# The best dutch oven/casserole pot



## stephen129 (Apr 26, 2020)

So America's Test Kitchen swears by Le Creuset, which is the standard choice. I've owned a few pieces of Le Creuset before. I had a really old baking dish that randomly cracked one day. I ended up replacing it with three new baking dishes, think I got three sizes for about £70 which I thought was a good deal. My housemate decided to use it in the oven then immediately run it under the sink. Unsurprisingly it cracked instantly.

I got a replacement, and was using it as usual, I'd roasted a chicken and taken it out and placed it on the counter, when to my surprise, it cracked of its own accord. I didn't put it on the heat, it just cracked. When I did some research I found this had happened to a lot of people, including a guy I follow on Instagram who was using it in exactly the same way that I was. Not very impressed.

I don't know if all Le Creuset products have these issues, but it has put me off the brand somewhat. I also heard rumours that all their stuff is made in China these days, and the quality has dropped, whereas before it was all made in France.

This leads me to the other obvious choice, Staub, which from my understanding _is _still made in France. I think the Staubs look prettier, feel more premium etc (however they are more expensive). The one thing that puts me off them is what America's Test Kitchen said about it being hard to see browning inside because of the black interior. I've never cooked in one so I don't know how true this is. Other people have claimed Staubs are superior.

Are there any other brands out there that are better? If not, which brand would you go for, Le Creuset or Staub? Especially interested in anyone that has owned or owns both.

Also do they really produce better food than a stainless steel pot?


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## AT5760 (Apr 26, 2020)

Are you looking for enameled cast iron, or something else? When you say making dish, I think something made of ceramic or Pyrex, not enameled cast iron. My two Le Creuset Dutch ovens are a decade old, see plenty of use, and will last me long enough that I’ll never have to replace them.

If you want stoneware or other non-cast iron pieces, I can’t speak for the quality of those pieces. For baking dishes, I use Pyrex and Corningware. None of it is pretty, but going on 15 years and no chips, cracks, etc.


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## stephen129 (Apr 26, 2020)

Yeah an enameled cast iron (I realise those baking dishes are stoneware, I was just pointing out that it made me a bit worried about the longevity of Le Creuset's products). 

I'm also interested to know if they really are better than other cookware made of other materials. With my stainless steel pot I've made ragu in it millions of times for example and I don't particularly see how a dutch oven would lead to better results. I also never make bread, which seems like one of the best uses of a dutch oven.


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## Benuser (Apr 26, 2020)

Own both Le Creuset and Staub. Differences are marginal. Fit&Finish slightly better with the Staub. Some will prefer the clear enamel with the Creuset, as mentioned. Look at Amazon, prices may differ a lot, at least here in Europe. At some moment you may get one in last year's colour for little money. No need to pay the full price, take your time.


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## MrHiggins (Apr 26, 2020)

For our wedding, my wife and I got a Le Creuset and a Staub, both 6qt enameled cast iron. I initially liked the Staub better, but the bottom enamel cracked and chipped out after two or three years of normal home use. My Le Creuset is still going strong 10 years later, as is my smaller (3qt) Le Creuset, which might be 40 years old (I found it in a barn and the owner said I could keep it).

With the Staub, I bet it was a fluke. Thinking back, I should have seen if they had a warranty program. But as to LC's quality, they're working really well for me.


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## Runner_up (Apr 26, 2020)

Like a lot of folks, I love my le creuset Dutch oven. I basically use it every day. One of my old restaurant jobs I was in charge of charcuterie and one of my tasks was to make terrines and pates. We used a le creuset terrine pan that was from the early 60s, still in great shape, and certainly never showed it a ton of love or babied.

I know that some of the products are made in China, but the dutch ovens are still made in France by hand using sand molds. I do prefer the tan enamel interior of le creuset compared to Staubs black interior by a fairly large margin.


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## daveb (Apr 26, 2020)

Lodge also makes enameled cookware. I don't think it looks as nice as LeC or Staub but it is quite functional. And less expensive. I own the LeC and Staub and use them interchangeably with no issues.

