Frying with Pots: Consequences & Advice

[tgt]

Pots are used for boiling water but what if you were to use it for frying? What are the consequences?

 

[DaveC426913]

Pots are used for boiling water but what if you were to use it for frying? What are the consequences?

- a frying pan concentrates the heat on the underside of the food. In a pot, the heat will dissipate into the sides of the pot, meaning the temp will be lower.
- a frying pan let's steam dissipate, keeping the food frying at a hot temp. A pot will allow steam to condense and fall back into the food, cooling it and keeping it soggy
- you'll have a tough time flipping your fried whatevers in a high-sided pot

 

[VashtiMaiden]

Ridiculous

Pots are used for boiling water but what if you were to use it for frying?

That wouldn't be easy!

 

[tgt]

- a frying pan concentrates the heat on the underside of the food. In a pot, the heat will dissipate into the sides of the pot, meaning the temp will be lower.
- a frying pan let's steam dissipate, keeping the food frying at a hot temp. A pot will allow steam to condense and fall back into the food, cooling it and keeping it soggy
- you'll have a tough time flipping your fried whatevers in a high-sided pot

fair points. Most frying pans I see don't come with a lid. How much of a disadvantage is that? At least with a pot there is always a lid. My pot is very shallow because it is of small size.

 

[Alfi]

wow man

I bought a lid of pot

never thought of trying to fry it though. I always just use my pipe ;)

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Pots are used for boiling water but what if you were to use it for frying? What are the consequences?

Fried water? Obesity.

 

[Moonbear]

fair points. Most frying pans I see don't come with a lid. How much of a disadvantage is that? At least with a pot there is always a lid. My pot is very shallow because it is of small size.

You can get lids for frying pans...usually flat ones that will fit over any size frying pan. They're not always easy to find in the stores though. I like having a lid, even if it's almost never used, just in case I ever have a grease fire...turn off the burner and toss the lid on to put it out.

 

[DaveC426913]

You can get lids for frying pans...usually flat ones that will fit over any size frying pan. They're not always easy to find in the stores though. I like having a lid, even if it's almost never used, just in case I ever have a grease fire...turn off the burner and toss the lid on to put it out.

They're also essential for making a good sunny-up fried egg.

 

[Moonbear]

They're also essential for making a good sunny-up fried egg.

Yep, though for those, I usually use the 8 inch frying pan and several of my regular pot lids fit over that.

 

[TVP45]

I often fry in a pot. You don't have to do just what the name says. I also bake in frying pans.

 

[turbo]

I have a Revere-Ware pot with a very heavy SS bottom, and I use that to sear my beef roasts every time before adding spices, vegetables, etc, to make a new England boiled dinner. You can get pots with heavy thick bottoms if you look around. I have a slightly larger Revere-Ware pot with a thin bottom that I use to make soups and stews.

 

[Moonbear]

If you're on a limited budget or have limited space, I'd recommend starting off with three pots. A 10" frying pan will handle both smaller things like fried eggs and larger things like searing a steak. A 1 qt saucepan for heating up small portions of things (be it boiling water for tea, making Ramen noodles, or cooking up a single serving of vegetables). And a larger saucepan of about 2 1/2 quarts you can use for cooking up small amounts of soup, boiling pasta, making sauces, etc.

If you find pans with metal handles, they can be used for baking too (get pot holders/oven mitts too!)

This will give you enough flexibility for making your basics without breaking the budget. As you can afford more or have space for more, you can add to your collection of cookware with proper baking pans or a larger pot if you find yourself desiring to cook large batches of soups and stews, or other size frying pans.

 

[Evo]

Most of my frying pans came with lids.

If you have pans that don't have lids, just buy a universal lid. My older daughter says that is her all time favorite thing that I've ever given her.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GHKIDG/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[tgt]

If you're on a limited budget or have limited space, I'd recommend starting off with three pots. A 10" frying pan will handle both smaller things like fried eggs and larger things like searing a steak. A 1 qt saucepan for heating up small portions of things (be it boiling water for tea, making Ramen noodles, or cooking up a single serving of vegetables). And a larger saucepan of about 2 1/2 quarts you can use for cooking up small amounts of soup, boiling pasta, making sauces, etc.

If you find pans with metal handles, they can be used for baking too (get pot holders/oven mitts too!)

This will give you enough flexibility for making your basics without breaking the budget. As you can afford more or have space for more, you can add to your collection of cookware with proper baking pans or a larger pot if you find yourself desiring to cook large batches of soups and stews, or other size frying pans.

Why did you mention Ramen noodles just out of interest? You like them? I had them yesterday and bought them by conincidence as I just bought a packet of noodles randomly. They were quiet nice actually. You prefer them to other noodles?

 

[cristo]

Why did you mention Ramen noodles just out of interest? You like them? I had them yesterday and bought them by conincidence as I just bought a packet of noodles randomly. They were quiet nice actually. You prefer them to other noodles?

They're a stereotypical student food over there, aren't they?

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Why did you mention Ramen noodles just out of interest? You like them? I had them yesterday and bought them by conincidence as I just bought a packet of noodles randomly. They were quiet nice actually. You prefer them to other noodles?

Forget those packaged noodles. If you are close to NYC, go to the Mitsuwa shopping complex in Edgewater NJ, just across the Hudson river, a little south of the GWB. There's a food court there and a restaurant called Santoka. Get a bowl of the best noodle soup in North America. My favorite is Miso Ramen.

