Viking/le creuset

[Renault78law]

Originally Posted by Violinist

I'm returning the non-stick and will get the regular one.

How long does it usually take to season them, and how do I clean then after use for the best effect? I'f you've cooked with onion or other things which like to stick, do you scrub a bit? Thanks a lot, I appreciate it.

By "regular one" are you referring to stainless or cast-iron? Most cast-iron stuff comes pre-seasoned these days. If you're curious, you can search the net for seasoning instructions - it involves a light coating of a neutral oil and low temperature baking. Regarding cleaning, you're not supposed to use soap, just a brush, or perhaps water and a brush. No big deal if you use soap, you'll just have to re-season.

 

[antirabbit]

To clarify, the non-stick surface is a fluorinated polymer, which, when the polymer begins to decompose, releases fluorine, and can also contain Hydrofluoric acid, which very very nasty ****, deadly in a concentrated form (like if you light teflon on fire). Once exposed to it, there is nothing you can do.

Stay with stainless.

For chefs knives, I have wustohff, a few french in carbon steel, but I seem to always use my Global knives the most.
I have what is called a vegetable knife, which is like a chef's knife crossed with a santoku, a 8 inch chefs and a 10 inch chefs. I use the vegetable knife 75% of the time.
The german knives get heavy, and are not nearly as sharp as the japanese globals. Globals are easy to hone if you understand you hone at a different angle, they are super light and feel good in the hand, and I can shave with them if needed.
They are not too pricey either.

 

[Manton]

I bought some Shun knives for my dad. They are WAY sharper than any German knives I have ever used. The handles are lame, otherwise I would get some for myself.

 

[antirabbit]

Global has integrated handles, they are of the same steel, with dimples for grip.
I have used shun, but I find the blades cumbersome, better than German, but not as nimble as Global.

Ok, here is a secret.
MAC knives. They kick ass. Not very expensive, japanese, very very sharp, very light, and very well made.

 

[aarghh]

For a similar product to Le Creuset, try Staub - I find they are usually cheaper. I use the 4 Qt La Cocotte for braising.

 

[Violinist]

What about Kershaw knives?

 

[Violinist]

Originally Posted by Renault78law

By "regular one" are you referring to stainless or cast-iron? Most cast-iron stuff comes pre-seasoned these days. If you're curious, you can search the net for seasoning instructions - it involves a light coating of a neutral oil and low temperature baking. Regarding cleaning, you're not supposed to use soap, just a brush, or perhaps water and a brush. No big deal if you use soap, you'll just have to re-season.

http://citychef.ca/xcart/customer/pr...cat=402&page=1

that one...

Also, I was never interested in a perfect finish. In fact I just wanted to do how I can wash the stuff without spoinling the seasoned pan, and keeping everything hygenic.

Copper stuff is a total pain. We have it at our house and it needs constant maintenance, not to mention the fact that it's all hideously expensive.

 

[Violinist]

Originally Posted by Manton

Chef's knives are too thick to be good slicers. For that, I use an 8" slicer. To get (say) really thin onion slices, this is essential. This knife can also be used as a .

Well to get really thin onion slices is precisely what you have a santoku for. I think there is sense in an 8" chef and a santoku, because for fine chopping, the rocking motion of a chef knife makes far more sense than using a santoku like some sort of spazz on iron chef. I'm sure it's possible, but I'd rather not get carpel tunnel.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I see a great deal of sense in a Santoku for vegetables and Chef for finer chopping (herbs, shallots etc...). An 8" slicer also seems to make some sense. I do like pot roasts so I will add one to the fold. Do you think a carver is much more effective than just a regular slicer?

How do you guys keep your knives?

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by Violinist

Well to get really thin onion slices is precisely what you have a santoku for. I think there is sense in an 8" chef and a santoku, because for fine chopping, the rocking motion of a chef knife makes far more sense than using a santoku like some sort of spazz on iron chef. I'm sure it's possible, but I'd rather not get carpel tunnel. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I see a great deal of sense in a Santoku for vegetables and Chef for finer chopping (herbs, shallots etc...). An 8" slicer also seems to make some sense. I do like pot roasts so I will add one to the fold. Do you think a carver is much more effective than just a regular slicer? How do you guys keep your knives?
I am going to disagree here. While I have a large collection of knives (big surprise), I find that I can do absolutly anything that I would ever need to do in a kitchen using just my chefs knife and my paring knife. Having worked in a high end professional kitchen I can attest to the fact that almost all work is done with these two knives. As far as cookware goes, we have a bunch of Bourgeat copper that we have collected over the years. There is no question that other than for frying pans, copper is the best material. For skillets we use professional grade nonstick because they are cheap, easy and disposable. If I need to get a good crust on a piece of meat, I just use a large copper saute pan instead.

 

[Violinist]

Originally Posted by iammatt

I am going to disagree here. While I have a large collection of knives (big surprise), I find that I can do absolutly anything that I would ever need to do in a kitchen using just my chefs knife and my paring knife. Having worked in a high end professional kitchen I can attest to the fact that almost all work is done with these two knives.

You're probably right. I am going to try to take a few classes in knife technique. Maybe I just like having many knives...

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by Violinist

You're probably right. I am going to try to take a few classes in knife technique. Maybe I just like having many knives...
It is like anything else, when you have the right technique and a lot of practice under your belt, you don't need a boat load of tools. I have a huge collection of knives, they just aren't that useful.

 

[Manton]

I don't have a Santuko but I've used one. An ordinary slicer can get things thin enough for me. Plus, granton edges are notoriously delicate and hard to sharpen. Screw them up and the knife is unfixable.

Copper is nice, but hard to clean and heavy. I have four, and I haul them out pretty rarely.

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by Manton

Copper is nice, but hard to clean and heavy. I have four, and I haul them out pretty rarely.

Yeah, that is why they aren't any good as frying pans, but with saucepans etc, you don't need to move them around too much. I don't find them difficult to clean, but they exist in a constant state of unpolishedness.

 

[Manton]

Yeah, I meant the ouside. The inside is stainless, which is easy to clean. With All Clad, you can get the outside reasonably decent looking. Copper will look like hell.

Oddly, there is one veal recipe I do that only seems to work in my copper skillet. That's the only time I ever use it.

 

[caelte]

Originally Posted by Renault78law

By "regular one" are you referring to stainless or cast-iron? Most cast-iron stuff comes pre-seasoned these days. If you're curious, you can search the net for seasoning instructions - it involves a light coating of a neutral oil and low temperature baking. Regarding cleaning, you're not supposed to use soap, just a brush, or perhaps water and a brush. No big deal if you use soap, you'll just have to re-season.
Jeez, if you can't season an iron pan you shouldn't be handling knives. I rented a house in Santa Fe for awhile that came stocked with Le Creuset, I really liked it. Clean it with a plastic scrubber. My own cookware is cast iron. My knives are cheap, but really, really sharp. Mainly a chef's knife and a really old carbon steel boning knife.