Except the LeC bakeware. It is not cast iron and is somewhat fragile for it's intended application. I've been gifted a few pieces over the years and most have at least one chip. I wouldn't buy the bakeware.


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## Kgp (Apr 26, 2020)

Since you quoted prices in pounds, I assume that you are in the UK. If you ever shop at Aldi, several times a year they have enameled cast iron for very reasonable prices. It's not the quality of Staub or LeC, but a fraction of the price. If memory serves me, $25 for 5qt. I've been using couple of these for more than 10 years and mo chipping or pealing The white interior is a little discolored, but does not affect anything.


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## esoo (Apr 26, 2020)

I've had two enameled cast pieces from Staub - a frypan (bought new direct) and a ravine (bought as a second at the warehouse sale)

In both cases after the third washing I started to see rust on the bottom. All my stuff was ever washed with was a blue non-scratch Scotch Brite pad. 

I know I'm probably an outlier, bit I'd stick with some other brand.


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## rickbern (Apr 26, 2020)

stephen129 said:


> So America's Test Kitchen swears by Le Creuset...
> 
> Also do they really produce better food than a stainless steel pot?


I tend to think the only thing enameled cast iron is good at is long slow braising. I’ve made things like beef bourginion or cassoulet in cast iron and I’ve made it in heavy duty stainless steel. Both materials produced excellent results.

for a baking pan or roasting pan, I’d save my hard earned money and use it for something else.

I do a fair bit of roasting in cast iron pans, but none of them are enameled. What would be the point?

if I was starting out I’d get an aluminum sheet pan with a grid and roast chicken et al on that. Get a decent stainless sauté pan or rondeau that can go in the oven and use that for braising and other things.

I think it’s way more important that your pan is the proper size for what you’re cooking rather than it’s made of this or that particular material.


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## boomchakabowwow (Apr 26, 2020)

I’ve had both. My current version is a Staub. Like an idiot I got the Roulette (?) version. The one made for chicken. A whole chicken. I got it on sale. The black interior has not been a problem. I scrape fond just fine. It’s nice not having to worry about the pristine white interior. My LC looked pretty rough at the end there.

the shape is very annoying when it comes to pouring out the keftovers. It’s a much more challenging event than a round pot. I have never braised a while chicken. Not sure I ever will. The shape is wasted on me.

For roasted chicken I use a cast iron skillet or my carbon paella pan.


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## stephen129 (Apr 26, 2020)

Hmm, as I thought, not that clear cut. I'm under the assumption that a Dutch oven can't really do much that a good stainless steel pot will do.


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## stephen129 (Apr 26, 2020)

boomchakabowwow said:


> I’ve had both. My current version is a Staub. Like an idiot I got the Roulette (?) version. The one made for chicken. A whole chicken. I got it on sale. The black interior has not been a problem. I scrape fond just fine. It’s nice not having to worry about the pristine white interior. My LC looked pretty rough at the end there.
> 
> the shape is very annoying when it comes to pouring out the keftovers. It’s a much more challenging event than a round pot. I have never braised a while chicken. Not sure I ever will. The shape is wasted on me.
> 
> For roasted chicken I use a cast iron skillet or my carbon paella pan.



Do you mean the oval shaped one?


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## WPerry (Apr 26, 2020)

stephen129 said:


> So America's Test Kitchen swears by Le Creuset, which is the standard choice. I've owned a few pieces of Le Creuset before. I had a really old baking dish that randomly cracked one day. I ended up replacing it with three new baking dishes, think I got three sizes for about £70 which I thought was a good deal. My housemate decided to use it in the oven then immediately run it under the sink. Unsurprisingly it cracked instantly.
> 
> I got a replacement, and was using it as usual, I'd roasted a chicken and taken it out and placed it on the counter, when to my surprise, it cracked of its own accord. I didn't put it on the heat, it just cracked. When I did some research I found this had happened to a lot of people, including a guy I follow on Instagram who was using it in exactly the same way that I was. Not very impressed.
> 
> ...



