There’s an endless list of kitchen gadgets, from garlic presses and citrus squeezers to fancy vegetable slicers. While all of these tools can make your life in the kitchen easier, you may be wondering, which are the most important items you need as a home cook?
Quality Set of Knives
You’ll definitely need, at a minimum, a chef’s knife, a serrated knife, and a paring knife. Your chef’s knife is a knife to invest in: you can use to cut, slice, and dice fresh produce, meats, and seafood. Shop for a knife forged from a single piece of metal that runs all the way through the handle. Make sure you test out the knife’s size, weight, and balance in your hand before buying.
You’ll need a serrated knife for cutting through softer, more delicate ingredients like bread and tomatoes, while a paring knife is wieldy for delicate tasks like peeling fruits and vegetables.
Cast Iron Skillet
Image via Flickr by Key West Wedding Photography
A cast iron skillet is a timeless kitchen tool. You can use it for frying chicken, sauteing veggies, searing beef, broiling fish, and even baking a pecan pie or peach cobbler in the oven. Furthermore, you can cook over the flames of the grill or a campfire. Its heavy, durable design heats evenly and retains heat. Furthermore, it adds subtle flavor to your dishes and infuses them with iron, an essential mineral.
Slow Cooker
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A slow cooker, also known as a crock pot, helps you turn out a tender, flavor-infused dish. Chop and layer the ingredients, adjust the settings, and leave it alone to heat up and cook until everyone is home, and it’s time to eat. You can make cheese grits or corned beef hash for breakfast, macaroni and cheese or chicken and dumplings for lunch, and barbecue ribs or Jambalaya shrimp for dinner.
Ductless AC System
Using your stove and oven can quickly heat up the house. While this may be cozy in the winter, summertime cooking will be a nightmare. Invest in a ductless air conditioning system for the kitchen, so you can cook in comfort year-round. It’s easier to install than a conventional AC system and, even if you have central AC, the extra heat from the kitchen can be better managed with a local ductless AC system.
Handheld Immersion Blender
Sauces, marinades, dressings, and dips can be the secret to a gourmet meal. A handheld immersion blender can make the process of blending condiments like gravy, mayonnaise, or strawberry jam so much easier because you can mix your ingredients in a separate container. You can also use this blender to make fruit smoothies and vegetable soups, or even cake batter and frosting.
If you’re a home cook, having the right equipment and tools is important for safety and comfort. A quality set of knives aids in the preparation of the main ingredients, while an immersion blender instantly makes it easier to mix sauces, soups, and smoothies. The versatility of a cast iron skillet and a slow cooker opens creative possibilities to flavorful hearty dishes and even desserts.
