Re: Le Creuset Dutch Ovens

HiOnLife — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:29:21 GMT

I love mine too and have several sizes.....found them on sale at Tuesday Morning a couple of years ago. I have a glass top stove and they work perfectly.

Re: Le Creuset Dutch Ovens

us2bthin — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:30:05 GMT

Bumping for help.

Re: Le Creuset Dutch Ovens

malrobsmom — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:15:22 GMT

Do you know if you can use these on glass top stoves?

Re: Le Creuset Dutch Ovens

gr_elo — Sat, 30 May 2009 02:33:21 GMT

I got rid of my Le Creuset because it did not have a bail handle. Love my antique 5 qrt Griswold cast iron one I have had for almost 50 years and bought at an auction sale in Fairbanks for $3.00. Even bake my Basque Sheepherders bread in it, leave the lid on until the dough raises the lid about 1/2", then take lid off and finish baking and the top of the huge round loaf has the deign of the lid in it. The old Griswold Dutch ovens had drip rings and little drip knobs inside of the lids, makes for an interesting loaf (uses appr. 9 cups of flour, water, 1 stick butter, 1 1/2 TBsp yeast and a bit of salt.

I also bake a huge loaf in a clay "Roenertopf".

Don't bake those huge loaves for myself but when friend's churches have a bake sale or for other fund raisers for a good cause.Those loaves really bring a very good price.

I am glad you got a bargain and like what you bought.

Le Creuset Dutch Ovens

ScottsdalePrincess — Mon, 25 May 2009 23:33:04 GMT

About 6 weeks ago, I happened upon a sale at Dillards and snagged some Le Creuset Dutch ovens at excellent prices. For less than the price Williams Sonoma wants for a single Dutch oven, I scored 3. The 5-1/2 qt round, 7-1/4 quart round and a 2-3/4 or 3 qt oval (for small sides/casseroles or when I am by myself). Appears Dillards is discontinuing carrying Le Creuset and will now carry Staub instead, thus the sale. (Le Creuset is French, Staub is also pricey enameled cast iron but is German.) I was a bit leery because I had never cooked with cast iron. My old stainless Dutch oven bit the dust a while back, and it was time for a replacement (or 3 lol!).

I have used them various times and come to the conclusion I AM IN LOVE and how did I manage without them! A stainless Dutch oven does not hold a candle to these. These are exceptionally awesome pans! The cleanup is a breeze! Just a simple dish soap and a soft scrubbie (ie the "won't scratch" scrubbie sponges) are all it takes.

The cast iron holds its temperature exceptionally well. You can cook at lower temperatures and the pans will still maintain a simmer. So you can use less tender cuts of meat, which are typically cheaper so a budget saver in a way. This is very helpful living in Phoenix where it gets very hot. I would do a stovetop dish at a simmer before I would turn on the oven for 3 hours when it is over 110' outside. The oven heats up my entire living area, where stovetop does not. (These pans are both stovetop and oven safe.)

One note: if you are considering LeCreuset, go to Williams-Sonoma or Sur la Table and for $10 buy the Le Creuset replacement stainless knobs right off the bat, unless you intend to only do stovetop uses. The plastic knobs they come with are only oven safe to 375', whereas the stainless knobs are safe to any temperature. Granted most cooking in a Dutch oven won't need higher temperatures than that, but I do have a few recipes that do. And I have developed sort of a phobia of plastic at high temperatures anyhow. The knobs replace with just a screw sort of like a kitchen cabinet pull.

They are low maintenance. Simply wash and dry and they look brand new. Not fussy like my All-Clad stainless where you can see every smudge. (I would love a copper or copper/stainless saucepan, but hesitate based solely on the excessive maintenance real copper requires, not to mention the price it commands....)

They are also very decorative and come in assorted pretty colors. I have Chestnut (brown which has been discontinued unfortunately), Dune (a dark beige-ish color) and have my eye set on a piece in Flame (orange). These are all the colors for my house so they look very pretty on display, as well as functional.

Tho of course the 2 downfalls. a) Being cast iron they are HEAVY to state the obvious. b) Price. Tho if you find a sale like I did, they are a lot more reasonable. You also will need a place to store big HEAVY cookware from which you can retrieve it without injury lol! Or have a helper with significant upper body strength.

Basically these pans are worth the investment, even at full price. If you are just starting out and assembling a kitchen, strongly suggest a 5-qt. or larger enameled cast Dutch oven in your collection. You will get many uses from it, whether for soups, pasta, stews, casseroles, roasts, just about anything.

Cookware

Re: Le Creuset Dutch Ovens

Re: Le Creuset Dutch Ovens

Re: Le Creuset Dutch Ovens

Re: Le Creuset Dutch Ovens

Le Creuset Dutch Ovens