Cast Iron vs Stainless Steel dutch oven

[Ham Hock]

Michele Marie, copper is the best conductor of heat of any metal, but it is also pretty expensive. Thats why pots are made with copper bottoms where the heat is conducted, saving money by making the rest of the pot from SS.

As for ceramic cast iron, spending $200 bucks for one pot is out of the question for me.

However I have used them and they do hold heat very well and cook very evenly.

But you dont have to spend that kind of money to get those attributes in a pot.

I have an old cast iron 6 or 8 quart, (it's big) that I found in a junk man's junk pile with the lid that was rusty but fine. Got it for $5 bucks, took it to a friend who sanblasted it for me and it was as good as new.

In fact it is one of my favorite pots. I use it to cook roux and gumbo and chili and soups and stews that I want to cook low and slow for a long time.
Ive also cooked roasts in it several times in the oven and it does excellent for those.


There isn't a thing in the world wrong with regular old cast iron if you ask me.
They take a little more attention but they aslo deliver the goods.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Michele Marie, copper is the best conductor of heat of any metal, but it is also pretty expensive. Thats why pots are made with copper bottoms where the heat is conducted, saving money by making the rest of the pot from SS.

As for ceramic cast iron, spending $200 bucks for one pot is out of the question for me...

...I have an old cast iron 6 or 8 quart, (it's big) that I found in a junk man's junk pile with the lid that was rusty but fine. Got it for $5 bucks, took it to a friend who sanblasted it for me and it was as good as new.

In fact it is one of my favorite pots. I use it to cook roux and gumbo and chili and soups and stews that I want to cook low and slow for a long time.
Ive also cooked roasts in it several times in the oven and it does excellent for those.

There isn't a thing in the world wrong with regular old cast iron if you ask me.
They take a little more attention but they aslo deliver the goods.

Ham-Hock, we think alike. I love my cast-iron. And it's easier to clean than is enamle-coated cast iron as well. In my youth, I used to throw a 15-inch cast iron frying pan in the boat, go accross the river and fish for the weekend. I just scoured the pan with sand in the river and it was ready for the next meal.

At home, my pans are well seasoned and require very little effort to clean. And the cooking properties are superb.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Ham Hock]

Cast iron to me is really the best cooking stuff out there in terms or predictibility. It just gets comfortable cooking with it because it changes slow and you know what it's going to do. It also packs a wallop all the way around the food inside it. It just cooks better if you ask me.

If somebody wanted to give me either a ceramic iron or a good old cast iron, I would pass on the ceramic. I just like the way cast iron cooks.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Cast iron to me is really the best cooking stuff out there in terms or predictibility. It just gets comfortable cooking with it because it changes slow and you know what it's going to do. It also packs a wallop all the way around the food inside it. It just cooks better if you ask me.

If somebody wanted to give me either a ceramic iron or a good old cast iron, I would pass on the ceramic. I just like the way cast iron cooks.

That's one smart Ham_Hock.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Corey123]

I'm seriously considering getting the Lodge Cast Iron Wok.

Because I don't want to burn my SS cookware by stir frying in it.


~Corey123.

 

[Robo410]

in that case, get a carbon steel wok...you'll season it just like cast iron, but it has the faster heat up and high intensity you wan tin a wok. It's the original wok material btw.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

in that case, get a carbon steel wok...you'll season it just like cast iron, but it has the faster heat up and high intensity you wan tin a wok. It's the original wok material btw.

Yup.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Corey123]

in that case, get a carbon steel wok...you'll season it just like cast iron, but it has the faster heat up and high intensity you wan tin a wok. It's the original wok material btw.

I ended up getting the Lodge cast iron wok.

Most of the carbon steel woks, though they do heat up faster, I've seen have wooden handles, and I'm wondering if those handles would ever start to burn or scorch from the high scorching heat of a gas burner - in which case I do have a gas stove.

So I had opted to stay with the Lodge Cast Iron wok for that reason. But once the Lodge wok gets hot and fired up, it will retain the high heat, which helps make doing stir-frying in batches a cinch!


Corey123.

 

[Andy M.]

...and I'm wondering if those handles would ever start to burn or scorch from the high scorching heat of a gas burner...

The wood handles are at the top of the wok where the heat is at it's lowest. No danger of burning them even when seasoning the wok in the oven.

This design has been in place for a couple of thousand years...

 

[Corey123]

Also, doesn't carbon steel rust quicker than cast iron, or is it about the same?


~Corey123.

 

[Andy M.]

Also, doesn't carbon steel rust quicker than cast iron, or is it about the same?


~Corey123.

I'm not sure which is faster. They both are pretty quick to rust. Of course, both would be seasoned and that would inhibit rusting.

I've never used a CI wok. Let us know how it goes. I tend to move the wok a lot during stir frying. I'd be concerned the CI wok would be too heavy.

 

[Corey123]

The Lodge cast iron wok IS heavy alright!

But it came already seasoned (oiled & baked). Lodges suggests keeping it oiled between uses to keep rust at bay.


~Corey123

 

[Gretchen]

Mario Batali now has a line of enamel cast iron for about half the price of LC. Look on Amazon. A large Dutch oven is about $100.

 

[Corey123]

Emeril Lagasse also has cast iron cookware out with his name on it. Not enameled yet though.


~Corey123.

 

[gary b]

Mario Batali now has a line of enamel cast iron for about half the price of LC. Look on Amazon. A large Dutch oven is about $100.

Gretchen,

I've been looking at that Batali enamel cast iron one, do you know the size of it in inches at the bottom, and how high it is WITHOUT the lid. I called the manufacturer but they can't tell me.

Gary

 

[Michael in FtW]

gary - the Mario pot has a 13-inch external diameter ... and since it is 6-qts the height should be somewhere between 4.25 - 4.5 inches high.

QVC is another place that you might look for Staub - although they have a very limited selection. They have a 6-qt oval for $65 and a 5-qt round for $50.

 

[gary b]

gary - the Mario pot has a 13-inch external diameter ... and since it is 6-qts the height should be somewhere between 4.25 - 4.5 inches high.

QVC is another place that you might look for Staub - although they have a very limited selection. They have a 6-qt oval for $65 and a 5-qt round for $50.

Much thanks Michael

 

[mrsag]

Your investing for life!

I have spent months investing in pieces if le creuset when i can afford it. I have a store outlet about an hour from me a le creuset outlet and every month they have specials.Check to see near where you live if there is one.
The one i goto in in TANGER outlet centers. You can save as much as 30%on a piece which is alot on a 200.00 pot.
The investment is well worth it you will have these pots forever.My daughter says to me how one day they will all be hers.we laugh but she is right they will.
Another place for le creuset is online at (cultery and more.com)They charge no shipping and no tax.
Good Luck
mrsag

 

[Gretchen]

Mario Batali now has a line of enamel cast iron ovens that is easily as good as LC and less than half the price.

 

[Phil]

Other than lasting forever...

There isn't a thing in the world wrong with regular old cast iron if you ask me.
They take a little more attention but they aslo deliver the goods.[/FONT][/QUOTE]
They are ugly and heavy. Could be the best cookware ever.