I like to cook large batches of stews, chili, soup, etc. to eat, freeze, or give to friends. For this I use a large stock pot. When I decided to buy one years ago (stainless steel; I'll settle for nothing less) I discovered they were all very expensive or very thin.
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GENIUS!!!!
Yes, I'm sure this is a thrifty idea but I asked for a nice stockpot as a Christmas gift many years ago and received a very nice Revereware stockpot. I will probably have it the rest of my life. I don't know what it cost but even if it was $50 I figure it was well worth it!
I wonder if this piece of aluminum is sharp?
ahahaa! In response to Debbie52: Good answer, and I'll be quick to admit my trick isn't as good as a quality, heavy, thick-bottom stock pot. I have since acquired a few of those (not Revereware but still pretty nice). Having the highly conductive metal (aluminum or whatever) actually fused to the bottom of the steel pot is much better for even heat distribution. However, value is a relative concept: if you have thirty + dollars and buy a $29.99 billfold, you will have a nice, empty billfold, whereas if you save the rubber band off a newspaper and roll your bills up, you'll have a rather shabby-looking (but not empty) rubber band.
Oh, and no, the slab of aluminum isn't sharp... I smoothed and rounded all the edges carefully. Cutting and filing and such took quite a bit of time, but the value of time is also relative and in those days I had a lot more time than money. ;~) Come to think of it, I hope I still do. Running out of money is annoying but temporary. Running out of time is permanent, at least in this life. Time will see you through a spell of no money better than money will see you through a spell of no time.
Hello Alph, Debbie52 here....I hope my post wasn't annoying :-) I didn't intend it to be. You did give a very good frugal tip.
I don't know that I've ever seen any nice stockpots at the thrift stores. I wonder if a person could even get one by asking on freecycle.com?
I use my big stock pot the most when we are canning, otherwise it is too big....another reason it will probably never have to be replaced. Since it was a gift from my mother in law, I didn't pay for it. I do have to say that starting out with a quality one is probably better than buying those cheap ones over and over!
I know this is old but thank you Warren, this is exactly what I needed and was searching for. I make salsa, jalapeno ketchup and spaghetti sauce in large quantity in my (many) stock pots. I'm cheap too and not willing to give up the many sizes of thin stock pots that always seems to burn if left alone too long. In fact, a scrap yard gets stainless pots that have burned in the bottom and just been thrown away.
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