[learnvella]

this made me think of what my take on "Cooking for Engineers" would be- roughly based on what I do personally.

essential gear would be a chef's knife, a stainless or cast iron pan, a nonstick pan, a large dutch oven, a sous vide circulator w a large bucket, a 10qt instant pot, and a vacuum sealer.

learn braising, roasting, sauteeing, and baking (veggies and proteins)

whenever you cook something where you can make extra, make a LOT extra, keeps a couple portions and vacuum seal the rest off and freeze them flat (keep your freezer really well organized)

find your core recipes and keep those perpetually in the freezer in small portions

learn to improvise and make gold out of whatever's in the kitchen (if you need inspiration, watch chopped)

[uncertainrhymes]

The very first useful cooking website I remember was cookingforengineers.com. From 2005, it predates the nonsense the has become the typical clickbait recipe sites.

I also always loved the tabular layout that included both ingredients and actions in the same format.

e.g. http://www.cookingforengineers.com/recipe/60/The-Classic-Tir...

[sk5t]

Skip the nonstick pan and get a "black steel" (high carbon) pan instead. Matfer is a good brand but there are others. Fairly inexpensive, can be seasoned like cast iron, but is much lighter and more responsive. Super response on induction too. These are not pretty cookware but are real workhorses.

[iamacyborg]

What you’re likely meaning is cast iron.

Carbon steel cookware is good, too.

Neither is good for cooking acidic sauces for long periods of time, use stainless steel if you need to make a tomato or pan sauce.

[sk5t]

I'm perplexed by your reply; I definitely mean (black|carbon) steel and note it is lighter than cast iron. Never a problem making a pan sauce in a black steel pan.

Stainless steel or enameled cast iron is my choice for long cooking tomato sauces, although even plain aluminum won't be an issue for a few minutes contact.

[iamacyborg]

My experience with pan sauces in carbon steel is that the acid in wine will typically start to strip the seasoning and leave ugly black specks in your sauce.

Maybe I’m doing something wrong though.

[jelliclesfarm]

You are not doing anything wrong. Liquids with higher acidity will strip the seasoning. Avoid cooking liquids with tomato, lemon juice, wine, vinegar etc..for long slow braises and pan sauces etc.

[jelliclesfarm]

You are giving the exact opposite of the right cooking advice in this case.

Acidic liquids will strip the seasoning of the pan.