Bought a Dutch oven, now what?

So, inspired by the recent cookware thread, I stopped in the Le Creuset outlet just north of the state line and the only thing it struck me I didn't have and could use was... a Dutch oven. So, I bought a "second" for a pretty good price, and now I have one.

Yep, there it is.

It's blue.

Yep, gonna start making Dutch oven food, just like the... Dutch.

Um, check the Web... hmm, everything under Dutch oven seems to be this kind. Which, unless I take up Civil War reenacting or enter the Great Outdoor Fight, is not the info I need.

Wait, am I sure it's a Dutch oven? And not some other nationality? No, definitely Dutch.

So... what the heck do you make in a Dutch oven, the non-Jeremiah Johnson kind?

one word:

braise

nr706 wrote:one word:

braise

Yep. My cast-iron dutch oven is all about the long, slow braises for me. The main benefit that it has over the crock-pot is that I can brown meats and veggies in it before I start the braise.

Two words: Chocolate and zucchini

One of my favorite food blogs: www.chocolateandzucchini.com

This young Parisian lady gets infectiously enthused about almost anything food related. I recall her getting a small pot (although I don't think it was Le Crueset) and daydreaming of the possibilities.

However, a quick search of her site only led me to Lamb stew with pinenuts and kumquats made in a Dutch oven. (Link doesn't work, do a search at her site.)

Just remember what they say in Oostburg, "you ain't much if you ain't Dutch."

I cook most everything in it. Soups, stews, braises, deep frying, baked beans.

Where is the outlet exactly and how much did you pay for the 5qt ? I somehow got a 7.25 qt at NW Cutlery for like $160 last year but now they seem to have jacked up their prices or possibly just priced them correctly. It'd be nice to have a 2nd one.

Ahhhh....

Here is the post on C&Z that I was looking for:

http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2005/08/introducing_la_cocotte.php

Braise Be, Mike!

I'm a fan of short ribs, myself. Can't get enough of braised short ribs. Every time I make 'em, I ask myself why I don't do it more often. One of my favorite recipes is out of Jean-Georges' Simple to Spectacular. I won't reproduce it here (for obvious reasons... that man deserves every dollar he earns, by golly), but it's primarily Asian flavored... onions, garlic, ginger, sugar, star anise, chiles, szechwan peppercorns, cilantro stems, dry sherry and soy sauce. Made me very, very happy.

There's another in the same book I've been meaning to try with the usual vegetable base, then three kinds of citrus (including a ton of zest) and a bunch of herbs. If you try it, please do let me know how it turns out.

Where is the outlet exactly and how much did you pay for the 5qt ?

The outlet is in a mall somewhere just over the Wisconsin border, between Kenosha and Racine, Mars Cheese Castle and Little Europe vicinity, the Prime Outlets I believe it's called.

I paid about $160 for this, as a second (though its flaw is invisible to me), which is about $30 less than the Williams-Sonoma sale price and about $70 less than full price. So not so amazing a deal that it'd be worth the drive, most likely, but we were there anyway.

There is also a Le Cruset outlet in Michigan City. Even at the outlet prices, I'll stick with my well-seasoned Lodge cast iron. The lid also doubles as a weapon.

Lighthouse Place Premium Outlets
813 Lighthouse Place
Michigan City, IN 46360
(219) 873-0090

Probably you should oughta baptize this sucker with something REALLY kühl, like, say:

--> OSSO BUCCO <--

or, maybe even

--> TENDRONS DE VEAU <--

(and, to do it right, put in just a bit o' turnip in each/either/both)

Congrats, dood, may your mileage not differ!

Geo

The boy scouts use Dutch Ovens for a lot of stew-like things, but their favorite use is dump cakes, basically a cobbler made from a cake mix and a pie filling.

do you think these cast iron braisers do a better job than say the All Clad slow cooker which looks super cool and is only $99?

Thats my dilemma...granted you cant brown the meat first

LAMB SHANKS, seriously.

Mike,

One of the great features of these Dutch ovens is that the seal with the lid is pretty tight and there are lots of dishes where that feature is valuable, especially dishes which need to cook with little liquid present.

One shortcoming -- at least for the model I have -- is that the handle of the lid, made from some plastic-like substance, limits the temperature at which the vessel can be used in covered state in the oven. I believe on the accompanying little folder on use and care it is indicated that the temperature in the oven shouldn't exceed 325º F.

Antonius

Soups, stews, CHILI!, braise, deep frying (one of my favs in LC), frijoles .....you name it, that pot will cook it. Goes from stove top to oven without hesitation (with the temperature limitation but heck, slow cooking does require lower heat!).

