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Started By
Message
Aluminum vs stainless crawfish pot
Posted on 4/21/19 at 5:13 pm
Posted on 4/21/19 at 5:13 pm
Getting ready to buy new crawfish setup, what are pros and cons of aluminum vs stainless pots? Also, for boiling 1 sack with extras, is 80 qt the ideal size? TIA.
10
Posted on 4/21/19 at 5:21 pm to Flavius Belisarius
My guess would be weight.
Oxidation (longevity).
Thermal transfer.
Price.
Oxidation (longevity).
Thermal transfer.
Price.
This post was edited on 4/21/19 at 6:03 pm
Posted on 4/21/19 at 5:23 pm to Flavius Belisarius
I can’t give info on pros or cons, but my 80qt will cook one sack with sides, but the sack limit is probably 35lbs. Anything bigger and they might spill out of basket
Posted on 4/21/19 at 5:27 pm to GeauxGoose
quote:
I can’t give info on pros or cons, but my 80qt will cook one sack with sides, but the sack limit is probably 35lbs. Anything bigger and they might spill out of basket
So maybe 100 qt aluminum to optimize size and weight?
Posted on 4/21/19 at 6:05 pm to Flavius Belisarius
Get the 100qt. If you get the 80, you will be wishing you got the 100 after you boil once
Posted on 4/21/19 at 8:36 pm to Jones
After your 1st boil nothing will look “new” anymore. Stainless will be easier to clean obviously but is it worth the extra cost? Only you can answer that...
I’ve had the same 100 qt. Aluminum setup for 15 years, Still rollin’.
Not gonna go wrong either way.
I’ve had the same 100 qt. Aluminum setup for 15 years, Still rollin’.
Not gonna go wrong either way.
Posted on 4/21/19 at 11:08 pm to Flavius Belisarius
I've used an aluminum pot for about 4 years now without any problems. My pot is also 100 quarts. Seems to be the perfect size for a sack to sack and a half. If I'm boiling two sacks, i just remove the strainer and use one of these to get the crawfish and fixings out.
They have them at the Asian markets and i put it on a broom stick.
They have them at the Asian markets and i put it on a broom stick.
Posted on 4/21/19 at 11:27 pm to Flavius Belisarius
1) A 100qt stainless pot will take a small army to move once it’s filled with water.
2) Aluminum can be cooled off much quicker. Stainless will retain heat forever.
3) There is no logical reason to spend the extra money.
2) Aluminum can be cooled off much quicker. Stainless will retain heat forever.
3) There is no logical reason to spend the extra money.
Posted on 4/22/19 at 7:29 am to Jones
quote:
Get the 100qt. If you get the 80, you will be wishing you got the 100 after you boil once
I've got an 80 qt. and have had it for so many years I really can't remember when I first got it. I've boiled an untold number of sacks of crawfish in it and it has served me well. But a 100 qt. pot would be a nice addition because above 35 lb. sacks, the 80 qt. gets tight.
As for aluminum or stainless, it boils down to preference of material. Nothing wrong with a solid aluminum pot, but it's not pretty after decades of boils.
Posted on 4/22/19 at 10:50 am to Flavius Belisarius
Don't bother with Stainless.
Although 80 qt pot is all you need for 1 sack, I'd go with spending just a little more to get the 100 qt because it's nice to have the extra room in case in the future you'll need to do more than just 1 sack for a batch.
Although 80 qt pot is all you need for 1 sack, I'd go with spending just a little more to get the 100 qt because it's nice to have the extra room in case in the future you'll need to do more than just 1 sack for a batch.
Posted on 4/22/19 at 2:12 pm to SUB
I would choose aluminum over stainless. The thermal conductivity of aluminum is 17 times greater than stainless steel (240 vs 14 BTU / (ft-hr-F) ).
Posted on 4/22/19 at 8:35 pm to Flavius Belisarius
quote:
3) There is no logical reason to spend the extra money
You can use a stainless pot (depending on the thickness) for large batches of gumbo, chili, etc. If you ever go to a "chili cook-off" you will find that every batch made in an aluminum crawfish pot is burned (see post above). Go to a restaurant supply store and spend the money on a pot you can use for more than one cook.
