Enameled cast iron: 5.5 qt or 7 qt?

I've long lusted for a Le Creuset, but the sales on Martha Stewart’s line at Macy’s have caught my eye. I've perused through all the previous threads about enameled cast iron pots, but I still can't figure out which size to buy. I currently have a 6 qt non-stick stock pot from Calphalon, so the 5.5 qt seems a little redundant. However, cooking for 1-2 people, a 7 qt seems pretty big. Thoughts? Thanks!

Pucca wrote:I've long lusted for a Le Creuset, but the sales on Martha Stewart’s line at Macy’s have caught my eye. I've perused through all the previous threads about enameled cast iron pots, but I still can't figure out which size to buy. I currently have a 6 qt non-stick stock pot from Calphalon, so the 5.5 qt seems a little redundant. However, cooking for 1-2 people, a 7 qt seems pretty big. Thoughts? Thanks!

You'll never be sorry you have the 7qt, even if you don't fill it up all the way.

I own a 7 quart enameled Lodge and would've regretted going for a smaller size. I usually use this for things that require slow braising so I usually make big batches anyway. It's the perfect size for potlucks.

I saw those sales on the Martha Stewart pots, too. Can't vouch for the quality but it looks to be a steal at that price.

I have a dutch oven situation of my own. On our wedding registry I had listed the 5.5 qt Le Creuset never expecting anyone to actually buy it. At the first shower we were gifted the Batali 6qt. Then after the wedding someone visited the Le Creuset outlet and purchased the pot we had registered for and delivered it as a gift.

Here's the dilemma. The BnC says that I can onlly keep one. The problem is that neither can be returned. Personally, as a snob, I want to keep the LC. The wife says that it should go since it hasn't been used (damn cold weather making me use the Batali for my pork in chile verde). The batali pot was purchased during the tent sale at Wilton, and has a small chip on the rim of the lid. The LC was purchased at the outlet with a small enamel flaw on the bottom.

Help!

Flip

Flip --

Had I not just purchased a 7 quart oval Le Creuset, I would talk to you about your abundance of pots. However, Mr. X is already wondering where I plan to store what I bought. So far, it looks great on the stove. Along with the new dutch oven, I bought the "All ABout Braising" book recommended in a couple of the cookbook threads. I'm glad we like leftovers -- cooking for two in a 7-quart pot means we will have them!

-The GP

Ok you've all convinced me to get the 7 QT. But now, do I get the red or the blue? The red could pass for a Le Creuset from a distance, right? But the blue is so pretty!

Pucca wrote:Ok you've all convinced me to get the 7 QT. But now, do I get the red or the blue? The red could pass for a Le Creuset from a distance, right? But the blue is so pretty!

FYI, my 5.5qt Le Cruset is blue, although the 7qt is red flame.

Flip wrote:The BnC says that I can onlly keep one.

Why the minimalism? You're never going to want to make soup and pot roast at the same time?

We (family of 2 adults and one small child) have a 7.25 quart oval Le Creuset and use it all the time (granted, typically with lots of leftovers for lunches, subsequent meals or freezing, but not always). It's bigger than what's called for in a lot of the recipes in, for example, All About Braising, so my only word of advice is that you may have to adjust (increase) the liquid slightly as the larger surface area on the bottom increases the likelihood that you might cook off all or too much of the liquid.

Matt wrote:We (family of 2 adults and one small child) have a 7.25 quart oval Le Creuset and use it all the time (granted, typically with lots of leftovers for lunches, subsequent meals or freezing, but not always). It's bigger than what's called for in a lot of the recipes in, for example, All About Braising, so my only word of advice is that you may have to adjust (increase) the liquid slightly as the larger surface area on the bottom increases the likelihood that you might cook off all or too much of the liquid.

For those recipes where a certain level of liquid is required, the larger size has a disadvantage in that it requires a lot more liquid to reach the desired level.

But we can use these big ones for that "no knead bread" recipe, yes?

LAZ wrote:

Flip wrote:The BnC says that I can onlly keep one.

Why the minimalism? You're never going to want to make soup and pot roast at the same time?

