Some Stock Pot advise please

[The_Kapn]

I need to buy a larger stock pot.
We have a Rival Ware 8 quart which we love, but need something a bit bigger a few times per year.
Last night I did a shrimp boil for 4 and it was "really close" to overfilling my pot. No "headroom" to work with at all

I am focused on something about 16 quart which will meet all our needs.
Stove top cooking only--no cooking turkeys or any of that stuff.

Budget is $30 since that is all it is worth to us because of our limited use.

Trying to stay away from aluminum because I do some stuff with tomatoes and other acids.
I know SAM'S Club has aluminum ones at a really good price.
Am I wrong there ???

Have found the following as examples of what I "think" I want:

http://www.amazon.com/Excelsteel-Qua...=10NXM7GLJ2YB7

http://www.amazon.com/Prime-Pacific-...=10NXM7GLJ2YB7

And

http://www.amazon.com/Alpha-Heavy-St...=10NXM7GLJ2YB7

The "reviews" around the Net are confusing, at best.

Any guidance from those who know a whole lot more than me??

Thanks,

TIM

[HUCKS]

tim; look at agrisupply.com. they have a huge assortment.may have what you are looking for

[caseydog]

The only thing I don't like about uncoated aluminum is that it is reactive, and I use acidic ingredients pretty regularly. I stick to Stainless, or my favorite, enamel coated pots.

I have 8 QT and 16 QT Le Cruset enamel coated pots that I got at Tuesday Morning pretty cheap, for that brand. The 8 QT is black, but the 16 QT is an unattractive yellowy-beige color -- but I believe I got it for about 30 bucks. You don't generally find the most popular colors at the "overstock" type stores.

Check Tuesday Morning, Overstocks.com, and other such places, and you may be surprised at what you can find.

CD

[Jorge]

Go Big, or Go Home. Restaurant Supply and get the stainless, and break out the turkey fryer. Your weather down there is great so cooking outside isn't a problem. A propane fryer will give you better heat control or just as good as what you have inside, you won't have to listen to the fan over the stove trying to keep up with all of the vapor coming off the boil...... If you use it inside for making soups in bulk the thicker stainless should help distribute the heat more evenly and reduce sticking and burning to the bottom of the pot.

[Teleking]

Originally Posted by Jorge

reduce sticking and burning to the bottom of the pot.

use the oven instead of a burner for long cooks. even heat all the way around and no burning.

[realspaazz]

Howdy Kapn,
My wife bought a stainless 16 or 20 quart from the walmart. It is a bit thin, but I have been using it regularly for the last 10 to twelve years. I doubt that she would have spent over thirty dollars on it.

[Jorge]

Originally Posted by Teleking

use the oven instead of a burner for long cooks. even heat all the way around and no burning.

If I want something to cook down/reduce, I generally don't want it in a sealed box

[righteousdog]

in 15 years every restaurant i've ever worked in had aluminum pots. granted, they weren't 5 star but there isn't anything wrong with aluminum - there wouldn't be an NSF engraved on it. many many many 20 quart batches of spag sauce & chili

then again, stainless is soooo shiney... must... resist