Need to replace my "Bean Pot" what should I look for?

I have this 5 quart, aluminum nonstick pot.

It is my go-to pot for candy making (fudge, toffee and brittles), jams and jellies. It also gets used for stews and chili.

The non-stick finish is wearing off so I'm looking to replace it. I really like the nonstick surface for candy and jam making, but don't like that it wears off.

I'm considering an enameled cast iron Dutch oven as a replacement.

Would enameled cast iron work well for candy making, jams and jellies, where controlling the temperature is very critical? (I'm sure there would be a learning curve). I know that one these will be considerably heavier, but also more durable.

Or should I just replace my current pot with the same pot, and plan on replacing it when the finish starts to wear?

(There are also ceramic coated pots. I've never used any of these and don't know if I should be considering one.)

equipment dutch-oven

Best Answer

Ceramic does not quite have the nonstick properties of "true" (based on some kind of PTFE-ish material) nonstick, neither does enamel. Especially not for applications like jam making where charred jam might get stuck to the bottom. Also, from my anecdotal evidence, ceramic coatings hate thermal shock (eg when adding cold liquid into a hot pot to deglaze) and can stain.

The damage shown in the photo does not look like normal wear, but like wear from using tools that aren't inherently nonstick-safe too forcefully - metal-based immersion blenders, metal wire whisks, metal spoons....

But then, wear of "true" nonstick surfaces happens - slower if treated gently, faster if treated rough, so eventually, non-stick cookware that is seeing regular use will need to be replaced.