for a single person with a small kitchen to have ?
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Most essential cooking utensils ?
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13 responses to Most essential cooking utensils ?
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You need some of the listed stuff, depending on how much you actually cook. If you cook from recipes you need pots and pans, not a thousand dollar set, just get some good 18/20 stainless steel or heavyweight non-stick; I buy single pieces at Ross or Marshalls or the like.
See this site for further information and figure out what you REALLY need.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4488066_outfit-k…
Solid stainless steel long handle spoon.
! big skillit/lid,1 small skillit/ sauce pan/ lid, one small pan/ lid 3 glasses, spoons forks knives plates .toaster,2 other sauce pan/lids refridge,stove. waffle iron.sharp knives,cheese cutter,spatula bib spoons,eg beater.
nonstick skillet
2- and 3-quart saucepan w/ lid (maybe w/ steamer insert)
plastic utensils for use in nonstick pans (spatula, slotted spoon, solid spoon, maybe whisk)
whisk
measuring spoons/cups
silicone spatula (for cooking adn scraping bowls)
dishwasher-safe plastic cutting board or two
decent knife set (at least a paring and a chef knife)
cookie sheet
muffin pan/tin (that holds12)
pie pan/plate
couple of wire cooling racks
9×13 pan (good for cakes or roasting meats or veggies in)
I am in the same situation as you! And I really love a basic setup in the kitchen. I think instead of limiting my cooking, it has made me a lot more free! Having just the basics saves space on gear and I can buy different kinds of food! It also means less to clean and everything is easier to find, and I have more room to work. So I am all about the less is more mantra.
Here is what I have and use everyday.
A skillet will saute, fry, and quick cook a lot of things. Cast iron is really really versatile.
A dutch oven for surface cooking of pasta and rice, soup, or use in the oven as a roaster. I like cast aluminum here.
A nonstick saucepan for smaller amounts of food.
All of these should have lids to make them even more versatile and it also helps if all your pans can be used in the oven. (no plastic or wooden handles)
You also want a cookie sheet, a 9×13 cake pan, and a casserole dish. These will handle most of your baking tasks.
I am getting along quite well with 2 chef knives (different sizes), and a paring knife, a flipper, a whisk, a tong. I also have several each of wooden spoons (made of bamboo) and rubber spatulas (made of bamboo and silicone). I could use a serrated knife for bread and carving meat, but I am in no hurry to get one. I also have about 6 different cutting boards, all are smallish white plastic, and they fit in the dishwasher so there is no need to delegate them for certain foods. I only need about 3 to have one clean at all times but that is why I have more than one. I also have a funnel and a set of measuring cups and spoons, and a glass measuring cup.
I have a colander, a microwave steamer (the parts of which are all versatile on their own) and a couple different sized bowls. They all can do anything: serving, mixing, and storing, so I choose and use based on size that I need. I also use disposable/reusable plastics for leftovers, and for canisters. I also have a couple pitchers, one of which is gallon sized and I make tea in it, and the other is 2 quart and I use it for a supersized glass to drink my iced tea.
I have a microwave, a blender with a food processor attachment, a slap chopper, and a hand mixer, as well as an electric can opener. I was just so tired of buying a new can opener every month. I couldn't find a manual one that was very durable at all. So far my cheapo electric opener is working well.
I have white bar-type towels, and when I bought multiple color packs of washcloths for the bathroom, I set the white ones aside for kitchen dishcloths and cleaning towels.
My apartment has a dishwasher and I do use it, but I am not convinced that I need it. I have a dish drainer, and when I have a lot (and don't machine wash), I lay out a small bath towel with my drainer in the corner, so that I have even more draining space, and something to catch the water dripping off my dishes.
