r/Cooking

I can't justify throwing something away with 1 scratch even if it technically isnt safe.

I don't have the patience to cook eggs slowly.

I involuntarily have to use a stove with an induction burner and I would like to be able to utilitize that one along with the rest.

I dont want to eat chemicals.

And I dont want to spend 300-500$ on cookware.

Please help!

i can't decide between getting a cast iron pan or a non-stick

tl/dr: kid is big into Japan right now and I can’t keep buying packaged ramen/going for sushi- need “home recipes”

My kid is big into anime/manga/all things Japanese currently and is requesting to eat more Japanese food. I am a decent home cook and am willing to try but have very limited experience with making Japanese food beyond terikayi sauce on salmon, edamame, or packaged ramen. What are some Tuesday night dinner in Japan recipes that people actually cook at home? Bonus points if it’s something my kid will have heard of from Demon Slayer, Avatar, Little witch Academia or studio Ghibli movies 🤣 . I am allergic to shrimp/crab/lobster but clam, fin fish, oysters etc are ok. No other food constraints and I do have access to a couple Asian stores. Thanks!!

I swear, whoever invented the 50/50 split double sink has never cooked a real meal in their life. Trying to wash a 12-inch cast iron skillet or a basic baking sheet in those things is a total nightmare. Water splashes fucking everywhere and I’m just completely done.

I’m finally remodeling next month and upgrading to a 16-gauge single bowl. But now I’m stuck in a massive rabbit hole deciding between two styles:

Do I go with a completely open, giant empty tub where nothing gets in the way? Or do I get one of those commercial workstation sinks with the built-in ledges for cutting boards and colanders?

My main worry with the workstation: Do those tracks and ledges just trap food slime and grease? Does it become a nightmare to clean? Are the accessories actually a game-changer for daily prep, or do they just end up cluttering the cabinets?

Budget-wise, I'm trying not to spend crazy Kohler-level money. I know Kraus and Ruvati are the usual Reddit favorites, but my budget is tight. Last night I stumbled upon a brand called Garvee that’s way cheaper, but I barely see anyone talking about them here. Has anyone actually bought one, or is it too good to be true? Am I going to regret trying to save a buck?

Please help me decide before I lose my sanity!

I recently bought lavender syrup, and i really love it. I wanted to ask, if anyone had any suggestions on what i could do with it? So far, I've made a biscuit roll with lavender cream filling, but i wonder what else i could make with this.

Chili..with gr.turkey.!!..a no brainer..but is it any healthier?.

I can’t for the life of me figure out who justifies paying 3-4x retail (prime cut, local farm) or even 2-3x top tier steakhouse prices for a steak you still have to cook yourself. What kills me is when those same restaurants list srf as their purveyor.

I used to buy it occasionally years ago but the prices are just ridiculous now.

I’m about to downsize from a large family home into a much smaller 1860s cottage (about 1,600 sq ft) with a much smaller kitchen and less storage, and I’m trying to figure out what cookware and kitchen tools are actually worth keeping.

For context: I’ve been living for the past five years in the house my parents built over 50 years ago. After spending many years living abroad, I came back during COVID to help care for my elderly parents. Over the years, this house became the storage place for cookware and utensils from multiple deceased relatives, so there is a lot here.

Even before my parents passed, I helped pare down about half of what my mother had accumulated, but there’s still far more kitchen equipment than I can realistically take with me.

I’m trying to be intentional about what I keep. I suspect I have a bit of undiagnosed ADD, and clutter tends to overwhelm me, so I want a simple, functional kitchen rather than drawers and cabinets packed with rarely used gadgets. I also really like the look of an open kitchen with a few well-chosen pots and pans hanging visibly rather than a lot of hidden excess.

For those of you who cook regularly:

If you were starting fresh in a smaller kitchen, what would be your essential cookware and tools?

What’s truly worth keeping, and what kitchen items do people tend to hold onto even though they rarely use them?

I’d especially appreciate advice from anyone who has downsized and had to build a practical, uncluttered cooking setup.

So, I'd like some help improving my extremely basic chili. It's edible and I like it, but I recognize that it could be far much more enjoyable.

I basically brown a couple of pounds of beef or pork, throw in a couple of cans of kidney or black beans, pour in three large cans of crushed tomatoes, and add some water, garlic, salt, and pepper before heating it up. It obviously tastes too strongly of tomato. I'd like to keep it as basic as possible, but I want it to no longer taste like I'm eating meat-ketchup soup.

Please help!

Sorry, I forgot to include that I also dump a small bottle of chili powder in there.

Update: thanks for all of the advice. I'll take all of this into consideration the next time I (hopefully soon) concoct a cauldron of chili.

Turns out reconstituted powdered milk does not cook the same way regular milk does. Tried to make hamburger helper, and didn’t want to buy real milk because the leftovers always go to waste. So I thought, why not get powdered milk and just store the leftover in the cabinet for later.

Turns out when you add it in to the hamburger helper, despite it being fully rehydrated, it forms a super thick consistency, and burns on the bottom of the skillet.

So anyway, I just ordered pizza.

Any help is appreciated

I got these pans for Xmas. I specifically wanted them because of the safety, the reviews and collab with Kenji who I have appreciated in the past. I’ve given these pans a serious change but they really are the worst pans I’ve ever owned. Not only are they not non-stick, they are incredibly hard to clean. I’d rather use my stainless for just about anything. Am I doing something wrong? I’m about to throw these pans in the trash.

The fennel I got from a friend is 90% stock, 10% normal fennel bits. It's very thick and dense, but some pieces are still a bit softer. I don't eat meat and most suggestions seem to be to cook them with meat ontop. Recommendations?

I’m just sort of getting into cooking and I think I’m pretty alright at improvising stuff and I enjoy that aspect rather than following recipes. Are there any good books or resources that help build a skill set rather than just a list of recipes? Thanks :)

Why has it gotten so expensive? Chocolate chips (12 oz bag) used to be $1.79-$2.29 and now I’m lucky if I can find them for under $5.00 a bag. Don’t get me started on chocolate candy bars.

Anyone have a cheaper and an acceptable substitute?

I am seriously looking at getting a two burner induction cooktop. Does anyone have any experience? Some models the reviews say only one of the burners will truly function, or the temperatures fluctuate. Can they be plugged into a regular electric outlet, or will I need another dedicated stove line put in? Thanks, folks.