Le Creuset Pans ?

Walking down the alley the other day I found 3 bright red castiron frying pans marked Le Cruset France numbers 30 , 23 and 20. Initial reasearch shows that these pans arent cheap and makes me wonder why anyone would throw them out.

I haven't had a chance to cook with them yet. Does anyone have any experience with Le Crueset? If so what are your likes, dislikes.

Thanks

John

I have a couple, but I don't tend to use them very often.
They've got most of the benefits of cast iron (except for the iron entering the food), and they stick less than even a seasoned cast iron pan.

But they're not nearly as non-stick as my good Calphalon non-stick pans, and the big pan I have has a pour spout -- nice yes, but doesn't work with a lid at all. It's also so wide that it's underneath everything else in my pan cabinet, so it just doesn't get used much.

If I have a lot to saute, and I really want a fond to develop, it's better than the Calphalons. But that's pretty rare.

John,

I have quite a bit of Le Creuset, but only one small fry/saute pan. My wife uses it to make scrambled eggs for herself (it's only large enough for one). While the eggs do stick, they come out very easy for cleaning (I know, since dishes are usually my detail).

The rest of our Le Creuset are sauce pans or two handled ovens (my favorites). We love all of those pots.

Best,
Al

John:

I have a set of Le Creuset pots and pans and for a time used them constantly. Over the years, I've gotten some other pots and pans that I use more often but I would never think of completely retiring the Le Creuset pieces. I especially like the Dutch oven, which is the perfect vessel for cooking lots of things, in part because of the heavy bottom and in part also because of the good seal between pot and lid. We have multiple little Le Creuset pots (the size Brasserie Jo uses, in which to serve their choucroute) that we use often and the smallish pan I use a lot. It isn't non-stick but get it hot and coat the cooking surface with fat and it works very well. I think that was a fortuitous find!

A

John, I am envious. I own only one Le Creuset, the Dutch oven, and I cook in it almost every day and would never part with it. It holds heat like no other pan, develops a good fond, and weighs about 300 lbs. I love it. If for some reason you ever decide you don't want your find....

A friend and I are often at house sales on the North Shore, rummage sales and thrift shops. We often encounter Le Creuset pots and pans in various conditions from nearly new conditions to well-loved. If you have enough patience and persistence you can find everything at reasonable prices, you do need to acquainted what is retail as an orientation. In all cases, free is always better.

What a wonderful find. I have only one Le Creuset, the giant dutch oven, which I use for Cassoulet. I happen like my Staub better, but free is free.

And I ask for forgiveness in advance for my upcoming rant. Who in the world is so stupid to throw something like that in the garbage. I mean is someone that lazy to be unable to pack it up and bring it to a thrift shop. Even if one is not charitably minded to see that a good cause could benefit from the ultimate resale of the product, he or she should realize the potential tax deduction. Anyway, John, someone else's stupidity/laziness is clearly to your benefit.

The frying pans are not great for frying, since they wheigh about 25 pounds each and the conductivity ensures that the handle is as hot as the bottom, but the pans are great for paella and other glutinous rice dishes (they have a dolsot-like effect, criping but never scorching the rice) also great for egg-based dishes that start on the flame and finish in the oven.

I have a couple of dutch ovens that I use several times a week. They also make a nice tagine that benefits from the same qulities that make the pans good for sticky rice, if you can find it.

JeffB wrote:The frying pans are not great for frying, since they wheigh about 25 pounds each and the conductivity ensures that the handle is as hot as the bottom, but the pans are great for paella and other glutinous rice dishes (they have a dolsot-like effect, criping but never scorching the rice) also great for egg-based dishes that start on the flame and finish in the oven.

Jeff:

I agree with that and along similar lines I always use my Le Creuset pan for making refried beans. Works perfectly for that; I just have to be careful not to damage the pan when squashing the beans, which isn't to hard to do.

A

JeffB,

I bought my 12" flame orange skillet in 1973 and I've got to disagree with you. It's the only pan that I'll fry chicken in.

OK, you have a point there. Should have been more specific/precise. I'm thinking you fry chicken in a generous amount of fat. For this, Le Cruset works great, like a black skillet. I use my smaller dutch oven for deep frying myself. I was thinking more along the lines of frying an egg, or griddling pancakes, or sauteeing something. One needs a good mit and some Popeye-like forearms to do the latter with a big LC pan.

Who in the world is so stupid to throw something like that in the garbage.

MAG

I didn't mention in my original post that the pans were not in the gargage, but next to the garbage cans. On our block that usually means " I"ve got a new one, you can have the old one". Past finds include two very nice lamps, a Sony bookshelf stereo system, an antique oak desk, and a fully functioning Panasonic 27" TV.

