Caring for cast iron, nonstick and stainless pans, and the handful of tools worth having.
Caring for pans
Which pan suits which job is in Stovetop Cooking. Caring for each:
- Cast iron: wash with hot water and a brush or a little soap (modern soap won't strip seasoning), dry it on the burner, and rub in a few drops of oil while it's warm. Never soak it. If it rusts, scrub the rust off, then oil it and bake it upside down at 450°F (230°C) for an hour.
- Stainless steel: dishwasher-safe. For stuck-on bits, simmer a little water in the pan and scrape; a paste of Bar Keepers Friend or baking soda removes stains.
- Nonstick: medium heat or below, never preheated empty on high. Use wood or silicone tools and wash by hand with a soft sponge. Replace it when the coating scratches or flakes.
- Enameled cast iron: don't heat it empty on high or plunge it hot into cold water, which can crack the enamel. Soak to loosen stuck food.
Tools worth having
- An instant-read thermometer: the single biggest step up for cooking meat. See the doneness chart.
- A kitchen scale: more accurate than cups for baking, and fewer dishes.
- Sheet pans (rimmed half-sheet pans, 18×13 inches (46×33 cm)): roasting, baking, everything.
- A large cutting board that doesn't slide, and a separate one for raw meat.
- Tongs, a flat spatula (fish spatula) and a wooden spoon.
- A Dutch oven: soups, braises, bread, deep-frying.
- A big pot for pasta and stock, and a medium saucepan with a lid for grains and sauces.
- Measuring cups and spoons, a whisk, a colander, and a microplane for zest, garlic and hard cheese.
This app's Cooking Timer runs several labeled timers at once, and the Oven Time Converter adjusts cook times for a different oven temperature.