Enameled Cast Iron Cookware Comparisons
As recently as twenty years ago, cast iron cookware was limited to black, heavy, uncoated cast iron frying pans, kettles, and trusty Dutch ovens. But in the mid-twentieth century, one esoteric company out of France began marketing enameled cast iron cookware as a luxury brand. Out of favor for a while, enameled cast iron is making a resurgence and there now are a number of companies and celebrity chefs hawking lines of enameled cast iron Dutch ovens at various price points. This is where you can see the options and hear how they compare.
Le Creuset
The premium brand of enameled cast iron.
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 Enameled Cast Iron Cookware
Dimpled lid -- does it make a difference?
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.
Cast Iron Cookbooks
Recipes to celebrate cast iron cookware
Here are some ideas for finding fabulous recipes for using your cast iron cookware, particularly the Dutch oven.
Glorious One-Pot Meals
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009) 
The Dutch Oven Cookbook: Recipes for the Best Pot in Your Kitchen
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 07/11/2009)
Dutch Oven Cooking
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
Tim Love cast iron Dutch ovens
Adorable shapes at a good price!
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.
Links to learn more about cast iron cookware
Cast iron cookware history, care, and other info
Learn more about the best kind of cookware!
- Why cast iron Dutch ovens are necessary for infusion cooking.
- Cast iron Dutch ovens work perfectly for making infused one-pot meals. Learn why from the inventor of the technique!
- The history and use of cast iron cookware
- A thorough overview of cast iron cookware including health effects, seasoning and brands. Includes information on enameled cast iron.
Enameled cast iron at IKEA
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
Dutch ovens available on eBay
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by IntuitiveCook
It's not so much that I love to cook, it's that I love to eat well! Cast iron cookware -- especially the versatile Dutch oven -- are the busiest workh... (more)
