Cooking gear

Discussion in 'Food and Drink' started by fraggler, Sep 11, 2018.

  1. perogie

    perogie Facebook Friend

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    It was either that or maybe even Swedish, no more specifics given outside of that. Its not a bad steel but does lose it edge quicker than the aogami super.
     
  2. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    I’m a carbon steel convert now.

    A few years ago I moved into an apartment with an induction range so I was looking for pans that worked well with it. I got a few non-stick pans and a big Mafter carbon steel crepe pan. All the non-sticks (except one) are garbage now and the Mafter is most non-stick of all of them

    while I like enameled cookware, you can’t really abuse them like carbon steel and unenamled cast iron. One of the main advantages of this kind of pan with full metal handle is the flexibility of using them on the stove, oven or even the grill. Something I really like are the paella style pans with short handles. They easily fit in the oven or grill and on a stove with several pans going at once, the handles don’t get in the way. Any foreseeable problems can be fixed

    The only real problem with the Mafter with an induction range is seasoning the underside. It makes direct contact with the surface and can get the surface gross. I highly recommend initial seasoning done outside on a gas burner or at someone else house who has an induction range. The paella pans were not an issue since they fit in the oven just fine.

    along with this I have an exterior enameled cast iron pan which is perfect for an induction range. It’s very smooth and glides across the surface and solves the seasoning issue I had with the Mafter. The unenamled interior is something I don’t have to worry about damaging. I think this was exactly what @Armaegis was looking for on the first page. Also found an enameled sauce pan at Lidl for 15€ which I got specifically so I can deep fry with a small quantity of oil. The all metal lid also means it can go in the oven for confit
     
  3. mitochondrium

    mitochondrium Friend

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    Seems like induction is a thing almost anywhere. I do prefer gas. One of the things I got used to living abroad. I even had a gas oven fitted into my apartment when I came back to Germany. Unfortunately that was only possible in the first apartment I moved to. People in Germany are afraid of gas in the kitchen. Just found out that the oven in the apartment in France we will go to has induction :(
    Back on topic cast iron all the way enamelled or not. Copper isn’t bad either but very pricey.
     
  4. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    My parents have had induction cooktops for the past decade. I both like and dislike them.

    I like how quickly they heat up and their fine control over the heat, and the safety factor it offers if you have a crowded kitchen and occasionally need the cooktop space for prep work. My main gripes are the high pitched noises they can produce (really depends on the pans and placement), and their low reliability. I've had to replace my parents' cooktop twice now, on top of two other separate warranty repairs. The circuit boards that control the elements can overheat and burnout. Some cooktops have a little fan built in to cool them, but if you have a crowded cabinet underneath with little airflow (ie: almost all cabinets do not have any airflow to speak of) or if you tend to cook for long periods of time, then burnout of the circuitry is inevitable.
     
  5. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    We have a very sketchy setup where the induction range is stacked on some plates on a cabinet. It does have a fan though and lots of air flow, which I see as a good thing now from Armaegis explanation

    I’ve spent a few years with induction and these are some pros and cons I have

    Pros-

    Safety: Only the pan itself gets hot. The lack of an open flame or exposed heating element not only means I don’t burn myself badly, but I don’t have to worry about oil catching fire if I managed to spill some or bubbles over from deep frying. One of my kids has taken an interest in cooking and it’s a lot easier to leave him at the stove without the open flame

    clean up: By far the easiest to clean up. Just a flat surface and due to the lack of heat source, there isn’t really any oil cooked on to the surface. No need to use aggressive oven cleaners or disassembly

    integrated timers: This might not be specific to induction but I haven’t seen it elsewhere. Every single burner has a timer that will automatically shutoff the stove and I use them constantly. Both to avoid overcooking but also as a general purpose timer to keep track of how many minutes have passed for a particular step. Even when I don’t need one at all I still use them because there’s been a couple times I have just forgot to turn off the stove and the timer does it for me if I happen to leave it

    braising or stews: This is somewhat related to safety but if you make an hours long soup stock or braise, you are not supposed to leave it unattended. Although I have regularly let something cook while I was at work or sleeping, I know I shouldn’t. With induction though I don’t have a problem worrying about the house burning down from making beef stock overnight. You can ignore this if you have an instapot or pressure cooker

    Using non cooking space: Adding on to what Armaegis mentioned, I can have a cutting board on an unused burner next to a pan I'm using and not worry about it getting charred

    Cons-

    no woks: This isn’t to say you can’t use induction with a wok but you need to get a specialized individual unit for it. Really though you should be doing wok cooking outdoors on a high BTU burner, but that’s a separate issue

    reduced cookware options: No copper or aluminum and definitely no LK-99. No stoneware like tajines too. They can all still be used but you will need an induction plaque that basically converts it to a standard electric stove. But then what's the point of copper if you aren't using it over an open flame?

    vibration: Armaegis mentioned a high pitched whine which I don’t really hear but I can see how that would be bothersome. What I do get though is a sort of vibration coupling that I can feel through the handle. With my cubital tunnel issues this has often caused numbness. This is mainly an issue with lighter pans as I haven’t noticed this as much with heavier cast iron or carbon steel

    trapped liquid under the pan: On a gas range if liquid goes over the side, it just drips down to the surface and the flame with vaporize or burn off whatever. With induction the liquid can get sandwiched between the underside and the pan. It happens a lot in the middle of cooking when I need to wipe off the surface which I would never do on a gas or electric range.

