Dandelions usher in the jam and jelly making season. Making dandelion jelly is not for the unfocused person. It takes two days and several hours of preparation to make the best batch possible. So if one is going to put that much effort into making this or any jam or jelly, having the right tools is essential! One of those tools is having the right pot.

•  Your pot needs to be non-reactive. Fruit has a high acid content which, when you cook it in an aluminum or cast iron pot, these metals can allow a metallic taste to leach into the end product.

•  It should conduct heat well. Thin bottom pans do not conduct heat well and can cause “hot spots.” Heavy bottom pans conduct heat better and allow the ingredients to come to a “full rolling boil” (a timing indication in all jelly recipes) more quickly. Less time boiling is vital because this means less evaporation of the liquid.

•  Low sided pans allow for condensation.

•  Wider pots than are tall have more surface area, which allows for the ingredients to come to a rolling boil faster, with less evaporation.

•  The end product is hot! An appropriate pot has a spout and good handles to make it easier to pour the jelly into jars. Even if you aren’t a “pourer” and use instead, a ladle, you still want good handles for moving the pot around.

•  Be sure the pot is at least twice the capacity of the ingredients (10.6 qt is average). When jelly comes to a full rolling boil (220F), it needs room to expand, or it will make a horrible mess when it boils over.

Following extensive research, I found two pots with all of the above attributes. I recommend the “Demeyere Resto Maslin Pan” for “home professionals,” but it’s super expensive and took me years to afford. A significantly less expensive pot is the “Kitchen Craft Stainless Steel Maslin Pan.” It looks similar to the Demeyere but doesn’t have a lid. It isn’t as heavily constructed; however, unlike the Demeyere, it has graduated markings on the inside.

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