We have also employed this "recycling" system for a lot of our old stuff. Nothing seems to sit out very long !

John

JSM wrote:We have also employed this "recycling" system for a lot of our old stuff. Nothing seems to sit out very long !

I, too, have found this to be a surprisingly efficient system for the transfer of goods.

If I could chose a few pans for my desert island kitchen:

Le Creuset Dutch Oven
Lodge Cast Iron Skillet
All Clad Saute
All Clad Saucier

Honestly the creuset develops fond like no other and holds heat like an inuit. Soups, Braises, Sautes, Casseroles...no better pan.

Guess I am bringing this thread back from the dead...

Well I was pretty happy when I found a good deal on a copy of "All About Braising: The Art of Uncomplicated Cooking" by Molly Stevens this morning. That was until I just dropped $179 on a Le Creuset 7-1/4-Quart Round French Oven at Amazon a few minutes ago. What pushed me over the edge was the promotion that gives you a free 7 silicone spatula + storage crock set (Amazon sells for $70) and a small Pumpkin casserole (Amazon sells for $25). I'm a sucker for a promotion

My main issue is that I already have a 5 qt Lodge dutch oven than was $20 shipped.

Do I need this Le Creuset or should I make do with my Lodge? The 7 1/4 qt pot certainly fills a size void in my collection, and I figured the white enamel interior would be better for making gumbo's etc as it is easier to judge a roux.

What other benefits/differences are there between cast iron and enamled cast iron?? Is this a good purchase?

Thanks-
Jamie

Jamieson22 wrote:Do I need this Le Creuset or should I make do with my Lodge?

Jamie,

Not sure how to define need in this case, but if you purchase your Le Creuset at the LC outlet in Pleasant Prairie, just over the Wisconsin border off I94, it won't seem quite the squeeze. Price are nicely discounted, seconds even more so, and they often have additional % discounts available. All pertinent info is in this past post.

Jamieson22 wrote:What other benefits/differences are there between cast iron and enameled cast iron?? Is this a good purchase?

Enameled is best for any long simmered dish with a high acid content.

Enjoy,
Gary

Gary-
Just how cheap are prices at the Outlet? The $180 I paid didn't seem too bad for a pot with a $285 retail price. Throw in the $70 spatula set (which if I don't want it sells for $50 + shipping on eBay) and reduce by price of gas...
Wondering if I'd do any better.
Jamie

Jamieson22 wrote:Gary-
Just how cheap are prices at the Outlet? The $180 I paid didn't seem too bad for a pot with a $285 retail price. Throw in the $70 spatula set (which if I don't want it sells for $50 + shipping on eBay) and reduce by price of gas...
Wondering if I'd do any better.
Jamie

I think you got a better deal than the outlet. we went to the outlet in Michigan City and there was a sale with 10% off outlet price. No add-ins. I think the total was $220 with tax.

I've not used a cast iron Dutch oven, so can't compare, but I do know I would never part with my Le Creuset Dutch oven. No way. Never. It's hands down the best cooking pot I've ever owned, and I use it almost every time I cook. That and a couple of All-Clad saucepans and my little restaurant-quality (no brand name, got it at Edward Don) saute pan get me thru any meal.

Is the 7-1/4 round oven a pretty flexible size to have?

It was between that and the 6-3/4 oval, but round seemed like it would be a bit more functional for me (they were same price)

Jamie

I have several braising pots and use them for ragu mostly, but find they are perfect for osso buco. I have an oval one and almost never use it because the sides get too hot over the fairly wide Wolf burners.

I chose the oval on the theory that lots of meats are sort of rectangular and it would lay more evenly in the pot that way, but I'm sure you'll get just as much satisfaction out of a round one.

Jamieson22 wrote:Gary-
Just how cheap are prices at the Outlet?
==--==--
Wondering if I'd do any better.

Jamie,

Seems you got a good price, as to a direct comparison with the LC outlet, hard to say. Sometimes they toss out the 10% here, 15% there discounts pretty heavy, sometimes not. I go to Milwaukee once, often twice, a month which takes me right by the LC outlet so it's not a big deal to occasionally stop in and check current offerings.

Enjoy,
Gary

ALERT!!!

Amazon is having a sale on selected cookware right now. It's a smallish sale (perhaps three or four dozen selected items), however, six are from Le Creuset (a couple are the same item in different colors) and are all marked down 70%!

Figured this was a good spot for this, at least as of yesterday, all Opened, but new Le Creuset items were 35% off at their location @ the Aurora Outlet Mall.

Got a nice mortar and pestle for about $14.

Store is selling its stock off for an upcoming remodeling.

Aurora Outlet Mall
1650 Premium Outlets Blvd.
Aurora, IL.