# If You Only Had One Pan.



## mr drinky (Apr 22, 2012)

If you only had one pan/pot, what would you choose? 

Mine would be my 8-quart all-clad stock pot. I use it easily 5+ times a week. And not only does it do pasta, soups, it tied as the top-rated dutch oven when Cook's Illustrated tested dutch ovens.

k.


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## tk59 (Apr 22, 2012)

So you can't have any cheapies along with it?


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## ajhuff (Apr 22, 2012)

My 8 qt Staub.

-AJ


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## ajhuff (Apr 22, 2012)

Actually I take that back. 15 or 20 qt stainless steel Centurion brazier. LOVE it!

-AJ


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## mr drinky (Apr 22, 2012)

tk59 said:


> So you can't have any cheapies along with it?



That's what friends are for... 

k.


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## Dave Martell (Apr 22, 2012)




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## Vertigo (Apr 22, 2012)

I can't name the steel or the maker so it's probably not much use, but I'd pick this this old junky soup pot I rescued from the restaurant a while back. Used it professionally for daily soups for years, so I have a sorta weird "zen" connection to it. It's kinda too big and heavy for practical home use, but it simply refuses to burn anything (even thick roux-heavy soups you walk away from) and I have, on occasion, used it to scramble eggs when I was too lazy to clean up the dishes.


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## sachem allison (Apr 23, 2012)

I have a 12 qt vintage 60's copco enameled dutch oven in bright orange w/lid that I found in a basement years ago. I love this thing, they are some of the best cast iron cookware you can find and you can use the lid as a frying pan.


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## Lars (Apr 23, 2012)

I have a smaller version of that Copco oven and love it.
The old stuff from Copco was made here in Denmark and is pretty easy to find at yard sales and second hand shops.

Lars


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## tk59 (Apr 23, 2012)

I'm gonna go against the grain and go with a 12" All clad or similar heavy stainless frying pan.


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## Deckhand (Apr 23, 2012)

I hate to admit this. I have Staub, Falk copper, etc, etc. but my non stick pan with a glass lid gets more use than any other cookware. http://www.surlatable.com/product/P...ainless-Steel-Nonstick-Skillet-with-Glass-Lid


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## sachem allison (Apr 23, 2012)

Lars said:


> I have a smaller version of that Copco oven and love it.
> The old stuff from Copco was made here in Denmark and is pretty easy to find at yard sales and second hand shops.
> 
> Lars



the vintage copco is so much better than the cheap mass produced stuff they make now. here in New york if you find them they are in design studios selling for hundreds of dollars not to be used just put on a shelf for some rich yuppie dufus to look at.


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## SameGuy (Apr 23, 2012)

I use my Calphalon Commercial Non-stick 12" covered omelet pan more than any other, but I'm disappointed in it. It has never seen high heat or abrupt temperature deltas, but it is warped. I will eventually take advantage of the warranty and possibly try out its replacement (the Unison "Slide" pan). But honestly, I'd rather get a Meyer commercial pan or their Circulon Infinite version. I have a 7-quart Infinite pot that is fantastic; it's the one with the strainer lid, and all I'd need is a non-strainer lid and it would be my most-used piece of cookware.


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## Lars (Apr 23, 2012)

sachem allison said:


> the vintage copco is so much better than the cheap mass produced stuff they make now. here in New york if you find them they are in design studios selling for hundreds of dollars not to be used just put on a shelf for some rich yuppie dufus to look at.



It is good quality, for sure.
I don't think I payed more than $10 for any of my Copco stuff.
..I guess the local yuppies haven't found out yet..

Lars


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## Justin0505 (Apr 23, 2012)

Lars said:


> It is good quality, for sure.
> I don't think I payed more than $10 for any of my Copco stuff.
> ..I guess the local yuppies haven't found out yet..
> 
> Lars



So when can us folks not living Denmark expect your first pot post in the B/S/T section.


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## Lars (Apr 23, 2012)

Justin,

I don't think I have enough posts to be allowed in the B/S/T forum..

Lars


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## tgraypots (Apr 23, 2012)

My carbon steel, flat bottomed wok would be my "one" pot.


