Dutch Oven

[smiler]

A question for the hive of knowledge.....

 

Butter fingers here dropped and broke the lid of my dutch oven.

I got it from my mother who had it for donkey's years.

It was a proper old fashioned cast iron one.

 

Anyway, I'm looking for a new one.

It's got to be heavy and flat bottomed to use on the top of the woodburner.

Any suggestions?

 

Are the modern enamel coated ones any good - or better stick with bare, seasoned cast iron?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice, suggestions etc.

[Tony Brooks]

We got a cast aluminium one from Robert Dyas that seems to work well, and it's non-stick seems very durable. It seems to have a ground base. Makes lovely stews on a small gas burner set to low, so should be OK on a stove top. Stalactites on underside of the lid to condense any steam and drop it back into the  stew.

Edited March 12 by Tony Brooks

[Tracy D'arth]

Weld the lid back together?

[smiler]

13 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

We got a cast aluminium one from Robert Dyas that seems to work well, and it's non-stick seems very durable. It seems to have a ground base. Makes lovely stews on a small gas burner set to low, so should be OK on a stove top. Stalactites on underside of the lid to condense any steam and drop it back into the  stew.

Thanks

 

I didn't know they were available in aluminium.

2 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Weld the lid back together?

A bit late now - it went in the bin last week !!!

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

I was going to suggest having it welded, bit late now. 

 

Must be something on eBay?

I’ve an enamelled pot and it’s great, spends most it’s time on the stove. 
If you can only find an enamel replacement then it’ll be fine. 
Worth spending the money on, last a life time(till you drop ‘em 😃)

Just reread your post,

I thought you’d only threw the lid away but did you throw the pot too?

 

If you’re looking for a complete new pot then you won’t go wrong buying one of them French enamel pots, biggest you can find, perfect. 

Edited March 12 by beerbeerbeerbeerbeer

[Peanut]

Are you sitting down?

 

Lodge Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven 26cm

 

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/72324/lodge-cast-iron-double-dutch-oven-26cm

 

£114.99

 

You may find a Korean Cast iron one for a lot less. Lots on Amazon

 

Edited March 12 by Peanut

[smiler]

1 hour ago, Peanut said:

Are you sitting down?

 

Lodge Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven 26cm

 

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/72324/lodge-cast-iron-double-dutch-oven-26cm

 

£114.99

 

You may find a Korean Cast iron one for a lot less. Lots on Amazon

 

It's  cheaper than the Staub La Cocotte 26cm at £319 !!!!!

 

Like you say - lots on Amazon.

I was just hoping for recommendations from experience of forum members.

I don't mind paying up to, say £100, but ordering blind from the internet I don't want to end up with a thin, low quality item.

[MtB]

I notice the largest Sainsbury's stores sell a decent-looking heavy cast iron dutch oven for £40. The finish is coloured porcelain enamel though rather than bare cast iron. 

 

 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Le Crueset,

everytime,

…we don’t have to be part of the Union to buy French 👍

 

[Francis Herne]

21 minutes ago, MtB said:

I notice the largest Sainsbury's stores sell a decent-looking heavy cast iron dutch oven for £40. The finish is coloured porcelain enamel though rather than bare cast iron.

I have a Sainsbury's oval casserole dish (not the bigger round version), in mock-Le-Creuset orange.

It's been very good and a fixture of my stovetop.

Edited March 12 by Francis Herne

[Rincewind]

Not a heavy cast iron one but we like it, comes in different sizes and colours.  If you are tempted, buy the silicone grips that are made for and fit over the handles so that you don't burn your fingers.

 

https://www.marksandspencer.com/cast-aluminium-4-5l-casserole-dish/p/hbp60268399?color=CHARCOAL#intid=pid_pg1pip48g4r1c2|prodflag_submsg-Induction compatible

[Hudds Lad]

And there was me thinking a dutch oven was launching an air biscuit in bed and then trapping your partner under the covers 😬

 

Joking aside, knock-off Le Creuset style from Amazon for us (about £40), bit chipped now but works well on hob and stove top.

[blackrose]

12 hours ago, Peanut said:

Are you sitting down?

 

Lodge Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven 26cm

 

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/72324/lodge-cast-iron-double-dutch-oven-26cm

 

£114.99

 

You may find a Korean Cast iron one for a lot less. Lots on Amazon

 

 

What does it do? I've never used one. Aren't these things just expensive saucepans?

[Tony Brooks]

Just now, blackrose said:

 

What does it do? I've never used one. Aren't these things just expensive saucepans?

