Things every man must have in his kitchen?

[Ceezer]

All you really need are the basics. 99.99% of all of my time in the kitchen involves a cast iron dutch oven, a french black steel pan, a flat wooden spoon( can be used as a spoon or spatula), a good chef's knife, and a cutting board. Anything else is nice to have, but will rarely be used IMO.

That's what I'm trying to achieve. I actually have a lot of crap left over, even after giving half to her, and realize I don't need this much stuff. I'd like to simplify, but want to make sure I have the essential basics.

I just realized the cast iron skillet I picked up is 'pre-seasoned'. Is it ok to use as-is, or should I strip it down and season it on my own?

What is the dutch oven used for? Or, what makes it stand apart from any other covered pot?

 

[SiBurning]

That's what I'm trying to achieve. I actually have a lot of crap left over, even after giving half to her, and realize I don't need this much stuff. I'd like to simplify, but want to make sure I have the essential basics.

I just realized the cast iron skillet I picked up is 'pre-seasoned'. Is it ok to use as-is, or should I strip it down and season it on my own?

What is the dutch oven used for? Or, what makes it stand apart from any other covered pot?

There's a lot of lists on the net about stocking a basic, intermediate, and advanced kitchen. You can use one as a guide, but it's best if you think through what you actually do, or want to do, and adjust. Here's a pretty poor list to get you thinking. I purposely picked a small list so you have to add to it, rather than subtract. http://www.theplaceforcooks.com/cms/index.cfm/path/80767/82030/149297/ Go through it and cross off what you don't need. If you were looking to build a full kitchen, I'd suggest starting with a really good, big list. If you want a longer list, let us know.

Here's a suggestion for dealing with what you have now. Put everything you're not sure you need in a closet. When you use something, take it out of the closet permanently. A year from now, throw out whatever's still in the closet.

A dutch oven is generally used for long cooking things, or when you need even heat all around, and not just on the bottom. The idea is that the pot reetains heat all around, including at the top, so it cooks as if it was an oven. Long cooking stews are the classic example. A good all around one will work on the stove or in the oven. I use the enamel coated cast iron ones, although technically I think they're called something else.

 

[Topgumby]

I just realized the cast iron skillet I picked up is 'pre-seasoned'. Is it ok to use as-is, or should I strip it down and season it on my own?

Go ahead and use it as is.

What is the dutch oven used for? Or, what makes it stand apart from any other covered pot?

Well, there are dutch ovens designed for use over a fire, with legs and a flat lid to put coals on. The "kitchen" cast iron dutch ovens have no legs, for use on burners, and don't need the flat top.

As I see it, the great thing about a cast iron dutch oven is that it goes straight from the burner (browning chicken) to the oven (baking browned chicken with garlic and EVO...mmmmm!). It's a versatile design, and can be used to make breads and biscuits, used as a skillet, used as a pan or deep fryer, used as a stewpot, and it can be used on the Weber, too. For me, there is something about a mess of gumbo or chili served up in a dutch oven that just seems right.


Cast iron retains heat well, and lasts forever if cared for. If I ever kill the seasoning with acidic foods or some other mistreatment, I simply re-season. Other nonstick surfaces are garbage once they give way.

Disadvantges? Heavy, and it will rust if you neglect it.

 

[professorchaos]

You wouldn't have an old Listerine bottle cork screw laying around?

No sir, I do not.

 

[Ron Gallant]

No sir, I do not.

lol, I am trying to find one. I use old bottles to make my shave den look all vintagey. My mouthwash is in a 100 year old Listerine bottle. My bay rums go in some old apothecary bottles etc. The little finger pull cork screws they used on old medicine bottles are hard to find.

 

[RazorDingo]

I'd like to simplify, but want to make sure I have the essential basics.

The "essential basics" really depends a lot on the sort of cooking you like to, or in this case plan to, do.

