The lid's the thing that makes this new Dutch oven from Calphalon different. No-knead bread bakers will appreciate that the Calphalon handle is built right in to the lid, making it oven safe to 500 degrees without remembering to remove a pesky plastic handle.
Also, the lid has "dimples" which are said to collect moisture and rain it back down on foods as they cook, reducing the need for basting. (For those keeping score at home, Staub has a similar system of "spikes", Le Creuset does not.)
Dimples or no dimples, price comes up in every Dutch oven discussion around here.
The Calphalon enamel cast iron is priced slightly lower than other high end Dutch ovens, but still cannot compare to the three quart $50 Lodge Dutch oven at Target.
Calphalon's five quart round is $129.99. By comparison, a five quart Le Creuset retails for about $199.99 and a similar Staub is about $189.99, but savvy shoppers can always find sales.
The Calphalon I tested was chive a.k.a. green. As I pulled it out of the box, the color took me back to the avacado kitchens of my youth, but the green grew on me as I cooked. This fresh green provides contrast against the deep color of the slowly braised beef I made. The pot browned the beef evenly and the coating was easy to clean. The line also comes in cabernet red and custard yellow.
Calphalon Enamel Cast Iron is available exclusively at Bed Bath & Beyond until April 30. After that, it will have nationwide distribution at other cookshops.
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Aren't all of these dutch ovens really heavy? As popular as they are right now, what with all the braising and no-kneading, I just wonder if a similar-sized stainless steel pot with a lid won't serve the same purpose without the weight? Or will that cause burning because the pot isn't as thick-walled or bottomed?
Yes, they do indeed weigh a ton. Which is why, in part, they are so massively satisfying. I do have a number of pieces of All Clad (combo of stainless and master chef) but I can't imagine my kitchen being complete without some cast iron. I have a large Le Creuset and a wee 2 qt Staub. It's glory is the way it holds heat evenly.
Plus, remember hefting it around all that extra weight can help build beautifully toned biceps.
I'm a major fan of the Staub La Cocotte we have. It's beautiful, for starters. And the inside has a matte black enamel lining that releases browning meats easily and cleans up like a non-stick surface. My few experiences with Le Creuset's white enamel lining were frustrating--food stuck like crazy.
My favorite is the Emilie Henry burgundian clay dutch ovens.
they're made of clay, so are therefore less heavy, but more breakable, but they're also useful for both stovetop and oven, they have moisture spikes like staub, and tend to be a bit cheaper than both of them. I have a small one that I cook with constantly, and a large one that's perfect for no knead bread making and pot roasting full-size chickens and huge hunks of meat.
hmm, although I've had some slight discoloration with heavy use I've never had problems with sticking on my Le Creuset. Then again, I am a proponent of full fat cooking.
I just bought an enameled cast Dutch Oven pot at Marshall's. It was $50 and weighs a ton. The tag, which was tied on it, said it was Outset.
But I can't find any info on it online, not even at the Outset website.
I love the thing and I'm looking forward to using it but I wish I could find some info on it.
As far as the no knead bread thing goes, I've been making really good loaves in an enameled stock pot I bought for $6.99 at Old Time Pottery a week or so ago.
Go figure. :-)