<p>Hi! On a whim, I bought a 3 quart enameled cast iron pot at Macy’s. The normal price was $119 and I got it for $21, so I am intruiged to see whether it is as wonderful to cook in as reputed.</p>
<p>Anyone with experience with this type of cookware? I have not used cast iron much because I find it SO much heavier than my regular stainless steel, but thought I’d give it a try because this style of cookware seems to be quite popular these days.</p>
<p>Suggestions? Experience? Have read it is the perfect size for a loaf of peasant bread. Would probably make a nice SMALL pot of soup as well.</p>
<p>OK, the heaviness of the larger pots isn’t a problem? Some of these pots are REALLY heavy. The 3 quart one isn’t as heavy as some of the larger ones, which is why I thought I’d start with this size and see how it goes. Noticed Costco sometimes carries it, especially around the holidays, so maybe I’ll pick up the larger size as well, just in case we LOVE it too.</p>
<p>I’m curious too and hoping it is really great for braising and maybe baking bread (which I used to do decades back). I am concerned about the weight if I get a bigger & heavier pot, especially once it’s full of food.</p>
<p>You mean like a Le Creuset Dutch oven? We use 'em all the time. Nothing quite like it for French onion soup–caramelizes the onions to perfection without sticking. Also great for baked beans, or really any bean dish, and for any soup or stew you want to slow-simmer. The dish cooks to the temperature of the pot, which because of its mass is less finicky than other cookware. And they last forever. We got some as wedding presents 23 years ago and they’re still in use, none the worse for wear.</p>
<p>Yes, but it’s the Macy’s Martha Stewart Collector’s Edition brand instead. I bought myself a lot of Farberware and RevereWare pots in the 80s & they’re all still my preferred cookware. I am taking a leap of faith by trying this, and stepping out of my comfort zone. I do love stews and braised dishes. H loves beans as well. I’m not used to having heavy cookware, so it will take some adjusting. </p>
<p>I got a set for my wedding 34 years ago. I got rid of the heavy dutch oven, as it was just too darn heavy to manage. Still have the other pieces, but they are way at the bottom of my list of what I use. They chip, they scratch, they discolor. I much prefer the cleanness of stainless, like Revereware and Farberware.</p>
<p>I have several Staub cast iron pots that I adore. I’ve given several of the Martha Stewart cast iron pots as wedding gifts too. They are heavy, but you get accustomed to it. But they are great because you can braise on the stove top, then put the entire pot in the oven to bake. The cast iron heats evenly throughout. I make soups, stews, choucroute garni, beef burgundy, potatoes au gratin and crusty bread. (There is an easy recipe for crusty bread at a blog called “Simply So Good” - go there & google “crusty bread” since we aren’t allowed to link to blogs).</p>
<p>I have several . . . use them, love them, hate to wash them (because of the weight), but would happily use them exclusively if I could afford a full set. I would not cook stew in anything else! (But I use them for all sorts of other things, too.)</p>
<p>They discolor over time, which doesn’t bother me in the slightest. But if that’s something you care about, Le Creuset does make an enamel cleaner that’s supposed to restore them. And other than that, they do clean up ridiculously easily - just about anything wipes right off.</p>
<p>Is it possible for them to chip and to scratch? I guess, but if you avoid using metal utensils and exercise a modicum of care (don’t put one in the sink and throw a bunch of silverware in it), you should be okay. Although that might vary from one brand to another.</p>
<p>I love my le creuset pots but yes, if you have something stick on the bottom, soak it, don’t use any scouring pad because yes, you can screw them up like I did - and now everything sticks because I cleaned the glaze right off the enamel. Genius I am.</p>
<p>I love them and use them all the time. They are heavy, but they distribute heat very evenly. I love that they can go from the stove to the oven, something my ancient Revereware can’t do well because of the handles. I have LeCreuset and did not know there was a cleaner as yes, the interiors have discolored. I have many different pieces and use them all equally. Sometimes the large sauce pans are a pain if you are trying to lift and pour with your left hand simply because of the weight.</p>
<p>The weight is really a personal issue. I generally use a set of pots & pans that are copper clad, and while I generally only find the weight a problem on the larger pots an issue when I’m trying to dump everything out on a plate, my girlfriend has a problem just moving them around the kitchen when they’re empty.</p>
<p>That said, I did pick up a an enameled skillet at a yard sale a few months ago and love it. It’s easily my favorite pan for making sausage, onions & peppers in. I also started making a nice pasta sauce which is just olive oil with a ton of garlic sauteed for a while, then put in a little bit of sun dried tomatoes. Somehow it just doesn’t work nearly as well in my other pots.</p>
<p>Got a Tramontina dutch oven from Sam’s last year for Christmas. Very fun. Nice 'cause you can fry, saute and then add ingredients and slow cook all in one pot. and then bake too if you wanted.