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## shankster (Apr 23, 2012)

One pan= 12" deBuyer carbonne plus
One pot= 5.5 qrt Le Creuset dutch oven round


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## ajhuff (Apr 23, 2012)

sachem allison said:


> I have a 12 qt vintage 60's copco enameled dutch oven in bright orange w/lid that I found in a basement years ago. I love this thing, they are some of the best cast iron cookware you can find and you can use the lid as a frying pan.




One day I hope to inherit my parent's 1960 era Copco set.

-AJ


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## ajhuff (Apr 23, 2012)

Few if any home cooks have used one of these. I want one bad even if my home kitchen stove top is to small. But $300-$400! Seriously, the best work horse in the kitchen. Use 'em nearly every day.





-AJ


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## sw2geeks (Apr 23, 2012)

A wok, I guess it could also double as a helmet in this post one pot apocalypse:biggrin:


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## mano (Apr 23, 2012)

I usually find "If you only had one..." and "If you had to choose" questions irrelevant, for some reason this one is interesting: what pot/pan would potentially do it all?
My Le Creuset 9 qt. Dutch oven can do most everything, if necessary. Saute', braise, stocks, even fry eggs.


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## SpikeC (Apr 23, 2012)

So what is it??



ajhuff said:


> Few if any home cooks have used one of these. I want one bad even if my home kitchen stove top is to small. But $300-$400! Seriously, the best work horse in the kitchen. Use 'em nearly every day.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## apicius9 (Apr 23, 2012)

mano said:


> I usually find "If you only had one..." and "If you had to choose" questions irrelevant, for some reason this one is interesting: what pot/pan would potentially do it all?
> My Le Creuset 9 qt. Dutch oven can do most everything, if necessary. Saute', braise, stocks, even fry eggs.



The two pots that come to mind are the two I have on my list but don;t own, yet. The 9qt oval Le Creuset is one of them, a 12" Falk copper saute pan the other one.

Stefan


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## sachem allison (Apr 23, 2012)

SpikeC said:


> So what is it??



sautuese i believe, don't know the brand. Go to a restaurant supply and you might be able to find it for $100 to $150.


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## brainsausage (Apr 23, 2012)

ajhuff said:


> Few if any home cooks have used one of these. I want one bad even if my home kitchen stove top is to small. But $300-$400! Seriously, the best work horse in the kitchen. Use 'em nearly every day.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I was gonna say the same. Soups, sauces, stocks, caramelized onions, lardons, confit, starches... These guys rule. Heavy bottoms for even sear, or continuous sweating. High sides for easy manipulation of product. Good surface area for ruductions... My favorite hands down...


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## brainsausage (Apr 23, 2012)

SpikeC said:


> So what is it??



They're referred to as rondo's in the food service industry. I've never had to order one, so there may be a different supplier name for em. They really do rule tho, only pot/pan that's equally at home on the stove and in the oven. All the ones I've used were aluminum btw... And were a little shorter and had a thicker gauge.


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## cnochef (Apr 23, 2012)

My 9qt Le Creuset Dutch Oven, one can literally do everything with it: Saute, braise, make sauces and stocks, simmer rice or pasta, poach eggs, deep fry, roast, bake no knead bread, whatever!


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## SpikeC (Apr 23, 2012)

​It reminds me of my AllClad 6 qt stock pot. That coupled with the #9 Griswold fry pan and I could do most anything.
Butt I do like my 18 qt for making stock!


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## El Pescador (Apr 23, 2012)

4qt Sitram. has a dent but I love it. I stole it from a job I worked in college and have had it for 20+


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## heirkb (Apr 23, 2012)

I can't seem to find it anywhere online, but I was gifted a Le Creuset dutch oven with a lid that is a skillet (with a handle). If I had to choose only one, it'd be that one since it's two in one.


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## ajhuff (Apr 23, 2012)

SpikeC said:


> So what is it??




It's called a brazier or rondo as brainsausage said. Lincoln Centurion stainless steel (I thought I has said that, sorry). Aluminum ones are cheap. Stainless rocks!