You're judging LC cast iron based on some examples of stonewear, one of which was abused? That doesn't make much sense to me. 

As far as rumors of Chinese production, it's not hard to do a little research - 

_"...and our original foundry in Fresnoy-le-Grand still produces every piece of our acclaimed cast iron."_

I have 5 or 6 pieces of LC cast iron, most of them 12-15 years old. They've been great and will likely outlive me. I also have a couple pieces of Staub cast iron. They've been great and will likely outlive me, too. I don't think there's a wrong answer. Although I'm perfectly happy with my DO, which is LC, if I were to buy another one, I'd want to try a Staub with the basting nubs on the lid.


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## boomchakabowwow (Apr 26, 2020)

stephen129 said:


> Do you mean the oval shaped one?


Yes. Did I massecre the name?


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## boomchakabowwow (Apr 26, 2020)

stephen129 said:


> Hmm, as I thought, not that clear cut. I'm under the assumption that a Dutch oven can't really do much that a good stainless steel pot will do.



honestly, in a braise I don’t think the vessel is the silver bullet. When I’m braising for a crowd, I use a big hotel pan covered with parchment and foil. All my sauté is in the Dutch oven, so there is that. I’m just a home chef, i can’t imagine a restaurant chef using big cast iron things can they?


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## stringer (Apr 26, 2020)

We used Le Creuset and Staub dutch ovens, roasters, pots, etc as banquet serving dishes for hotel catering. My hotel literally has dozens, maybe hundreds of them. They are 5-10 years old and do have enamel chipped here and there from very rough use and being stored stacked nested inside each other. I've never seen one damaged to the point we couldn't use it, and Lord knows our dishwashers tried.


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## daveb (Apr 26, 2020)

I use the LeC and Staub dutch ovens and a brazier at home. And a one of various sized rondeau at work. Boom, you're missing the sear function of the heavy bottom when you use a hotel pan. 

Gonna have a rondeau at home one day - but not 2day.

And don't forget the baking function of the enameled cast iron. Not going to that in a stainless pot.


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## McMan (Apr 26, 2020)

LeC has a lifetime warranty, but the actual warranty processing can be fickle. Worth a shot to send it in for warranty replacement. Staub 4qt go on sale pretty reliably for $100 in the US. (Not sure if this translates to Amazon in the UK.) I've resisted buying a Staub because of the dark interior--deglazing burnt bit is a whole lot different than deglazing carmelized bits, and I want to be able to see the difference.
Chasseur is a brand that flies below the radar. Made in France, often on sale, good (but not heirloom) quality.


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## Simon T (Apr 27, 2020)

I own a le creuset griddle and a cheap 20.00 one. Both are performing exactly the same over 8 years. I won't buy another le creuset as you can get the same stuff for a fraction of the price. Yes the paint might be a little better, but who cares when your paying 20.00 vs 120.00 
Same goes for my casserole, 45.00 for a cheap one and 185.00 for le creuset, same results.


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## nonoyes (Apr 27, 2020)

daveb said:


> And don't forget the baking function of the enameled cast iron. Not going to that in a stainless pot.



Why not?


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## Michi (Apr 27, 2020)

nonoyes said:


> Why not?


Not enough thermal mass in a stainless pot. Cast iron stores a lot of heat and distributes it evenly.


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## rickbern (Apr 27, 2020)

nonoyes said:


> Why not?


I think he’s talking about baking bread. I agree, but it eludes me what benefits the enamel provides. I have a lodge unpainted Dutch oven I use for this, it costs forty dollars. The top doubles as a small roasting pan.


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## Michi (Apr 27, 2020)

I've seen the Lodge dutch oven with the skillet lid. That's a cool design! For making bread, I don't see the point of enamel either. What matters there is the cast iron.

