# Stock pots



## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

What size is your favorite when you are deep into canning season and want to make big batches of stuff? I have an All American canner that can handle 14 quarts, so I like to fill it up if at all possible. My current pot is only 8 quarts, so I borrowed my neighbor's 12-quart yesterday. That was much better, but I would still like something bigger. For instance, things with tomatoes are going to cook down a lot, so I'm wondering what size I would need if I want to be able to fill it up, cook it down, and end up with at least 14 quarts. I'm looking at a 16-quart right now. Is that big enough, or should I go with the 20?

Opinions?


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## PackerBacker (Jul 17, 2013)

I have a set of of cheap thin pots that has an 8, 12, 16 and 20 quart. I use everyone of them plus there is an extra 20 quart that I "aquired" some how.

I then have a 12 qwuart heavy bottomed clad pot that gets used daily. I need to get a 20 quart to match it.

If you are going to buy one I'd get a 20 over a 16.


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## praieri winds (Apr 16, 2010)

one of the turkey fryer pots would hold a lot of sauce and such


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## Homesteader (Jul 13, 2002)

DH got us a 42 quart pot. No typo, it's HUGE! I have never used it for cooking. I think we used it a couple times to scald the meat chickens.

It holds a lot of Christmas decorations. 42 quarts. It's enamelware. He got it during our time in the city of getting ready to homestead. 

It's only 13" tall though, very wide, but not tall enough to BWB anything but pints really.


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

I got a 20 quart this spring, and am SO glad I did. Could probably even use one bigger, but then I wouldn't be able to lift it or reach in it! I also bought the insert so I could poach 2 chickens at a time and make stock (haven't done that yet, more of a cool weather thing). I am also using it as my HWB canner, the problem with that is then I have to use my 12 quart to cook up stuff. If I had room I'd get a 16 as well. But all my stockpots and canners have to be kept downstairs and the kitchen is upstairs, space is pretty tight here!

My pressure canner only takes 7 quarts and if I'm canning stew or chili that fills my smaller stock pot to the brim. Much easier to stir and cook in the 20 qt.

I watched Amazon for a bit and bought a Winware, quality was much better than I expected for the price. Really good thick bottom.

Winware Stainless Steel Stock Pots
by Winware by Winco
4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (142 customer reviews) | 8 answered questions
List Price:	$113.99
Price:	$57.06


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

I have 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24-qt stock pots that I use for different things, depending on what I'm doing, but I think I use my 20-qt the most often. Mine are Tramontina 18/10 stainless steel tri-ply bottomed, so they cook evenly and rarely scorch. 

I think if you want to do enough for 14 quarts in one pan, I'd recommend the 20-qt. I don't think the 16-qt is quite big enough to cook it down and avoid splattering. Just my 2 cents. Good luck!


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Yes, I think I'm going to get the 20-quart...might even order it tonight!


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## PackerBacker (Jul 17, 2013)

Homesteader said:


> It's only 13" tall though, very wide, but not tall enough to BWB anything but pints really.


13" is tall enough to double stack pints (<5.5") and more then tall enough to can quarts (7")


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Woohoo...I ordered the heavy duty, stainless steel, thick-bottomed pot last night. It will be here Tuesday.

In case you would ever need such a thing, I saw one online last night that holds 200 quarts. Can you imagine? I would love to have the stove that could handle that thing!


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

mammabooh said:


> Woohoo...I ordered the heavy duty, stainless steel, thick-bottomed pot last night. It will be here Tuesday.
> 
> In case you would ever need such a thing, I saw one online last night that holds 200 quarts. Can you imagine? I would love to have the stove that could handle that thing!


That sure would take a big spoon to stir it, too! :stirpot:


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

Here's a thought for your tomatoes.

Years ago I had an epiphany. Rather than spend so much time cooking down tomatoes, which risks a scorching when I was in a hurry, I decided to cook just until soft, then sauce them. Then I ladled them into an old muslin pillowcase turned inside out, and hung them from a cupboard door over a big bowl to drain. If they hung a long time I had paste; if they hung a short time I had sauce. I could adjust the thickness of the final product with the time they hung and pouring back some of the liquid that dripped out. Then I could reheat and can. And BOY it went fast!

I had over 100 tomato plants that year and brought in about a bushel a day. We made tons of chili and spaghetti sauce, too.


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## CCCC (Nov 21, 2011)

I have the 24 quart Tramontina that I just bought, have only used it twice, but has worked great thus far.


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

I use an eight gallon stainless pot that is also used for my beer brewing hobby. It is a high quality stainless pot with a thick clad bottom that can be used on conduction burners as well as gas or electric ones.

