What type of pot do you prefer for cooking risotto and have you noticed
differences? I made risotto last night in a 5 quart copper casserole. I
thought it cooked too hot and the bottom was too big to keep the rice
cooking evenly. I had cooked in a Falk low-sided saute pan that seemed
to work better. Thoughts are appreciated.

timbrel wrote:

> What type of pot do you prefer for cooking risotto and have you noticed
> differences? I made risotto last night in a 5 quart copper casserole. I
> thought it cooked too hot and the bottom was too big to keep the rice
> cooking evenly. I had cooked in a Falk low-sided saute pan that seemed
> to work better. Thoughts are appreciated.

Ordinary saucepan.

Pastorio

timbrel wrote:
>
> What type of pot do you prefer for cooking risotto and have you noticed
> differences? I made risotto last night in a 5 quart copper casserole. I
> thought it cooked too hot and the bottom was too big to keep the rice
> cooking evenly. I had cooked in a Falk low-sided saute pan that seemed
> to work better. Thoughts are appreciated.

A good pressure cooker. Google risotto pressure cooker, either on the
web or this USENET group, and you'll get lots of ideas.
blacksalt
made it once the standard way and nearly fainted from the heat and
forced immobility, and was converted to PC risotto by kate on rfc, IIRC.

"timbrel" > wrote in
oups.com:

> What type of pot do you prefer for cooking risotto and have you
> noticed differences? I made risotto last night in a 5 quart copper
> casserole. I thought it cooked too hot and the bottom was too big
> to keep the rice cooking evenly. I had cooked in a Falk low-sided
> saute pan that seemed to work better. Thoughts are appreciated.

Although I now cook rice in a 8 cup Tiger Brand rice cooker, for
years I made it in an IKEA 365+ 3 litre pot.

http://www.ikea.ca/webapp/wcs/stores...play?catalogId
=10101&storeId=3&productId=10745&langId=-15&parentCats=10108*10219*10
232

It has the right height to width ratio to cook rice properly. The
illustration here is for a 5 litre pot which I find too wide for
risotto (too much evaporation). I have seen various TV chefs doing
it in a sauté pan.

--

"It is easier for a rich man to enter heaven seated
comfortably on the back of a camel, than it is for
a poor man to pass through the eye of a needle."

Supply Side Jesus

We have a small (4 qt?) le crueset cocotte, or soup pot that is just perfect
for risotto. Curved sides make easy stirring and the even heating results in
predictably excellent risotto every time.
Susan C.

We have a small (4 qt?) le crueset cocotte, or soup pot that is just perfect
for risotto. Curved sides make easy stirring and the even heating results in
predictably excellent risotto every time.
Susan C.

at Sun, 28 Nov 2004 13:36:04 GMT in <1101648964.011793.218560
@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>, (timbrel) wrote :

>What type of pot do you prefer for cooking risotto and have you noticed
>differences?

The key points IMHO a high sides, to trap steam and prevent evaporation,
absolutely flat bottom, to provide good, even heating contact surface and
stirring surface, high conductivity on the bottom, to deliver heat
effectively to the risotto underway yet allow for rapid adjustments of
temperature as the cooking proceeds, high durability internal finish (this
means absolutely no non-stick, ever, and also no thin platings) so as to
prevent the constant scraping action of stirring from destroying the pot
(or, at least, its internal finish), and relatively small diameter, so that
there isn't a large evaporation surface.

Thus probably the best is one of the medium-size, heavy-duty copper pots
from e.g. Mauviel (Cuprinox heavy-duty range). You don't want copper pots
with soft tin inside plating - you need to go for the hard stainless steel
or nickel finishes. And some copper pots are pretty thin - you want one
that's really thick (Mauviel makes one that's 2.5mm thick). Get one with
about 3 liter capacity, approximately 20cm in diameter.

However, these are pretty pricey. If you don't want to spring for one of
those, a heavy stainless steel pot with, preferably a copper disk bottom
but aluminum disk would work also, is good value and will last forever. The
Cuisinart Everyday stainless pots are a line I like.

What changes can you expect from ideal if you change the type of pot? A
list:

Low sides: dry, loose risotto, not very deep in flavour. You might also
lose some rice grains over the side.

Rounded bottom: very soggy risotto, overcooked rice.

Bottom with slight unevenness: sticking to the pan, rice often overcooked.

Low-conductivity bottom: serious sticking, possibly burning. Rice may be
underdone even when the outside is sticking badly.

Nonstick finish: poor liquid integration, soupy risotto, and destroyed
coatings within a few sessions.

Wide diameter: very dry risotto, and generally some sticking (because it's
impossible to stir the whole bottom diameter effectively and quickly)

--
Alex Rast

(remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)

timbrel > wrote:

> What type of pot do you prefer for cooking risotto

A pot with thick, even bottom.

Victor

On 28 Nov 2004 05:36:04 -0800, "timbrel" > wrote:

>What type of pot do you prefer for cooking risotto and have you noticed
>differences? I made risotto last night in a 5 quart copper casserole. I
>thought it cooked too hot and the bottom was too big to keep the rice
>cooking evenly. I had cooked in a Falk low-sided saute pan that seemed
>to work better. Thoughts are appreciated.

I use a double boiler. Not very fast, but utterly reliable for risotto
or rice pudding.