Enamel is easy to clean. But not that much easier than stainless steel that I'd call it a huge difference. To me, cast iron shines because of heat retention and even heat distribution. And, if I want that heat retention, I really do want the enamel as well, because it is non-reactive. Doing an acidic stew for eight hours in cast iron pot wouldn't work all that well, I imagine. (At least not if I care about the seasoning; but otherwise, it'll work perfectly. It's simply a trade-off between preserving the seasoning and being able to use it for acidic foods.)

When I grew up, every single pot and pan my parents used was enamelled. Stainless steel pans were unheard of back then. They worked, and they lasted forever. It's basically cooking on something very much like glass, but with some thermal mass for heat retention and distribution. It works.


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## boomchakabowwow (Apr 27, 2020)

People, myself included have done braised in wrapped foil.


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## LostHighway (Apr 27, 2020)

Michi said:


> I've seen the Lodge dutch oven with the skillet lid. That's a cool design! For making bread, I don't see the point of enamel either. What matters there is the cast iron.
> 
> Enamel is easy to clean. But not that much easier than stainless steel that I'd call it a huge difference. To me, cast iron shines because of heat retention and even heat distribution. And, if I want that heat retention, I really do want the enamel as well, because it is non-reactive. Doing an acidic stew for eight hours in cast iron pot wouldn't work all that well, I imagine. (At least not if I care about the seasoning; but otherwise, it'll work perfectly. It's simply a trade-off between preserving the seasoning and being able to use it for acidic foods.)
> 
> When I grew up, every single pot and pan my parents used was enamelled. Stainless steel pans were unheard of back then. They worked, and they lasted forever. It's basically cooking on something very much like glass, but with some thermal mass for heat retention and distribution. It works.



I have the Lodge with the skillet lid. It works for bread baking proved that your boule is of fairly modest size, the capacity is only 3L. My preferred size for bread is what Lodge calls their Double Dutch Oven (4.7L, double loop handle dome lid) although I often use both. I don't have a Le Creuset Dutch Oven large enough for bread so I haven't compared baking functionality but the plain cast iron Lodges work great in that application.
All of our Le Creuset pieces are 20+ years old so I can't comment on current quality but they have held up beautifully. I've never owned a Straub. IME the PRC-made Lodge enameled cast iron is a substantial step down in quality relative to Le Creuset.


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## Famima (Apr 27, 2020)

The Lodge combo cooker 10" is awesome for baking bread. I have a large oval chinese-made enameled pot, which is the chicken roasting pot (like to be able to get a lid on it, ie roasting italian style with wine at the bottom). Other than than, better off saving the money and buying a few SS rondeau - agree with the comment above about getting the right size pan for the job at hand, so having a range is better than blowing your cash on a single item..


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## chinacats (Apr 27, 2020)

In order of preference to me Staub, LC, Lodge. The Lodge has the curved bottom thing that makesit easier to stir certain things which makes it useful to me...


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## Simon T (Apr 27, 2020)

Don't forget about the health benefits of cooking with bare cast iron. Always good to get some iron into your system


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## Noodle Soup (Apr 27, 2020)

I had a LC dutch oven a few years ago that the enamel chipped, flaked or something in a small area of the bottom. No idea what happened or if I was responsible in some way. Given how famous the brand is I thought maybe they came with some kind of great guarantee. Wrong, very nasty, demanding, accusing and unsympathetic customer service. Needed original receipt, name of the store I bought it in, details on how the oven was used, return of the oven for inspection at my expense, etc. etc. etc. Still, the general tone of the conversation was they weren't going to do anything about it. End of my relationship with the brand.


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## chinacats (Apr 27, 2020)

Noodle Soup said:


> I had a LC dutch oven a few years ago that the enamel chipped, flaked or something in a small area of the bottom. No idea what happened or if I was responsible in some way. Given how famous the brand is I thought maybe they came with some kind of great guarantee. Wrong, very nasty, demanding, accusing and unsympathetic customer service. Needed original receipt, name of the store I bought it in, details on how the oven was used, return of the oven for inspection at my expense, etc. etc. etc. Still, the general tone of the conversation was they weren't going to do anything about it. End of my relationship with the brand.



