Topic · Clear Soups Mastery
Clear Soup Equipment Essentials
Clear soups are fairly simple to prepare if you follow the cooking method, and to do so you need the right kitchen equipment. The kitchen equipment does not need to be expensive, but it does need to be good enough to do the job. But if you are investing in kitchen equipment, you may want to invest in good quality cookware that will last for a long time.
The basic tips to remember in order to save money when equipping your kitchen are:
- Do not buy top of the line, unless you find a really good deal, as 2nd tier products are usually good enough for most users.
- Try to buy items that multi-task — that is, they serve more than one useful purpose.
- Do not go for the frills until you have all of your basics.
Basic equipment
Here is the list of kitchen essentials that you will need in order to make clear soups.
Large, Heavy Pot: A good pot is the absolute number one key essential most important piece of equipment you need when making soup.
While heavy pots are a drag to move around the kitchen, they are great when making soups. They hold heat, allow you to maintain steady simmers and gentle boils, and will keep soup warm for a nice long time. Without a doubt, your soup pots and stockpot will be the most important kitchen equipment when it comes to making homemade soup. With the possible exception of your chef’s knife and a soup ladle, nothing else will be used in every single soup you make.
Stock Pot: This is a deep, straight-sided pot that is taller than it is wide. It has two, securely attached, loop handles that are big enough to easily allow the use of potholders or oven mitts. It is used for simmering large amounts of liquid, such as stock, soups, and stews, but also works well for thick soups, chili, and for boiling pasta.
The pot does not need to be made of anodized aluminum or copper to promote a responsive heat reaction but should have a heavy bottom to protect against burning and scorching. Stockpots are available in sizes ranging from 6 quarts to 20 quarts and generally include a cover. Pots that are 10, 12, and 14 quarts are standard sizes that will satisfy many uses. You will find stock pots made of several different materials, such as stainless steel, aluminum, anodized aluminum, copper, and non-stick materials.
Skimmer: A skimmer is an indispensable kitchen utensil and is a large perforated spoon used in skimming liquids.
These are long-handled implements with a fine-mesh or perforated-metal surface. Usually made from stainless steel, a skimmer is used for removing froth and scum from the surface of stock and broth during its preparation or from simmering bean and rice dishes. It’s also used for retrieving small pieces of fried foods from hot oil and for lifting pieces of food from poaching liquid.
Soup Ladle: Sure, a tea-cup would work for serving soup, but a large soup ladle makes the job easier. Look for a ladle with a large scoop and a long handle.
Conical strainer aka chinois is a conical strainer that ensures fast draining of vegetables or pasta, as water is drawn down towards the base of the cone.
Conical sieve, aka “chinois étamine” is a conical sieve with a very fine mesh. It is used to strain custards, cooked vegetables, soups, and sauces, producing a very smooth texture. It can also be used to dust food with a fine layer of powdered ingredients.
Cheesecloth is a loose-woven gauze cloth used primarily in cheese making and cooking. Perfect for straining stocks, broths, Jams, jellies, sauces, and juices. The fine weave is allowing only the liquid to go through, keeping any solid within the cloth.
A long-handled wood spoon is reasonably priced and is a kitchen essential in all kitchens drawers. I recommend 12″ wooden spoon, as it is the right size for stirring most sauces, soups, and so much more. But you should have different sizes to fit all pots.
Most spoons are made of durable yet lightweight beechwood and feature a 3/8″ diameter handle, perfect for mixing even the thickest doughs and batters. The broad and oval concave bowl enables thorough mixing, stirring, and tossing of ingredients during food preparation, while the smooth edges and sanded surface ensure a quality product for your kitchen’s use.
Ideal for non-stick cookware, a wooden spoon will not scratch or mar delicate surfaces, and the one-piece construction eliminates hard to clean crevices that collect bacteria for a more sanitary kitchen tool.
Meat grinders come as a standalone machine or as an accessory to mount on a standing mixer. Meat grinders should have various disk sizes, a feed tray, and a pusher.
Some brands and models of electric grinders have a reversing feature, which is not the best if you use a sharp knife, right disk and have your meat is kept just above freezing you should need to reverse. Most standalone models can make sausage using stuffing tube attachments, which could be a great feature.
Kitchen scale: spring, balance beam or electronic scales to weigh ingredients for preparation and portion control
Kitchen timer: Perfect for keeping track of cooking times in busy bakery and restaurant kitchens.