Wondering what cookware you really need? Here's a list of essential pots and pans that I consider essential for any home cook. It comes with a large set of pots and pans: cast iron skillet, saucepan, Dutch oven, wok and stock pot, and cast iron griddle. For more information about imarku cookware visit their website.
This inexpensive classic is my favorite. I have three sizes: 5", 8" and 10" and use at least one almost every day. One of the best things about cast iron is that it retains heat really well and distributes it evenly, so you get efficient and consistent results.
Another thing I like about them is that cast iron skillets can also be used as non-stick pans if seasoned properly (meaning they can replace #3 and #4). To keep them nicely seasoned, simply wash them in hot water (no soap), return them immediately to the stove to dry on heat until all the moisture has evaporated, then occasionally wipe with a little vegetable oil on a paper towel.
Saucepans are essential cooking utensils. This is you must have liquid kitchen. You can use this pan for everything a pan can't: soups, pasta and rice, hot cereal, vegetables (steam if you have a steamer), sauces, custards and puddings, gravies, purees and more. It's the kitchen workhorse you probably use every day (often multiple times a day).
Heating performance and durability: As with all types of pans, you want a durable pan with good heating properties.
Having said that, pans don't need to be as durable as pans because cooking with liquids isn't as hard on the cooker as cooking with oil.
Also, heating performance is not as important as a frying pan because liquids spread heat by natural convection. So even if the heating happens naturally, the amount of aluminum and/or copper in the pan is not that important.
Best for a Dutch Oven: Any food that needs a high heat sear followed by gentle, even cooking—slowly cooked, like stews, carne adovada, or better than Chipotle's barbacoa. It's also great in soups like spicy pork and green peppers, corn soup and hearty snail and barley. Of course, a Dutch oven is great for making chili like Best Ever and Texas-Style Bolognese Chili. This is a chili machine.
Good heating performance is essential, but in the case of a Dutch oven, the factors for achieving good heating are slightly different.
First, cast iron construction works a little differently than clad stainless steel. Cast iron won't heat up as quickly or evenly (compared to aluminum in clad stainless steel cookware), but once it's heated, it holds heat very well. That's why it's perfect for oven braising or even baking. For the same reasons, it is an excellent frying vessel.
Another reason Dutch ovens need cast iron is that the lid is heavy. The ample weight allows the lid to fit snugly compared to lighter stainless steel lids. This means that enameled cast iron pans lose less liquid and are the perfect vessel for stews.
As far as durability goes, the cast iron construction makes it a must. Less expensive enameled cast irons may require more careful handling, as the enamel is more prone to chipping. But overall, these pots are tough as nails: they take a lot of use and abuse, and last for decades.
Frying or not, the wok is one of the most versatile tools in the kitchen and a requirement when considering essential pots and pans. It's by far the best deep fryer container; its generous shape and large capacity make it easy to fit a lot of food in it, with minimal contact and oil use, and very little hot oil splattering on the stovetop (or worse, overflow) hazard. You can also smoke, stew and steam in it. This is perfect for vegetables and many vegans use a wok.
Although you may have heard elsewhere that a pan is a better vessel for sautéing on a western stove, this is not true. When tasted side-by-side, stir-fries in cast-iron pans taste significantly better than stir-fries in a skillet due to the shape and material of the wok and the way the heat transfers heat. (Woks have a larger heat area above and around the actual cooking surface, helping to produce that familiar smoky wok-black flavor that a pan can't achieve.)
Cons: Wok pans don't work well on electric or induction cooktops. take notes.
Grill pans are used on stove tops and have ridges similar to grill grates. These ridges give food an attractive grill mark, and they also drain fat. Cook almost anything you would normally cook on the grill in the grill pan, such as chicken, vegetables, kebabs, and even fruit. We prefer grill pans made of cast iron because it conducts heat well and cooks food evenly. To "grill" for a crowd, choose a pan that fits two burners.
