Peoples opinion on Le Creuset dutch ovens...

[Spectre38]

I received my first Le Creuset dutch oven in 1987 when I graduated from highschool in cerise. At that time, I thought it was kind of an odd graduation gift for a guy... but my thoughts have changed.

Every year about this time when the mornings and evenings grow cooler, the trees change color, the time for big simmering pots of comfort food has arrived. Pots of soup, chili, beans & hamhocks and many other delicious concoctions fill the house with wonderful scents.

Over the years my collection of Le Creuset dutch ovens has grown. At various times, I have tried different brands, Staub ( which I use for baking bread ), Emille Henry, Martha Stewart and a host of others. Some were borrowed, some were purchased and later given to friends and family, but none lived up to my original Le Creuset. I have had people tell me that one enameled pot is just as good as the rest. I would personally disagree.

Since my original 3.5 Qt., which I still have and use constantly... I have acquired a 1, 2 , 4.5, 5.5, 7.25, 9 and 15.5 qt Goose Pot. I cannot imagine my kitchen without my enameled cast iron.

What are your thoughts? Is anyone out there a cook with an affinity for enameled cast ? Has anyone experienced any negatives, other than the obvious weight?

[Vivalas]

Recently got a pan for cooking steaks etc and quality is incredible. Yes it’s extremely heavy though.

[GB-man]

We have LC and staub. Both get used frequently. Cast iron for the win. We basically don't use anything else.

[droptopman]

Have a large LC Dutch oven and it is the only one I use. Think around 20 years old. By far my fav. In fact, I think I will use it for a pot of mixed beans this weekend!

[gnuyork]

I have been wanting a Le Creuset for a while but recently came across this at a Marshalls for a price I couldn't resist. My frugality overruled the LC (or Staub). It's the Lodge brand, and I got it for $40. Has the steel top on the lid rather than plastic on the LC.

I use it to make bread and I found an amazing recipe for turkey breast en cocotte. Amazing!

[JParm]

Originally Posted by gnuyork

I have been wanting a Le Creuset for a while but recently came across this at a Marshalls for a price I couldn't resist. My frugality overruled the LC (or Staub). It's the Lodge brand, and I got it for $40. Has the steel top on the lid rather than plastic on the LC.

Cannot go wrong with HomeGoods, Marshalls, etc.

That's where I'm buying all that stuff - we have Le Creuset dishes, but no way am I going after brand names (or paying anywhere near full price) for things like this.

Who am I going to show this off to, my friends who barely care about watches or anything else I own?

[330ci]

My mom made a large pot roast the other day in one of hers, she’s got quite a collection of them. I couldn’t imagine buying any other brand. But that’s mainly because I’ve been served delicious meals out of them since childhood, and can’t imagine anyone making a better made, more iconic version of it lol

I snagged these three for her at a garage sale for $75. The blue and yellow one still had the original tags on the bottom and papers inside lol and apparently the prices went up quite a bit since whoever originally purchased them

[hbg1]

I have a Le Cresuet 3.5 qt dutch oven and love it, picked it up as a closeout at a Williams Sonoma outlet years ago and it sees a heavy rotation in the winter. Chili and stews for the win!

Also love the Lodge pans as well, have a cast iron skillet and it's one of the best kitchen buys we made. (maybe $30?)

[Jackie Daytona]

I don’t know much... well anything really, about brand name cookware, but we have some le creuset stuff and it has lasted forever.

[Etschell]

i thought a dutch oven had to do with a blanket.

[Nikrnic]

Originally Posted by 330ci

My mom made a large pot roast the other day in one of hers, she’s got quite a collection of them. I couldn’t imagine buying any other brand. But that’s mainly because I’ve been served delicious meals out of them since childhood, and can’t imagine anyone making a better made, more iconic version of it lol



I snagged these three for her at a garage sale for $75. The blue and yellow one still had the original tags on the bottom and papers inside lol and apparently the prices went up quite a bit since whoever originally purchased them

Great deal. Those look like the Original ones..

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[OmegaJJH]

We are all in with Le Creuset!

We have Le Creuset stainless steel pans for the every day stuff because the cast iron ones were too heavy for my wife.

Griddle pan for steaks, casserole dishes etc are all Cast Iron.

Can’t imagine any will ever need replacing. We’ve had them for about 15 years so far and going strong.


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[SPMN]

Originally Posted by gnuyork

I have been wanting a Le Creuset for a while but recently came across this at a Marshalls for a price I couldn't resist. My frugality overruled the LC (or Staub). It's the Lodge brand, and I got it for $40. Has the steel top on the lid rather than plastic on the LC.

I bought a Lodge one last year from Costco. I think I paid around $50-$60 or so. Like you, I just couldn't pass it up. After just a year, mine already has a small chip in the enamel one one of the handles. Not a real problem, but if it continues chipping away I'll probably end up getting one of the Le Creuset's. My sister got married earlier this year and I got her one of the Le Creuset's. The handles are oven safe to 350F or so, I if I remember correctly. They also well replacement metal ones so I got her one as well in case she'd like to bake break like you did there.

