Ah, the mighty Dutch oven. It braises, it bakes, it occasionally holds our onions when we run out of space in the pantry. This is one of the most essential pieces of cookware in our kitchen. If you don’t already have one, we recommend putting it on your wish list immediately. Here’s everything you need to know about picking one out and using it back in your kitchen.
When we talk about Dutch ovens, we mean a deep pot made of heavy cast-iron with an equally heavy and tight-fitting lid. Sometimes they are coated with enamel to make the surface non-reactive to acidic foods. Cook’s Illustrated has also found that good-quality stainless steel stockpots make perfectly fine Dutch ovens, even if they’re not marketed as such.
A Dutch oven is exactly what you want for cooking long braises and stews. The cast-iron means this pot will hold heat very well, creating the even and steady temperature within the pot necessary for rendering meat and tough vegetables completely tender.
These pots are also perfect for simmering a pot of beans, incubating a batch of yogurt, or even just making a quick pasta sauce for dinner. We’ve baked some of the best bread we’ve ever had in our dutch oven following the no-knead bread method. We could go on and on, but suffice it to say that our Dutch oven is one of the most-used tools in our kitchen.
Dutch ovens can be expensive: $50 at the lowest end and up to $300 or more for a prized Le Creuset pot. But cost is usually a good indicator of quality for this piece of equipment. Buy the best you can afford, and it will last for years.
The oven should feel heavy when you hold it, with a thick walls and an equally thick bottom. Take a look at the handles and the knob on the lid, and make sure you’ll still be able to grasp them easily when wearing heavy oven mitts. We also recommend getting at least a 6-quart Dutch oven. This is big enough for braising a chicken or making enough chili to feed a crowd.
Here are a few brands we know and trust:
• Tramontina Cast Iron Dutch Oven, $50 from Walmart
• Lodge Enamel Dutch Oven, $100 from Lodge Cast Iron Cookware
• Le Creuset Dutch Oven, $275 from Sur la Table
Some additional things to keep in mind:
• Should I Buy a Stockpot or a Dutch Oven?
• What’s the Difference Between Coated and Uncoated Dutch Ovens?
• Are There Lighter Alternatives to Cast Iron Cookware?
How to Care for Your Dutch Oven:
• How to Clean Stains Off Your Dutch Oven
• Chipped Enamel: Need to Replace This Dutch Oven?
Great Recipes to Get You Started:
• Love Me Tender: 15 Braises from The Kitchn
• How to Cook Beans: A Fast, Fool-Proof, No-Soak Method
• Mark Bittman’s No-Knead Bread Phenomenon
• Outdoor Cooking with Dutch Ovens
What kind of Dutch oven do you have? How do you use it?
Related: How to Convert Dutch Oven Recipes to Your Slow Cooker
(Images: Emma Christensen and Faith Durand)
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I recently scored the matching braiser to my Tramontina dutch oven at Walmart for $25. I've had the dutch oven for about 2 years and it's amazing. Maybe one day I will buy the Le Creuset but, for now, I have no complaints. :)
I bought a Martha Stewart 5-qt. round on sale at Macy's a few weeks ago, and have been enjoying it very much. Does what I need it to do.
My boyfriend gave me the Le Creuset dutch oven for Christmas last year. I use it so often that I never put it away, plus it's pretty enough to stay out.
we love our le creusets; they're so easy to clean and so pretty, too!
I looove my Mario Batali 6-qt Dutch oven. It was $110 from Crate & Barrel but cooks as good as any Le Creuset I've ever used. Plus the lid has the Staub-style points inside which helps prevent condensation from building up. I recommend it to everyone!
second vote for the Martha Stewart version. We got ours as a wedding gift a year and a half ago, and use it all winter long. It's starting to show some discoloration, but cleans up like a dream and cooks so evenly. We love it.
I have a lodge dutch oven in green (looks just like the picture at the top of this post) that works great. It's starting to get brown spots from heavy use, and looks about as bad ass as a bright green dutch oven can get, so I leave it out.
Staub :) If it's good enough for smitten kitchen it's good enough for me :) Got it in the 5 3/4 size
I have a 7 qt Martha Stewart that I received as a shower gift, and I LOVE it. I cannot afford LC right now (someday...!), but my Martha is amazing. It gets used more than any of my other wedding presents. I bought a 5 qt one for my mother for Xmas. Can't wait to use it again!
I too will chime in to declare my love for my dutch oven. Mine was from Sam's Club a few years ago and it is wonderful. And, like others have said, mine gets "stored" on an open shelf in the kitchen...easy access plus it's pretty :)
Can't beat the Le Creuset return policy: I've had my red one for three years and two months ago the enamel on the bottom cracked. I brought it over to Sur La Table and they shoved it behind the counter and brought out a shiny new one, no questions asked. It was SUCH a satisfying moment.
