Do You Put As Much Thought Into Pots As You Do Pans

Is there a difference between a better pan and a good pan... Does it make a difference to food you cook in them ?

I need a medium sized pot since I only need on Ill get a quality made one as far as manufaturing is concerned but does material matter when it comes to making soup, or pasta sauce, or other things along those lines. I was just going to grab a basic stainless with a solid built handle, but i thought I'd ask first

 

Flat, heavy bottom. The warped bottom makes me crazy.

 

x2 on heavy bottom if you are going to be making tomato sauce that will cook for a few hours. Also if going to braise in it.

 

any suggestions for brands to look into ?

 

I like to use my enameled cast iron pot for Sunday sauce. I can build it on top of the stove then throw it in the oven.

 

I love Staub but any enameled cast iron will be the same whether its Lodge, Emeril, Rachel Ray, or Le Crueset. Definitely get the heaviest bottom if you go stainless steel. Go with aluminum if are boiling water for something like pasta or potatoes. It boils much faster unless you have induction.

 

I like these as a good compromise for quality and cost. One thing I look for is a lot of head room in my pots, I don't want to be fiddling around to stir anything. JB Prince carries them as well as some other retailers.

 

lol Im thinking I need two pots now, One for making sauces like tomato (ill go with enamel) and one for lighter fair like boiling water for pasta or reheating

 

Here would be my line up for pots.

One large aluminum stock pot for boiling water or making stock.
One heavy duty stainless sauce pan, ~3 qt. You need it for acid base stuff or milk/cream based stuff. I have a Demeyere that I wouldn't trade for anything. Al-Clad, Viking and others I'm sure are just as good. One enameled cocotte, 5-6qt. Use it as dutch oven, slow cooker, from stove top to oven or even grill, bake bread, just too versatile to not have. As I said, I like Staub but brand is really immaterial. Cast iron is cast iron is cast iron.
And finally, the end all be all most versatile of all pots and pans, the one I'm saving up for, a heavy bottom stainless steel (not Aluminum) Lincoln brazier. Also known as a rondo. Whatever size will fit your largest burner. If you've ever used one you'll wonder how you live without one. These are my go to pots at work.

 

No disagreeing with anything above. Heavy is good. Thick enamel is good, esp for sauces, stews, and things cooked in the pan. When boiling water for pasta, blanching etc the thick walls are not as important and water will get hot faster with thinner walled aluminum.

I did not see any mention of induction compatibility. I have a stupid number of pots, pans, but only a few are induction compatible. The others are slowly finding new homes and anything new will be.

And +1 to the Rondo. I've been using one with some pt catering. It is the mother of all pans. Every surface on that thing has burned me at least once but I keep going back for more. I don't need one but I sure do want one.

 

You also want comfortable handles that don't get hot. It's good if they can go in the oven.

The last few weeks I've been replacing my ancient ScanPan with Zwilling Sensation. It's made by Demeyere--it's just like the Industry 5 sold at Sur la Table with some slight differences in the handle. (I have a saute pan in the Industry 5 line--I don't see any difference in performance between the Zwilling and the Demeyere labelled pieces.) Zwilling has had it on 60% off clearance-- http://www.zwillingonline.com The sets are 68% off. (I think it's going to be replaced by the Aurora line, which has rivets and doesn't have the Silvinox treatment, so they're clearing out their inventory.) Still not the cheapest cookware in the world, but I'm really, really happy with it so far. Cooks nicely, cleans up exceptionally well, and isn't too heavy. It's a sandwich construction on the saucepans instead of a disc like the Demeyere Atlantis line. I'm having to learn how to cook in it after using "nonstick" aluminum for centuries, but I think they're going to be a great set of pans. They are also induction compatible.

There's also Staub on sale for 60% off on the Zwilling site.

I'm actually thinking about getting rid of my 4 qt enameled cast iron dutch oven. It's heavy and I just don't use it that often. I have an 8 qt stainless dutch oven that gets used instead.

 

So I ended up with a Norpro Krona, has a lid that either seals tight or is vented depending how on how its turned, thought it would be helpful to cook and drain pasta. seems to have few reviews but the ones i can find are positive



as well as a lodge enamel Dutch oven... seems to get great reviews compared to it's much more expensive counter parts and since i didn't want to shell out 400-600 for a piece i went with the lodge

 

Been hankerin for one of those enameled dutch ovens for a while. Well done James.

 

The Lodge one is fine. You wouldn't notice any difference.

 

lol that's not true.... my bank account really noticed a difference lol. but all i read said the same, said it was a great product and performed great. I'm excited, among with a new pans from lodge and de buyer i think my cookware upgrade is complete for now. no more broken handles and misshapen pans.

 

Another KKFora homerun.

 

I chose to use stainless Paderno sauteuser with flat and rounded bottoms, along their wide pots in different sizes.
Perfect to simmer down things like mentioned tomato chutney.
Easy pick or not is relative, for me the smaller saucepans had to have the bottom that feels right to warm up small sized portions of risottos and such.

I spent propably 5 hours choosing the lot and some danish Scanpans to go with it.

I just had to have the Lodge 6 liters bonfire pot. Awesome piece of kit.

Bourgeat has some fine pieces on offering too.

 

The lodge will be fine. We use cocottes as serving pieces at the restaurant and they lasted 2.5 years, going to tables, going through the dishwasher, etc. That pot will last forever treated well.

 

I got a Cuisinart branded 8qt Stainless. It's decent. It does what I need it to. I also have an 8qt Aluminum pan. I have a 6qt cast iron dutch oven too. It's a no name made in china and But does just fine.

If we start talking pots I use for Brewing that's another thread.

 

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