Very heavy–it tends to stay on the range for a few days but it’s pretty so it just becomes kitchen decor. Easy to clean though–everything seems to just wipe off no matter how long it’s been cooking.</p>
<p>Key point: never use high heat with that kind of pot. On an electric range, the burner shouldn’t be turned beyond 3 or 4 at most. Let it warm up gradually. Don’t try to brown or sear meat in them, either. The enameled cast iron is great for caramelizing vegetables for a braise, but I brown the meat in my cast iron skillet, then deglaze it with a little wine or stock and scrape the nice brown goodness into the enameled pot.</p>
<p>All of the enameled cast iron I have is Le Creuset.</p>
<p>Just make sure that the Martha Stewart oven you bought was not the same one that was recalled last year for chipping enamel that flew off as you cooked. Lots of complaints about this line, but maybe the issue has been resolved since then. It probably explains the deep discounts either way. </p>
<p>Tramontina and Lodge are well reviewed lower priced alternatives to Le Creuset and Staub. For those who can pay more but just can’t handle the heavy weight, Cook’s Illustrsted equipment review gives my All Clad stockpot the nod as a good lightweight alternative. I’ve put that to the test alongside my good French ovens and while there’s some difference, it’s not much.</p>
<p>I have a stack of LeCreuset dutch ovens ranging in size from 2 qt to 7 qt, all collected from the LeCreuset outlet stores over the years. I absolutely love them for anything that requires steady heat. Perfect for soups and stews because you can brown the meat and then simmer the stew in the same pot. Perfect for making a roux-based sauce because the heat stays so consistent. I also use them for deep frying and pan frying (I have their “chicken fryer”). I even have the LeCreuset cast iron wok, which is just an amazing piece of cast iron.</p>
<p>Big downside? The things are heavy when you get up into the big sizes.</p>
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<p>Cleaning tips to protect the finish?</p>
<p>1) Get some of the cheapo wood spoon and thick, flat sided wooden scraper/spoons. Always used those to scrape the bottom while cooking, never metal.</p>
<p>2) Simple cleanup is something gets baked on. The Soft Scrub Gel Bleach cleaner (green gel in a green bottle), spread on the bottom and left to soak for an hour takes care of just about any mess. If you really have a nightmare, I’ve also used a quick spray of oven cleaner.</p>
<p>I’ve used high heat and seared meat in mine for 30 years. I’ve worn the coating down to nearly bare metal on a couple of my oldest pots from use (I used to use abrasive cleaners), but I’ve never had the tan enamel on a Le Creuset pot fail. </p>
<p>They do make a dark gray/black enamel coating on a few of their pieces specifically for high temp use (the chicken fryer, the wok, etc.). I have preheated the wok on a burner set to high for fifteen minutes., getting the empty wok smoking hot. No damage.</p>
<p>The one thing I would check is to make sure the handle on the lid is metal. If it’s not, forget putting that thing in the oven (though I do believe Amazon sells a replacement handle from LeCreuset that’ll fit on anyone’s pot).</p>