I promise that this post is not just an excuse to show off the new All-Clad sauté pan my husband bought me for Christmas. It was the big gift, the one wrapped in a really large box. It was also a wisely chosen gift: he bought it through Cookware & More for much less than the usual price, and now that it's here it hasn't been put away in the cupboard once.
See, it's a big, big pan, and I've wanted one of these for a long time.
The largest sauté pan in my cupboard, before Christmas, was a 3-quart version. It is a nice pan, but it's not big enough to brown a batch of beef for a whole pot of beef stew, or to cook a whole bag of kale. It would steam meat instead of browning it, and it was always overflowing greens or rice onto the stove. (Well, cook's error, I do admit; I would get impatient!)
A 6-quart sauté pan, on the other hand, is big enough for any number of jobs. I braised two whole heads of fennel the other evening, and had room to spare. I browned pounds of beef for a spicy curry, and didn't have to break it into batches. I've cooked a lot of things in this pan already, and it's barely January!
When Elizabeth argued that bigger is better when it comes to frying pans, it made sense. It's easier to brown meat and vegetables with more surface area, and sauces reduce faster in a giant pan.
So, while most of the time we look for small appliances and minimalist gadgets for our little kitchen, I am also coming out in favor of the big pan. The bigger the better. I haven't reached for my 3-quart pan once in the last two weeks; it's the big one all the way.
More on All-Clad:
• Good Question: Why Are All-Clad Pots and Pans So Expensive?
• Good Product: All-Clad Petite Roti Pan
• All Clad's New French Skillets
And here is our post on Cookware & More, a great outlet for All-Clad seconds.
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I have a question for the AT community...this has to do with All Clad but also the dreaded wedding registry...
I would like to register for the All Clad 12 in fry pan...it's pretty expensive about $135...do you think it's outrageous to register for good quality cookware on a wedding registry?
view wwoolsey's profile
not outrageous.
A group of people might join together and buy it for you!
view mgood's profile
I just got a similar-sized pan for Christmas and I love it:
http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-Classic-Stainless-2-Quart-Helper/dp/B00008CM6B/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
It's great for browning and braising.
view kappy60647's profile
I adore my 12" cast iron skillet, although I occasionally wish it was bigger (Seriously, what the heck kind of pan did this guy originally make this recipe in?! I have a whole quart of stock that I can't get in the pan!). Wwoolsey, just register for what you want, your friends aren't required to get it for you it's just a helpful list. I was unemployed for my friend's wedding shower so I got them small kitchen gadgets but I had a good job by the time they got married so I got them four of their crystal wine glasses. People'll adjust to what they can afford.
view Tiamat_the_Red's profile
Not outrageous at all. If you have any friends/family who love to cook or understand how much you love to cook, they'll be delighted to buy you something that they know you'll use and cherish. I send my aunt a couple cookies every time I use the kitchen aid she got me to make them. And congratulations!
In other news, I really do need a mondo saute pan.
view LauraII's profile
Now THAT'S a great Christmas present!
I also have that cuisinart pan and love it. I find that when you have nice big pans like that, and also a 5 or 7-quart dutch oven, you almost always use less pans because the big pan can hold everything and there's no need to dirty smaller pans to make one dish. It's also nice not to have to cook things in batches.
Congrats on your AC! I'm quite jealous. :-) May it stay shiny forever!
view bobcatsteph3's profile
I got one at a restaurant going out of business for like $2. And I love it and use it all the time.
view tarah's profile
I have that exact pan, and yes, it is wonderful!
and actually, mine was from my wedding registry. I think that if you actually cook often (and if you read this site, I am assuming you do) then registering for a small set of nice pots and pans is fine. and if you don't get any, you can buy them yourself with your hundreds of dollars of giftcards you will get AND take 10% off.
I will recommend not registering for the giant set of 10 random pans, but picking and choosing which pots and pans you will actually use. we got ourselves a whole new set of randoms and ended up with less than half of what we had with our old, pre-packaged set - we just didn't use most of that stuff.
congrats on your engagement!
view BiasCut's profile
It's just been in the past half year that I've really learned the bigger is better rule. It really does make a difference. Now if only I could convince the hubby to buy me a bigger pan...
view Kalinda's profile
i'm debating the 15" lodge logic cast iron skillet....
bigger is better!
view staticfritz's profile
It sounds like we had a similar Christmas, my wife bought me the All Clad 13inch French Skillet. She has already reaped several rewards from that gift, paella and Goan coconut prawn curry to name a few. Buy it once - use it forever.
view Northern Dad's profile