Some of the best kitchen tools for a homestyle kitchen are some of the easiest to get your hands on. They aren’t complicated and can easily become the ones you reach for on a daily basis.
Simple Kitchen Tools are Better
I think that sometimes people assume that cooking homemade and homestyle is complicated. That you need a whole bunch of extra tools. While sometimes this can be true (for canning and preserving food), actually doing the cooking takes less than you might think. I regularly use only a handful of items in my kitchen. The more excessive items I own are more just for when I’m preserving.
Cast Iron Pans
Cast iron pans can be a real workhorse in the kitchen. I love to use my cast iron for when ever I’m cooking meat. It gives a fantastic sear and really brings about good flavor. When I’m cooking a one pan dish that needs to go in the oven, I know that I can easily transfer this from the stove right on in without any concern. And on top of all that, they are pretty easy to clean and take care of.
There are some items that I don’t recommend using cast iron for or cleaning very quickly after. Any pasta dishes with tomato paste or even rotel have a level of acid that can be hard on the finish of cast iron. I still use tomato products in my cast iron, but I make sure to wipe them out with warm water right away and apply an oil to the pan. Then I quick throw it in a 375˚F oven for 15-30 minutes to reseal the pan and bring back the bright black luster.
I brag a bit more about my preference towards cast iron in this post. Take a look!
Stainless Steel Cookware
In addition to cast iron, you need some other pans to cook with. Sauce pans and sauté pans tend to cook better when they are stainless steel as changing heat levels quickly is more regular. Stainless steel is superior to non-stick pans as there is no coating that can flake off into your food. You may have to be more diligent with your cooking and watch to prevent sticking issues, but health wise it’s by far better.
Personally, I prefer multi-clad type pans as they have a core that more easily conducts heat. This allows your pan to heat evenly and cook your food evenly with out having problem hot spots in the pan.
Cast Iron/Enamel Coated Dutch Oven
This might be a tack on to cast iron pans, but I think it deserves it’s own section. Enamel coated cast iron dutch ovens are pretty much the only thing I make soups and stews in. The heating is so even and temperature changes don’t happen quickly. I prefer to make soups and stews in cast iron over, say, stainless steel because food is less likely to stick to the bottom of the pan. These pans aren’t really non-stick necessarily, but they are much better than stainless steel in regards to soups sticking.
Wooden Spoons
Wooden spoons just scream “homestyle kitchen tools”, don’t they? But for real, they are absolutely amazing to use. At first, I wasn’t so sure. I felt clumsy using wooden spoons. But the more I had them in my hands, the more I loved them. Wooden spoons are made with a safe material and are durable work horses. I love browning hamburger with them, mixing batters, and more. They don’t bend or give out due to being flimsy. Truly are just a great tool to have in your kitchen.
Metal Measuring Cups
Metal measuring cups might seem a little extreme. Why would you choose metal? I choose to keep metal measuring cups as part of my kitchen tool line up because they are timeless. They last. When the amounts are engraved into the metal, they don’t wear away with use. They last for years and years. A one time purchase turns into a tool you will use for years. They’re timeless.
Glass Mixing Bowls
Glass mixing bowls are my favorite kitchen tool to reach for. They are so handy and, again, timeless. I prefer to use them for rising bread in. They are made of a more sustainable material compared to plastic. And they have a good weight to them so they aren’t sliding all over the counter when you’re mixing in them.
Good Knives
In a homestyle kitchen, cutting vegetables and meat are just a given. And that means you need good knives. To find a good knife, you need to look for knives that are durable and sharp. A dull knife does you absolutely no good. In fact, it’s more dangerous as it’s more likely to slip or cause resistance when cutting and lead to an injury. These kitchen tools are essential. I prefer completely metal knives and lean towards block sets.
Flour Sack Towels
Flour sack towels aren’t necessarily a kitchen tool, I know. But they are something that I use daily. When drying dishes, they quickly absorb and whisk away water. I use them when making yogurt to strain away the whey. And they wash away easily with hot water and good stain removing detergents.
Stand Mixer
A stand mixer might be a bit excessive. But I’m just telling you, it is so handy. Bread doughs, cake, muffin, and cookie batters. If you plan to do any kind of homestyle baking, a stand mixer is so helpful. It saves your arm when making thick batters and makes quick work of working together and kneading doughs. I personally prefer Kitchen Aid mixers as they do a great job and have good aesthetic appeal.
Blender & Food Processor
Having a blender and food processor on hand, just like a stand mixer, help make quick work of bigger tasks. While they definitely aren’t necessary to have in a homestyle kitchen, they are super helpful. Smoothies bring together good ingredients into a quick snack, and food processors can help make quick work when meal planning. I definitely reach for my blender more than my food processor, but I’ve come to find that this is just a personal preference and how you cook in your kitchen.
In this post, I use my blender for converting dehydrated foods to powders. If you are venturing into preserving foods, getting a simple detractor and blender can easily have you adding extra nutrients into your foods in an easy fashion.
Don’t make homestyle cooking hard!
Kitchen tools for cooking homestyle don’t have to be hard. In fact, they can be so easy. They can really make you want to get in your kitchen because the experience will be enjoyable.
Add some to your home, I promise you won’t regret it!
Krista
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