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Cookware

All Clad Copper Core Chef's Pan?

newbiecook77 | Jun 30, 202103:17 AM     105

Hi, I have a question on my new addition of All Clad copper core Chef's Pan, which is returnable (It looks like a larger saucier or a wok). It's 12 inch diameter, 4 qt, priced at around $300 on amazon and elsewhere but I bought it for about 180 (no lid, but my Silga lid fits) and looks beautiful. I have read the previous postings on this site -- thank you, so helpful -- and it does not matter to me what the vessel is called, Chef's Pan or whatever the marketing people named it. I realize it's not a wok, which I would prefer carbon steel but I don't fry food on high heat in general and am not planning on getting one.

As it stands the Chef's Pan's larger saucier shape looks quite useful, but for my kitchen where I live alone and already have 5 frying pans as well as the similar size and shape LC Legumier, I am just not sure if it's a needless expensive purchase or not, also I am not so explorative with cooking as I have only recently begun cooking after completely taking a break for a few years. I don't usually like to freeze leftovers, except for batches of soup once in a while, and mostly cook seafood and veggies. One thing is I am getting tired of heavy cookware including my beloved LC legumier for everyday use (I will bring it out when the dish involves meat but that is also increasingly rare, and this was also why I returned my LC & Staub braiser purchase, which I liked but not cooking meat much, seemed gratuitous), and thus, I thought the Chef's Pan (on top of my saute pan), could be useful substitutes.
 
FYI: thanks to your generous feedback a few months ago, I have updated my kitchen and this is what's in my kitchen now:

DUTCH OVENS:
5.5 qt Le Creuset
4 qt LC Legumier 
2 qt LC

SKILLETS & SAUTE PAN:
12 inch All Clad 
10.5 inch AC saute pan - 3 qt 
9.4 inch Demeyere Industry 5 
9 inch Le Creuset cast iron pan 
8 inch AC 

STOCKPOT / SAUCEPANS: 
2 qt & 3 qt AC saucepans 
3 qt AC cassoulet pot 
5.3 qt 28 cm Silga bombatina (stockpot)
5 qt Tramontina Triply (stockpot) 

*4 qt AC chef's pan in question

After the past few months of using them, I have learned some things: most cookware sites recommend a person living alone small pans but I rarely use my 8 inch AC or my 9 inch LC skillets and instead reach for the 9.4 or 12 inches. The small pans did come in handy when I invited friends over and had to cook several dishes at once including side dishes. I rarely use my 3 qt saucepan and instead grab the same size cassoulet pot. I rarely use either of the 5 qt pots (Silga & Tramontina) since I hardly boil anything (don't really eat pasta but instead soba which is smaller so the cassoulet pot is a better size), but I did use one of them to make stock when friends came over (so will keep Silga of the two). For making a batch of long simmering soup, I use Le Creuset, which I love. This makes me wonder if my beautiful and expensive Chef's Pan is something that's going to sit unused unless friends come over -- which could be like once or twice a month, so not that often -- and I make some big serving of sautéed veggies or curries or pasta sauce or some such? (but in that case, I could use my LC Legumier instead which is the same size)

Is my new purchase of the "chef's pan" an overkill?  

Thank you!  

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