Trade Kettles

[Rató:rats]

Do any of you guys cook in a copper or brass trade kettle? What made you choose one metal over the other?
I’m looking to update my cooking a kit. I’ve got a tin mug for trekking but looking for something more substantial for canoe trips. Around two litres should do.
That’s about a half gallon to the yanks.
Thanks kindly for your input.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Tinned copper, looks nice in camp and easy to clean, no rust. Westminister Forge has dandy period copper ware.

 

[Rató:rats]

Tinned copper, looks nice in camp and easy to clean, no rust. Westminister Forge has dandy period copper ware.

Nice
Thanks for the tip

 

[tenngun]

I do all my camp cooking in tin and copper pots. I do have a a couple of sheet metal skillets.
You can’t fry in them, or you have to be very careful. Otherwise stew,rice,gruel,pot roast,ect all work well.

 

[Rató:rats]

I do all my camp cooking in tin and copper pots. I do have a a couple of sheet metal skillets.
You can’t fry in them, or you have to be very careful. Otherwise stew,rice,gruel,pot roast,ect all work well.

Tenn, are your copper pots tin lined or raw?

 

[tenngun]

All are lined or the whole pot is tin

 

[Brokennock]

Copper is reactive, you will want to use a pot that is tinned so you don't get weird outcomes with your food.

 

[toot]

I have a tinned copper CORN BOILER. that I won in a ML. shoot in VT, many years ago, at the SETH WARNER ML. GUN CLUB. 22+ yrs. ago. it went with me to every RONDEVIOUS, that I went to, and it has taken on an antique look.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Do any of you guys cook in a copper or brass trade kettle? What made you choose one metal over the other?
I’m looking to update my cooking a kit. I’ve got a tin mug for trekking but looking for something more substantial for canoe trips. Around two litres should do.
That’s about a half gallon to the yanks.
Thanks kindly for your input.

I have two brass, untinned kettles, rather small.

As long as one does not allow verdigris, the green tarnish, to appear, you are food safe.

I snatched them up off a trade blanket as they weren't tinned, and brass in a trade kettle was much more common than copper for my time period, prior to the AWI.

Folks get all wrapped around the axel we Yanks say, not understanding that it's the tarnish, not the metal that's the problem, and with acidic foods, not all foods. I had a fellow preach to me about the need for tinning copper and brass, while he was slathering his toast with craft-fair apple butter (apples are acidic and apple butter is made in huge, untinned, copper kettles.) He got rather irritated as I started to giggle at him.....

So because so many folks don't know, you will find copper or brass kettles tinned, to aid in selling them, and protect somebody who might make spaghetti sauce in one an leave it overnight ..., .

(That reminds me I need to order a large copper kettle, untinned, to make some beer as a taste experiment, compared to my stainless steel pot)

LD

 

[Rató:rats]

I’m aware of copper carbonate, or verdigris, forming in copper.
I’m looking at this guy;

 

[Rató:rats]

It’s untinned brass. 6 inches high 9 inches diameter.
LD is it cool to cook acidic things in raw brass as long as she gets a good scrubbing afterwards?
Let’s us know how the brewing goes

 

[Rató:rats]

I have two brass, untinned kettles, rather small.

As long as one does not allow verdigris, the green tarnish, to appear, you are food safe.

I snatched them up off a trade blanket as they weren't tinned, and brass in a trade kettle was much more common than copper for my time period, prior to the AWI.

Folks get all wrapped around the axel we Yanks say, not understanding that it's the tarnish, not the metal that's the problem, and with acidic foods, not all foods. I had a fellow preach to me about the need for tinning copper and brass, while he was slathering his toast with craft-fair apple butter (apples are acidic and apple butter is made in huge, untinned, copper kettles.) He got rather irritated as I started to giggle at him.....

So because so many folks don't know, you will find copper or brass kettles tinned, to aid in selling them, and protect somebody who might make spaghetti sauce in one an leave it overnight ..., .

(That reminds me I need to order a large copper kettle, untinned, to make some beer as a taste experiment, compared to my stainless steel pot)

LD

From what I’ve seen of original 18th and 19th kettles traded by the HBC here in Canada none show evidence of tinning. Also in the trade invoices I’ve not read of kettles described as “tinned” copper or brass.
Do you know when tinning these cooking implements became the norm?

 

[Howard Pippin]

I do all my camp cooking in tin and copper pots. I do have a a couple of sheet metal skillets.
You can’t fry in them, or you have to be very careful. Otherwise stew,rice,gruel,pot roast,ect all work well.

As a young man herding sheep for my dad, the only frying pans used in camp wagons was sheet-metal skillets. Yes, you can fry in them because we did and I still have some of the ones that were around that I used in the 1950s. You have to be mighty careful, but frying either bacon or ham, something that is safe to use on the trail, Is actually quite easy as these type of frying pans as it takes a very small fire to get them hot, and they weigh next to nothing. I've made lots of hotcakes in this type Of cookware.
Squint

 

[tenngun]

From what I’ve seen of original 18th and 19th kettles traded by the HBC here in Canada none show evidence of tinning. Also in the trade invoices I’ve not read of kettles described as “tinned” copper or brass.
Do you know when tinning these cooking implements became the norm?

Oxidized copper can make you pretty sick. And acidic food in copper can make you sick. Tinning is just a safety.

 

[toot]

I’m aware of copper carbonate, or verdigris, forming in copper.
I’m looking at this guy;View attachment 154249
View attachment 154250

now that add,s charicter! jnho.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

From what I’ve seen of original 18th and 19th kettles traded by the HBC here in Canada none show evidence of tinning. Also in the trade invoices I’ve not read of kettles described as “tinned” copper or brass.
Do you know when tinning these cooking implements became the norm?

Well that's a good question.

There were some copper products that were dipped tin..., they were tinned inside and outside, as the maker liked the appearance and thought it more durable. In India, British tin was imported for dipping copper, as the Indian people like the silver look, and because bronze was also in demand.

In England, hot dipped tin was iron sheeting that was later dipped as it was much much cheaper than copper. So what you see as an 18th century "tinned" kettle or pot may have been dipped tin, not simply tin lined.

Further, such kettles tended to be expensive, and were well cared for. So an actual tin lined copper pot from the 18th century, or early 19th century might not have started out that way, but might have been tin lined to extend their life.

The reason I mention this is in the 18th century, the British, and the colonies in America, were importing fine French sand to scour pots. IF you scour a tin lined pot with sand, in a very short time, it's no longer a tin lined pot.

Here's some information from a very well versed copper and tin smith
Goosebay-Workshops About Brass and Copper Cookware

LD

 

[toot]

when using untinned brass or copper items, do not put citrus products in them. it will make you very sick, as it will form a chemical reaction with the untinned metal.