revived: good stock pot thread (ingredients, bread, soups, vegetables)

[ellenrr]

Hi,
since the previous thread on this subject was dated-
Just want to see if any new ideas.
From the existing thread I got this info:
the best (and expensive) - Le Creuset
also recommended Circulon
All-Clad,
Viking.

I cannot afford the best, unless I find it at a Goodwill (unlikely)
I am impressed with Circulon because the other day, i left some vegetable juice burn down to nothing in a pot, and as far as I can tell, the pot is still good, so I checked it and found it is a Circulon, which I would say makes a good pot.
so I may go for that.

any other ideas?

thanks.

[randomparent]

If I could afford only one pot of that size, I'd personally buy a Le Creuset 5-quart Dutch oven, but it's important to treat it very well, because the enamel isn't impervious to damage. The pot must be allowed to come up to temperature slowly to prevent crazing, and it shouldn't ever be allowed to boil dry.

If I was in the market for a traditional stockpot, I'd probably go with the oven-safe, SS, All-Clad. It works well for pasta, soup/stew/stock, and, it's the perfect size for No-Knead bread. It also cleans up beautifully with a metal mesh scrubby.

[Ohiogirl81]

Meh, I bought a couple of aluminum-bottomed Revere Ware stockpots on Ebay -- 10 quart, 8 quart and 4.5 quart -- and I love them.

[Attrill]

What you want to look for in a stock pot (or any pot or pan really) is one that has a thick bottom that distributes the heat evenly. Ideally you want the sides to be fairly thick as well, but that isn't quite as important as the bottom.

I think the best would be All-Clad, but Cuisinart makes some with a solid bottom but the sides are a bit thin. That can be real problem with pans, but isn't as important in a stock pot if you're looking to save some money.

[Threestep2]

I have a Cuisinart and do not care for it at all. Stock ingredients go on the stove with the aluminum AllClad insert and then outside or in really bad weather to the garage to simmer. I have a section of workbench reserved for that purpose in winter.
The LeCreuset stock pot got very ugly with time. Does anyone have a good tip on how to deal with discoloration of the light colored inside of standard LeCreuset pots? Thank you.

[momtothree]

In my opinion, because you are boiling huge amounts of liquid, any tall pasta or stock pot will do. Thin or thick, the liquid provides its own insulation so it doesn't require a special heavy bottom/sides etc. I use a cheap stainless steel tall pasta pot for both stock and boiling pasta/potatoes/broth based soups. I wouldn't use it for anything else as it's thin but it heats up fast because of the thinness.

Everything else I use my enameled cast iron or all clad pots.

[Attrill]

I like a heavy bottom, since I frequently brown vegetables in the bottom of the pot before adding the liquid. A thin bottomed pot will have very uneven heat distribution, so some vegetables will get burned very quickly while others don't get browned at all. I've also had problems with syrups burning to the bottom of thin bottomed pots when I add them to a liquid.

I definitely agree that All-Clads are vastly superior to Cuisinarts, but I spent about $35-40 for my thick bottomed Cuisinart one and the cheapest All-Clad equivalent I could find was well over $200. Le Creusets are a good compromise in both price and quality.

(Just to clarify, I'm talking about 12-quart pots)

[gentlearts]

I bought an Emeril version of a LeCreuset dutch oven at Marshall's, which is a good place to find expensive cookware on sale. I don't use it very often because it is so darn heavy that I am afraid I might drop it taking it out of the oven. If I have the opportunity to find a lighter pot I like better, I will switch. Also, I have an electric flat cooktop, which I'm not sure is the best to use with enamel cookware.

[lubby]

I have one of those heavy pots Similar to Le Creuset but it's a Mario Bitali version. I love making stews, soups, chili in it. I think mine cost $80 but that was 7 years ago. Easy to clean too.

[cb at sea]

I love my Revereware stuff!