LAZ,

It is more of an issue about space. In the past six months our kitchen has been invaded by:

- 2 cast iron dutch ovens
- 2 18 pc corningware sets
- full All-clad stainless set plus the 12" skillet (already had the non-stick) each of which also have a dutch oven
- 12" cast iron skillet
- Kitchen Aid pro stand mixer
- rice cooker
- blender
- food saver
- Krups 6-slice convection / toaster oven*
- 6-qt crock pot
- 5-qt capacity deep fryer

We've also recieved a number of other kitchen related accessories. All of this added to what we had in our modest (10'x12') apartment kitchen. The 2 sets of pan hang from a pot rack, and to save counterspace I've mounted a magnetic strip for my knives. Everything else must fit in the cabinet.

Flip

*The convection / toaster oven combo turns out to be the best item we registered for. At $160 it isn't cheap for a toaster oven, but for 2 people it is much more convenient than turning on the big oven and gets used more than any item we registered for.

leek wrote:But we can use these big ones for that "no knead bread" recipe, yes?

The bigger ones allow the bread to spread out and flatten too much. Better to use a 5 qt.

And if using the Le Creuset on the no-knead bread, be sure to replace the knob with a metal one (you can get one from Le Creuset) or a nut and bolt lest it melt in the 450 degrees needed.

Uhh, Flip, if you're looking to get rid of one of those dutch ovens, I'd be more than happy to take it off your hands Quote me a price!

imsscott wrote:

leek wrote:But we can use these big ones for that "no knead bread" recipe, yes?

The bigger ones allow the bread to spread out and flatten too much. Better to use a 5 qt.

And if using the Le Creuset on the no-knead bread, be sure to replace the knob with a metal one (you can get one from Le Creuset) or a nut and bolt lest it melt in the 450 degrees needed.

But the recipe calls for 6-8 qt? Will it really spread out too much in a 7 qt?

Pucca wrote:

imsscott wrote:

leek wrote:But we can use these big ones for that "no knead bread" recipe, yes?

The bigger ones allow the bread to spread out and flatten too much. Better to use a 5 qt.

And if using the Le Creuset on the no-knead bread, be sure to replace the knob with a metal one (you can get one from Le Creuset) or a nut and bolt lest it melt in the 450 degrees needed.

But the recipe calls for 6-8 qt? Will it really spread out too much in a 7 qt?

Yes, I have the 6qt Batali and that would still be too big. I cook that bread in a 5qt plain cast iron dutch oven from Lodge and it's the perfect size.

Not that you can't make the bread in the bigger sizes, but what I'm saying is that you don't need them to make the bread.

The newer versions of the recipe that aren't so wet and less likely to flatten and spread out would work well in those bigger pots too.

I'd go with the 5.5 qt. it seems to fit your needs better. For instance, I wouldn't purchase a Ford Expedition for a family of three because I thought it'd be redundant to by another Taurus....just my 2 cents.

One other disadvantage of the larger pot to consider. Those cast iron pots are VERY heavy, and the larger pot is going to be even heavier than the smaller one.

Get the larger one if you need the larger size. But ask yourself how often you find that your current 6 qt Calphalon pot isn't big enough for what you want to do. If your answer is "Never", then get the smaller 5.5 quart Le Creuset.

I solved you particular dilemma by buying both. First I had a 5 qt oval, but there were times that I wanted something larger for big batches, or other uses like deep frying, so the next year I went out and got the 7 qt round (maybe even larger? Its a hefty pot). I use them both quite frequently, but if I had to choose one I'd take the larger one and just make more leftovers.

Second bit of advice is that there is a Le Creuset outlet at the Kenosha Prime Outlet mall that sells Le Creuset seconds at half the normal retail price, even more off if you can get a coupon or hit a sale. There is also one at the Lighthouse Point outlet in Michigan City IN, as well as the Aurora IL Premium Outlets (see a trend here in my buying habits?). Also in Michigan City is a Calphalon outlet called Chefs outlet or something like that with big discounts on their pans. I'd say 75% of my cookware came from those two stores.

Jayz wrote:I'd go with the 5.5 qt. it seems to fit your needs better. For instance, I wouldn't purchase a Ford Expedition for a family of three because I thought it'd be redundant to by another Taurus....just my 2 cents.

LOL I like this analogy

You could really step up to the plate. As I think I mentioned on another thread, I bought the 13.25 qt at the outlet, and although it is big and heavy, it fits a lot (meal and leftovers for 6), and it seems to work fine for smaller amounts. While it takes up quite a bit of space, you can store your other pots in it!

