Stock pots have long been a staple in almost every commercial kitchen due to their low cost and ease of use.
But despite their popularity, stock pots are extremely limiting for chefs, not to mention they require extra labour, large amount of burner space and have slow cook times. Add in the OH&S concerns associated with handling large stock pots and these staple items appear to be an outdated solution.
So, what could possibly replace something as versatile as a stock pot?
Steam jacketed kettles have been around for decades, but a greater focus on OH&S has made them more relevant than ever today. Here are 7 reasons why you should consider making the switch from stock pots to steam jacketed kettles.
- Better food quality – perhaps the best reason for switching to steam cooking is the quality of food you can produce in a steam jacketed kettle. Commercial Kettles heat its contents from all sides of the unit, providing a gentle, uniform heat that allows you to boil, braise, sauté and simmer consistently and with minimal staff intervention. The precision from the kettle’s temperature controls also means you reduce the risk of burning or overcooking your product.
- Greater productivity – Steam jacketed kettles offer faster cooking times because two thirds of the cooking surface comes into contact with the product at a much lower temperature, compared to stock pots that use a much higher temperature only at the bottom of the pot. Not only does cooking with high power steam produce food faster, but allows for a braod range of cooking applications meaning far greater productivity in the kitchen.
| Productivity comparison: Stock pot VS Steam jacketed Kettle | |||||
| 10 L | 20L | 40L | 80L | ||
| Stock pot | 0.04 | 0.06 | 0.1 | 0.2 | |
| Kettle | 0.15 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.4 | |
| % increase in heating area with kettle | 359% | 324% | 292% | 247% | |
*Heated area in metre squared
- Less labour required – One of the key advantages to utilising kettles is the labour savings they can bring to your business. Think about how labour intensive stock pots are: constant monitoring, stirring and temperature adjustments are required if you want a perfectly cooked product. Any lapse in attention can result in wasted, scorched food. Moreover, kettles are extremely quick and easy to clean, meaning your staff can spend less time scrubbing stock pots and more time cooking!
- Bigger profits – Operators report an incredible ROI by switching to kettles over stock pots, and it’s not hard to see why. A part from the obvious time savings and labour savings, kettles lead to a huge reduction in food waste due to the lack of overcooking and burning. It also reduces food waste when moving contents out of the kettle, as the butterfly shaped pouring lip accurately pours product without the fear of spills.
- Safety first – For every litre of liquid inside a stock pot, the weight goes up four kilos — cold or boiling hot. That means a partially filled 40L stock pot could weigh in excess of 30 kg, creating a significant risk to kitchen staff when moving manually. From spills to burns, transferring product inside a stock pot of any size can be potentially very dangerous, whereas kettles – in particular tilting kettles – allow for safe, hassle free extraction of its contents.
- Energy efficient – Kettles use on average 35% less energy than stock pots on an open burner whilst also keeping kitchens cooler. With faster cook times and the ability to operate from an existing steam source, kettles allow operators to lower utility bills and conserve energy.
- Smaller Footprint – Smart operators know that less kitchen space = more bums on seats. But a smaller footprint kitchen doesn’t have to be a cramped one. Utilising multi-functional pieces of equipment like kettles means you can produce more from less, meaning one piece of equipment can braise, poach, boil, blanch, steam, sauté, stew and beyond Not only does this free up space in your kitchen, but allows for your menu to evolve and change without requiring any further equipment.
For more information on steam jacketed kettles and commercial kitchen equipment, you can check out the multi award winning Cleveland range here or fill in the form to get in touch today!
Use of commercial cooking equipment in your kitchen can save you a lot of money.