The Dutch Oven, despite claims of its adherents that it can do every thing from bake bread to make ice cream, is really best for stews, casserole, and pot roasts. If these foods are things you like, and plan on making a lot of - then a dutch oven could quite literally become an essential. If, like many other newly single people, you foresee your stews coming out of a can - probably not.

The same is true for many other kitchen items. If you love Asian cooking, then a well-seasoned steel wok is a "must-have." But if your foresee little more than a bi-monthly stir-fry, then you can get by with any decent quality skillet.

 

[Ron Gallant]

The Dutch Oven, despite claims of its adherents that it can do every thing from bake bread to make ice cream, is really best for stews, casserole, and pot roasts...

I have to disagree to some extent. I have no experience with making bread OR ice cream in my "Dutch Oven", but to say it's only good for stews, casserole, and pot roasts seems misinformed. That is unless your just categorizing everything under those titles.
Just this week I made homemade macaroni and cheese, Chicken in Salsa and my awesome spaghetti sauce.
I do love me some pot roast though. Throw it in, cut up some veggies, put it on low and go to work. Come home to a chefs feast.
It's not magic. Just useful.

 

[ouch]

I just realized the cast iron skillet I picked up is 'pre-seasoned'. Is it ok to use as-is, or should I strip it down and season it on my own?

Use it. Then continue to use it. Then keep on using it. Then use it some more.

 

[Ron Gallant]

Oh and one more thing every man must have in his kitchen:

 

[Alacrity59]

Oh and one more thing every man must have in his kitchen:

My wife keeps a rusty knife, so she says, for moments I'm weak . . . damn that is a nice pic . . . shussshhh . . . please

 

[professorchaos]

lol, I am trying to find one. I use old bottles to make my shave den look all vintagey. My mouthwash is in a 100 year old Listerine bottle. My bay rums go in some old apothecary bottles etc. The little finger pull cork screws they used on old medicine bottles are hard to find.

Yes they are! And when you find them, they are not cheap. I have one perfume bottle corkscrew from the mid-1800s (estimated).

 

[Crazy Dave]

There are lots of good suggestions. Two things not mentioned that I find essential are a wok and a salad spinner.

Dave

 

[Ron Gallant]

There are lots of good suggestions. Two things not mentioned that I find essential are a wok and a salad spinner.

Dave

Salad Spinner? Really?
Wok was mentioned.

Salad Spinner?

 

[Crazy Dave]

Salad Spinner? Really?
Wok was mentioned.

Salad Spinner?

I just got one a few months ago and I don't know why I lived without it for so long. I rinse all my salad vegetables spin them, and then I have dry salad that does not dilute my dressing. You can leave the salad in the thing in the refrigerator. It wil keep for a few days. Obviously, you have to eat a lot of salad to make it worth it, but I do.

Dave

 

[Ron Gallant]

I just got one a few months ago and I don't know why I lived without it for so long. I rinse all my salad vegetables spin them, and then I have dry salad that does not dilute my dressing. You can leave the salad in the thing in the refrigerator. It wil keep for a few days. Obviously, you have to eat a lot of salad to make it worth it, but I do.

Dave

I was just kidding. And I agree, you would have to eat allot of salad.

 

[Lucius]

RE: Cutting board sanitation

I've mixed putting fish, raw meat, cooked meat, produce, and everything else on the same plastic and wooden boards.

Far be it from me to tell you how you handle your own safety, but I've never gotten sick from doing this. If you properly clean your boards it really shouldn't matter. Hell, even if you have separate boards I don't see how the one you use for raw meat is safe if you DON'T clean it properly, even if it's only for raw meat.

Just my 2 cents, but I think the whole separate board idea (looking at you Alton Brown) is completely unnecessary.

 

[galopede]

What is this thing called salad you speak of?

 

[Ron Gallant]

What is this thing called salad you speak of?

I think it's used to keep the plate clean.

 

[Ceezer]

salad spinner

I actually use mine so much that I don't even bother putting it away most days.

 

[Topgumby]

The salad spinner takes water off the fries before they go in the oil.

Are there really other uses?