So I bought this pot....Now what?

[PanchoHambre]

In spite of my need to save space and the impending demolition of my kitchen I couldn't resist picking up this 10qt stock pot with a strainer insert and steaming basket and glass lid. It is seemes to be ok quality (not too fancy) and barely used and was only $10 at the local flea market.... I just could'nt resist all that shiny SS.

Thing is I dont really know what to do with it (except make pasta and steam veggies) does this type of pot have greater utility? Now I have this big thing taking up space in my kitchen... help me put it to use.

 

[kitchenelf]

You can use it for soups; cooking a chicken in to use for something and then using the liquid to make stock, or chicken and dumplings; brining a whole chicken or a turkey; cooking large amounts of potatoes, corn on the cob, etc.

Need more uses to make the guilt go away?

 

[*amy*]

In spite of my need to save space and the impending demolition of my kitchen I couldn't resist picking up this 10qt stock pot with a strainer insert and steaming basket and glass lid. It is seemes to be ok quality (not too fancy) and barely used and was only $10 at the local flea market.... I just could'nt resist all that shiny SS.

Thing is I dont really know what to do with it (except make pasta and steam veggies) does this type of pot have greater utility? Now I have this big thing taking up space in my kitchen... help me put it to use.

How about...

A big batch of pierogies or ravioli

A big batch of homemade tomato sauce

Corned Beef & Cabbage or New England Boiled Dinner
New England boiled dinner - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Clam Bake
Recipes : Mom's Portuguese Clam Bake : Food Network


Brown Stock, Espagnole Sauce, and Demi-Glace
Family Secrets #27: Brown Stock, Espagnole Sauce, and Demi-Glace

I had the big pasta strainer insert, and a small kitchen... so, I thought about turning it into a lampshade.

 

[bowlingshirt]

Crab legs

 

[*amy*]

Or a couple of lobsters.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

How about a big pot of chile. Your pot is great for soups as it is tall compared to its width. This means less evaporation of the liquid. But know that it will take forever to reduce a stock due to the same dynamics. Your pot is very utilitarian. The above posts give you a taste of its many uses.

And New England Boiled Dinner suggestion is a great one for your pot. Realy good stuff.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[PanchoHambre]

Thanks for the ideas! I have never boiled a chicken or made my own stock maybe I should get to it before the winter is gone

the boiled dinner sounds timely for st. pats as we always eat corned beef and cabbage then... was looking at rutabega at the market today wondering what I could do with it.

Goodweed interesting thought about the pot being tall and narrow vs wide and therefor better for soups and stocks. The reason I was worried about the utility of the purchase is because I allready have an 8qt and a 14 qt(12?) vintage farberware pots but these are low and wide in comparison so maybe they have different best uses anyway they are currently in storage until the renovation is over anyway because they were just too wide to fit anywhere right now.

I am especially inerested in applications for the strainer/steamer feature how do I put these to use the best way?

 

[kitchenelf]

I LOVE steamed red potatoes (the smaller the better). I also slice and steam red potatoes for German potato salad.

You can use the strainer when you cook pasta or any vegetable that you are blanching. Just lift up the strainer to drain!

Strainer would be good for shrimp too.

Steamer is good for any vegetable you prefer to steam versus blanch.

See, you NEEDED this because your others were in storage and one is too small and the other is too big - this one is JUST right!

 

[Katie H]

Before we know it our gardens will be bursting with fresh veggies and/or the farmers markets will be tempting us with their bounty. If you are interested in doing any canning/freezing, the strainer insert would be perfect to blanch veggies before you "put them up."

If you need to make an extra-large quantity of hard-boiled eggs, you could do them in the strainer and easily lift them out of the hot water when they're done.

Depending on the size of the pot and strainer, the combo could be used as a water-bath canner, too.

These are the first things that came to my mind. I'm sure there'll be more as other members see this thread.

 

[PanchoHambre]

See, you NEEDED this because your others were in storage and one is too small and the other is too big - this one is JUST right!

LOL! yeah reinfoce the junkie thinking thanks!

anyway the sucker has been getting used tonight for the old corned beef cabbage and potatos,,, never did it befor hope its edible have some frozen pizza incase