I'm one of those people who shop around for the best price before I buy. I've been eyeballing a 9 qt oval LeCrueset for a long time (I make a lot of gumbo). I got a 7 qt oval in cherry red at a Home Goods store for a measly $79.99 a couple of months ago. It was the only red one AND the only priced at $79.99; the others were $119.99. It's a second but I can't find any flaws. I think the paint fade is not as "perfect" as it should be. Funny thing though.....I had to talk myself into buying it. "Do I *really* need it? I have enough pots/pans....yada-yada-yada". Now I wish I had two......or more.

HI,

Settler's used Dutch Ovens for baking when they did not have any bricks and mortar oven available to them. They mound coals around the dutch oven and on the lid for even heat like this antique photo demonstrates:



If wood was unavailable, then perhaps they used dried dung for fuel.

Regards,

Antonius wrote:One shortcoming -- at least for the model I have -- is that the handle of the lid, made from some plastic-like substance, limits the temperature at which the vessel can be used in covered state in the oven. I believe on the accompanying little folder on use and care it is indicated that the temperature in the oven shouldn't exceed 325º F.
Antonius

Some stupid lawyer cam up with that limit Even bakelite(tm) handles do 475 degrees.

Anyway, can you screw the damn thing off and find a replacement at a restaurant supply store (Don's, etc.). If not, mail the whole handle to West Bend company, they can sell you a higher temp handle that'll fit.

pd

Cassoulet.
In the process of making it, you can also make duck confit. And maybe your own sausages. I've seen your work from Charcuterie.
You'll really break that new Dutch Oven in with a little cassoulet.
Bourdain's got a good recipe you can work from in his Les Halles book.
Oh, and take some pictures too!

Mike,

Dutch process chocolate fudge...

...which I prepare in a double batch in a 5 qt. pan. As Antonius said, one of the better characteristics of these pots is the great seal between the pot itself and the lid, especially crucial in fudgemaking. The recipe that I use calls for you to butter the sides of the pan before simmering the bulk of the sugar, Dutch process cocoa, etc...You then cover the mixture for a few minutes, and that tight seal causes condensation to run down the sides of the pan, thus preventing crystalization- the enemy of fudge.

I use the fudge recipe from Maida Heater's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts.

My most recent aquisition was a 13 qt. red Dutch oven which I purchased online from Caplan-Duval during a recent sale. With shipping, it ran about $215.

Enjoy that pan!

caplanduval.com

Mike, the exact pot you purchased is my single most-used kitchen tool. Mine is purple (eat your heart out). Of course, it works best where you need even heat and particulalrly where you want to brown without scortching of burning. The things I will only make in my oven (or its huge but rarely used big brother, the 7.5 qt. Bouillabaisse Pot, or a dolsot) include:

osso buco
ragu Bolognese
potaje de garbanzos/channa masala
short ribs with prunes
rabo encendido
cassoulet
choucroute
tamal en cazuela
grits casserole
bread pudding
arroz con pollo (in general, this particular pot has too steep sides and too little surface area to be useful for many rice dishes, including paella and risotto; however, it works well for this traditionally wetter dish)
carne con papas
pot roast
carbonade
ropa vieja
picadillo

also good for limited deep frying b/c of the steady temps, stability and ease of cleaning.

PS, I have placed the lid, with handle, in a 400 or 425 degree oven without any issues, though if I am at that temp or higher, it is usually to broil the top of something or for quick roasting, in which the lid is off anyway.

If you can burn something in this pot, you need help.

You can always just fill it with M&Ms and keep it near your favorite comfy chair.

I used mine this past Monday to braise short ribs.

It is my absolute favorite pan because of its versatility. I better like it because I foolishly paid full price for it, not realizing that various Le Creuset outlets existed in the area.

Depending upon what you use it for, cleaning can be a little tricky. Sometimes, it cleans up with a minimum of elbow grease. If that's the case, you might want to rinse it and put it in the dishwasher. Other times, despite vigorous scrubbing, some brown residue remains on the bottom. A special cleaner purchased from Sur La Table, which contains a very mild abrasive, will get that stuff off. I think a rubbing with kosher salt and mild soap will do the same job.

I use my Le creuset dutch oven for anything I possibly can. It's usually on the stove or in the sink waiting for the dish-washing fairy to come (she's been very lax lately). It was one of my parents wedding gifts so its a dated early '70's chartreuse-ish color. But, I love cooking with it anyway.
If you have Rick Bayless's Authentic Mexican, try making his birria recipe where you seal the pot with masa. It's a great, easy recipe for entertaining. He recommends goat or lamb. I've made it with a leg of lamb several times and have been meaning to try goat. You put a ring of masa in place to seal the pot. The dish cooks for several hours and at the end, you crack off the masa with a mallet. Makes for a dramatic presentation. As a law-abiding citizen, I can't break copyright laws and send you the recipe unless several pounds of home-smoked bacon show up on my doorstep.

There is also an outlet in Aurora...

