Dutch oven sticker shock!

[Barb L.]

I have an enamel cast iron I love, from NY bread, soups, stews. Got mine at Kitchen Galore for around $50.

[Aria]

I have an enamel cast iron and the old fashioned just cast iron and a Revere Stainless Steel copper bottom Dutch Oven.

You must have ONE. I tried cooking mine in the cast iron (N Y Times Bread)it was too heavy. Prefer using ceramic insert from my crock pot.

Go for it...get a good pan. You will use and enjoy it for years.

[Candocook]

Originally Posted by Aria

I have an enamel cast iron and the old fashioned just cast iron and a Revere Stainless Steel copper bottom Dutch Oven.

You must have ONE. I tried cooking mine in the cast iron (N Y Times Bread)it was too heavy. Prefer using ceramic insert from my crock pot.

Go for it...get a good pan. You will use and enjoy it for years.

Why was the cast iron too heavy for the bread. You just dump the bread into it in the oven--no need to lift it. Just interested. ;o)

[Candocook]

Another excellent source for LC ovens is caplan Duval. Even though they are in canada, their prices even with shipping, are often/usually less than anyone else, with the possible exception of amazon.
The Mario Batali oven is nice--I gave them to our children for Christmas--and are often on sale on Amazon.

To me, a stainless steel dutch oven is just a stockpot with a different shape. I used to have a set of Club aluminum (how dated is that!!) and that is what they called their 6qt pot--a Dutch oven. But it was really just a heavy large metal pan.
Oh, Tuesday Morning has Cuisinart 8qt. stockpots right now--$40. Couldn't look more like Calphalon (and as heavy) if it actually were calphalon.

[pacanis]

Can I ask what you use a Dutch oven for?
I had what I called a Dutch oven that I used to take camping. Heavy, cast iron, three legs on the bottom. I used to cook breakfast on the inside of the lid and make killer all day beans in it, but the underground cooking never panned out. The charcoal kept going out.....
Anyway, I know you guys can't be talking about that kind of Dutch oven for kitchen use. I looked at some pics and it just looks like a large pot to me. What do you cook in it that it is a must have item? That you couldn't just use a large pot?

Thanks

[GB]

pacanis, a Dutch oven is most likely what you did use camping although yours is a little different than the kitchen variety. The camping type generally has three legs and the lip is flat with a lip. This is so you can put hot coals under it and also on top of it.

One that is more designed for the kitchen will not have the legs and the lid may not be flat with a lip. They are usually (but not always) cast iron.

A Dutch oven (also known as a French oven) is ideal for cooking things at a lower heat and for a long time. I use mine for stews, soups, beans, braises and things like that. You can use it for many many things, but where it excels is in dishing out even heat over a long time. The reason cast iron is usually used is that is grabs the heat and dishes it out very evenly so there are not hot spots in which things can burn.

[Corey123]

I own about 5 Dutch Ovens - and I enjoy using all of them.

Two of them are enamalled, one 8-qt. SS, one is a 5-qt. Lodge and one is an 8-qt. hard anodized aluminum one (Rachael Ray).

[Constance]

I have this one, and it's very good for most things:

Calphalon - Products Search

I also have this one, and it's fabulous for potroast & vegies:

Amazon.com: Magnalite Classic 15-Inch Oval Covered Roaster: Kitchen & Housewares

And I have a round one that my parents got for a wedding present. It's still my favorite Dutch oven. It's over 60 years old, been used and used, and still one of the best pots I have.

[Corey123]

The one at Amazon.com, Chefs has it also, in the nonstick version.

[pacanis]

Thanks, GB. I wasn't sure where it was even used, but looking at your list of things to cook I see it's the stovetop and not the oven.
I don't think I would need one in the kitchen, but it's nice to learn about them.