 

[Moonbear]

Why did you mention Ramen noodles just out of interest? You like them? I had them yesterday and bought them by conincidence as I just bought a packet of noodles randomly. They were quiet nice actually. You prefer them to other noodles?

They're standard student food...cheap and filling. They're actually quite horrible for you, but once in a while I get a craving for them. I just mentioned it because that's something a lot of students want to cook.

 

[BobG]

They're standard student food...cheap and filling. They're actually quite horrible for you, but once in a while I get a craving for them. I just mentioned it because that's something a lot of students want to cook.

Whatever happened to macaroni and cheese? You can at least slice up a hot dog or two into them when you have some extra cash. If you're really rich some week, you can even make it with milk (like the directions say) instead of just water.

On second thought, I wish I wasn't above dumpster diving. You'd probably obtain a better balanced meal.

 

[turbo]

Whatever happened to macaroni and cheese? You can at least slice up a hot dog or two into them when you have some extra cash. If you're really rich some week, you can even make it with milk (like the directions say) instead of just water.

On second thought, I wish I wasn't above dumpster diving. You'd probably obtain a better balanced meal.

Been there, done that (the hot dog trick, when I was flush with cash) but I have never stooped to eating boxed macaroni and cheese, even as a broke college student. It is crap! Dry macaroni is dirt-cheap, and if you shop around you can find sales on decent cheeses, and make your own. Powdered milk is tolerable in mac 'n cheese, but I tried to use real milk whenever possible. I also used to crumble some saltines on top of the mac 'n cheese for a little salty crust. Good food on the cheap.

 

[Moonbear]

Whatever happened to macaroni and cheese? You can at least slice up a hot dog or two into them when you have some extra cash. If you're really rich some week, you can even make it with milk (like the directions say) instead of just water.

That's what the 2 1/2 qt pan is for. The 1 qt pan is for the Ramen noodles.

Been there, done that (the hot dog trick, when I was flush with cash) but I have never stooped to eating boxed macaroni and cheese, even as a broke college student. It is crap! Dry macaroni is dirt-cheap, and if you shop around you can find sales on decent cheeses, and make your own. Powdered milk is tolerable in mac 'n cheese, but I tried to use real milk whenever possible. I also used to crumble some saltines on top of the mac 'n cheese for a little salty crust. Good food on the cheap.

I never considered anything like putting hot dogs into mac and cheese, but I agree, the bright orange stuff out of a box is nasty. My college version was to boil up macaroni (I agree, it's much cheaper to buy the macaroni than the boxed stuff) and toss on a couple slices of American cheese (whatever was on sale), maybe a splash of milk (milk was easily swiped from the dining hall in thermoses). Way better than the stuff in boxes. Of course, if you don't have a fridge in your dorm room, then you have to settle for the boxed stuff (hmm...wait...then again, Velveeta doesn't need refrigeration, and even that tastes better than the fluorescent orange powder in the mac and cheese boxed things).

 

[turbo]

Luckily, I had an apartment with a cramped kitchen and a whole raft of aunts who were willing to give me pots, pans, and mis-matched silverware and utensils. I had a tiny little stoneware bean-pot with a lid that was too small for any family, but it was great for me if I was going to be running the oven anyway to bake bread, biscuits, etc. At least one of my weekend days (usually Sunday) was spent cooking up batches of stuff to keep me in food for the following week.

 

[DaveC426913]

I never considered anything like putting hot dogs into mac and cheese, but I agree, the bright orange stuff out of a box is nasty.

We get the white cheddar stuff. Not too bad. For kicks, throw in some stinky cheese (gorgonzola). What I really like though is, instead of ketchup on top, a good helping of spicy seafood sauce!

 

[lisab]

Luckily, I had an apartment with a cramped kitchen and a whole raft of aunts who were willing to give me pots, pans, and mis-matched silverware and utensils.

It's probably better to have a raft of aunts than to have aunts in your rafters. They are *REALLY* tough to get rid of.

 

[Moonbear]

We get the white cheddar stuff. Not too bad. For kicks, throw in some stinky cheese (gorgonzola). What I really like though is, instead of ketchup on top, a good helping of spicy seafood sauce!

Why would you put ketchup on mac and cheese?!

 

[turbo]

It's probably better to have a raft of aunts than to have aunts in your rafters. They are *REALLY* tough to get rid of.

WE have fumigators for that.

 

[vincentm]

Luckily, I had an apartment with a cramped kitchen and a whole raft of aunts who were willing to give me pots, pans, and mis-matched silverware and utensils. I had a tiny little stoneware bean-pot with a lid that was too small for any family, but it was great for me if I was going to be running the oven anyway to bake bread, biscuits, etc. At least one of my weekend days (usually Sunday) was spent cooking up batches of stuff to keep me in food for the following week.

If we ever attend a star Party together I'm purchasing the grub and having you cook it

 

[DaveC426913]

Why would you put ketchup on mac and cheese?!

H'lo? Come to the meetings?


"the bright orange stuff out of a box is nasty."

 

[Moonbear]

H'lo? Come to the meetings?


"the bright orange stuff out of a box is nasty."

So you fix that by making it nastier with ketchup?

 

[Evo]

So you fix that by making it nastier with ketchup?

I love the bright orange stuff out of the box. I admit I have only eaten it once in the last 8 years, and that was recently, and I wondered why I didn't eat it more often. It has to be fresh and hot. I canot een imagine putting ketchup on it. I would toss in cooked ground beef, however. For 50 cents, you have your mac & cheese for 2-4 people.

The only reason I have ketchup in my house is for making shrimp cocktail sauce - ketchup, horseradish and lemon juice...perfect.