I have the entire cookware set in the same blue. Only mine was free! Dave's mom did not like it because it was too heavy for her. So I bought it back with me when we went down for Xmas two years ago. One thing I must say, these things lasts! Hers is so old that they had wooden handles on the saute pan and pot.

So far I have only used the dutch oven for frying up some chicken wings. I am still trying to figure out how to change the handles before using the rest... =)

I bought a Staub dutch oven off QVC.com a year+ ago, and I've been very happy with it.

They've got some different shapes and sizes, too.

I've not bought anything from QVC, HSN, or such, online, by phone or on television, before or since. I was tipped off to this deal on Chowhound.

I've not used Le Creuset, but this is a pretty impressive pan, and it only cost 50 bucks, which seems like a much more reasonable price. How much can it really cost to coat cast iron in enamel.

I just noticed this is now labeled "Basix" by Staub, which it was not labeled as when I purchased it...not sure what difference that implies, but again, it seems like a pretty "basic" pot to me. I like it a lot.

pdaane wrote:

Antonius wrote:One shortcoming -- at least for the model I have -- is that the handle of the lid... limits the temperature at which the vessel can be used in covered state in the oven...

Some stupid lawyer cam up with that limit Even bakelite(tm) handles do 475 degrees.
Anyway, can you screw the damn thing off and find a replacement at a restaurant supply store (Don's, etc.). If not, mail the whole handle to West Bend company, they can sell you a higher temp handle that'll fit.
pd

Peter,

Talk about stupid -- it just didn't occur to me to change the handle, so thanks for the suggestion. That said, though, I'm also happy to hear that a temperature in the 350º or 375º range shouldn't be a problem. For things that go from stove top to oven, I usually use my Belgique stainless steel Dutch oven but it seems clear I can use the Le Creuset with cover sans problème. Even so, the Le creuset vessel, with its tight seal, is especially well suited to the preparation of the slow-cooked.

Antonius

Well, thanks to everyone for the suggestions. Most of the references I found said things like "You can do anything in a Dutch oven," which I take to be fairly valueless in terms of what you can do well. So hearing what people actually like to do and are happy with helps a lot more.

The mention of osso buco put me in mind of one of the recipes in The New Spanish Table, a dish she calls the Spanish equivalent of osso buco (which I think means only that it also slowly braises veal shanks). So I went to Paulina to get veal shanks... but was reminded that they sell them frozen. So I'm actually going to break it in tonight with a roast chicken and some vegetables, following (more or less) a recipe from the Balthazar cookbook, and then do the Spanish dish in a couple of days when the shanks have thawed. It's probably wise to start with something that costs less in terms of ingredients, anyway. (I didn't feel so bad about Le Creuset prices when I paid veal shank prices... so much for lower-cost cuts with bones!)

Anyway, thanks and pictures will be posted probably tonight or in the morning...

I have used Le Cruset for about 40 years now. Have replaced some pots because my son took my originals to school after I got Calphalon about 25 years ago. I still have my dutch ovens great for chili stews short ribs and beans. I also have some gratin pans that I love. Recently bought a round shallow pan don't know what its called but a great pan. I love the shallow pans for browning on the stove and then into the oven.

Anyway about three years ago I was at Cost Plus and found a large oval dutch oven with lid unknown brand, enamel over cast iron for $4.50. They had two and I bought both. Gave one to my daughter in law. The handle on the lid cracked and broke off not long after purchase (what can I expect for 4.50. ) So I went to Home Depot bought a cabinet know for $1.50 in metal and have enjoyed the pot which now cost me $7.00.

My advise keep your eyes open. I have seen Le Crueset at Marshalls, Tuesday Morning and Garage Sales. All places I have bought it. Also every so often the outlets have great buys on off color seconds. It still is great cookware for long slow cooking.
Paulette

I think I would use about half the butter that the Balthazar recipe calls for, though (used with the rosemary, thyme and parsley to stuff under the skin). It's not like the chicken wasn't very quickly producing its own lipids in quantity.

Another oddity in the recipe was that it asked for the chicken to be stuffed with a garlic head (sliced horizontally, or laterally I would say). This contributed, so far as I could detect, absolutely zero to the flavor. I'd be more inclined to bury a few crushed cloves in among the vegetables and let the juices pick up some garlic flavor.

A really nice addition to this, which even the kids ate (well, at least one of them) was some small golden beets. We'll see how the turnips in the veal shank dish go over with the family next.

Mike G wrote:A really nice addition to this, which even the kids ate (well, at least one of them) was some small golden beets. .

Mike,

Chicken looks terrific! I'm a fan of roasted beets, turnips too for that matter.

Speaking of cooking your recipes, I plan, in the next couple of days, on breaking in my brand new ramekins from Sur la Table, same as yours, on your Chocolate pot de creme, also from the Balthazar cookbook.

Enjoy,
Gary