had friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?

#5 SportsGuy

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Posted 10 October 2016 - 03:23 PM

What kind pots/pans do you guys use? I need to buy some new ones.

#6 Mackus

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Posted 10 October 2016 - 03:33 PM

Here's a great article for that: http://www.seriousea...home-cooks.html

The "best buys" it lists, several of which I've bought, all seem to be more than high enough quality for me.

 

Cast iron skillet, a large saute pan, a couple smaller nonstick skillets, a dutch oven and a large stock pot are all essentials.  I've got about 3 Lodge cast iron skillets of various sizes, a really big and deep 12" square-edged saute pan (the Tramontina from that article), and a couple smaller nonstick skillets including a 7" one that's great for making single-serving eggs.



#7 SportsGuy

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Posted 10 October 2016 - 03:47 PM

I just got a wok and used one for the first time and made some fried rice with chicken and shrimp. Rice was cooked too long and it was almost creamy but the flavor was good.

#8 Mackus

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Posted 10 October 2016 - 03:51 PM

That's one of the few pieces of equipment I don't have, but only because I've got an electric range that I hate.  Need gas to get the benefit of a wok. 



#9 SportsGuy

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Posted 10 October 2016 - 04:46 PM

I wonder if that all clad stuff is worth it? It's so expensive but we keep having to buy new pans because they get scratched, etc...

#10 NewMarketSean

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Posted 10 October 2016 - 07:42 PM

Get good pans. Spend money. Use plastic utensils and clean them with a soft sponge. And don't knock electric. I prefer it to gas actually but my wife is the cook and she prefers gas but I always thought gas didn't offer the best temperature differentials.
I never had friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?

#11 Mike in STL

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Posted 10 October 2016 - 08:21 PM

Here's a great article for that: http://www.seriousea...home-cooks.html
The "best buys" it lists, several of which I've bought, all seem to be more than high enough quality for me.
 
Cast iron skillet, a large saute pan, a couple smaller nonstick skillets, a dutch oven and a large stock pot are all essentials.  I've got about 3 Lodge cast iron skillets of various sizes, a really big and deep 12" square-edged saute pan (the Tramontina from that article), and a couple smaller nonstick skillets including a 7" one that's great for making single-serving eggs.



I gave my wife a dutch oven the other night. She wasn't crazy about it.
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#12 Mackus

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Posted 11 October 2016 - 08:01 AM

I wonder if that all clad stuff is worth it? It's so expensive but we keep having to buy new pans because they get scratched, etc...

 

The All-clad stuff is great, but you can get high enough quality for a lot less, IMO.  I've got one All-clad pan, an 11" nonstick, that I got on deep discount.  But if I'm paying full price, I'd go with one of the ones that cost 1/3 of the price.

 

Just don't buy any of the 11-piece sets for $89 and you'll be fine.  Those all warp and/or the nonstick coating comes off within a very brief time.  However even the expensive brands like All-clad, nonstick coating doesn't last forever, I'd recommend the cheaper brands for a nonstick (or if you can get lucky and get a good deal on the All-clad), since those are pans you'll be replacing sooner, don't spend tons of money on them.  Ones without nonstick coating, go ahead and buy nicer ones since those should last a very long time.



#13 DuffMan

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Posted 11 October 2016 - 08:08 AM

Made Beef Stew for the first time this fall,  it's been about 6 months since I've made it so I was happy to have it again. This time in addition to regular potatoes I added sweet potatoes to the stew.   Helped give it a nice darker brown (obviously the color doesn't matter) but made it look better.   I   like to also boil some egg noodles to mix with the stew.   Great meal that even all 3 of my kids eat!



#14 SportsGuy

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Posted 11 October 2016 - 09:23 AM

The All-clad stuff is great, but you can get high enough quality for a lot less, IMO.  I've got one All-clad pan, an 11" nonstick, that I got on deep discount.  But if I'm paying full price, I'd go with one of the ones that cost 1/3 of the price.