That bread looks absolutely amazing. Is it a no-knead recipe?

[Nikrnic]

We love ours and want to add a couple. Works great on an induction top. We got it at a factory outlet store, half off do to a blemish that we never found. Sold..I'll take it.

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[Ballzzz]

What the difference between enameled and non?
From a cooking perspective of course I know the visual difference?
I use non for steak, and its great which is why I ask.

[AzPaul]

Originally Posted by Spectre38

Since my original 3.5 Qt., which I still have and use constantly... I have acquired a 1, 2 , 4.5, 5.5, 7.25, 9 and 15.5 qt Goose Pot. I cannot imagine my kitchen without my enameled cast iron.

What are your thoughts?

My thoughts? You've got a helluva collection of Dutch Ovens

[BreguetRolex]

Bought our set from Williams and Sanoma and was not lucky enough to find them at a garage sale for $10.00 as others have.. May have used one or 2 a handful of times but for the most part just collect dust like all our Ruffoni Italian Hand Coppered Pots..

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[330ci]

Originally Posted by BreguetRolex

Bought our set from Williams and Sanoma and was not lucky enough to find them at a garage sale for $10.00 as others have.. May have used one or 2 a handful of times but for the most part just collect dust like all our Ruffoni Italian Hand Coppered Pots..

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Beautiful set




Come on up sometime! I’ll take you on my weekend rounds, I’m sure you’d find some cool stuff to add to your eclectic collection.

[Ferdelious]

I'm going to compare the Le Creuset argument to roto-molded coolers. They will all get the job done but Le Creuset is top of the line. However, it's not worth the price difference IMO unless you can find a deep discount. I have 2 Le Creuset, 2 Lodge and 1 Mario Batali dutch oven and they all work fine.

My Costco now carries a Tramontina 2 dutch oven set for for $69.99. That's a steal as far as I'm concerned. I have Tramontina pots and pans and they are solid. Plus Costco doesn't usually carry low quality products.

https://www.costco.com/tramontina-en...100690152.html

Le Creuset does have great customer service though. I've had one dutch oven warranty replacement fully covered and another dutch oven that I dropped and cracked. They gave me 60% off to replace the cracked dutch oven.

[EngIcedave]

I think they're great and is my go to for something like boeuf bourguignon because you can easily brown in it and everything.

Every household should have one in it's kitchen

[JasoninDenver]

I have a couple of Staub and Lodge dutch ovens and deep skillets. I like both brands but concur with the previous poster who mentioned the Lodge seems to chip more easily.

Since getting a set of Demeyer stainless, however, the cast iron has been relegated to braising and ragu duties.

[SPMN]

Originally Posted by Ballzzz

What the difference between enameled and non?
From a cooking perspective of course I know the visual difference?
I use non for steak, and its great which is why I ask.

Obviously, it's easier to clean/maintain enameled pots than cast iron pots. Beyond that some foods, like tomatoes, are fairly acidic. That acid can eat away at the seasoning on a cast iron piece of cookware, and can even make the food taste a bit metallic. Generally, enameled cookware is preferred for low and slow braises, stews, etc, and non-enameled cast iron is preferred for high-heat searing, frying, etc.

[HarryLime]

I love em, I have all different shades of blue. Cobalt, Marsailles, Lapis...

[Peter Toronto]

I got my large (6.7 L) Le Creuset French oven for half price on Boxing Day four years ago. It was the soon to be discontinued dune colour. It gets pulled out around this time of the year for all of my specialty one pot recipes: beef bourguignon, braised oxtail, braised lamb shanks, coq au vin, and beef short ribs. From browning to braising to stewing ... it’s amazing. It’s so versatile.


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[BreguetRolex]

Originally Posted by 330ci

Beautiful set




Come on up sometime! I’ll take you on my weekend rounds, I’m sure you’d find some cool stuff to add to your eclectic collection.

There is antique coffee pots worth 35K :) dont be fooled by what one can sell if you have the wisdom :)

[Burlington]

Yes we love our Le Creuset set. Got the frying pans, saucepans and cast iron deep casserole pot in classic volcano. Also the splatter guard too which is very effective when frying.

The pans get used most days, but the big casserole pot just when making something in volume as it’s so heavy to move about

[Boothroyd]

Can't live without it. It's in use in the kitchen as I write this. We have 3.

One was becoming discolored internally after several years heavy use. They replaced it free of charge.

[56scooter]

My wife loves Le Creuset, so much that I had to build an addition to the garage to store them all! Just to give you an idea how much she loves them, when I got married I was 165 lbs, Now 37 years late I hit the scales at 225! Less than 2 lbs a year!

[BNA/LION]

We Love ours and have a lot of their products. High Quality Great Products That Work!

[swils8610]

Originally Posted by Etschell

i thought a dutch oven had to do with a blanket.

Lol!


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