Le Creuset

[babs]

I'm a big fan of Le creuset pots/dutch ovens. How many should one own, and what sizes? It's just my husband & myself, and occasionally we entertain.

 

[redkitty]

Ohhh, I love mine! I have two. Might buy another one eventually but two is good enough for us.

 

[lulu]

Red, if you can get to Clark's Village in Street next to Glastonbury there is a discount Le Creuset shop. There is a Bus from Bristol to Glastonbury/Street, and its not a long walk from anywhere in those two villages....I'm not sure what the bus number is....276? Something like that...something 76 I think...anyway....they have discounts and often have some of the haarder to get hold of colours too

 

[Andy M.]

If you have other good cookware, you don't need a lot of LeC. Most people use them for stews and pot roasts, chilis, and other slow cooked dishes. I use a 7.25 quart French oven for this type of cooking. It is the perfect size for a pot roast or a batch of chili.

 

[Robo410]

I have several, and good copper cookware too. I have too much but that's just me. I would guess a medium and a large dutch oven, and a braiser would be sufficient for most duties. Make one round and one oval so you can hold most things with a minimum of pots.

 

[JMediger]

I have one pot (7.5 I think) that I use for everything Andy mentioned. I have a double burner grill pan on my wish list though.

 

[suzyQ3]

We have two Staub oval dutch ovens that we love. Our one and only LC pan is this wide and shallow 6.75-quart dutch oven sometimes called a risotto pan. We don't use it for risotto but for braising, and the wider dimension gives you more room for browning first. It's a very versatile size, and we love it.

 

[foodstorm]

I have too much but that's just me.

Heh heh, me too, Robo410! My husband thinks I am mental! I have so many pieces of LC cast iron that I have to spread it all around the kitchen for fear the weight of all that CI in one place will make the floor cave in ! I have a pretty fair amount of their stoneware,too...thank God for the LC outlet!

 

[jennyema]

I use their 7.25 quart round French oven constantly. I also have a 9 quart and a 4 1/2 quart. I recommend the 7.25 because it's the most versatile, as far as quantities go.

 

[Katie H]

We have two and they are used so often, I never put them away. It's just Buck and me, but we use them for so many things. Both are oval Dutch ovens. I opted for oval because I could use them for cooking whole hams and/or whole poultry. Soups, stews, etc. don't care what the shape of the vessel is.

The smaller one is a 7-quart. The larger one is 9-quarts. Love them both and they are a fine addition to our old-fashioned cast-iron cookware we already had.

 

[babs]

I'm someone who watches Food Network & NEED ALL the tools I see them using. To let you know, I have a 4 &3/4, and a 2 1/2( I think). Love the larger of the 2 for Marinara sauce.>>>But, I picked up a 6 & 3/4th($129 @ Home Goods), & a 9 & 1/2 @ Le Creuset outlet for ($180,... .second).....Think the 91/2 is TOO Big?.........Love all of your input!!

 

[jennyema]

I'9 & 1/2 @ Le Creuset outlet for ($180,... .second).....Think the 91/2 is TOO Big?.........Love all of your input!!

I got my big mama at the outlet, too. It was about $150, so naturally I had to have it!

It's not too big if you entertain or like to make big batches of stuff and freeze them.

 

[Mommy Dearest]

You can NEVER have too much LC! I could open my own store and no, I really don't need it all but I just love it.

If you're asking what you basically should have in LC, I'd say (1) 5 or 8 qt round French oven (depending on the amount of food you cook), and maybe (1) 9 1/2 qt oval oven. The saucepans and frypans are not really all that useful (although I have them too).

I recently ordered the 8 qt Staub with black matte interior from Amazon.com. Great price at $134. It's arriving today and I have BIG plans for that one!

M.D.

 

[CharlieD]

As many as you can afford, if you ask me, in every size and color possible. If I could lift them (my arms hurt) that is what i would get.

 

[Michael Cook]

I'm saving for a tagine a two quart cocotte and a 4 quart soup pot(I love braising but we're a family of two). Now if the gubmint would just give me my money I'd get a-spending.

 

[Chopstix]

Finally, I recently took the plunge and got 4 pieces of LC: a Dutch oven, a skillet, a long-handled small cooking pot, and a one-burner grill pan.

So far, only the grill pan isn't getting a work out. What would you suggest? Thanks!

 

[Run_Out]

My wife got me a set, I use the 7qt and 5.5qt a lot. I also have a 14in. baking disk that is great. I think two would do nicely.

later

 

[Robo410]

the tagine is really fun to use. Needs very little liquid, gives you great big flavors and looks kewl on the stove top.

 

[CharlieD]

Chopstix, I'd say in the winter time you'll find more use for the grill. When it is cold outside you will be use it inside. Then, of course I am not suree about your whether.

Again, all I can say i am envy you folks, I can't even lift my 9" cast iron pan anymore, and even non-stick 12" pan is too heavy for me now.

 

[Chopstix]

Thanks CharlieD. By the way, it's never cold outside where I am There's basically just two seasons here -- wet and dry season. And during both seasons, it's warm. (I actually love the weather here.)

I hear you about the heaviness of the cast iron. I think I got tennis elbow from lifting my LC pieces!