cooks/chefs- I need a pot suggestion please

[klf73]

My mother and myself frequently cook spaghetti sauce. We both have the problem of the sauce burning to the bottom during the long simmering, no matter how much we stir and how low the heat is. We both have low quality pots(she bought mine almost 20 years ago), they are pretty thin.

What I am looking for is a suggestion for a good pot, large in size and minimal sticking. Dh thinks I should look for a double walled bottom, or whatever it's called. I usually use 2 pots and the size would still need to sit on a traditional stovetop. I am thinking about getting one for myself and one for mom(she also cooks the sauce and chili) for xmas. I would like to stay under $200 ea if possible. Dh says I will get enough use out of it and should bite the bullet, but I'm cheap. When I spend the $$$ I expect quality, so what is good pot?? I don't want to spend $150 on amazon and really hate it, so I turn to my BYC friends with your experience

thanks in advance

 

[KenK]

I like All-Clad. Mine is the regular three ply stainless with an aluminum core.

Tomato sauce can be difficult to keep from scorching though, you may also need a heat diffuser of some sort.

And another nice thing about the All-Clad is that it can go in the oven. I simmer soups and stews in the oven frequently if I'm busy and don't have a lot of time to watch a pot.

 

[HHandbasket]

Quote:
Any heavy-bottomed pot will do, or even better still, get a cast iron dutch oven. I have a nice stainless-steel, heavy-bottomed pot that I bought 4 years ago at Walmart as part of a $130 set. The only time I've ever burned anything in it is once I fell asleep while making a pot of chili & after an hour, it was all crusty and gross and black on the bottom. But that's more to do with operator headspace error than the pot itself.

I've found that I burn EVERYTHING I cook in a thin-bottomed stock pot.

 

[sheila3935]

Lehmans carries a simmer mat that goes over your burner on your stove. it cost 12.95 and you can order it online. Works on any type of cooking surface.

 

[m.kitchengirl]

I am a chef, and I love All-Clad, but my favorite pot is a Le Crusset pot I got at Marshalls for about $40. I cook just about everything in it. I can make 4 Quart size mason jars of tomato sauce in it, it goes in the oven, it sautes like a dream and never scorches, provided I am good about stirring. Best pot ever, and every Marshalls/TJ Maxx seems to have the 4 quart size in stock for cheap all the time. They also come in gorgeous colors, and will last a lifetime.

Best $40 I've ever spent. (They clean up as easily as All Clads do, too.)

 

[wsmoak]

I love my All Clad, but it will set you back a pretty penny! Same with Le Creuset -- but the Tramontina line at Wal Mart came out very comparable when Cooks Illustrated/Americas Test Kitchen tested them.

Look for something stainless steel with a heavy aluminum disc on the bottom, or enameled cast iron like
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tramontin...Steel-TriPly-Clad-Covered-Dutch-Oven/11072503
or
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tramontina-6.5-Quart-Cast-Iron-Dutch-Oven-Red/11989387

After seeing those test results I just couldn't part with $250 for the Le Creuset dutch oven, even though I *really* wanted the cobalt blue one! The Tramontina comes in green and red. I've also seen a Paula Deen branded one that looks similar.

-Wendy

 

[KenK]

I bought a Lodge enameled cast iron pot not too long ago. I like it ok, have no idea if it would compare favorably with Le Creuset or not.

 

[KristyHall]

you want a heavy duty stainless steel pot. if it is heavy when you pick it up for its size it is likely a good pot. If you are willing to spend the extra money get one that has aluminum or copper sandwiched in the middle of the stainless steal on the bottom to allow for more even dispersal of the heat.

never get strait aluminum. It react poorly with acidic foods like tomato sauces and if you make cold process soap, aluminum will make the batch bubble up like a grade school volcano.

you could try cast iron with an enamel coating but if you have a ceramic stove it may damage it.

if your sauce keeps sticking in your current pot you may also want to back the heat down and stir it more. you can't leave a sauce on the stove all day and it not stick.

 

[Terri O]

I have old SS pots from Gimbels! They are International Stainless. Great pots! But as everyone has said as long as you have a sandwiched bottom it should be a good pot. A "heat tamer" is a good thing to put under any pot that you are simmering for a long time. I went to a Mexican grocery store and got a huge pot for 40 bucks...I have done all my salsas in it for canning this year and it has not ever burned! I am liking this pot (cauldron) it is also SS with a sandwiched metal bottom..and a glass lid! The brand is Alumex.
You can never go wrong with quality SS pots...they will last you a lifetime! My original ones are over 30 years old and still look brand new! Good luck and happy cooking! Terri O

(PS) If you ever do scorch one you can put a bit of baking soda and vinegar in it and let it soak over night and it will clean right out in the morning...even popcorn! LOL!

 

[KimberlyJ]

Check out a local Chef store. They seem to be popping up everywhere now. Like someone else mentioned, it should feel heavy and be SS. I splurged on a big sauce pot a few years ago and it was worth the $$$.....if you go big, just be sure you have a spoon that will reach to the bottom! (I do home canning so I work with big batches)