    I've been in a few homes where they have a mixed range that has a couple induction burners and a couple gas burners, which is something I would like at some point. But seeing that replacement is an issue I see no problem just getting countertop units instead of a total replacement. Which would be perfect for stuff like hot pot or KBBQ at home
     
  6. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    I have not bought a "non-stick" pan for a very, very long time, and I probably never will. I accept that modern coatings are more effective and more resilient (less poisonous?) than the original teflon, but I just don't see the need.

    I have a mild steel frying pan for omelettes etc. It is totally dependent on its seasoning to keep it stick and rust free, but it has the layers of decades so that is not a problem.

    Most of my other stuff is simply stainless.

    I've recently started using a couple of three-ply stainless pans. The heat distribution really is superior. My three-ply frying pan cooks evenly over its whole surface.

    For a milk pan its a mixed blessing. When making my evening cocoa, it heats quicker, but it does indeed cook from the sides as well as the bottom, and requires constant stirring to remove the chocolate.
     
  7. dasman66

    dasman66 Self proclaimed lazy ass - friend

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    Lodge's cast iron wok is flat bottom on the exterior, traditional shape on the cooking side. My son love's his...
     
  8. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    There’s a lot of different ways of seasoning a pan but I think the potato peel method produces the best results

    IMG_5443.jpeg

    The bottom is BLACK after a single session! I usually season in the oven and it’s never this good

    I’m going to do a second coat to get a bit more surface and then I’m good for awhile
     
  9. bobboxbody

    bobboxbody Friend

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    If anyone does want to venture into the blasphemous world of non-stick frying pans, I got some Vollrath Wear-Ever fry pans for my last cafe and they worked so well that I got the 8, 12, and 14" for my house. I got them at the restaurant supply store, but amazon is pretty close in price. 3-4 years of constant use and they still rinse clean with cold water, much easier than my old well seasoned Lodge. I do take care in storing them, so that no metal is resting or scraping on the coating, and I doubt they'll last last long as my grandad's Lodge, but they're very convenient and oven safe. They may be slowly poisoning me, but I can't feel it so it's not real.
     
  10. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    Thanks for that! I have a Matfer pan incoming and was trying to decide between the oven method or potato skin method. I also have some flaxseed oil incoming which is supposed to produce a harder finish.

    Buuuuut... isn't the ceramic coating technically a non-stick coating? I haven't heard of Volrath pans before, though they look interesting.
     
  11. bobboxbody

    bobboxbody Friend

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    It is in fact non-stick, hence the blasphemy.
     
  12. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    Definitely do it outside if possible because it gets smoky.

    I would do a bit more reading on flaxseed as there is a lot of discussion online about whether it’s a good oil to use. There’s no doubt it does give a smooth finish, but it doesn't seem very durable
     
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  13. JK47

    JK47 Friend

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    I've tried flax seed oil, had to eventually redo the entire pan, because It chips easily compared to other oils/fats.
     
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  14. dasman66

    dasman66 Self proclaimed lazy ass - friend

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    Similar experience as @JK47, never had a good experience with flaxseed oil seasoning, I've found it to flake and chip way too easily
     
  15. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    I had read similar online. I'm thinking I might try it anyways but using the salt and potato skins to get thin seasoning layer and see how that goes. The few times I've tried the oven method I got splotchy chippy results regardless.
     
  16. fastfwd

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    I didn't know about them, either, but when our local three-star restaurant closed last year we got some of their Vollrath Centurion. Heavy pieces, obviously for a commercial kitchen, but REALLY well made: 14 gauge steel, welded handles, etc.

    Had no idea that Vollrath also made nonstick aluminum cookware. The nonstick interior coating on my Calphalon Premier pans is still going strong, but the exterior coating on the bottom is worn off and they're starting to look a little beat up overall. Plus, I've never really liked their handles. @bobboxbody, are you familiar enough with Calphalon to compare to the Wear-Ever?
     
  17. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    As I was making quick scrambled egg yesterday, the thought crossed my mind that that might be the one thing I'd use a non-stick pan for! :eek:
     
  18. bobboxbody

    bobboxbody Friend

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    Sorry, I've never used Calphalon, most of my experience is in commercial kitchens, where it was mainly steel cookware and oil. At home I used cast iron or cheap junk non-stick for everything until I got the non-stick vollrath and some le cruset dutch ovens. I use the dutch ovens and vollrath for everything now.
     
  19. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    Tried the flaxseed + potato skins method on my new Matfer carbon steel pan... This is two applications. Meh?

    My stovetop really sucks for heating. It's slow, and it's especially noticeable trying to heat up this pan because it can't even get the sides hot.
    upload_2023-8-16_19-42-52.jpeg
     
  20. dasman66

    dasman66 Self proclaimed lazy ass - friend

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    Is that an electric/resistance stovetop? If so, I've never had any success trying to season pans on those (same problem you're having). I have to use the oven (typically set at 500 for an hour)
     

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