Their coating is ****...but they're insanely cheap.


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## valdim (Apr 27, 2020)

stringer said:


> I've never seen one damaged to the point we couldn't use it, and Lord knows our dishwashers tried.


 Lol....yes, dishwashers try hard.


Michi said:


> To me, cast iron shines because of heat retention and even heat distribution.


 Absolutely right.
I am using an oval cast iron casserole with lid, which I bought from Lidl (a german chain, similar to Aldi in the UK). Very happy with it, just the white enamel inside became brownish...
*stephen129, *asked if there are other brands - yes, sure there are. One of the is LAVA (a Turkish factory), which has a sales office in UK, too - CONTACT US — lavacookware.co.uk
I have one of their cast iron grill pan Ø 28 cm with glass lid and I am really happy with it .


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## stephen129 (Apr 28, 2020)

Michi said:


> I've seen the Lodge dutch oven with the skillet lid. That's a cool design! For making bread, I don't see the point of enamel either. What matters there is the cast iron.
> 
> Enamel is easy to clean. But not that much easier than stainless steel that I'd call it a huge difference. To me, cast iron shines because of heat retention and even heat distribution. And, if I want that heat retention, I really do want the enamel as well, because it is non-reactive. Doing an acidic stew for eight hours in cast iron pot wouldn't work all that well, I imagine. (At least not if I care about the seasoning; but otherwise, it'll work perfectly. It's simply a trade-off between preserving the seasoning and being able to use it for acidic foods.)
> 
> When I grew up, every single pot and pan my parents used was enamelled. Stainless steel pans were unheard of back then. They worked, and they lasted forever. It's basically cooking on something very much like glass, but with some thermal mass for heat retention and distribution. It works.



Cast iron doesn't actually heat evenly though. If you place a burner on one side of a cast iron pan, it will be much hotter on one side.


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## daveb (Apr 28, 2020)

stephen129 said:


> Cast iron doesn't actually heat evenly though. If you place a burner on one side of a cast iron pan, it will be much hotter on one side.



Then don't do that.


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## stephen129 (Apr 28, 2020)

daveb said:


> Then don't do that.



I was pointing out that Michi claimed that cast iron has even heat distribution.






Heavy Metal: the Science of Cast Iron Cooking – Cooking Issues







cookingissues.com





You can clearly see the hot spots in the cast iron pictures even though it's been placed on the burner normally.


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## stringer (Apr 28, 2020)

stephen129 said:


> I was pointing out that Michi claimed that cast iron has even heat distribution.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Heat distribution properties are highly dependent on heat source. Off center on a stove top wouldn't be ideal. However, baking bread or roasting meat in an oven, the heat distribution will be much more uniform.


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## parbaked (Apr 28, 2020)

stringer said:


> Heat distribution properties are highly dependent on heat source. Off center on a stove top wouldn't be ideal. However, baking bread or roasting meat in an oven, the heat distribution will be much more uniform.



True! The same properties that allow cast iron to retain heat impact how evenly it heats up.
ATK recommend preheating skillet in the oven instead of on cooktop.


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## Michi (Apr 29, 2020)

stephen129 said:


> I was pointing out that Michi claimed that cast iron has even heat distribution.


Yes and no. You are right: cast iron isn't a great heat conductor, which is why you see hot spots on a burner. On the other hand, it retains heat really well. And because it has large thermal mass, if there is a (mild) hot spot somewhere, that hot spot dissipates into the pot quite evenly.

Where that matters is inside an oven. Most ovens have hotter and cooler areas. Put a dutch oven in there, and the dutch oven will even out those temperature differences so, inside the pot, the temperature is pretty much uniform.

A lot of the time, this doesn't really matter. If I have soup or a stew in the pot (in an oven or on the stove top), convection will take care of moving the liquid from the hotter areas to the cooler areas. In effect, the liquid takes an the role of a heat conductor by moving around toward the cooler areas and even out the heat distribution.

