TOP 15 Kitchen essentials
Alright, let's talk about kitchen essentials ranked in order of most important! (In my opinion)
To start, I'd have to say it would be a good knife (or two). I personally find myself doing a lot of chopping and carving. Getting a larger, sturdier knife is wonderful for tasks such as carving a chicken or slicing up your roast. This knife should be curved rather than square like a cleaver. I love my cleaver but I find the other knife to be able to take its place on many occasions. On the other hand, I like a slightly more nimble knife for everything else! It allows you to do smaller, more precise cuts like deveining shrimp or peeling fruits and veggies.
At number two I would have to say a cast iron skillet preferably on the larger side. I have a 12” one from Lodge and it's my go to for all one pan meals and also quick sauteing. I know there can be a lot of fear with cast iron skillets but I swear it's easier than one may think and not nearly as complicated and labor intensive as people make it out to be! I absolutely love its ability to distribute heat evenly and retain its heat.
Closely behind the cast iron skillet, a solid dutch oven will become your best friend in so many kitchen avenues. I use my Lodge 7.5 quart dutch oven nearly every day in one way or another. It can be used directly on the stove top and also in the oven! This is truly perfect for a nice roasted bone broth and also a one pot soup! It is also perfect for sourdough bread and incubating homemade yogurt. More to come on all of these soon!
Thermometers are a must have for safe cooking! They're also wonderful for making sure your foods are the right temp when incubating yogurt or making sure your steak is not over or undercooked! I have a super simple digital reading one and it fits all my needs. You certainly don't need to have anything fancy when it comes to a thermometer!
Up next we have glass reusable containers and jars. I like my pyrex ones as they can be frozen, microwaved, and baked! I've also accidently dropped them on several occasions and am always very pleasantly surprised at how durable they are. Some other benefits of glass vs plastic if you aren't already convinced is that they don't hold scents and bacteria the same way plastic does, and they are better for the environment! These can certainly feel like an investment up front but long term they are worth it as you wont need to replace them as often if at all like you do plastic! Jars are also wonderful as not only do they work as food containers they can double as great ways to store dry pantry products. Jars are used in varying ways in my kitchen from vessels for fermentation, to being the perfect container for soups and broths. A friendly reminder that jars take up the same room empty as they are filled! Fill those babies up with dried goods!
Something that I find too many do not have which I would highly recommend is a glass quart measuring cup. It is so versatile! I can say without doubt I use it daily. It allows me to measure multiple ingredients at once and it also allows for easy pouring. I also find myself using it as a vessel to mix my salad dressings in and being able to pour it directly from there. I do however wish that the pouring slit was slightly wider. If you go to pour it and your liquid is significantly wider, it travels backwards and ends up all over you and you no longer have accurate measurements.
Up next I have to go with the instant pot. I have the instant pot duo plus and oh boy do I love it! From pot roasts to simple rice. It cuts the time in half! My only complaint about the instant pot is how much space it takes up. I live in a small city apartment where counter space is limited and my cabinets are shallow. This is more of a personal complaint for me but something to certainly consider when thinking about investing in it.
Coming in closely behind the instant pot I'd have to say my toaster oven. It allows me to heat up small portions of food that I don't want to microwave and it also allows me to make open face sandwiches which is a staple in this household! I also appreciate that it allows me to bake without having to heat up the entire oven.
Another that I find too many people overlook is a fine mesh strainer. I personally got a 3 pack that came in varying sizes so it allows me to do smaller things like loose leaf pour over tea whereas the bigger ones are perfect for straining pastas or even homemade non dairy milks! (Again, another recipe to come. Stay tuned!)
Up next I'll have to say is a large oven sheet pan. I love this for a one pan roasted dinner like sausages and veggies or cookies around the holidays! For an easier clean up since I don't have a dishwasher I got some disposable parchment paper that fits edge to edge. This also lets you avoid aluminum foil which is not great to ingest long term! The parchment paper I have is biodegradable so once im done, into the compost they go!
I've been debating where to put this one on this list but I truly love my glass mixing bowls with plastic lids. These are perfect for making now, using later or also serving and placing the lid on after for easy storage! These certainly aren't by any means necessary but, it makes my life a whole lot easier! I use these when I'm making and proofing sourdough and also in between rendering my beef tallow. As you guessed, more to come on this!
A countertop compost bin is something that I would certainly recommend if you live in a place that has a green bin. If you have a garden you most likely already have these because wow. Seamless channel from table to garden, and back to table. (If you know, you know) This allows you to reduce your waste and lets the planet take some of its goodness back! This is perfect for any fruit or vegetable scraps. I would however highly discourage you from putting any animal products such as dairy or meat in this as it can attract predators and it gets really stinky really fast!
Although certainly not necessary, I truly love my immersion blender. It takes up minimal room in my cabinets and allows for many one pot meals (less dishes too!) Mine also came with a whisk attachment which is such a blessing on pancake mornings or any other mixing needs.
I put this one last as it can feel like an investment that can be debated if it's worth it. Personally I love my solid wood cutting board as it's aesthetically pleasing and also guarantees that I am not ingesting plastic that slowly comes off of plastic cutting boards. But, it certainly takes patience and rules to be able to maintain its and yours safety. For example you never want to let it sit as it will soak up moisture and eventually warp and/or rot. This also goes for using it for any animal products. As it is extremely porous, it can take and hold that bacteria even with proper cleaning. One way to avoid this is by regularly oiling and seasoning it but even with that, there is no guarantee that it won't hold bacteria. With all this being said it's certainly something to consider your lifestyle and weigh the pros and cons. One last thing I will leave you with in regards to wood cutting boards is, if you do decide to invest in one. I would highly discourage you from getting a bamboo one as bamboo is probably one of the most porous woods!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read! Stay tuned for recipes and updates!