EDIT: Regarding rice cooker. Not a must, especially if you don't love rice or prepare it often. If you are vigilant and have a good saucepan with a lid, you can make rice in that, but rice is one food I have a hard time getting right, so that is why I bought a microwave steamer. I ended up using it more for vegetables, but when I need it it's there. This steams anything I can fit in it, and helps with pasta and rice, but is also just a microwave safe bowl to reheat things without or without the lid. In a pinch I can use it as a mixing/serving/storage bowl, and the basket inside frequently serves as a small collander, even though I have a larger one. I just love this piece, and it is less than $10.00 at the discount store. Mine is similar to this:
http://www.amazon.com/Progressive-Intern…
EDIT 2: I didn't mention that I do have a slow cooker, don't use it often but it is the best for beans. I have a cast iron grilling pan. And I also have a peeler, very handy although you can clean vegetables with a clean green scratchy pad that you keep separate from scrubbing pans.
And a word about small appliances, like coffee makers, rice cookers, sandwich or quesadilla makers, foreman grills, popcorn poppers. If you use them a lot for anything, even one task that you rely on being done perfectly by that tool, then it is certainly justifiable to get one. The point is that it is USEFUL to you, and I find that the more versatile an item is, the more useful it is to me. Many small appliances can be really versatile and they often prepare at least one food perfectly!
I have forbidden myself both deep fryers and toaster ovens because of my battle with weight. If I had either it would be way too easy to make my food in a really unhealthy way, or to rely on convenience foods. But they both have their place in a kitchen with more a disciplined cook.
spoon, spatula, forks, plastic big spoons to make scrambeled eggs.
band-aids
Spatula, a measuring cup, a strainer, a spoon for stirring, a slotted spoon, a veggie peeler, 2 good knives for chopping.
Spatula, Ladel, Fork, Spoon.
You've got a lot of great suggestions in the other posts!
When you purchase or are thinking about purchasing an item, make sure it can do double duty. Avoid these appliances and gadgets that only do one thing. Exceptions might be a coffee maker (which can make a pot of hot water for tea) or a toaster.
For example, don't get a regular slow cooker. Their use is limited to just slow cooking. Get an electric roaster instead. Nesco is a name brand so you can look up the web site and see what I'm talking about. These roasters can slow cook AND act as a small oven both. You can roast a chicken, make pot roast, make a batch of chili or soup or even mac & cheese. These roasters have a much wider temperature range than just high and low so you can cook a variety of things.
Buy products that "nest" together like mixing bowls, pans to save space. Or that collapse like the strainers that flatten out to almost nothing for storage.
Buy quality when you do buy; a quality (not necessarily more expensive) item will outlast a cheap one many times over.
Some things I couldn't do without in my kitchen are good utensils like spatulas, sturdy turners, wooden spoons, a couple of wire whisks, a spring loaded ice cream scoop or two in different sizes. The scoops not only make dishing your favorite frozen treat easy but the small ones can be used for scooping cookie dough, putting thick muffin batter in the pan.
I prefer stainless cookware. I have the regular saute or frying pans but seldom use them. I reach for the "chicken" fryer pan instead. These pans have higher sides and straight sides too. You can use them for sautes, frying, making a sauce because they hold more volume. The saute/frying pans can just be used for sautes and frying….
Another good investment would be a stainless stock pot with the steamer inserts. I have one that came with the pot and the lid and 2 different inserts; one small one for steaming veggies and the full size insert for cooking pasta or larger quantities. And they all nest together for storage.
Good luck and have fun!
-a good set of knives that includes a paring knife & a butcher knife.
-a set of stainless steel bowls & a set of glass or ceramic bowls
-a really big plastic bowl (for mixing)
-a few good spatulas
-a few good wooden spoons
-one really big pot, one large sauce pan, one medium sauce pan & one small sauce pan
-a cheese grater
-a skillet &/or wok
-a few frying pans (various sizes)
-TUPPERWARE – a MUST HAVE
Bowls, utencils, plates, cups, measuring cups, teaspoon meashurement cups, put a lazy susan in your spices, you can put it into a cabnet, cooking utencils for cakes, like blender (hand), and you can always buy anything else you need when you come to it, don't over stuff your cabnets, lock and lid containers help.
an excellent chef's knife
a paring knife
wooden spoon/paddle
spatula
whisk
vegetable peeler
slotted spoon
sieve/colander
that should get you going