-AJ


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## sachem allison (Apr 23, 2012)

brainsausage said:


> They're referred to as rondo's in the food service industry. I've never had to order one, so there may be a different supplier name for em. They really do rule tho, only pot/pan that's equally at home on the stove and in the oven. All the ones I've used were aluminum btw... And were a little shorter and had a thicker gauge.



That's it I was thinking of a similar looking one with a long handle on one side


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## brainsausage (Apr 23, 2012)

ajhuff said:


> It's called a brazier or rondo as brainsausage said. Lincoln Centurion stainless steel (I thought I has said that, sorry). Aluminum ones are cheap. Stainless rocks!
> 
> -AJ



I don't know that I've ever really used any stainless in a pro kitchen. How is it better?


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## ajhuff (Apr 23, 2012)

brainsausage said:


> I don't know that I've ever really used any stainless in a pro kitchen. How is it better?



I don't really know. I meant that was why aluminum ones are $100 and stainless ones are $400. Ours are stainless. I do prefer stainless in that I feel stainless can take more abuse and I don't like to cook milk or tomato based sauces in aluminum . That and I have a personal contempt for most things made of aluminium. 

-AJ


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## Andrew H (Apr 23, 2012)

heirkb said:


> I can't seem to find it anywhere online, but I was gifted a Le Creuset dutch oven with a lid that is a skillet (with a handle). If I had to choose only one, it'd be that one since it's two in one.



That's cheating but I have two of those also (le creuset no. 22 and 23 I think).


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## brainsausage (Apr 24, 2012)

ajhuff said:


> I don't really know. I meant that was why aluminum ones are $100 and stainless ones are $400. Ours are stainless. I do prefer stainless in that I feel stainless can take more abuse and I don't like to cook milk or tomato based sauces in aluminum . That and I have a personal contempt for most things made of aluminium.
> 
> -AJ


Hah! I just had an image of a copper/cast iron rondo. So awesome. So expensive. So frikkin heavy!


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## brainsausage (Apr 24, 2012)

And btw- your stainless comment In regards to acidic components makes me a little curious. This might bear a little more exploration in another thread... At times I've thought I've noticed some metallic back palate on some items, but we use a variety of different pans in our kitchen, and one's palate can also be influenced by a wide variety of pre-existing influences. This calls for research...


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## mr drinky (Apr 24, 2012)

ajhuff said:


> ...That and I have a personal contempt for most things made of aluminium.
> 
> -AJ



Like soda cans and commercial airliners? 

k..


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## mr drinky (Apr 24, 2012)

brainsausage said:


> And btw- your stainless comment In regards to acidic components makes me a little curious. This might bear a little more exploration in another thread... At times I've thought I've noticed some metallic back palate on some items, but we use a variety of different pans in our kitchen, and one's palate can also be influenced by a wide variety of pre-existing influences. This calls for research...



Just FYI. Here are some quotes from eGullet on reactivity with cookware and aluminum:

"Reactivity: Materials that are highly reactive tend to have chemical reactions with other substances around them. A good example would be iron, which tends to react with oxygen to form iron oxide or, as we commonly know it, rust. This is significant to cooking because there are certain ingredients and certain ways of cooking in which it is disadvantageous to have a reactive cooking surface because the ingredients will react with the cooking vessel and produce undesirable colors and/or flavors. Highly reactive cookware materials include iron, copper, aluminum and carbon steel. Nonreactive cookware materials include stainless steel and enamel. A special case is anodized aluminum, which is aluminum that has been treated with an electrolytic process to create a harder surface that is still somewhat reactive, but significantly less so than untreated aluminum. Similarly, a process called annealing is used to turn reactive carbon steel into harder, less reactive black steel and blue steel. As it so happens, materials that are highly reactive also tend to have highly desirable thermal properties (and vice-versa)...."

Later on in the cookware primer at eGullet, they say that aluminum is "highly reactive with both acidic and alkaline foods, which can cause off flavors and colors."

Also cast iron and carbon pans such as de buyer are reactive but that's why we season them -- just like when we season our knives with a nice patina 

k.


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## ajhuff (Apr 24, 2012)

Wow. That annealing sentence should just be deleted.

AJ


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