-Will

wak wrote:Second bit of advice is that there is a Le Creuset outlet at the Kenosha Prime Outlet mall that sells Le Creuset seconds at half the normal retail price, even more off if you can get a coupon or hit a sale. There is also one at the Lighthouse Point outlet in Michigan City IN, as well as the Aurora IL Premium Outlets (see a trend here in my buying habits?). Also in Michigan City is a Calphalon outlet called Chefs outlet or something like that with big discounts on their pans. I'd say 75% of my cookware came from those two stores.

I've had great success buying cookware (new in box) on eBay.

Obviously, shop around, in person as well as at comparison shopping websites, etc.

I would also like to point out that while it doesn't have the name-brand appeal of Le Creuset or even Martha Stewart, Target now carries enameled cast iron cookware and it's GREAT. I have a le Creuset 5 quart and a chefmate (from Target) and they are virtually indistinguishable. The 5 quart goes for $39.99, and the 7 quart is $59.99. They're just as heavy as le Creuset, the enamel seems to be just as thick and evenly applied, and the knob on the lid is safe in the oven up to 400 degrees.

Actually, I just looked at their website, and it appears they do have multiple colors in 3 quart and 6 quart versions as well, and that the 5 quart versions have a cast iron knob ( I think they're by a different company), so they'll work in the oven at any temperature.
They've got different stuff online than they do in the store, but at these prices, you could get one of each for the price of a single 5 quart le Creuset.

Thanks, geli. I have read good things about Chefmate's cast iron from Target. Martha's line is onsale at Macy's for $59.99 for the 7qt, and $49.99 for the 5.5 qt. With the 20% off for friends and family this weekend, it's a steal, especially for the 7qt. I still might get the 5.5 qt, but not really sure if I can justify the cabinet space for two right now.

geli wrote:I would also like to point out that while it doesn't have the name-brand appeal of Le Creuset or even Martha Stewart, Target now carries enameled cast iron cookware and it's GREAT. I have a le Creuset 5 quart and a chefmate (from Target) and they are virtually indistinguishable. The 5 quart goes for $39.99, and the 7 quart is $59.99. They're just as heavy as le Creuset, the enamel seems to be just as thick and evenly applied, and the knob on the lid is safe in the oven up to 400 degrees.

I received the 5 qt chefmate as a Christmas present last year, right after Cooks Illustrated had an equipment review featuring this as a great-value Dutch oven. Over the year I've had it it's been a great little dutch oven (usually a perfect size for the two of us here), though I remember reading somewhere that the glue in the knob starts to melt out at about 350 degrees or so. If memory serves correctly, out there on one of them internets you can find info on where to get better knobs to put on these & on other Dutch ovens that use glue & plastic knobs.

I got one of Martha's 7 qt dutch ovens for Christmas. The lid doesn't seem to fit quite right, so that it doesn't seem to be seated. I'd say it's a just a little too big.

My question - is this an example of a product so well engineered that takes into account the slight thermal expansion differences between the pot and the lid? Or is the lid just the wrong size?

Can you tell us more about your convection/toaster oven? What brand? How do you use it? I'm tempted.

Jean

BTW, I own a ridiculous amount of Le Creuset but I have found myself using three of them at the same time so I couldn't possibly tell you to give one up. Store it under your bed and pull it out when needed.

John R wrote:I got one of Martha's 7 qt dutch ovens for Christmas. The lid doesn't seem to fit quite right, so that it doesn't seem to be seated. I'd say it's a just a little too big.

My question - is this an example of a product so well engineered that takes into account the slight thermal expansion differences between the pot and the lid? Or is the lid just the wrong size?

I'm no expert, but I got a 7-quart Chantal dutch oven and the lid fits exactly. I wasn't sure what size to ask for, myself, so I'm glad it was decided for me - and I've used it twice since Christmas already. Glad I started with the large - I put my multipot (which I've never really liked) in the basement; we'll see if I ever need it again.

Something I noticed with all my new cookware - good conductivity really saves energy - took me about 1/4 the time to bring something to a boil as my old cheap pots.

BTW, I own a ridiculous amount of Le Creuset but I have found myself using three of them at the same time so I couldn't possibly tell you to give one up. Store it under your bed and pull it out when needed.

I second this. If space is such a burning issue, I'd junk this, for sure:

- 2 18 pc corningware sets

Yeah, you really need that!