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Using the same pan to cook multiple times?

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My dad cleaned a cast iron pan with dirt when we were camping. Rinsed it with water, but as a kid I was like WTF, that's dirt?

Used it like comet.
 
But it's not a lot of work if you just have a few supplies. Either a towel or a countertop rack to dry the dishes that you clean with soap, water and a dish brush. Heck, you really don't even need the soap since bacteria will most likely be killed. You just need to have a couple of things, and it will only take you like 20-30 seconds to clean your pan. You're making it out to be a bigger deal than it actually is.

Washing up liquid has fuck all anti-bacterial activity, it's just there to make it easier to wash food off of dishes. The bacteria grows in the food residue so you wash that off, bacteria isn't really going to want to grow on just a plain metal, plastic, ceramic or whatever surface.

In regards to a pan, it doesn't really matter. If you wash up as soon as you are done cooking then the food doesn't dry onto the pan and it will easily rinse out straight away. This reduces the chance of you leaving food residue behind after washing, but any bacteria that grows in that will be killed the next time you use it anyway.
 
Here: Buy these:

Pan set:

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Kitchen Starter Set

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dish drying rack

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Under $100 for all of it.

Cookware is just like anything else, you can spend as much as you want for pieces. Just start basic, learn a few recipes, and replace your starter equipment as needed

THANK YOU for the links. I still have yet to receive my cookbook, but specific links are incredibly helpful instead of people just telling you to get this and that.

You can see why cooking is intimidating to newbies though. One second their kitchen is empty except for a microwave, and the next second it's filled with the above.

I'm still not sure about manually cleaning things though. I'm trying to make this as less work as possible...but maybe it'll be necessary if I want to cook often.
 
THANK YOU for the links. I still have yet to receive my cookbook, but specific links are incredibly helpful instead of people just telling you to get this and that.

You can see why cooking is intimidating to newbies though. One second their kitchen is empty except for a microwave, and the next second it's filled with the above.

I'm still not sure about manually cleaning things though. I'm trying to make this as less work as possible...but maybe it'll be necessary if I want to cook often.

My mother never cooked for me. Literally never cooked a meal. So I remember what you're going through.

It's really easy once you get the hang of the basics. Start with easy recipes, and find what you enjoy cooking. At least once or twice a month try to make something new. Within a few months you'll find that you can cook a wide variety of meals.

Invite people over and have a dinner and board games night or something along those lines. It will show you how enjoyable cooking can be.

Teflon will give you cancer.

Everything gives you cancer.
 
You can see why cooking is intimidating to newbies though. One second their kitchen is empty except for a microwave, and the next second it's filled with the above.

That's the absolute most frustrating thing about cooking, I must say. It's so disheartening that if you cook all the time your kitchen is pretty much guaranteed to look good for only a couple hours at max every day. You just have to get used to it.

I'm still not sure about manually cleaning things though. I'm trying to make this as less work as possible...but maybe it'll be necessary if I want to cook often.

There are some strategies you'll gain to cut back on some of the dishes after cooking the same meal a few times. And as others have said, you should wash dishes during the down time, and this gets easier once you're more familiar with the recipes.
 
lodge-skillet.jpg


Everyone needs a Cast Iron Skillet. Ever since I got mine I have not used any other Skillet. I use it on the stove and in the oven for baking, truly a jack of all trades. It's a Lodge which is one of the oldest brands and I got it for under $20 from Wal-Mart and it will easily outlive me.
 
Korey's posts in this thread are coming dangerously close to me putting someone on ignore for the first time in over a decade. If these comments are at all serious, then you are literally too stupid to be around hot, sharp, electrical anythings in a kitchen and I would suggest that you either go live in a padded cell or return to the presumably privileged life from whence you came -- what kid didn't have to wash some goddamn dishes a few times a week?

Here: Buy these:

This is an absurd disaster of [very low quality] kitchen wares for any price; ones that will largely serve to take up space and nothing else.
 
If anyone reads this my idea for a thread still stands:

Cooking for Beginners

Once a month, a volunteer cook (titled GAF Master Chef) makes a thread ie [Cooking for Beginners - May 2012] where they make one easy to follow along dish, with photos for each step, with ingredients and equipment at the beginning.

At the end of the thread would be links to all previous CfB threads so the recipes can get more advanced as it progresses and people can start from the first thread if they're learning how to cook.

The volunteer cook can stop at any time, someone else can pick it up for the following months, etc.

In the current month thread, the cook can give us some choice recipes for next month's thread and we can all vote on it.
 
This is an absurd disaster of [very low quality] kitchen wares for any price; ones that will largely serve to take up space and nothing else.

Yeah I agree, plus it`s going to result in him having more things to have to clean.
 
If anyone reads this my idea for a thread still stands:

Cooking for Beginners

Once a month, a volunteer cook (titled GAF Master Chef) makes a thread ie [Cooking for Beginners - May 2012] where they make one easy to follow along dish, with photos for each step, with ingredients and equipment at the beginning.

At the end of the thread would be links to all previous CfB threads so the recipes can get more advanced as it progresses and people can start from the first thread if they're learning how to cook.