It can effectively hold 6.5 gallons of liquid to be cooked. On my regular electric stove's bigger burner, it will only simmer with the heat turned on high, as long as it is uncovered.

I also have a nice stainless waterbath canner that is about 4 gallons, and we put that into use as well. I am a serious seed saver who sells quantities of seeds, and I grow 35 varieties of tomatoes each year, or 70 plants. And they can produce boatloads of ripe fruit this time of year.

A thick, heavy bottom is important to us to prevent burning, as we can in quantity - the tomato soup canning session in 2007, with 200 pounds of tomatoes harvested in two days, was 14 jars each canner batch, and batches lettered A-P. We still have about 10 jars left and they taste just like when we made them. You should also see if the thickness of the stainless used is decent.

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/heavy-duty-stainless-steel-brew-pot-8-gallon.html

The place to buy it, linked above, for $105 !!!!!!, is Midwest Supplies homebrewing and winemaking supply company in Minneapolis. I have not found a better quality pot for such a good price as they have. I have this pot, have used it for 5 years and it is an excellent product. The product measurements are in mms, and the bottom, 5 mm thick, is somewhat less than 1/4 inch. It says the wall thickness is 1 mm, or 1/25th of an inch.

Don't cheap out on your pots! Quality matters! That doesn't mean you have to spend tons of money, either! this pot will last you a lifetime of use and will be worth every penny you spend on it!


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Did you have any problems with it going 'off' at all, when hung longer to drain more? How many hours does it have to hang for it to be paste consistency, give or take a bit?

Thnx!




Horseyrider said:


> Here's a thought for your tomatoes.
> 
> Years ago I had an epiphany. Rather than spend so much time cooking down tomatoes, which risks a scorching when I was in a hurry, I decided to cook just until soft, then sauce them. Then I ladled them into an old muslin pillowcase turned inside out, and hung them from a cupboard door over a big bowl to drain. If they hung a long time I had paste; if they hung a short time I had sauce. I could adjust the thickness of the final product with the time they hung and pouring back some of the liquid that dripped out. Then I could reheat and can. And BOY it went fast!
> 
> I had over 100 tomato plants that year and brought in about a bushel a day. We made tons of chili and spaghetti sauce, too.


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

IowaLez said:


> Did you have any problems with it going 'off' at all, when hung longer to drain more? How many hours does it have to hang for it to be paste consistency, give or take a bit?
> 
> Thnx!


I never had a problem with it going "off" because it was less than an hour to hang. It was usually still warm in the middle. Paste took a bit longer, and depended on the consistency I was seeking. Sometimes I'd open it up and scrape the sides of the pillowcase to move the solids and more liquidy stuff around, but usually I just squished it a bit with my hands. Be careful though, it's hot! And know that when you're done, your pillow case will look like you have a lot of iron in your water. It becomes a canning helper that's permanently stained.

The liquid that is drawn off can be used to water acid loving plants like rhodies, azaleas, and hydrangeas. 

I won a cookbook once with this tip! The author was writing a canning book and this is one of the ones she picked.:icecream:


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

I buy enamled stock pots from garage sales. I refuse to buy some beautiful pots I've seen because they were made in China.


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## Homesteader (Jul 13, 2002)

PackerBacker said:


> 13" is tall enough to double stack pints (<5.5") and more then tall enough to can quarts (7")


I stand corrected, you are right, I was wrong! I had the number 15" stuck in my head. 13" does cover the works with an inch to spare. 

I don't ever double stack jars for BWB, another "stuck in my brain" thing, but don't specifically remember why.


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## mpennington (Dec 15, 2012)

Homesteader said:


> I stand corrected, you are right, I was wrong! I had the number 15" stuck in my head. 13" does cover the works with an inch to spare.
> 
> I don't ever double stack jars for BWB, another "stuck in my brain" thing, but don't specifically remember why.


I've been looking at the Presto 23 quart pressure canner to pressure can double stacked pints and to water bath quarts. The manual for the Presto says not to double stack for a water bath, but doesn't mention why.


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## PackerBacker (Jul 17, 2013)

mpennington said:


> I've been looking at the Presto 23 quart pressure canner to pressure can double stacked pints and to water bath quarts. The manual for the Presto says not to double stack for a water bath, but doesn't mention why.


Because it's not tall enough.


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## flowergurl (Feb 27, 2007)

I buy any big size i find at auctions or yard sales for a good price. Why pay retail when i can pick them up for a fraction of the cost.


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## mpennington (Dec 15, 2012)

PackerBacker said:


> Because it's not tall enough.


Well, that's a good reason - thanks. I haven't purchased yet, so couldn't physically set jars in the canner. Just downloaded manual off the presto site to read through first.


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Wheee...it's here! Let the big batches begin!


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