Whether you are having a normal weeknight dinner or entertaining family over holidays, having the right tools in the kitchen is essential. You can’t build a house without have a frame, right? So, we are going to apply the same idea to cooking. You need the frame, or in this case, you need the essentials.
Pantry essentials.
I would contend that you need, nay, must have these 10 pantry items readily available at all times. With these 10 items you will be able to address almost every culinary situation you may encounter!
Stock
Boxed stocks are a huge time saver and they pack a lot of flavor. There are two things to pay attention to when it comes to boxed stock. First, if you can go with the reduced sodium option, then do that. Most standard stocks have more salt in them than we actually need and sodium at those levels can be bad for our health. Doing the lower sodium option gives us the option to adjust the seasoning according to our own taste or needs.
Second, you don’t have to buy every stock on the shelf. One or two will do for most applications. Now, most stocks are animal protein based and if that doesn’t fit your lifestyle for any reason that is absolutely okay. There are plenty of ways around that will have the same impact for whatever dish you are making. For me, in my pantry, are chicken and beef stock because they are the most useful and versatile for my purposes. If you don’t want animal protein based stock then you can use vegetable or mushroom stock just as well. You may just want to be ready to bulk up the stock with additional spices and seasonings.
If you have the time, homemade stock is a great option too! I love homemade stock because you can control what ingredients you’re putting in, to where they came from, and how you want to apply or enhance flavor!
Pepper Grinder/Peppercorns
Growing up, my mom always used a pepper grinder for cooking or eating. I suppose for that reason, I became a bit of a pepper “snob” and can’t seem to get past the pre-ground, packaged version. They simply don’t have as much flavor!
Whole peppercorns will survive as long as those original flakes do in your pantry, I promise. The best part is? When the peppercorns are cracked by your grinder, the oils are released which in turn really permeates whatever you’re cooking.
Kosher salt
Standard table salt (the stuff you see on the table at restaurants) is made up of tiny crystals. You know you’ve got Kosher salt when you see something that looks more like tiny snowflakes. This flake like texture gives you control allowing for a more even distribution to ensure that every part of your protein gets the same treatment. You’re also able to cover more surface area because of the size of those flakes!
Paprika
Paprika can be identified by it’s stunning red color and earthy, smokey flavor profiles. Believe it or not, it has a hand in lots of worldly and region style cuisines. I use it a lot to build nuance or to give body to a particular dish or application. Because of the notes of complexity, I use paprika to build my barbecue sauce, seasoning mixes and to give my chicken stock a little color and depth.
Heck, when I don’t know what to use to season various proteins I reach for paprika. Oh, and those cute little containers in the spice aisle are killing your pocket book! To save some money, head to your bulk spice section and you can get more than 5 ounces for a couple of bucks.
Garlic Powder
I will get the dirty laundry out of the way first. No, I am not talking about the smell. Haha! Garlic powder can be found cheaper and with a lot less fuss in the bulk spice department. Garlic powder can go on anything you’d put garlic in. However, this powder form has one distinct advantage over its sibling. It keeps delivering whether it is a quick use application or it goes the distance low and slow.
That means that the flavor will be present if it is in a seasoning mix or if you use it for a pasta sauce. I will caution you that if you do use garlic powder in a quick cook application, be sure to taste as you go and start with less than you think you need. You can always add, but taking away is a bit more difficult. Some other ways to use garlic powder are chili, stocks, soups, marinades, and rubs.
Canned Tomato Products
I am a big fan of canned tomato products. In fact, I use them at least a few times a week in my kitchen. For me, the most useful tomato products are tomato sauce, diced tomatoes or even the tube of tomato paste. There is only one down side to tomato sauce or diced tomatoes in the can, they all come bearing a “tin” flavor. To get rid of that, simply cook them for a while to let that flavor dissipate.
Sugar
There are SO many amazing sugar options out there, but I keep brown sugar and white sugar on hand at all times. I know white sugar gets a bad wrap, but I use a little bit in my coffee and for baking purposes. Because of the unique flavor profile of brown sugar, it lends itself to sweet and savory applications very well. The rich molasses quality with almost some earthy tones really allow the brown sugar to be a chameleon. You can use brown sugar for baking cookies, breads, or maybe you add it to barbecue sauce or marinades. Not only that, but the brown sugar can help you achieve different textures as well. Maybe you are doing a brisket in your smoker with low heat? The brown sugar helps form a crust on the meat so when you take a bite you get some crunch and the brown sugar essence which helps carry the flavors through!
Dried Basil or Oregano
I am willing to bet that you have one or both of these spices in your pantry as I type this! If so, that is good news!
Although basil and oregano are two distinct flavors, for our purposes they are fairly interchangeable. If you have both spices that is great, but you will be fine with one at the very least. These spices do really well with low and slow cooking methods. More than that, they provide a wonderful floral, slightly earthy, and hint of sweetness that pairs well with so many things. The most notable application would be pasta sauce that cooks a few hours or simmers on the stove all day.
Olive Oil
I suspect this is something most of us already have in our pantries, on our counters or near our respective cooking tops. I know there are a ton of options when it comes to olive oil. I am a extra virgin olive person myself. That is my go-to choice when it comes to buying off the shelf. I also try to stay away from lite olive oils because they tend to lack the color and flavor that I associate with olive oil.
Some of the standard uses for olive oil are sautéing, shallow frying, making salad dressings, and marinades for proteins and vegetables. Olive oil can be the base for homemade mayo, poaching liquids or if you are really feeling frisky, use it to make desserts.
Apple Cider or Balsamic Vinegar
Like with white sugar or brown sugar, having one or the other will certainly work, but these vinegars are very different beasts.
To make the comparison apple cider vinegar is like white sugar. It is all purpose and you can do a lot with it. ACV is a bit more complex when it comes to flavor and the acidic quality is the most prominent flavor. But, it is the subtle tones of apple and the sweetness that makes this vinegar unique. A few examples of what you can with it include salad dressings, pickling base, sauces, barbecue sauce, soups.
Balsamic vinegar, which is my personal favorite and made entirely of grapes in Italy, has an incredible complexity. Full of richness, sweetness, acid, and a delightful mouthfeel gives balsamic vinegar a lot of valuable uses. One of my personal favorites is to balsamic vinaigrette. A perfect balance of the qualities of the vinegar dancing with the emulsifying powers of olive oil.
Although we have covered 10 crucial pantry items, there will always be items that you decide are important to you that you need to have. Taking inventory of your own cooking methods and recipes will really help you figure out what’s going to be the best fit for YOUR pantry!
I’d love to chat with your more! Make sure you head over to my website, www.patrickstable.com and follow me on Instagram at @patricks_table!
Enjoy!
Patrick
