Steam is introduced into the steam jacket at a controlled pressure, which in turn transfers heat to the inner jacket wall as the steam condenses at a very precise temperature. Its operation is therefore similar to that of a double boiler. One of the primary advantages of cooking with a kettle is that it is much less laborious than cooking over a hot stove. Also, since the kettle is essentially a double boiler, there is no danger of scorching food, as there is when cooking with direct heat. This is why kettles require little supervision during the cooking process, and thereby save labor.
Meat cooks exceptionally well in kettles.
Kettle-cooking helps to break meat products up into fine, tender chunks. Meat is generally cooked in a kettle without the top, or with the top open. Kettles are either two-thirds or fully jacketed. Two-thirds jacketed kettles make up the majority of the installations. These units are usually deep and use a minimum of floor space.