When I cook, I’m often reminded of a bit that comedian Richard Jeni used to do about high-brow TV cooking shows: “Today we’re going to make a massively complicated dish using ingredients you don’t have, utensils you can’t afford, in a kitchen bigger than your whole apartment.” It’s a funny bit, and for the most part–thankfully–it’s an exaggeration.
What isn’t an exaggeration is the staggering variety of cookware, bake ware, utensils, appliances, accessories, gizmos, gadgets, and cutlery available today. I don’t have a large kitchen or much extra storage space, so I need to keep it simple by zeroing in on the things that offer the most utility.
One such utilitarian item is my stock pot; it’s one of the best kitchen investments I’ve made and occupies a spot high on my list of Top 10 Kitchen Favorites. I have a Calphalon commercial hard anodized 12-quart pot, but any high quality model will do you just fine. Stock pot sizes vary, too, ranging from 6-quart way up to 80-quart commercial sizes. For me, 12-quarts offers a lot of flexibility. It’s ideal for soup, stew, chili, pasta, corn on the cob, spaghetti sauce, lobster, corned beef, and of course, stock. Its heavy-gauge aluminum also stands up to deep frying. Metal utensils won’t harm the surface and it’s oven-safe to 700 degrees F.
There are many large pots you can buy in varying sizes and dimensions, but what makes a stock pot a stock pot? Ideally, you want a heavy-gauge pot–or at least one with a heavy bottom–that is tall and narrow. A heavy gauge isn’t as critical for a stock pot as it is for a sauce or sauté pan, but the gauge contributes to heat retention and transfer, which is important for low and slow cooking. The tall, narrow shape facilitates low simmering and low evaporation allowing heated liquids to move up through the food, extracting maximum flavor.
(…the aromatics I added to my veal stock this week…)
I have only one negative thing to say about my Calphalon pot: it has to be washed by hand, which, in the long run, is a minor inconvenience when compared with how well this pot performs on the stove and in the oven. And at around $70.00, this pot is a bargain.
If you read any reviews of this particular pot, you may notice some negative comments aimed at pots made in China. Mine was made in China, and I can tell you that it is of no lesser quality than Calphalon cookware I have that was made in the US. Food does not stick provided that the pot is properly heated and you use proper cooking liquids. The hard anodized finish stands up to anything, including acidic foods like tomatoes, and is easy to clean.
A good stock pot is a piece of cookware every cook should have. It truly is a pot for every kitchen.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the great review. The pot is only $49.99 on Amazon now. Do you know how the Calphalon Commercial compares to the Calphalon One?