I hesitated to get LC for years, convinced the clean up would be impossible. It is the easiest clean up I have, and looks new after years of use and occasional abuse. I wish all my pots and pans were LC! Unconventional uses--deep fryer, fudge making, cornbread and upside down cake maker, mac and cheese, apple butter, and marmalade. I also have a small Staub, and it is incredibly handy in the 2.5 qt size. I never even considered non-enameled cast iron as I use too much tomato in my cooking.
Don't forget Staub dutch ovens. They are at the same price point as Le Creuset, but I know many home cooks who prefer it to Le Creuset because it has more heat-resistant knobs, spikes on the lid to self-baste, and a black matte interior that wears better with time.
I always look at cast iron dutch ovens with such envy--there are so many beautiful ones, but we have a glass cooktop and two clumsy cooks. NOT a good combination.
Maybe some day...
I don't remember the brand of mine, but I got it for well under $50 at one of those discount stores (Marshalls, TJMax). I bought mine just after graduating college and couldn't afford a fancier one...but the quality of mine is fine, it works great and I use it a lot.
I've got a cheap-ass "Cooks" JcPenny 5 quart and it's been super- I've made soups and stocks in it, and a loaf of no-knead bread every other day. There's a bit of slamming on it on their website, but so far it's been a good little workhorse for me.
My parents got me a small oval Le Creuset a couple years ago -- we have a LC outlet not too far from here, which is AWESOME. I can't even tell why it was classified as a "second"! Definitely worth checking out, for those who love LC but don't love the price. The one thing I don't like is that my parents chose black, which is just so dull compared to all the lovely bright colors...but that just means that I need to get a bigger one someday when I have more people to feed than just hubby and me.
I bought my cast iron non-enamel Lodge dutch oven 20 some years ago at a hardware store. I use it for EVERYTHING, even pasta sauce. As much as I love L.C. I will never replace this pot.
TJ Maxx and other "discount retailers" sometimes have LC dutch ovens in their home goods section. Saw a nice 5qt for less than $200 about 2 weeks back in New Hampshire. Although, as a recent college grad it was not in my budget, even at such a great discount.
the one i bought is cast iron without enamel. whats the opinion on enamel vs no enamel? for now it does a great job and i love it, but i do consider picking up an enameled one at tjmaxx or something one of these days.
and for those of us who worry about some of the lid handles being not great for high heat (hi, bread-makers!), I scored a metal Le Creuset one at Sur La Table... all ya need is a screw driver... cheap too.
PS works on my Martha one too.
I got a kitchenaid 5qt green one for $45 at homegoods. absolutely LOVE it.
Best Christmas present from my husband was a Lodge Cast Iron non-enamel dutch oven. Best and most used (not to mention best loved) item in the kitchen. I've had it for about 4 years or so and I use it 3 -4 days a week.
love my white martha stewart one too! and if it ever chips, saw this post that macy's will replace it for free. awesome! http://simpledailyrecipes.com/11956/what-to-do-when-your-martha-stewart-enamel-cast-iron-dutch-oven-is-chipped/
I bought my Le Creuset on clearance at TJ Maxx ages ago. It was about the same price as the knock-off brands that are available now. I think it has a tiny flaw in the lid, but nothing major. It's so pretty, but I know I don't use it as much as I could! I'm definitely going to try braising something from that link. It's so cold here in New England!
I just used my Chantal Talavera (humongo size) to make red beans. in the oven. got it at TJMaxx a few years back & use it a bunch.
The versatility of the Dutch Oven is pretty incredible. While mentioned in this post as higher quality versions (esp. Le Creuset) being expensive, the idea of having one piece over your lifetime (and beyond for any future recipient) brings the cost into perspective. Certainly, making the purchase during a sale is always a good thing, but keep in mind that a versatile and high quality piece used on a weekly basis will make sense after the high up front cost.
My LC Dutch oven is the workhorse in my kitchen; I cook with it almost every day. I got it for a song at my local LC Outlet about 5 years ago, and still looks like new. It's the best investment in cookware I have ever made.
I got it in the traditional Flame color, and it sits proudly on my gas cook top.
My LC makes the best rice ever. Other uses: deep fat frying; boiling water for pasta; making popcorn; making beans, stock, soup, stew and pasta sauce from scratch. Did I mention cabbage rolls?
(I have a Martha Stewart cast iron gratin pan that I bought about 10 or so years ago. The pretty green-colored enamel coating on the outside has chipped badly; but it still works OK.)
I seriously cannot decide...Do I buy the 6 qt or the 7.5? I will use it a lot, as I cook at home everyday, all meals(except friday dinners:). What to do?!!!
thanks