Why do jambalaya pots have a round bottom?

helps turn more product once the rice is added

Who the frick is downvoting yall? Must be some flat bottom purist, because you speak the truth.



Anxiously awaiting my DV

quote:

---

I’ve always felt it’s easier/more even to brown your meat and what not on a flat bottom.

---

It’s easier to brown your meat because you have more useable surface area. In the round bottom it can pile up which isn’t as good for searing.

But, the round pot is great for stirring. You don’t get anything clumped on the bottom edges like you do on a flat pot.

Cast iron is also a poor conductor of heat. A round bottom gives more surface area to heat. Once it’s heated the larger surface area and round shape of the pot cooks more evenly because more of the product is in contact with the pot.

I just got a 5 gal round bottom and a burner. Here are my findings after using the new 5 gal the first time.

Flat Bottom (2 gal)
-easier to brown the meat for sure with it more spread out on a flat surface.
-cooking on a gas stove top, the entire bottom is covered with semi burnt crispy rice.

Round Bottom 5 gal on a propane buner
-a little more difficult to get the meats browned as they pile up in the middle and you have to move it around more I found because the meat at the bottom center could get over done. So you have to be more conscious of keeping the middle area moving around
-I found a lot less rice got crispy at the bottom of the pot. This is what I was most nervous about and getting the propane burner set low enough. I was expecting all the rice at the center to be burnt crisp. But it wasn't at all. I actually had the rice turn out better than I ever had on the smaller flat pot.

quote:

---

-I found a lot less rice got crispy at the bottom of the pot. This is what I was most nervous about and getting the propane burner set low enough

---

Just kill the fire. Once I get my Tice boiling and cover. I cut the fire and comes out perfect each time with no burnt or crispy rice on the bottom.

Do the same whether I'm using my flat or round bottom

quote:

---

I found a lot less rice got crispy at the bottom of the pot

---

This will depend on how high your flame is and how close the flame is to the pot. Each jambalaya pot and burner set up may be slightly different.

I have 5, 10, 15, and 20 gallon pots that are each high enough away from the burner that I never need to worry about getting the bottom crisp/burnt. My 30 gallon and 100 gallon pots are much lower to make it easier to stir, so it's closer to my burner and can definitely cause crip/burnt rice if you aren't doing it correctly.

“How exactly is a rainbow made? How exactly does a sun set? How exactly does a posi-trac rear-end on a Plymouth work? Why exactly do jambalaya pots have a round bottom. They just do.

Outdoor Gourmet makes a 5 Gallon flatbottom, I find a flatbottom putts out a better product myself.

For strength. Cast iron is brittle. It has a weak tensile strength.