Cast Iron Cookware: Dutch oven deals

The luckiest people are the ones who stumble across an entire burnt orange ("Flame") set of Le Creuset cookware at a garage sale and pick up the whole thing for $10.

Le Creuset patented their method of firing enamel coating onto cast iron cookware. Before this, cast iron cookware was heavy and cumbersome, required pre-seasoning, and was prone to rust.

Coating the cast iron cookware with enamel was revolutionary because:
1. coated cast iron doesn't rust. Completely enameled pots are even dishwasher-safe!
2. the coating allows the cast iron core to be thinner and lighter weight than a similar uncoated pot, so the cookware is easier to handle.
3. doesn't need to be seasoned repeatedly

Todays cast iron can often go directly from the freezer to the oven, but don't try the other way around! Hot cast iron, coated or uncoated, will crack when in contact with water or extreme cold.

So, Le Creuset started the whole enameled cast iron concept, and for almost half a century they didn't have any competition to speak of. They determined prices based at least partially on the cache of being a "luxury brand" and not readily available to the masses.

Today, they are still the king of enameled cast iron cookware, and their top-of-the-line prices reflect this. The 2-quart Le Creuset Dutch oven has recently gone up to $125!

Find Le Creuset pots at any cookware store, including the chains of Williams-Sonoma and Sur le Table. Check www.lecreuset.com for an outlet store near you to save a few bucks, or keep your eyes open at the seconds stores like TJ Maxx or Ross as they sometimes show up there. I've heard rumors that Costco has carried a single size and style, though I've never seen it there myself.

Staub, a brand of enameled cast iron cookware costs significantly less than comparable Le Creuset items. I haven't found much of a difference when using this brand for infusion cooking of Glorious One-Pot Meals. The dimples on the lid are supposed to drip condensation back onto the food, kind of continually baste it. This doesn't seem to be a factor in infusion cooking, but might be if you used it for a traditional slow-cooked dish.

I found my 2-quart Staub at Sur le Table in the mall on special for $49.99 a few years ago. Amazon has them on sale for $69.95.

Check out these cute enameled cast iron "casseroles" by chef Tim Love for the Home Shopping Network. http://www.hsn.com.

These are both 3-quart sizes. One is a snowflake and the other is a maple leaf. Too cute! And quite affordable at $59.90 each.

*So sorry! For some reason I can't upload two photos here.

IKEA has the Senior brand of enameled cast iron in a 3-quart size for only $50! Like the Staub, it has inverted dimples on the inside of the lid. The only downside to this one is that it is not dishwasher-safe (why? I have no idea. Perhaps the enamel coating does not cover the whole pot?). The information says it's safe for all kinds of cookware countertops.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40128902