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dyerdyuz
4
Dec 20, 2017
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Hi, I have very little knowledge in cooking. I'm not also familiar with the tools used in cooking. Could you recommend what are the must-have items/tools for getting started?
Dec 20, 2017
tconwell
2
Dec 20, 2017
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dyerdyuzThese would be essential for the kind of cooking that I do, but you may find you need other items for other cuisines. A medium or large cast iron skillet, a good quality stainless, copper bottomed saucepan, stirring spoons of choice (I like bamboo spoons), a flexible pancake turner, several flexible spatulas for bowl scraping, a good paring knife, a good mid sized general purpose knife, a medium sized mixing bowl, a 1 cup liquid measuring cup with a spout, a set of dry measuring cups and spoons, a cutting board that is washable, a 9 x 13" baking pan. Nice to have, but not essential - a wire whisk, a 2 and a 4 cup liquid measurer, a wheel pizza cutter, if you are going to bake: a rolling pin , baking pans - a 9 inch pie pan, 2 9 inch round cake pans, 2 cupcake pans, 2 cookie sheets, a handheld mixer.
If budget is a concern, try second hand stores. A used cast iron pan is actually often better than a new one. If it's rusty you can recondition it. An empty wine bottle will work for a rolling pin. Other items can be really handy, depending on what kind of cooking you want to do of course, but these would get you by.
Dec 20, 2017
Pequenininho
104
Keyboard Club Member
Dec 21, 2017
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tconwellThis is a good list, I'd add an instant read thermometer... I really like this one I got in a drop: https://www.massdrop.com/buy/44573
Also, check restaurant supply stores for inexpensive cooking tools... a lot of what we're describing here are considered consumables in restaurant kitchens, so they're priced very inexpensively (I got my favorite spatulas for $1 each at one).
Dec 21, 2017
Colbra
77
Dec 22, 2017
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Dec 22, 2017
josh.russell
236
Dec 24, 2017
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dyerdyuzAdding to what people listed below, I'd add a good cutting board and a good clad (stainless/aluminum) fry pan, that is 10-11 inch (they vary depending on the brand). This size of pan will allow you to be pretty versatile in making things just for yourself or dishes that might be for you and a couple of other people. Also, I'd get a good pair of potholder/oven mitts and one set of good, cotton towels. I never run out of needing to grab that handy towel in my kitchen at all times.
Dec 24, 2017
gardey
90
Oct 12, 2018
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dyerdyuzEveryone here seem to be an enthusiasts. The bare bone items you need to start are: =A Santoku/chef knife, a $40 Shun Sora is good for the home cook. Knife snobs say Shun isn't good but again, they are knife snobs. Don't get an expensive 10"+ blade unless you really are serious about cooking and/or have very big hands. =A cutting board, bigger the better. Getting a board smaller than the length of your entire knife is generally a bad idea. Also, wood is NOT necessarily better than any other material, especially if you get a cheap one, AND requires maintenance and knowledge of proper handling, not to mention that you can't shove it into your dishwasher or leave it soaking in your sink. =A medium (8 to 11 inch) pan and pot. Both can be any brand and material but everything has its specific care requirements, such as non-stick needing those blue scrubbers and non-metal tipped tools so you don't scratch the surface, cast iron needing proper understanding and seasoning or it will directly affect your food. It also depends if you have a gas stove or not. If you know how to cook, it doesn't matter what pan you have. =A pair of tongs, preferably silicone tipped. This way you can have whatever material pan/pot. =A large-headed silicone spatula (Rubbermaid " High Heat Spatula " is ugly but cheap and used everywhere, even in very high-end kitchens. The big head makes life easier.) =A wooden spatula. Sometimes when you need to smush things or you have alot in your pot to stir. Having a flat-edged one can be useful too. Scraping the bottom of your pot or pan is very important since that's how you prevent burning. No material pan/pot will save you from lack of attention. =A ladle. No, not a spoon, a ladle. =A solid and slotted turner/burger flipper. Yes, the holes do matter. =A wire whisk. Don't get the silicone ones unless you like challenging yourself. =Spider, so you can fry things. =Mesh strainer so you can boil things. =Colander so you can wash things. =Measuring cups/spoons. If you really are a beginner, you MUST be careful with salt. Salt is the one thing that once you add too much, nothing can be done to "fix" it without greatly altering your result in an adverse manner. Following recipes as closely as possible is usually your best bet. =Bowl, one large, one medium. If you need more, you can just use the ones you eat out of. Some have indented bottoms, others don't, there are pros and cons but overall usually not important enough (the one shape that does matter isn't for the home cook). =Towels. They are folded in a square to be used for holding anything hot, so oven mitts are not necessary. Just make sure they are dry or it will heat up. Wet towels provide friction so that your cutting board won't wiggle around, or that your bowl won't go flying if you are tempering.
Baking requires much more tools.
Oct 12, 2018
TimBoisvert
0
Oct 15, 2018
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gardeyVictorinox Fibrox Pro is my chef’s knife of choice. $30 on Amazon.
Oct 15, 2018
DakotaWillison
3
Oct 16, 2018
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gardeyI wouldn't say shun are bad so much as over priced. Decent knives
Oct 16, 2018
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