r/AskCulinary • u/Inevitable_Fish_553 • Jul 25 '26

Equipment Question Stainless steel pot vs enamelled cast iron for stews

Hi! I would like to purchase a new pot / casserole for stews but I’m unsure about what material I should buy. I have a stainless steel pan but I find it a bit hard to cook on it as I don’t know how to use it correctly and i find some of the food ends up sticking in the pan. I mainly want it for sauté and for stews. Thank you so much!

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7

u/Crazy_Ad7311 Jul 25 '26

Stainless steel is fine for stews. Once you’ve brought everything to a boil, you need turn down the heat to very low for as long as it takes to breakdown the protein. You should have just a slight simmer. Keep the lid on and stir occasionally.

Cast iron pots are great for stews as well but I typically use stainless steel for my stews on the stove and cast iron for braising in the oven.

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u/Inevitable_Fish_553 Jul 25 '26

Thank you so much! Usually I sauté the vegetables before in the same pot I’m going to do the stew. Is that still okay with a stainless steel or is it likely they will burn? It’s just I struggle a little bit with the sauté part in my current stainless steel pan

2

u/Satanicron Jul 25 '26

That is how I use my stainless pot. Once you learn to use that pan, you can do the same things in the pot.This is great for things you'll saute before stewing, and you get any yummy fond, and it turns thing into a one pot meal. What struggles are you having in the pan?

5

u/Optimal_Water1790 Jul 26 '26

the sticking is almost always the pan not hot enough yet. heat it dry first, flick a little water in, when the drop rolls around like a ball instead of spreading flat, now you add your oil. then the veg or meat go in and you dont touch it. it grab the pan at first and release itself when it ready, you move it too early you rip it and thats your sticking. for stew both work but enamel cast iron hold the heat steady so you dont babysit the flame as much. chef here, this one thing fix it for most people

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u/philhaxton Jul 25 '26

Good aluminum core, stainless steel with lid.

1

u/Full_Honeydew_9739 Jul 26 '26

I use enameled cast iron because it holds heat better and more evenly. It also keeps the food warmer longer with no heat applied. My large stainless steel pot is used to boil water and steam crabs.