The volunteer cook can stop at any time, someone else can pick it up for the following months, etc.

In the current month thread, the cook can give us some choice recipes for next month's thread and we can all vote on it.

Youtube has some really good recipe channels that walk you through all of the steps.
 
That's how iron skillets are supposed to be treated, though.

What? No way, is that really true? I dont care what its made of, soap and water man. That sounds gross. Reminds me of a thread (perhaps here on GAF or maybe another forum) where people claimed they never washed their dark colored blue jeans. LOL, insanity.
 
Do you have any better suggestions then?



Grilled cheese sandwich, fried eggs, bacon.

One of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L10SK3-12-Inch-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet/dp/B00006JSUB/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1333859722&sr=1-2

One of these:
http://www.amazon.com/T-Fal-Professional-Total-Nonstick-2-Inch/dp/B000GWG0T2/ref=sr_1_16?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1333859808&sr=1-16

Probably shouldn`t get too fancy with your first frying pans, because you`ll probably destroy it pretty quickly. This one`s not bad and somewhat cheap.

I`m not sure about pots, depends on how many people you typically cook for.


What? No way, is that really true? I dont care what its made of, soap and water man. That sounds gross. Reminds me of a thread (perhaps here on GAF or maybe another forum) where people claimed they never washed their dark colored blue jeans. LOL, insanity.

Uhhh no. Cast iron skillets do not need soap. Soap absolutely ruins them. The pan is coated in a fused layer of oil, which bacteria do not like to grow on. That and the whole thing gets heated through every time you use it so it`s going to kill everything on it anyways.
 
Grilled cheese sandwich, fried eggs, bacon.

Honestly, buy some cheap shit shit from your local grocery story. Once you start cooking you'll be better able to think about what you want in your next set of cooking stuff. It's a long process. Enjoy it, and don't get too fat.
 
What? No way, is that really true? I dont care what its made of, soap and water man. That sounds gross. Reminds me of a thread (perhaps here on GAF or maybe another forum) where people claimed they never washed their dark colored blue jeans. LOL, insanity.

Using mild soap on your cast iron skillet is fine, and it's going to help remove food residues that can cause bacteria to grow. When you DO wash it though, you need to oil it after drying it, and you should never use abrasives on the pan unless you plan on re-seasoning it.
 
Costco is great for teflon pans. They usually have 3 packs of a small, medium, and large set for $20-$25 of good quality.

Seriously though piece together what you need the most first. Trying to get everything at once will get you crap.
 
Uhhh no. Cast iron skillets do not need soap. Soap absolutely ruins them. The pan is coated in a fused layer of oil, which bacteria do not like to grow on. That and the whole thing gets heated through every time you use it so it`s going to kill everything on it anyways.
Using mild soap on your cast iron skillet is fine, and it's going to help remove food residues that can cause bacteria to grow. When you DO wash it though, you need to oil it after drying it, and you should never use abrasives on the pan unless you plan on re-seasoning it.



This is blowing my mind. I don't own any, but its just hard to imagine that its safe to do that. Learn something new everyday.
 
Costco is great for teflon pans. They usually have 3 packs of a small, medium, and large set for $20-$25 of good quality.

Seriously though piece together what you need the most first. Trying to get everything at once will get you crap.

Don't do it. Get cast iron. It's just as nonstick and far more versatile.

This is blowing my mind. I don't own any, but its just hard to imagine that its safe to do that. Learn something new everyday.

I only clean my cast iron with hot water and a plastic brush. That is all you need. Spray on a quick layer of oil when you clean it. By far the best pan you will ever own. Cast Iron is the only thing you can properly sear meat on and then transfer to the oven to finish off.
 
This is blowing my mind. I don't own any, but its just hard to imagine that its safe to do that. Learn something new everyday.

You scrub out all the food particles. All that's left is just a thin layer of fat in the porous surface of the metal and slightly above it.

You could theoretically end up with rancid fat in the pan if you somehow left too much in there and didn't use it for a long time, but that doesn't happen in practice (and even that wouldn't actually be dangerous).
 
I only clean my cast iron with hot water and a plastic brush. That is all you need. Spray on a quick layer of oil when you clean it. By far the best pan you will ever own. Cast Iron is the only thing you can properly sear meat on and then transfer to the oven to finish off.

Yup, you make the best steaks with cast iron. No contest.
 
Don't do it. Get cast iron. It's just as nonstick and far more versatile.



I only clean my cast iron with hot water and a plastic brush. That is all you need. Spray on a quick layer of oil when you clean it. By far the best pan you will ever own. Cast Iron is the only thing you can properly sear meat on and then transfer to the oven to finish off.

I'm with you, I was just giving him the cancer option.
 
If anyone reads this my idea for a thread still stands:

Cooking for Beginners

Once a month, a volunteer cook (titled GAF Master Chef) makes a thread ie [Cooking for Beginners - May 2012] where they make one easy to follow along dish, with photos for each step, with ingredients and equipment at the beginning.

At the end of the thread would be links to all previous CfB threads so the recipes can get more advanced as it progresses and people can start from the first thread if they're learning how to cook.