--
Chris Green

"timbrel" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> What type of pot do you prefer for cooking risotto and have you noticed
> differences? I made risotto last night in a 5 quart copper casserole. I
> thought it cooked too hot and the bottom was too big to keep the rice
> cooking evenly. I had cooked in a Falk low-sided saute pan that seemed
> to work better. Thoughts are appreciated.
>

When I am making risotto the traditional way I use a Falk copper sauteuse
(saucepan with gently sloping sides) but I gave it up long ago for the
microwave which makes it every bit as good and a whole lot easier.


--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.

Bubbabob wrote:
> "timbrel" > wrote:
>
>> What type of pot do you prefer for cooking risotto and have you
>> noticed differences? I made risotto last night in a 5 quart copper
>> casserole. I thought it cooked too hot and the bottom was too big to
>> keep the rice cooking evenly. I had cooked in a Falk low-sided saute
>> pan that seemed to work better. Thoughts are appreciated.
>>
>
>
> Pressure cooker. People who haven't tried this seldom believe it but
> I've made better risottos with a pressure cooker and NO STIRRING than
> I ever have by the standard method.

NO!
Risotto must be cooked in a casserole! If you add broth and (a little) of
white wine little by little continuously stirring...
This is *THE* recipe.
Keep in mind that the rice "grow" while cooking. So use a large casserole.
But the important is that you add broth little by little always stirring.

Good luck

--
Nolite proicere margaritas ad porcos

Bubbabob wrote:
> "timbrel" > wrote:
>
>> What type of pot do you prefer for cooking risotto and have you
>> noticed differences? I made risotto last night in a 5 quart copper
>> casserole. I thought it cooked too hot and the bottom was too big to
>> keep the rice cooking evenly. I had cooked in a Falk low-sided saute
>> pan that seemed to work better. Thoughts are appreciated.
>>
>
>
> Pressure cooker. People who haven't tried this seldom believe it but
> I've made better risottos with a pressure cooker and NO STIRRING than
> I ever have by the standard method.

NO!
Risotto must be cooked in a casserole! If you add broth and (a little) of
white wine little by little continuously stirring...
This is *THE* recipe.
Keep in mind that the rice "grow" while cooking. So use a large casserole.
But the important is that you add broth little by little always stirring.

Good luck

--
Nolite proicere margaritas ad porcos

Bubbabob wrote:
> "timbrel" > wrote:
>
>> What type of pot do you prefer for cooking risotto and have you
>> noticed differences? I made risotto last night in a 5 quart copper
>> casserole. I thought it cooked too hot and the bottom was too big to
>> keep the rice cooking evenly. I had cooked in a Falk low-sided saute
>> pan that seemed to work better. Thoughts are appreciated.
>>
>
>
> Pressure cooker. People who haven't tried this seldom believe it but
> I've made better risottos with a pressure cooker and NO STIRRING than
> I ever have by the standard method.

NO!
Risotto must be cooked in a casserole! If you add broth and (a little) of
white wine little by little continuously stirring...
This is *THE* recipe.
Keep in mind that the rice "grow" while cooking. So use a large casserole.
But the important is that you add broth little by little always stirring.

Good luck

--
Nolite proicere margaritas ad porcos

"timbrel" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> What type of pot do you prefer for cooking risotto and have you noticed
> differences? I made risotto last night in a 5 quart copper casserole. I
> thought it cooked too hot and the bottom was too big to keep the rice
> cooking evenly. I had cooked in a Falk low-sided saute pan that seemed
> to work better. Thoughts are appreciated.
>

Ordinary saucepan, but don't rush the recipe.

Kswck wrote:

> "timbrel" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>
>>What type of pot do you prefer for cooking risotto and have you noticed
>>differences? I made risotto last night in a 5 quart copper casserole. I
>>thought it cooked too hot and the bottom was too big to keep the rice
>>cooking evenly. I had cooked in a Falk low-sided saute pan that seemed
>>to work better. Thoughts are appreciated.
>>
> Ordinary saucepan, but don't rush the recipe.

Exactly. I've really enjoyed the effusion of replies for what is
essentially a rather homely recipe technique that any home in northern
Italy will do off-handedly in any old saucepan lying around.

Pastorio

On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 08:46:26 -0500, "Bob (this one)"
> wrote:

> Kswck wrote:
>
> > "timbrel" > wrote in message
> > oups.com...
> >
> >>What type of pot do you prefer for cooking risotto and have you noticed
> >>differences? I made risotto last night in a 5 quart copper casserole. I
> >>thought it cooked too hot and the bottom was too big to keep the rice
> >>cooking evenly. I had cooked in a Falk low-sided saute pan that seemed
> >>to work better. Thoughts are appreciated.
> >>
> > Ordinary saucepan, but don't rush the recipe.
>
> Exactly. I've really enjoyed the effusion of replies for what is
> essentially a rather homely recipe technique that any home in northern
> Italy will do off-handedly in any old saucepan lying around.
>
Rissotto + souffle = mystique


sf
Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 08:46:26 -0500, "Bob (this one)"
> wrote:

> Kswck wrote:
>
> > "timbrel" > wrote in message
> > oups.com...
> >
> >>What type of pot do you prefer for cooking risotto and have you noticed
> >>differences? I made risotto last night in a 5 quart copper casserole. I
> >>thought it cooked too hot and the bottom was too big to keep the rice
> >>cooking evenly. I had cooked in a Falk low-sided saute pan that seemed
> >>to work better. Thoughts are appreciated.
> >>
> > Ordinary saucepan, but don't rush the recipe.
>
> Exactly. I've really enjoyed the effusion of replies for what is
> essentially a rather homely recipe technique that any home in northern
> Italy will do off-handedly in any old saucepan lying around.
>
Rissotto + souffle = mystique


sf
Practice safe eating - always use condiments