 

Just don't buy any of the 11-piece sets for $89 and you'll be fine.  Those all warp and/or the nonstick coating comes off within a very brief time.  However even the expensive brands like All-clad, nonstick coating doesn't last forever, I'd recommend the cheaper brands for a nonstick (or if you can get lucky and get a good deal on the All-clad), since those are pans you'll be replacing sooner, don't spend tons of money on them.  Ones without nonstick coating, go ahead and buy nicer ones since those should last a very long time.

Yea, I pretty much don't pay full retail for anything, so that wouldn't be my issue.

 

I was in home goods the other and they have a $250 All Clad pot for $125.  Still...$125 to boil water.



#15 Mackus

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Posted 11 October 2016 - 09:37 AM

Yea, I pretty much don't pay full retail for anything, so that wouldn't be my issue.

 

I was in home goods the other and they have a $250 All Clad pot for $125.  Still...$125 to boil water.

 

Yeah you definitely don't need an All-clad stock pot.  Something cheap for that task is fine, just make sure it's got a heavy bottom.



#16 Matt_P

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Posted 14 October 2016 - 04:47 PM

I'm a Le Creuset Fan. I have a Dutch Oven and a Braiser from them and then I have some of the other things that Mackus mentioned. It seems Mackus has far more pots than I do, and I could probably get rid of half of my stuff. But I mean, it depends on how you cook. We eat a lot of stews (meat or veggie), so having a good Dutch Oven makes sense for me. I use the Braiser to cook meat often.

 

If I made a lot of baked things like a corn souffle, then I'd probably go with a Le Creuset Baker instead of the Dutch Oven. If I barbecued a lot, then I wouldn't want a Braiser. If I made a lot of Lasagnas, I'd probably want a good Lasagna dish and might stay away from Le Creuset altogether. Make your pots fit your life and not the other way around. I'd recommend getting one or two good pots and then going mid-level for the rest. 



#17 Mackus

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Posted 17 October 2016 - 12:30 PM

I feel like I link a Serious Eats article in response to every topic that comes up in the subforum, but hey, I like the website.  Here is their article about their comparisons between All-Clad and Tramontina (a budget buy).  I own different pans from both companies, and while I think the All-clad looks nicer and feels a little bit sturdier (plus has a reputedly very solid warranty), the giant square-edged saute pan I have by Tramontina certainly gets the jobs I use it for done nicely.

 

I forget which brand my Dutch Oven is, but I know it's not Le Creuset.  I've had it for a long time, I think my Mom got it for me when I bought my house almost 10 years ago.  Has held up great and is excellent for stews, braising, and making pasta sauce.  Gets a ton more use in the winter, when I make those type of comfort foods much more often.

 

If all you're doing is boiling pasta or making soup, you probably don't need a heavy enamel dutch oven, but if you make a ton of stews like Matt mentions, or like to braise, it's a great vessel for that.  Matt gave great advice, figure out what type of cooking you want to do, then buy pots and pans for that,  Might as well buy decent quality products if you can, but you don't have to get the most high-end brands.  I, obviously, enjoy cooking beyond just as a means to eat tasty food, so I do have a ton of different pieces of equipment so that I have a tool for every little itch that I feel the need to scratch.  Hell, I have a tortilla press.  Basically cooking is what I got into after I stopped playing video games.  Boy is that lame.  I'm old.



#18 SportsGuy

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Posted 17 October 2016 - 12:44 PM

I just bought a Cuisanart dutch oven.  It was $100 originally and I got it for $70.  Had good ratings.  Don't think I will use it enough to justify the cost of the Le Creuset brand.  I plan on cooking some short ribs in it this week.


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#19 Mackus

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Posted 17 October 2016 - 03:14 PM

Braised short ribs are one of my favorite things to cook (and eat).  It's nothing short of alchemy how they change from a tough, fatty hunk of meat into such a tender, flavorful delicacy.  Also, they get better on Day 2.  If you're doing a dinner with guests or something and don't wanna be stressed for the timing of everything, make them the day before then just reheat for serving.  Also makes it easy to strain out some of the released fat from the braising liquid to make a killer sauce, just wait for it to chill and harden at the top and then scoop it off.



#20 SportsGuy

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Posted 17 October 2016 - 03:20 PM

I have slow cooked them a few times. Be interesting to see if they are different in the Dutch oven.

Not sure if I will use the same Ingredients either.




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