What are your *essential* cooking tools? Bare-bones only!

anemoneprose

Mine:

- cast iron skillet
- wok
- medium-sized stainless steel saucepan
- big stainless steel saucepan
- cook's knife
- spatulas - 1 flat wooden, 1 steel with slats
- roasting pan

bonus:
- garlic press
- skimmer

corgicake

- stock pot
- normal sized pot
- bigger pan
- knife
- spatula
- ladle
- cookie sheet
- wire mesh strainer

taso42

chef's knife
cutting board
thermometer
measuring spoons
measuring cups
non-stick frying pan
metal bowls (or glass)
steel saucepan
4 or 6 quart stockpot
silicone spatula
wooden spoon
baking trays
weber kettle grill
tongs

i guess that's sort of a lot. for really barebones, i guess a pocketknife, some aluminum foil, and a fire would do the trick

aquarabbit

Oh man. I am going to suck at this because I love my tools. I'll limit myself to 5.

1. Dutch Oven
2. Sharp Knife
3. Mortar and Pestle
4. Food Processor
5. Whisk

anemoneprose

i guess that's sort of a lot. for really barebones, i guess a pocketknife, some aluminum foil, and a fire would do the trick

I bet you'd make good use of them

anemoneprose

Oh man. I am going to suck at this because I love my tools. I'll limit myself to 5.

1. Dutch Oven
2. Sharp Knife
3. Mortar and Pestle
4. Food Processor
5. Whisk

Would love to come to yours for dinner!

anemoneprose

- stock pot
- normal sized pot
- bigger pan
- knife
- spatula
- ladle
- cookie sheet
- wire mesh strainer

I think you cook like me!

daxnine

1. cast iron skillet
2. medium saucepan
3. WHISK!
4. metal spatula
5. cutting board and my trusty santoku, freshly sharpened of course

honorable mention: metal mixing bowl, strainer

JesterMFP

food scale
multi steamer pan
small saucepan
sharp knife
chopping board
spatula
wooden spoon
baking tin/sheet
measuring spoons

optional extras:
frying pan (skillet)
griddle
tongs
sieve
whisk
bowls

MeanderingMammal

I suspect all different definitions of "bare bones" here. For me:

Utility knife & chopping block
Wok
pyrex measuring jug
rubber spatula
Steamer

curly1986

My 2 ceramic knives (one large, one small)
Large pot
Small pot
Wooden spoon
Digital scales
Strainer
Oven tray
Fork/Spoon (for taste test!)

jamielynas

Mobile phone
Take-out menu

MinatoandClover

Knife, cutting board, skillet, stock pot, spatula, microwave. Actually, that's all I -ever- use, lol

neandermagnon

- lecreuset cooking pot (the big, round and fairly deep ones with a lid that can be used on the hob or in the oven)

- kitchen devils all purpose knife

- something hygienic to cut foods on (separate ones for veggies and meat)

- wooden spoon

- spatula

can't think of anything else... except a microwave for reheating leftovers, and containers and a fridge for keeping leftovers in and a fridge-freezer for food storage... but none of that is actual cooking (IMO reheating stuff =/= cooking)

---

now for my palaeoanthropology nerd answer (you wanted the bare bones and absolute basics...):

- dry wood and dry kindling for the fire

- flint and iron pyrite to start the fire

- flint hand axe or similar for butchering the meat

- flint tool for whittling green sticks to make skewers

- large flat stones to heat in the fire and use as a surface to cook food on

gogojodee

Food Scale
Blender
Blender Bottle
Measuring Cups/Bowls
Nesting Bowls
Steel collapsable steamer
Big/small stainless steel skillet
Nice big pot

I guess that's it lol.

gogojodee

Mobile phone
Take-out menu

haha sounds like my ex! Literally had NO dishes except beer glasses and my own wine glasses.

tmm_0127

skillet, wok, glass baking pan (8 x 8 and 9 x 13), big cooking pot, and a good set of cutting knives.

MyChocolateDiet

Sorry I just noticed you wrote TOOLS, I'm gonna have to change my answer...standby (that was disrespectful and I did not mean it like that at all)

Okay when I cook, which is seldom these days I use the following very very often

Large saute pan
Toaster oven
Stove
Oven
Stoneware baking sheet
Food Chopper
"Everything" knife. (one knife that cuts everything).
Chopping board

KirstenTheFamilyCoach

let me add two things to you list: a george foreman grill and a steamer.

Achrya

Heat. All other things are optional.

stealthSLOTH

bump

whierd

Pot
Skillet
Ladle
Spatula
Knife
Mixing bowls
Measuring cups/spoons
Whisk
Spoon

IronSmasher

Fire

RobTheGourmet

Mine:

- cast iron skillet
- wok
- medium-sized stainless steel saucepan
- big stainless steel saucepan
- cook's knife
- spatulas - 1 flat wooden, 1 steel with slats
- roasting pan

bonus:
- garlic press
- skimmer

I would add cast iron dutch oven and a 16 - 24 quart stock pot and remove the garlic press as its not needed just a gimmick

outside of that minor change, this is all that is needed period if you cant cook something with this equipment you do not belong in a kitchen imo! ;p

Eastern_Echo23

Sharp Knife, Cutting Board, Various size pots and pans, and spoons to stir things. I would really like a wok

laserturkey

Kitchen scale
Measuring spoons
Non-stick frying pan
Non-stick saucepan
Chef's knife
Knife sharpener
Cutting board
Large spoon
Bowl

OR sometimes in place of the non-stick pans: crockpot

SteelySunshine

microwave

toaster

stove

blender

plates and bowls (microwave cooking)

12 inch skillet

a pot for pasta

smaller pot for rice

big knife

some smaller knives

Tdacks

I'm single and cook only for myself. Lets see, for my daily meals I use the following in actual meal preparation:

small or medium cast iron pan
medium pot with lid
skinny plastic spatula
utility knife
fork
spoon
measuring cup
coffee grinder
coffee press
ETA: ** Toaster! ** I just moved, and I was all sadface with my non-toasted bagels until I unpacked my toaster.

I wouldn't consider it essential for cooking, but I am very grateful that my roommate has a kitchen scale. I never imagined how often I would use it!

I love how so many people here are also fans of cast iron.

Ed98043

I don't cook much, but I use a sharp knife and a chopper-scraper every day to make salads and prepare fruit. When I do cook, it's usually a slab of something (steak, salmon, chicken) in the Foreman cooker. Sometimes I make stir fry...I have a non-stick wok which I'm sure the purists would frown at - but when I've tried the steel ones I always burn everything for some reason, including myself because it spits hot oil back at me. I've actually just started looking into cooking lessons. lol

KarlaH9801

Large pot and small pot, with lids. Sharp large knife, cutting board. Spatula. Can opener. I could make that work.