Dutch ovens often come in cast iron, enameled cast iron, or ceramic. Choosing which material you prefer will likely depend on how you intend to use it and its cost. Generally, enameled cast iron will be your best bet for the widest variety of applications. It will maintain a steady heat for long, slow braises, go on any stovetop or in the oven, take high heat, and, when properly maintained, last a lifetime. Dutch ovens are often investment pieces, and the initial investment can be high. Cast iron Dutch ovens can give you many of the same benefits as enameled cookware but can be harder to maintain, as they are prone to rust when not properly cared for and seasoned. You should also not cook highly acidic foods, like tomatoes, in regular cast iron because small amounts of metal can leach into the food. Ceramic can be a good choice for a budget Dutch oven, especially for use in the oven, but it will have a different heat-tempering ability than one made of metal. Now, let’s go a bit more in-depth into the characteristics of the companies and really break down and analyze each different characteristic of the Dutch ovens sold by Cuisinart and Lodge separately.

Immediately after the water started boiling, I turned the heat to medium and simmered it for 15 minutes. While we love to use Dutch ovens to make hearty chilis and comforting soups, we don’t always love washing a super heavy pan in the sink. Sure, the food may lift away easily, but big, heavy pots are always harder to wash. Not when it comes to the Cuisinart Chef’s Classic casserole. This Dutch oven is designed to be dishwasher-safe. That’s a huge relief when it comes to cleaning up dishes like a long-simmering beef bolognese.

Klarstein Hotrod 11.4l cast iron round Dutch oven

So now you know what cooking pot is the best substitute for a Dutch oven if your recipe calls for a Dutch oven and you do not have one. Drawing on a decade of experience as a seasoned restaurant chef, I’ve learned that the right tools can make all the difference in the kitchen. In this article, I put my culinary expertise to work as we compare two popular kitchen staples: the Le Creuset Dutch Oven and the Cuisinart Dutch Oven. Dutch ovens can be as small as one quart or as large as 16. Most recipes call for a 5 to 6-quart Dutch oven, so if you want to buy one, Lahey recommends a 6-quart is a safe bet. If you serve a crowd regularly, you might want a larger version. If you have tight storage, ovals can be easier to store. When is a Dutch oven more than a Dutch oven? When you opt for the Taste of Home Dutch oven with grill pan. If the appliance has the pressure cooker function, adjust recipes to suit and you will have your meal prepared faster than a Dutch oven.

Read on for everything you need to know about Dutch ovens, how to cook without a Dutch oven, and how to use other appliances to achieve the same delicious meals that a Dutch oven provides every time. You might not want to go for a larger Dutch oven, which is larger than you need based on the number of servings or number of people you intend to cook for. Durability Test: To evaluate durability, our testers hit the lid and the interior of each Dutch oven 25 times with a metal spoon. Then they took note of any damage or chipping that occurred. Finally, testers scored the value of each Dutch oven when they learned the price of each model — after completing testing.Enameled cast-iron Dutch ovens are known for their superior heat distribution and their ability to retain heat. That’s what makes them great for slow-cooking beef stew, preparing casserole dishes, and baking fresh bread.

A Staub cocotte or Dutch oven also comes in a wide range of sizes, from mini to 28 centimeter Dutch ovens.Dutch ovens are kitchen chameleons that can do anything from slow-cooking pork shoulder, simmering tomato sauce, baking a loaf of no-knead bread, or even handling stir-fries if you don't have a wok. To find the best Dutch ovens, we tested 24 models from big brands such as Le Creuset, Staub, and Lodge. Not all Dutch ovens are created equal, and there are certain things you might not realize you need to consider. We enlisted the expertise of Jim Lahey, James Beard-winning baker and cookbook author, who introduced the no-knead bread method to the masses that took the world by storm after being published by the New York Times in 2006. Home cooks who considered themselves ill-equipped for bread baking found a glimmer of hope in their Dutch ovens thanks to Lahey. After adding all ingredients to simmer the lid fit snugly with no evaporation between the rim of the oven and the seal of the lid.