Hey Foodies/Cookware Gurus........

[kfcboston]

I'm looking for recommendations for 1.) a good oven-proof skillet, and 2.) a good grill pan. Anyone have any they love, or ones to avoid?

Thanks! Happy new year!

[AmyZ]

I Love, Love my All-Clad cookware. Skillet does great in the oven. The one piece I didn't like happened to be the grill pan. I was not impressed with how the food "grilled" or 'didn't really grill' (in my case) and it was a disaster to clean. I prefer to use my outdoor grill (in the winter I make my husband brave the cold!) or just use the broiler.

Not sure where you live, but if you live anywhere near Pittsburgh (or have a friend), All Clad has headquarters here and they have amazing factory sales 2x per year! I've never seen people so excited about pots and pans!! :-)

Amy Z

"Ma!" to Eliana May 2/5/04

[kfcboston]

Thanks, Amy! Seems like it's tough to go wrong with All-Clad. I guess another question I have is - how do you know if a skillet is oven-safe or not?

Thanks all!

ETA: Unfortunately no - I'm in Maine. :)

[m448]

I have the wolfgang puck SS. Goes in the oven, stovetop, etc. Similar to all-clad except the aluminum core doesn't go up the sides. Honestly to me that's a blessing because there's nothing worse than too much heat when making a cream sauce so having less thickness on the sides is just fine with me while the thick aluminum core is still present on the bottom. Also, compared to a $600 all clad set I paid about $180 including shipping for a set that had pans/pots much larger than my Calphalon wedding set. Hubby even says they're a dream to clean.

[DebbieJ]

Cook's Illustrated magazine rated grill pans in their Jan/Feb issue.

Top picks:
--Simply Calphalon Nonstick 13" round grill pan
--Pampered Chef Professional 11" square grill pan
--Analon Advanced 12" covered deep round grill pan
--Swiss Diamond 11" square grill pan
--All Clad LTD 11" square grill pan

I have none of these, so I can't help you out!

But I do have skillet! I have the All Clad Stainless 3 qt Saute Pan and the Pampered Chef Professional Family Skillet (which is non-stick). Both can go in the oven. I much prefer the Pampered Chef pan. The handle is more comfortable and the pan is more balanced when you hold it with just one hand. I have made brownies and cakes in it as well as chicken breasts (which I started in the oven and then finished by simmering them in some sauce on the stovetop--DH said it was the best chicken he's ever had!). It's really versatile!

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
2 year check up: 25 lbs with clothes on and 35 inches!
BFARed for 20 months and 6 days
(Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org)

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[starrynight]

Oven proof- go for cast iron. I use a nonstick griddle as a grill type pan in the house but I know that isn't what you are looking for.

[Saccade]

FWIW, I agree -- "naked" cast iron or enameled (like Le Creuset and its less-pricey alternatives) are great pans for browning and then finishing in the oven. All-Clad-type pans (relatively heavy gauge SS/clad aluminum) also work well, but personally speaking I like the iron pans if you'll be moving food into the oven for a long time period (as opposed to just putting it under the broiler.

ETA: I also like a seasoned cast-iron grill pan for indoor grilling (barring a builtin Jenn-Air grill or something like that). DH likes a panini-press type gadget (I guess the Foreman grill is a takeoff on that) for some delicate things.

>Oven proof- go for cast iron. I use a nonstick griddle as a
>grill type pan in the house but I know that isn't what you are
>looking for.


DS #1, 7/13/05
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Join us in the BBB Knit and Crochet Club:
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[bostonsmama]

When I make herbed fritattas on the weekends I just use my Calphalon Professional Nonstick II 10 or 12-inch skillet. Start it on the stove, finish it in the oven, and then slip on a handy-dandy red Kitchen Aid rubber pan handle "glove" so I know not to grab the hot handle when I take it out (trust me, we had one too many burns before that!), so any good oven-safe skillet will do. I just don't broil in them past 450 degrees b/c of the teflon issue, but that would be true for any nonstick pan.

I don't have a grille-pan b/c I either use the broiler or my outdoor grill. Winters here are mild (40s/50s) so to me it's never too cold to use it...in fact we just did fiesta lime chicken on the gas grill for dinner tonight! Frankly, for the $80-100 it costs to buy a nice grille-pan, you might as well just get a gas grill or a Foreman cooker. But that's just me.


Larissa
***Cheers! Here's to better luck in 2006!***

"Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them."
-James Baldwin

[Babywhite]

I have also been interested in a nice grill pan. After seeing the list of top pics from a PP, I found the Simply Calphalon Nonstick 13" round grill pan at Target for $34.99.

R.W.
South Carolina

Edited Note: The grill pan at Target was called a Calphalon Utility Grill Pan. Since I wasn't sure if that was the same pan as the Simply Calphalon Grill pan, I decided to continue looking. I found the Simply Calphalon Grill pan at Linens N Things for $39.99. I used a 25% coupon that they send a few times a month in our paper and got it for under $34.

[smallestangel]

I just bought this Calphalon one, http://tinyurl.com/dnlk6 a couple of months ago. And I totally love it so far. It's very lightweight, heats up fast, and gives food really good grill marks. It is also very easy to clean. I got it at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and used one those 20% off coupons.

Oh, and I wanted to add my vote for a cast iron pan too. I have my grandma's. The older, the better!


Amanda