This post was edited on 4/22/19 at 8:38 pm
Posted on 4/23/19 at 2:46 pm to keks tadpole
The bottom surface of an aluminum pot will transfer heat much faster than stainless (17 times faster). When boiling water, the bottom inside surface temperature is limited by the boiling water and heat transfer is going into latent heat.
When cooking chili, the inside surface of aluminum can get much hotter, faster than stainless. The inside surface is not limited by boiling water i this case, and the heat instead goes mainly into raising the temperature. That's why aluminum is better for boiling water than stainless.
Posted on 4/23/19 at 3:13 pm to keks tadpole
quote:
You can use a stainless pot (depending on the thickness) for large batches of gumbo, chili, etc. If you ever go to a "chili cook-off" you will find that every batch made in an aluminum crawfish pot is burned (see post above). Go to a restaurant supply store and spend the money on a pot you can use for more than one cook.
Well, I can't say anything about chili buy I've cooked countless gumbos in my 100qt pot over a low output burner for years at LSU baseball games with no issues.
Posted on 4/23/19 at 5:12 pm to keks tadpole
quote:
If you ever go to a "chili cook-off" you will find that every batch made in an aluminum crawfish pot is burned (see post above).
there’s no reason to not just go with an aluminum crawfish pot unless OP is heavily involved in chili cook offs which I would guess he has a different pot for
Posted on 4/23/19 at 5:23 pm to Flavius Belisarius
I had an 80 qt aluminum before Katrina. I replaced it afterwards with a 100 qt.
I like the 100 qt for bigger boils, but 80 qts was sufficient most of the time.
Last time I did a really big boil, I borrowed my buddy's 80 qt set up. One thing I noticed using them side-by-side was how much quicker his came to a boil from a cold start. Less water to heat up.
If I were starting from zero, I'd look for a heavy-duty 80 qt aluminum at a restaurant supply store over the cheap pots at Home Depot, Academy, and Lowes.
I like the 100 qt for bigger boils, but 80 qts was sufficient most of the time.
Last time I did a really big boil, I borrowed my buddy's 80 qt set up. One thing I noticed using them side-by-side was how much quicker his came to a boil from a cold start. Less water to heat up.
If I were starting from zero, I'd look for a heavy-duty 80 qt aluminum at a restaurant supply store over the cheap pots at Home Depot, Academy, and Lowes.
Posted on 4/23/19 at 5:32 pm to Swine Spectator
quote:
If I were starting from zero, I'd look for a heavy-duty 80 qt aluminum at a restaurant supply store over the cheap pots at Home Depot, Academy, and Lowes.
I got mine from Lowe’s. It’s a Bayou Classic. I had always heard it was a pretty good brand, but what are some other brands you would consider better?
Posted on 4/23/19 at 6:11 pm to Swine Spectator
quote:
how much quicker his came to a boil from a cold start. Less water to heat up.
Using the wrong burner.
LINK
Posted on 4/23/19 at 11:49 pm to Dave_O
There is nothing wrong with Bayou Classics. They work just fine. The pots a restaurant supply stores a thicker and heavier. There are multiple brands Vollrath, Bourgeat, etc.
My comment was that if I had nothing, I'd look at those first.
My comment was that if I had nothing, I'd look at those first.
Posted on 4/24/19 at 3:33 pm to Flavius Belisarius
I have an 80 quart stainless and I love it. Full sack easily with room to spare, easy to clean, no retained smells. But there is no real advantage of stainless over aluminum which makes it a cost effective decision.
Just get a heavy duty well made pot. Choose the size based upon whether you really do boil for large groups of people or big eaters. If you boil in the backyard for 15 to 20 at a time, the 80 with two drops of one sack each is fine. If you will regularly have more people, get a pot large enough to drop a full sack and a half (100) or two sacks at a time (120), or consider one of those flip over rigs.
Just get a heavy duty well made pot. Choose the size based upon whether you really do boil for large groups of people or big eaters. If you boil in the backyard for 15 to 20 at a time, the 80 with two drops of one sack each is fine. If you will regularly have more people, get a pot large enough to drop a full sack and a half (100) or two sacks at a time (120), or consider one of those flip over rigs.
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