Where it does matter is when baking bread, or when doing pretty much anything in an oven. With cast iron, you'll get more even heating from all sides, which is nice for making good bread.

For the record: I'm not married to cast iron. I have cast iron, stainless steel, and clad non-stick skillets. And I have oven-proof pots in stainless, enamelled cast iron, non-stick aluminium, and glass. They all do a useful job for different dishes. For stews, braises, and baking, the Le Creuset is my favourite though. It really does the job better than any of my other pots.


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## esoo (Apr 29, 2020)

Michi said:


> Where that matters is inside an oven. Most ovens have hotter and cooler areas. Put a dutch oven in there, and the dutch oven will even out those temperature differences so, inside the pot, the temperature is pretty much uniform.
> 
> A lot of the time, this doesn't really matter. If I have soup or a stew in the pot (in an oven or on the stove top), convection will take care of moving the liquid from the hotter areas to the cooler areas. In effect, the liquid takes an the role of a heat conductor by moving around toward the cooler areas and even out the heat distribution.



So one day I was making an oxtail stew that was supposed to go into the oven, and I misjudged the volume having to split it out of the stainless steel dutch oven, moving about half of it into my Lodge Cast Iron dutch oven. Both pots went into the oven, side by side, and a couple of hours later came out. The stew out of the cast iron was noticeably better tasting.


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## gregfisk (Apr 29, 2020)

I have had a full set of LC for 30 years. They have a lifetime warranty and I have never had an issue with getting a pan replaced. I’ve replaced every pot and pan at least once with no issues at all. I’ve also only had one that chipped and that was our fault. I had one fry pan crack but that’s out of around 20 pans over the years. My wife and I both do a lot of cooking so we have worn the bottom of the pans out over time. Honestly they are one of the best investments we have ever made. The nonstick coating on the fry pans we first got 30 years ago failed after several years but the replacements have been fine. The other enamel coated pots eventually wear out but with a life time warranty how can you lose?


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## lumo (Apr 29, 2020)

LC is great with the warranty and all, I have a couple of pieces, but I've owned and used brands you find at overstock stores plus the Sur la Table house brand that have up just as well. One of the "knock offs" I have bakes bread much more evenly than my Staub, side by side, same dough and temp the Staub cooks darker on the bottom.


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## stringer (Apr 29, 2020)

I have a few more thoughts in general about enameled cast iron.

I think @parbaked mentioned preheating cast iron in the oven instead of on the stove top. This is EXTREMELY important for the enameled dutch ovens. It's also important how you do it. Heating empty enameled cast iron on the stove top is the easiest way to make the finish chip or crack. The next easiest way is placing a cold empty enameled cast iron into a really hot oven. If you need to have a hot pan for doing a sear for a braise, or a stir fry or something, here's what I would do. Put a cold dutch oven into a mild (275-300 F / 135-150 C) oven for five or ten minutes. Not too long or you can crack the enamel. Then pull it out, throw it on a burner on the stove top and immediately start cooking something. 

Never throw a hot enamel cast iron into standing water or add a bunch of liquid to an empty hot dutch oven. There is some give to the enamel but if the cast iron is empty then it can heat up or cool down too fast and warp a little and that cracks the porcelain. Never use metal utensils or steel wool because they can scratch the enamel. Follow these rules and even a cheap one should last you for the rest of your life. 