The volunteer cook can stop at any time, someone else can pick it up for the following months, etc.

In the current month thread, the cook can give us some choice recipes for next month's thread and we can all vote on it.

That wouldn't be a bad idea. Get people to offer tips and encourage experimenting with the recipe in the OP.

I think it needs a gimmick though. Like a prize for best/worst looking attempt.


This is blowing my mind. I don't own any, but its just hard to imagine that its safe to do that. Learn something new everyday.

Assuming you wipe it down after every time you cook, it should be fine. Things like butter never rot precisely because there's nothing for bacteria to eat. Although it can eventually get oxidized but I think that takes years.
 
I'm getting started in cooking and the problem is that I only have two pans to cook with. For people who cook often (like every day), do you reuse a pan after cooking with it once? It should be ok since you're killing the bacteria when you cook right?

Otherwise what do you do? Do you run the dishwasher after every time you cook?

The fuck?
 
Cast iron requires more maintenance and care. That makes them a poor choice for a novice chef.

If you get a preseasoned pan the only "maintenance" is scrubbing it with only hot water and a plastic brush or non abrasive material and spraying some vegetable oil on it. I wouldn't say that is tough...

The benefits far outweigh any cons. Not only do you get extra Iron in every meal but the versatility of it makes it king. I can make stir fry in it, burgers, deep frying, cook a pan pizza in the oven, sear and throw a steak in the oven all on the same pan, cornbread and general baking. It's by far the best route.
 
Do you have any better suggestions then?

I'm willing to bet the vast majority of people who buy those huge sets of pots, pans, and utensils will rarely use most of the pieces because they are far too task-specific when a quality all-purpose alternative will generally do as good a job, if not better.

Have a decent-sized skillet/frying pan; if it's oven-safe (entirely stainless steel or cast iron, for example) then even better. You've just saved yourself from having to buy a separate roasting pan because, as a single male, you are unlikely to be making any elaborate roasts, Thanksgiving turkeys, and so on.

Have a medium or large pot with a lid. You will boil water for pasta. You will make chili and soup. If you are drunk and living on the edge, you may want to make tomato sauce.

Have a good chef's knife. A pairing knife. A heat-resistant rubber spatula, a flat spatula for turning/flipping things (do not use a metal one in a non-stick pan - this is called "common sense"), a large slotted spoon, a cutting board. Get a few mixing bowls of various sizes. A set of measuring cups and spoons will be vaguely useful to start and necessary eventually.

Honestly, there isn't a lot more a person needs to cook a tremendous variety of meals. And for cryin' out loud, learn to wash dishes. There is no legitimate reason for single male dinner clean-up to take more than five minutes from start to finish.
 
If you get a preseasoned pan the only "maintenance" is scrubbing it with only hot water and a plastic brush or non abrasive material and spraying some vegetable oil on it. I wouldn't say that is tough...

Yeah, but this guy can't even figure out how to wash dishes. And he finds that to be a lot of work.
 
OP, just watch the Food Network/Cooking Channel/PBS Cooking channel. That's how I learned. If you pay attention, you will learn tons.

America's Test Kitchen, Good Eats, Rachel Ray's shows, are all beginner friendly.
 

i'm pretty sure I saw that on an infomercial last year

EDIT: one of the amazon reviews:

the first thing i made was an egg. I did discover that when making eggs, you have to let the pan get hot. the eggs did stick to the pan, but after awhile it released. So now i now to let the pan get hot, before putting eggs in them. I ordered the 8 inch pan, now i have the 10 inch as well. Im alone so they are great for me. the 12" is very large. Good for larger families. So far Im very happy with them, and it is in my FAVORITE COLOR :)

This is exactly what cooking an egg on a HOT stainless still pan looks like, so what's so great about it?
 
i'm pretty sure I saw that on an infomercial last year

EDIT: one of the amazon reviews:



This is exactly what cooking an egg on a HOT stainless still pan looks like, so what's so great about it?

There's nothing great about it. It's just nonstick without teflon. For the record eggs don't stick to mine, I guess there's quality issues looking at those reviews. I got it as a gift so I didn't have to pay for it :p
 
I don't have a sponge and dishwashing soap...


Ask your parents to buy you them. Sheesh.


lodge-skillet.jpg


Everyone needs a Cast Iron Skillet. Ever since I got mine I have not used any other Skillet. I use it on the stove and in the oven for baking, truly a jack of all trades. It's a Lodge which is one of the oldest brands and I got it for under $20 from Wal-Mart and it will easily outlive me.

Cast iron have their place and they are sturdy but once you get a good non-stick pan for eggs and a 12-inch sautee pan the only thing you use them for is steaks and big cuts.

I think what people like most of them is that they are cheap.
 
Just wash that stuff off right after use and let it dry on the oven. What's the big deal?


I don't have a sponge and dishwashing soap...

What? God I was taught to scrub the shit out of plates and pans before even putting them in the dishwasher.
 
something else possibly unsanitary you can do is leave pizza out. Which helps not kill the flavour. It's too salty for bacteria/fungus to grown on for a while. You can leave one out for a week and it'll be fine. Although I find they get too dehydrated after a couple of days.
 
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