Cookware Reviews

I work as a sous chef in a restaurant. I bought 2 of these last season and we have been using them every sunday since. They are perfect. They work really well on induction burners since they are cast iron. Buy a silicone spatula with it. That combo will last most people at least 20 years if taken care of. PS - and NEVER wash them. They build up a good coating of oil on the surface. Just wipe them out with a rag.

This pot is great for roasts especially pot roasts, where a cover and moist heat are desired. The iron holds the heat, and the enamel is easy to clean--almost non-stick. But enamel, being a glass-like substance, can scratch, so soak this pot afterwards and don't use steel wool pads or other scratchy tools or powders to clean it. And remember that enamel chips. If you avoid misuse, this should last decades. I have a soup post similar to this and I prefer cooking in it to my steel pots because it heats evenly and can be held on the lowest setting without burning the food on the bottom.

If you make gravy by straining and skimming drippings (removing the fat) and then washing up the cooked-on bits from the pan, you need to have a pan that can go on the stove and in the oven to roast. The Creuset enamel iron pot can do that easily. The only problem is this pot is heavy and pouring off the gravy is difficult if your wrists are weak. Making gravy without skimming leaves too much fat in for my tastes, so this is a slight disadvantage. But it's outweighed by the other good qualities of this pot.

This is a great fondue pot -- heavy Le Creuset porcelain coated cast iron heats evenly, first on the stove (or in a hot water bath for chocolate), then maintains a good table temp once you move it to its own burner. At 2 quarts, it's big enough for a table full of party munchers, as a first course, a winter snack, a desert, or a main course.

Best of all, it cleans up easily like all the heavy Le Creuset -- staying crisp-clean so it looks brand new every time you use it.

My only reservation -- and it's a small one -- is that it doesn't come with its own made-to-fit trivit or table-protecting tray. First because there is no built in protection for the tabletop from the heat of the burner, and then because there is no extended surface to protect from drips. Of course, any trivit, lazy susan, or table cloth with fix these problems.

I've made 3 kinds of cheese fondue, and hot green chili queso dip, and a simple pot of chocolate fondue for sponge cake and fruit bites and the results were all simple and wonderful.

Le Creuset is a pleasure to cook with. The pan heats evenly and is retained long after the stove is turned off which keeps the food warm. This set is versatile in that the lid can be used as a fry pan for a omelet and then popped in the oven to keep warm, or it can be used to start a puffy Dutch pancake and popped into the oven to finish.

Perfect size for cooking for two. Beautiful color and, as always, LeCreuset is well designed and cooks like a dream.

This is a wonderful addition to the kitchen. It does exactly what a bean pot should do, plus it can be used to make soups and chowders and gravies in the French manner. This bean pot is a terrific addition on one's kitchen. It is well made, durable, easy to clean, and, moreover, lovely. If you are putting together a working kitchen that is also a beautiful kitchen, a happy place to be, classy and unlike any others you know, add this bean pot to it. And, enjoy!

I can't think of a better serving dish in October. While you can cook in the enamel-coated cast iron, why not serve a carrot soup in it too. This is just too adorable. Here is my favorite carrot soup recipe.

CARROT SOUP

Ground ginger is mild and rather bland when compared to the fresh ginger root. Dry ginger is more suited to baking and soups, while fresh ginger is perfect for marinating meats.

1/4 cup butter

2 cups thinly sliced carrots

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon chicken base

1 tablespoon sour cream

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

2 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger

Pinch ground cumin seeds

Pinch ground anise seeds

Sour cream for garnishing

1. In a Le Creuset 2-quart pumpkin casserole, sauté carrots and onions in butter over medium heat. Whisk in water, chicken base, sour cream and vinegar.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk milk, flour, ginger, ground cumin and ground anise into soup and cook until thickened.

3. Process soup in a blender until smooth.

4. Serve in flat bowls, garnish with a swirl of sour cream.

Makes 2 servings.

~TheRebeccaReview.com

In addition to all of the usual Le Creuset benefits (lovely slow cooking cast iron, double enamel finish) this pot works very well not only on the stove top as a soup pot, but also in the oven as a casserole dish. When it goes from the oven to the table to serve, it looks much more like a serving dish than a cooking pot. If you need each piece of your cookware to play many roles, this is a great choice.

I am a novice cook and this is my first cast iron thingamabobber. I seasoned it easily per directions. It is easy to use, easy to clean, and can't be beat for tortillas. It is essentially nonstick, doesn't try to get away from you on the stove, and makes you look like you know what you're doing. I'm considering more cast iron, perhaps a deep frier (but I'm afraid of the effect on my waistline and arteries)

Well you can, but it will only hurt your hand.

Heats evenly! Doesn't stick!

Last forever! I've used many pots from dansk, calaphalon, magnalite, etc. None are better than cast iron. Lighter, more expensive, but not better.