Best piece of Le Creuset?
- Thread starter Mr_Dove
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
I think the best thing LeC makes is the 7-quart dutch oven.
It's big enough to make a pot roast with all the veggies or a batch of stew or chili and leave you with leftovers. Being ovenproof, you can use it to make these things on the stovetop or in the oven. It's the slowcooker's must have.
I prefer the round to the oval as I think it promotes more even heating with round burners.
There are smaller and larger ones but this size is the most versatile.
It's big enough to make a pot roast with all the veggies or a batch of stew or chili and leave you with leftovers. Being ovenproof, you can use it to make these things on the stovetop or in the oven. It's the slowcooker's must have.
I prefer the round to the oval as I think it promotes more even heating with round burners.
There are smaller and larger ones but this size is the most versatile.
SierraCook
Master Chef
I bought the 4 1/2 qt. round French oven. I know that some others have said that they prefer a larger size, but it is perfect for me. I have made soups, stews, chili, spaghetti sauce, etc. in mine.
SpiceUmUp
Senior Cook
I second the notion of the 7 qt Dutch oven. Here is the review I wrote on Amazon for this pot:
I LOVE THIS FRENCH OVEN! Ok, first you can use it on the stove top to sear the meat, deglaze the pan with red wine, place the meat in the bottom of the pan, cover with potatos, some carrots, some favorite herbs and a little extra red wine. Place it in the oven at 375 degrees and when the potatoes are tender, you will have a tender and tasty pot roast. This pot is the secret. I cannot tell you how good it is too cook with this pot! It really does take a good heavy "Dutch" oven like this with a heavy tight fitting lid to make a good pot roast and this is just the item. It is also great with sauces on the stove top and the ability to hold a steady heat is invaluable. The Pot is heavy, it is expensive. It is also beautiful (I love the red) and it is durable. Short of dropping it on stone, it is tough to harm. Cookware like this is an investment in the future, you will never replace it, but you will add on to your collection.
I LOVE THIS FRENCH OVEN! Ok, first you can use it on the stove top to sear the meat, deglaze the pan with red wine, place the meat in the bottom of the pan, cover with potatos, some carrots, some favorite herbs and a little extra red wine. Place it in the oven at 375 degrees and when the potatoes are tender, you will have a tender and tasty pot roast. This pot is the secret. I cannot tell you how good it is too cook with this pot! It really does take a good heavy "Dutch" oven like this with a heavy tight fitting lid to make a good pot roast and this is just the item. It is also great with sauces on the stove top and the ability to hold a steady heat is invaluable. The Pot is heavy, it is expensive. It is also beautiful (I love the red) and it is durable. Short of dropping it on stone, it is tough to harm. Cookware like this is an investment in the future, you will never replace it, but you will add on to your collection.
GB
Chief Eating Officer
Andy beat me to the punch. He said every single thing I would have said. It is like he is im my head 
Seriously though I really think the 7 quart round French oven is the way to go. It is not cheap, but it is well worth it.
Seriously though I really think the 7 quart round French oven is the way to go. It is not cheap, but it is well worth it.
When I'm faced with a "which size to get" question I think about two things .... (1) what am I going to cook in it (2) how much do I normally cook. That usually brings up another thought .... you can cook less in a larger pot but you can't cook more in a smaller pot.
My personal preference would be the 7-qt oval.
My personal preference would be the 7-qt oval.
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
7 quart French Oven by far. I have a 5 qt and a 9 1/2 too and use the 7 ALLLLL the time
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
The concensus appears to be almost unanamous on the size. There is a difference of opinion on the shape.
Why do those of you who prefer oval, prefer oval?
Why do those of you who prefer oval, prefer oval?
Paint
Senior Cook
I only have a 5qt Oval French oven at the moment - this is enough to cook around 6 portions of a casserole in for a dinner party, but usually I cook enough for 4 people and freeze half when it's just me and DH eating.
I chose oval so that I could fit in a whole chicken or roast.
Paint.
I chose oval so that I could fit in a whole chicken or roast.
Paint.
designerobsessed
Assistant Cook
- Joined
- May 13, 2005
- Messages
- 37
I have the 7 qt. in red and love it!! Definitely the way to go. I paid $120 for it 4 years ago-got it somewhere online. It's worth every penny.
Paint
Senior Cook
www.cutleryandmore.com have sale prices on the following - shipping is free.
5qt oval : $129.95 (list price: $235, Amazon price $179.99)
5.5qt round : $139.95 (list: $250, Amazon: $169.99)
6.5qt oval : $149.99 (list: $270, Amazon: $199.99)
7qt round : $159.99 to $169.99 depending on colour. (list: $285, Amazon: $209.99)
I did find one or two websites with slightly cheaper prices - but they added up to more once you had added shipping charges on - Le Creuset is very heavy, so shipping can be expensive. There were also some great bargains on ebay - but again, remember to add on shipping costs with ebay.
