Let’s talk cookware

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My most-often used pans are:
- 8" and 12" stainless skillets: general use, saute, stir fry
- 12" cast iron skillet: pan-sear (steak, pork chops, etc), scrambled eggs, frittata, cornbread, deep-dish pie, many other things
- 2 qt saucepan: small batches of rice, boiling/steaming veggies, reheating 1-qt containers of leftover soup
- Larger stainless stockpot: soup, pasta, broth (although that's usually in the Instant Pot), steaming larger batches of veggies or hard-cooked eggs
- Large enameled dutch oven: braises, deep frying, pot roast, some soups/stews

Lesser used items that I could probably get rid of without noticing too much:
- Nonstick skillet (spouse uses it for scrambled eggs, I use the cast iron - so I wouldn't notice, but spouse would!)
-Wok (great for stir fry, but a pain to pull out so I usually just use the large skillet)
- Multiple extra stockpots (I pull them out about once a year when making big meals for Thanksgiving or things like that, so I keep them around even though they get very little use).

I don't have a carbon steel pan, but have been coveting one. Don't know exactly why I would use it over my combo of stainless & cast iron, but I want one anyway .

What do you use the 8 inch for vs the 12 inch? How many people are you cooking for? And is the 12 inch heavy/unwieldy?

I have an 8 inch skillet and am trying to choose between 10 and 12 inch skillet.

PP here. I mostly cook the same types of things in them, the difference is quantity. I use the 8" if I'm doing something small, or a single serving. It's lighter, easier to handle, and takes up less room on the stove. I use the 12" when I'm cooking for the entire family. I can pick it up in one hand, but it's harder to do a single-handed swirl or gracefully carry it without spilling anything.

If I already had an 8", I'd add a 12" just for the variety. It's hard for me to imagine why I'd need a 10", it seems like an 8" could do most anything the 10" could do.