Good heavy skillet?
1Want to have something nice for frying. Any suggestions? Can't afford the really expensive stuff. Thanks!
Good heavy skillet?
2http://flavorsofkentucky.wordpress.com/2007/09/20/cast-iron-skillet-is-better-cheaper-for-scrambling-bobs-eggs/
You're probably going to laugh at me for suggesting this, but check your local T.J. Maxx store's housewares department for expensive kitchen gear at reduced prices. My $180 All-Clad pan was about $80. My parents have a whole fleet of All-Clad and Le Creuset cookware, and all of it was found there.
We have a Lodge skillet here at the moment, and I really enjoy cooking with it, even though we have an electric stove/oven.
You're probably going to laugh at me for suggesting this, but check your local T.J. Maxx store's housewares department for expensive kitchen gear at reduced prices. My $180 All-Clad pan was about $80. My parents have a whole fleet of All-Clad and Le Creuset cookware, and all of it was found there.
We have a Lodge skillet here at the moment, and I really enjoy cooking with it, even though we have an electric stove/oven.
"To be stupid, selfish, and have good health are three requirements for happiness, though if stupidity is lacking, all is lost."
-Gustave Flaubert
-Gustave Flaubert
Good heavy skillet?
3all you need is a $10 cast iron skillet. make sure you "season" it.
only issue with cast iron is it takes a while to heat up and it holds the heat. therefore you have to remove the food to stop it from cooking.
to clean it, just put some water in it, put it back on the stove, heat it up, then lightly scrub it out with NO soap. wipe dry or it may rust. usually the stored heat will help evaporate the water.
only issue with cast iron is it takes a while to heat up and it holds the heat. therefore you have to remove the food to stop it from cooking.
to clean it, just put some water in it, put it back on the stove, heat it up, then lightly scrub it out with NO soap. wipe dry or it may rust. usually the stored heat will help evaporate the water.
Good heavy skillet?
4Thanks very much all.
Mandroid, that link was great! Very informative.
The problem being lately: I love hash browns. Every damn time I cook them, the good, crunchy brown part gets lost in a burnt glue, stuck on the bottom of my cheap Target frying pan. Gotta find a better way.
Mandroid, that link was great! Very informative.
The problem being lately: I love hash browns. Every damn time I cook them, the good, crunchy brown part gets lost in a burnt glue, stuck on the bottom of my cheap Target frying pan. Gotta find a better way.
Good heavy skillet?
5Hash browns are tough. Try lightly rinsing them before subjecting them to the frying pan -- stripping off some of that starch can help keep them from sticking all over. Or you can cheat by par-cooking them before tossing them in the pan -- this way, all that needs to happen in the pan is the crisping up. Use a liberal amount of oil.
Frying pan rec: Lodge cast iron skillet, and a big one at that. If you buy smaller, you will always wish you had more room. Mine is named "Big Joan."
Happy frying.
Frying pan rec: Lodge cast iron skillet, and a big one at that. If you buy smaller, you will always wish you had more room. Mine is named "Big Joan."
Happy frying.
Good heavy skillet?
6I only cook with cast iron, all of it inherited from my grandmother.
Cast iron is cheap and it becomes something that you maintain with a certain level of skill, like an analog tape machine. It's worth the time invested...
Cast iron is cheap and it becomes something that you maintain with a certain level of skill, like an analog tape machine. It's worth the time invested...
Redline wrote:Not Crap. The sound of death? The sound of FUN! ScrrreeEEEEEEE
Good heavy skillet?
7A 12" Lodge skillet would be the one pan I would choose if I only got to have one pan.
I have a lot of nice cookware, excellent knives, and a kickass stove. I love to cook.
My two most used pans are, however, a $15 Lodge skillet and a $12 wok that I bought from the asian market. I use them for everything.
As mentioned, season it and never use soap. You'll give it to your grandkids, if you have any.
-A
I have a lot of nice cookware, excellent knives, and a kickass stove. I love to cook.
My two most used pans are, however, a $15 Lodge skillet and a $12 wok that I bought from the asian market. I use them for everything.
As mentioned, season it and never use soap. You'll give it to your grandkids, if you have any.
-A
Itchy McGoo wrote:I would like to be a "shoop-shoop" girl in whatever band Alex Maiolo is in.
Good heavy skillet?
8I was just looking through our roommate's copy of "Cook's Illustrated," and the Sept./Oct. issue has an article about testing cast-iron skillets. Lodge Logic 12" was highly recommended, with The Camp Chef SK-12 being rated the "Best Buy."
Check out the article if you're interested. I would imagine that issue is still for sale.
Check out the article if you're interested. I would imagine that issue is still for sale.
"To be stupid, selfish, and have good health are three requirements for happiness, though if stupidity is lacking, all is lost."
-Gustave Flaubert
-Gustave Flaubert
Good heavy skillet?
9Everybody's right. Cast-iron pan -- got mine for $3 at a crappy antique shop and cleaned it up with steel wool. Wouldn't part with it, but if I had to, I'd go find another crappy one, and clean *it* up with steel wool.
And Mandroid is absolutely right about getting All-Clad stuff at TJ Maxx and places like that. They might have a different brand name on them, and say "by All-Clad" on the box somewhere. Mine say "Emeril" and are made by All-Clad.
So, if your budget is $1 to $12: cast-iron pan (which you should have, anyway).
If your budget is $80+: full set of sweet All-Clad pots and pans.
Since the holiday season is coming up, I recommend you get the cast-iron pan now, and gun for the All-Clad by dropping hints to your family and friends.
And Mandroid is absolutely right about getting All-Clad stuff at TJ Maxx and places like that. They might have a different brand name on them, and say "by All-Clad" on the box somewhere. Mine say "Emeril" and are made by All-Clad.
So, if your budget is $1 to $12: cast-iron pan (which you should have, anyway).
If your budget is $80+: full set of sweet All-Clad pots and pans.
Since the holiday season is coming up, I recommend you get the cast-iron pan now, and gun for the All-Clad by dropping hints to your family and friends.
Good heavy skillet?
10YardDancer wrote:Hash browns are tough. Try lightly rinsing them before subjecting them to the frying pan -- stripping off some of that starch can help keep them from sticking all over.
Starch is a pain to deal with. I learned this from making latkes: first, stick with Russets. They're the least problematic. Second, shred the potatoes into a bowl of ice water and drain in a colander. Third, use more oil the less "scattered" you want them in order to seal the potato shreds together. You can always drain the oil off, but if you want your hash browns to come out like crab cakes (or of you're actually making crab cakes) you need at least 1/3" of oil in the pan.