Happy shopping, Paint.
5qt oval : $129.95 (list price: $235, Amazon price $179.99)
5.5qt round : $139.95 (list: $250, Amazon: $169.99)
6.5qt oval : $149.99 (list: $270, Amazon: $199.99)
7qt round : $159.99 to $169.99 depending on colour. (list: $285, Amazon: $209.99)
I did find one or two websites with slightly cheaper prices - but they added up to more once you had added shipping charges on - Le Creuset is very heavy, so shipping can be expensive. There were also some great bargains on ebay - but again, remember to add on shipping costs with ebay.
Happy shopping, Paint.
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GB
Chief Eating Officer
Those are great prices Paint! Thanks for the site.
I found this place posted by someone here I dont remember who it was. I bought my 7qt. french oven here for about $125.00 including shipping.
http://www.caplanduval2000.com/le_creuset.html
P.S. I don't see any 7 qt. french ovens at the present maybe they're sold out?
http://www.caplanduval2000.com/le_creuset.html
P.S. I don't see any 7 qt. french ovens at the present maybe they're sold out?
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Andy M. said:
Well, for my stews, chili, beans, soups and such that I'm going to cook on the stovetop the shape isn't very important.
But, for things things that are going into the oven for slow cooking that are longer than they are wide; like chicken, duck, rolled roast - the oval shape kind of fits the shape of the food. It allows more even spacing between the food and the sides of the pot for more even heat distribution.
At least - that's the way I figure it.
Paint
Senior Cook
Stevie said:
I looked at this website when I bought my oval oven too, and they have great prices - but they are based in Canada and once I'd added on the shipping charge to the USA, it worked out at around the same price as cutlery&more, plus their shipping was quite slow - around 2 weeks to 17 days, so that's why I went with cutlery&more for the 5qt oval. However - you DO save more with caplanduval if you are ordering a larger, more expensive oven (and you can bear to wait a while for it to arrive), because the shipping charge is the same ($16.50 to USA) for any single item. If I decide to get the 7qt french oven in the future, then I would try caplanduval. Cutlery&more are still much cheaper for Le Creuset Frying Pans though.
It does pay to shop around and compare prices with shipping.
Paint.
Paint.
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Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Michael in FtW said:Well, for my stews, chili, beans, soups and such that I'm going to cook on the stovetop the shape isn't very important.
But, for things things that are going into the oven for slow cooking that are longer than they are wide; like chicken, duck, rolled roast - the oval shape kind of fits the shape of the food. It allows more even spacing between the food and the sides of the pot for more even heat distribution.
At least - that's the way I figure it.
Michael:
I guess I cook more round stuff than you. Makes sense, it matches the shape of my waistline.
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
I have gotten a few obscenely great deals on discontinued/cosmetic 2nd pieces at the Le Creuset outlet in the Wrentham (MA) outlet mall.
They practically gave some of the stuff away.
There are maybe 20 outlets around the US.
Also, people have said that occassionally TJ MAxx will have unbelievably good deals on LC.
They practically gave some of the stuff away.
There are maybe 20 outlets around the US.
Also, people have said that occassionally TJ MAxx will have unbelievably good deals on LC.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
The Wrentham Outlet store is where I got my 7-quart.
I like the 3 qt braiser. great as a saute on top of the range, but also fine as a smallish caserole in the oven. a fine starter piece. If you llike it, them dish out the bucks for the 7 qt. I like round for stove top and oval for oven. If I want one piece only I would go round. But if you are like me, and have more cookware than burners and ovens (LOL) buy whatever is on sale and keep on going from there.
Personally I don't like the phenolic (plastic) knobs that LeCruset uses. I have recipes that use 425* etc and want my cookware to be versatile. Lodge has metal handles as do some of the other less well advertised brands. Shop around.
Personally I don't like the phenolic (plastic) knobs that LeCruset uses. I have recipes that use 425* etc and want my cookware to be versatile. Lodge has metal handles as do some of the other less well advertised brands. Shop around.
Robo410 said:
I've never been a fan of LeCruset's plastic knobs, either. My favorite brand of the enameled cast iron would have to be Staub ( http://www.staubusa.com ). With their metal knobs, you can go up to 600-F.
LeCruset has a white interior - Staub has a black interior.
Staub, like LeCruset, is not cheap - and prices really can vary depending on there you get it. QVC ( www.qvc.com ) shopping network is a good place for some good prices ... but the selection comes and goes and is generally very limited in quantity and color selections. Right now they only have the 5-qt round french oven - but it's only $50! Another site I found offers a slightly different design of the same Staub 5-qt round pot for $190!!!