Le Creuset is still the champ in my mind. The biggest difference is in fit and finish. Good enameled cast iron is kind of similar to its porcelain cousin bone china. The best fine china has the lightest thinnest, but still very strong walls. It takes the most craftsmanship to create, has a higher rate of failure, and is thus more expensive. All of this is true with Le Creuset. They are the best fit and finish and the proof is that they are the lightest per volume of all the major makers. Lodge is fine but they are no Le Creuset. And it might not seem like a big deal but a 10 pound Dutch oven, vs a 16 pound Dutch oven is a big difference. Especially after you add 8 or 10 pounds of food and liquid to it. Lighter weight, generally better castings, and the lifetime guarantee are the main reasons to pay the premium for the Le Creuset. Before I moved to Boston I had a nice collection going of about a dozen pieces. Several them were garage sale pieces that I paid pennies for. Unfortunately I had to get rid of most of them when we left our 4 bedroom house for a tiny apartment. Here are the 3 I kept.

Doufeu - This gets used the most. I love it for stews and braises. You are supposed to put ice in the weird lid to encourage steam convection inside the pot as it cooks. I don't know if this is true or not, but I can tell you that these doufeus are usually quite a bit cheaper than the Dutch Ovens that are the same size and they go on sale more often, so something to consider. I think I tried it with ice once and was underwhelmed. But the pot in general is one of my favorites to cook with. 





Rectangle braiser - I pretty much only use this and smaller Dutch oven when we are entertaining - hence the dust. They are great, just not necessary all that often when I'm just cooking for my wife and I. And like I said, the doufeu is my go to for chili and mole and beef bourgignon and braised short ribs and whole roasted chickens and lots of other stuff. 






Dutch Oven





All that being said, pick the one that is best for how you want to use it. Somebody said their knockoff was better for baking bread. That is probably because the knockoff is heavier. And in that particular application the heavier, thicker enameled cast iron better protects the bread from scorching while baking. Be sure to keep an eye out at flea markets and garage sales. Enameled cast iron is rarer to find than bare cast iron, but it's still also usually cheaper because, I don't know why. Not as many people collect it? It doesn't really make sense since new Le Creuset stuff is so expensive and new bare cast iron is so cheap. I guess the LC is still being made though and there haven't been any new Griswolds or Wagners in a really long time. It probably depends on where you are shopping too.


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## Noodle Soup (Apr 29, 2020)

Well none of you are going to convince me Le Creuset guarantee is worth used TP after the "she dog" I tried to deal with on my dutch oven. I will stick with Lodge from there out.


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## Noodle Soup (Apr 29, 2020)

P.S. My defective Le Creuset dutch over went to the land fill!


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## gregfisk (Apr 30, 2020)

Noodle Soup said:


> P.S. My defective Le Creuset dutch over went to the land fill!


Each time I needed to replace a pan in the last 30 years I called LC, got a RA and sent it in. They tell you that you have to send the pot in so they can inspect it before they will send you a new one. So it costs you some money to ship it to them but nothing compared to buying a new one. And I never had them tell me I abused the pan and not honor the warranty. What was the problem that you had with them?


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## mayong (Apr 30, 2020)

stephen129 said:


> This leads me to the other obvious choice, Staub [...] The one thing that puts me off them is what America's Test Kitchen said about it being hard to see browning inside because of the black interior. I've never cooked in one so I don't know how true this is.



I've got a Staub and yes, it's marginally more difficult to see browning, but as long as your kitchen is well lit I find it a total non-issue.


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## mayong (Apr 30, 2020)

And re: bare cast iron vs enamel, it's nice to deglaze and cook with acids in the enamel without having to worry about compromising a seasoning. Sure, you could do just about anything in either cast iron, enamel, or stainless, but as Michi pointed out, its nice to have different pots for different jobs.


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## gregfisk (Apr 30, 2020)

I agree as well that’s it’s nice to have different types of cookware for different jobs. We like our stainless pan and even have a nonstick aluminum frypan from Restaurant Depot for stuff that really likes to stick.


