I am in need of a dutch oven to cook roasts in and am looking at the All-Clad French Oven and Le Creuset French Oven. I have some All-Clad pieces and love them but I've never had a piece of the Le Creuset so I don't really know that much about it. Also was looking at a piece of Le Creuset to do soups and stews in. Which size would you recommend for this?
All Clad French Oven or Le Creuset
- Thread starter cathqlt
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Hi, Cathy. Welcome to DC
Both are excellent products. For braising and stewing or making soups etc., I'd go for the LeCrueset French Oven.
In my opinion, the best size to get as a first piece is the 7 1/4 quart round in the color of your choice. It's a great piece and the right size to accommodate recipe amounts. I used mine Sunday to make a pot roast for dinner.
Both are excellent products. For braising and stewing or making soups etc., I'd go for the LeCrueset French Oven.
In my opinion, the best size to get as a first piece is the 7 1/4 quart round in the color of your choice. It's a great piece and the right size to accommodate recipe amounts. I used mine Sunday to make a pot roast for dinner.
GB
Chief Eating Officer
Man Andy took the words right out of my mouth (as he often does). Great advice given by that guy!
cathqlt,
Le Creuset main drawback relative to All-Clad is weight. Both had excellent scores when tested by Illustrated Cooking (American Test Kitchen)
If you don't need the big size and your budget is tight, Target sells a 5 Qt Chefmate enameled red that performs like a Le Creuset.
Check your local Home Goods (if you have any) store.. they have 7.25 Qt Le Creusets for $150.
Le Creuset main drawback relative to All-Clad is weight. Both had excellent scores when tested by Illustrated Cooking (American Test Kitchen)
If you don't need the big size and your budget is tight, Target sells a 5 Qt Chefmate enameled red that performs like a Le Creuset.
Check your local Home Goods (if you have any) store.. they have 7.25 Qt Le Creusets for $150.
I'm with the Le Creuset bunch. I got my first piece many years ago and was hooked. I opted to get oval rather than round because I felt it would give a little more flexibility when cooking whole chickens, ham, etc. Turns out, I've been right, for me at least.
One of the things I like about Le Creuset is how nice and tightly the lids fit. There's nothing like braising something in a Le Creuset piece. I don't worry about the weight. I just chalk it up to the "what is" factor and go on.
One of the things I like about Le Creuset is how nice and tightly the lids fit. There's nothing like braising something in a Le Creuset piece. I don't worry about the weight. I just chalk it up to the "what is" factor and go on.
Uncle Bob
Chef Extraordinaire
Le Creuset ....The best bang for your buck!!
mozart
Senior Cook
I would strongly suggest you go to a store that has a 7 1/4 quart LaCreuset and pick it up. Then imagine it with say 6 quarts of liquid, which is another 11 lbs or so. Then imagine bending at the waist while holding it out about 3 feet from your body, the maneuver you need to do to get it in the oven. (I've found my oven shelves refuse to slide with that much weight on them, and sag quite a bit)
As someone else said, Cooks Illustrated tested dutch oven and concluded that all-clad was superior even not taking the weight into consideration. Expect to pay well over $200 though.
I also find my cast iron dutch oven a pain on my glass tot stove. If you have gas, no problem, but lifting 25 lbs of steaming hot food to get it "off the heat" to add this or that and then returning to the heat is a recipe for a scratched top.
However, if you can put up with the weight and are very careful, and don't allow unauthorized family members to use it
, it does do a beautiful job of braising just about anything.Just make sure you know a good chiropractor
Mozart
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
If you are unable to manage moving a heavy French oven from stovetop to oven and back, you can always cook the entire time on the stovetop. I often do if the oven is being used for another purpose. The results are the same.
Either way, there is no need to pay full retail price for one or the other. Check out Cookware & More : Selling All Clad Irregulars Since 1984. They have some great deals on All-Clad. You should also be able to find discount sites for LeCrueset. Check you area for a LeCrueset outlet store. The sell cosmetic seconds for greatly reduced prices.
Either way, there is no need to pay full retail price for one or the other. Check out Cookware & More : Selling All Clad Irregulars Since 1984. They have some great deals on All-Clad. You should also be able to find discount sites for LeCrueset. Check you area for a LeCrueset outlet store. The sell cosmetic seconds for greatly reduced prices.
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
I agree.. my 7 1/4 quart Le Creuset is my best friend in the kitchen. The best part of her is her weight! That's what makes her such a great cooking vessel.
GB
Chief Eating Officer
The weight of LC is its biggest downside as well as its greatest feature. If you can not safely or comfortably lift the pot then it is useless to you, but the weight is what gives it such great heat retention which reduces hot spots and promotes even heating.
xmascarol1
Senior Cook
I have a Le Creuset 7 1/2 qt. and love it but my favorite for roasts is my grandmother's cast iron Dutch Oven. Let's see, I'm 66 and my grandmother used it through the 20's , 30's and 40's, gave it up to my mom in the 50's , 60's, 70's and 80's and I got it for the last 25 years. I cook my roasts on top of the stove with it, and cook that great artisan bread (NYTimes version) in the oven, and make my Dutch babies in it on Sundays. I wouldn't trade that for anything I've got in the kitchen.
Jeekinz
Washing Up
I don't think I could afford to "try out" different dutch ovens to come to my own conclusion. However, the DW bought me/us a Calphalon 8 qt. oval DO for Christmas. I couldn't wait to use it! I made a potato gratin for dinner, the oven was being occupied by a rib roast. I used my grill as an oven and a cookie sheet to protect the bottom of the DO. It came out perfect. I removed it from the grill around 230p and it was still warm enough to serve at 530p. It also cleans very easily.
My recommendation is the Calphalon.
My recommendation is the Calphalon.
Fisher's Mom
Executive Chef
Oooooh, I'm so glad you posted this, Jeekins. I saw some of these recently and was very tempted but didn't know anyone who had gotten one yet. The price was great - at least half of what La Crueset was - but I wanted to hear from someone who had one. They are gorgeous, too.I don't think I could afford to "try out" different dutch ovens to come to my own conclusion. However, the DW bought me/us a Calphalon 8 qt. oval DO for Christmas. I couldn't wait to use it! I made a potato gratin for dinner, the oven was being occupied by a rib roast. I used my grill as an oven and a cookie sheet to protect the bottom of the DO. It came out perfect. I removed it from the grill around 230p and it was still warm enough to serve at 530p. It also cleans very easily.
My recommendation is the Calphalon.
Jeekinz
Washing Up
I'm not too familliar with the others, but the Calphalon has a dimpled lid that drops moisture back into the food. It's kind of heavy, but the large handles make it manageable. After 45 minutes or so of cooking the gratin, I removed the lid and wound up with a nice crust on top. It also can withstand a 500 deg. oven.