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## aboynamedsuita (Apr 30, 2020)

I prefer staub compared to LC. Do a google search “staub vs le creuset” and there are lots of culinary forum hits and other articles. To me LC feels like a toy, staub feels more heavy duty. I have about 12 matte black Cast iron staub (including cast iron baking pans), the colour ones are sophisticated (the grenadine and aubergine look really nice); on a forum I read someone sold their staub and bought the fluorescent LC colours instead becasue they made them “feel” better. You do you.

staub also makes special animal knobs you can upgrade or come standard on certain pieces (pretty sure some LC can’t be used in the oven?). I got the Jacques pepin chicken for one of them. Here are a few pics:


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## WPerry (Apr 30, 2020)

aboynamedsuita said:


> staub also makes special animal knobs you can upgrade or come standard on certain pieces (pretty sure some LC can’t be used in the oven?).



The stock knobs are oven safe to a certain temp, but LC also sells SS knobs. I bought them for my pieces just because they look better.


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## Tristan (Apr 30, 2020)

The staub knobs fit perfectly well on Le Creuset.
This forum is occasionally funny. Only one Dutch oven can be the the best while 20 brands of knives and makers are fine.
Get both a staub and a LC. You’ll have more fun.
Go forth and be enabled


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## daveb (Apr 30, 2020)

Tru dat


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## M1k3 (Apr 30, 2020)

Buy them all. Sell what you don't like.


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## Michi (May 1, 2020)

Tristan said:


> Go forth and be enabled


Go forth and be enamelled


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## jlm46 (May 11, 2020)

Im using a dark blue oval Staub and amazed at the results that i come up with specially with whole roasted chicken and pot roast. Im looking to buy another one for the vacation house, will martha stewart or the lodge yield the same results?


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## boomchakabowwow (May 12, 2020)

aboynamedsuita said:


> I prefer staub compared to LC. Do a google search “staub vs le creuset” and there are lots of culinary forum hits and other articles. To me LC feels like a toy, staub feels more heavy duty. I have about 12 matte black Cast iron staub (including cast iron baking pans), the colour ones are sophisticated (the grenadine and aubergine look really nice); on a forum I read someone sold their staub and bought the fluorescent LC colours instead becasue they made them “feel” better. You do you.
> 
> staub also makes special animal knobs you can upgrade or come standard on certain pieces (pretty sure some LC can’t be used in the oven?). I got the Jacques pepin chicken for one of them. Here are a few pics:



nice. i have the regular chicken knob. i hated it. took too much space in my oven. it was too tall. 

but, i have the same mortar/pestle you have as well..tucked into the same corner. haha.


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## tcmx3 (Oct 18, 2020)

fwiw the LC dutch oven I purchased this year came with a steel handle. 

also, I still use my grandmother's LC dutch oven, which predates my father, and is in fine enough shape. 

I have a Lodge as well and I do not like it nearly as much. to me the difference in price over the life of these things is tiny compared to the lightweightness of the LC and the far superior F&F


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## Chuckles (Oct 18, 2020)

I love my le Creuset Dutch oven and use it all the time for braises and baking it is a total work horse for me. I have an all clad of the same volume and never ever use it for anything. I also have the lodge combo cooker and only use it for bread.

I also had a restaurant job where we used le Creuset pots for sauces, risotto etc. I wish I could have had them at every job I have had. They are really great pieces.


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## nwshull (Oct 18, 2020)

I've been using family's LC during quarintine. Previously, I used me Staubs, but had one hand me down LC that I occasionally used. Never had issues with scorched bottoms on my 4 qt and 7.5 qt staub. But did on this 5 1/2 qt hand me down. Sure enough, I have had issues with the LCs in both larger and smaller size now. I know ATK has complained about the weight of the Staubs. However, I do wonder if that weight is partially due to the LCs simply being thinner and therefore stores less heat energy before scorching.

That's not to say if you're used to LCs you probably wouldn't learn to compensate, but it seems like if you're used to Staubs you can be a bit more casual with the heat, due to more material for heat energy to travel through before you get scorching problems, which is nice for stovetop braising.


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## agp (Oct 20, 2020)

I own both Lodge and Le Creuset Dutch ovens. As far as function goes, I cannot tell the difference. Lodge customer service was great - replaced my ~8 year old Dutch oven with micro-cracks without any trouble. LC is still in very good condition.


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