 

Well, they can go in the oven without burning any plastic/wooden handles. If one insists on band names, then expect to pay for it. My ally one form Dyas seems to be listed  at £37 as a casserole, but the labelling on ours said Dutch oven.

 

Our lid is different to a saucepan so when using it on top of the stove the steam condenses and drops back into the pan during long, slow cooking so the contents don't dry out.

[blackrose]

I imagine they might be useful for "free" cooking on the stove in winter, except how does one ensure slow cooking when you're trying to heat the boat? Doesn't the stove often get too hot and simply boil the crap out of the food?

 

I doubt I'd ever use a pot like that in my oven. If I wanted a slow cooked stew I'd probably just use my small electric slow cooker.

 

It might be nice to have another means of cooking, as long as it's not just another kitchen accoutrement that ends up seldom used and taking up cupboard space.

[Francis Herne]

35 minutes ago, blackrose said:

What does it do? I've never used one. Aren't these things just expensive saucepans?

For stews and the like I don't think there's much difference.

 

The thick cast iron stores a lot more heat and spreads it better than a normal pan. With preheating you can use it as an oven - I've baked bread in mine a few times, although tbh it was too much of a faff to do regularly.

 

Mine is just about small enough that I can preheat it by wedging it into the stove above the coals, but I think most would be too big for boat-sized stoves.

 

4 minutes ago, blackrose said:

I imagine they might be useful for "free" cooking on the stove in winter, except how does one ensure slow cooking when you're trying to heat the boat? Doesn't the stove often get too hot and simply boil the crap out of the food?

I don't find it's a problem. Regulating the stove for that is no different from getting the right point where your cabin's warm but not an oven.

Edited March 13 by Francis Herne

[blackrose]

8 minutes ago, Francis Herne said:

Mine is just about small enough that I can preheat it by wedging it into the stove above the coals, but I think most would be too big for boat-sized stoves.

 

I have no issue with shop bought bread. There's plenty of good wholemeal or multigrain bread in the shops so for me it would also be too much hassle to make my own. 

 

I've got quite a big double door stove so I could probably fit one of these pots inside, but when do you use it like that rather than on the stove top? Is that just for baking bread or could you roast a small chicken inside the stove?

Edited March 13 by blackrose

[smiler]

I use mine mainly for one pot meals - stews, soups etc.

To stop burning on the bottom if the fire is too hot I sit the dutch oven on a diffuser once it's up to temperature and put a folded towel on the lid.

 

Thanks for all your replies - ordered one from Amazon - enamelled cast iron. I hope it lasts and works as long as the last one.

[blackrose]

I was just looking at this one on Amazon for £45. I was thinking of the black cast iron one rather than the red enamelled one as they say it's better for higher temperatures. What's the advantage of enamel? Easier to clean?

[Francis Herne]

3 hours ago, blackrose said:

I have no issue with shop bought bread. There's plenty of good wholemeal or multigrain bread in the shops so for me it would also be too much hassle to make my own. 

 

I've got quite a big double door stove so I could probably fit one of these pots inside, but when do you use it like that rather than on the stove top? Is that just for baking bread or could you roast a small chicken inside the stove?

I've never tried to actually cook anything inside the stove, just heat the pan up in there beforehand before putting it on top - it's quicker and gets it a bit hotter initially.

 

A couple of layers of tinfoil over it when it's on top helps keep the heat in.

 

You could try cooking stuff inside the stove, might need some ingenuity to avoid it tasting of coal smoke.

 

I don't mind shop-bought bread, but there are some places it's a long way to a decent shop and my 'freezer' is a shoebox. Also baking is something to do on dark winter evenings. I might try cakes sometime.

[Peanut]

10 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

What does it do? I've never used one. Aren't these things just expensive saucepans?

They don't seem any different to a cast iron Casserole Dish, with a posh name. Not saucepans, though.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

9 hours ago, blackrose said:

What's the advantage of enamel? Easier to clean?

I think so, and perhaps less likely to stick,

 

but equally a fashion thing?

maybe it harks back to the early days of the modern kitchen?

who wanted to cook in a black cauldron or cook like a gypsy,

a bit of bright colour in the kitchen was needed

just as the old fashioned cooking ranges are now enamelled and bright,

dunno 🤷‍♀️ just an idea,

 

copper pans are good for quick boiling 

aluminium pans are good for dementia  

…I forget which 

 

 

[blackrose]

I found this article which explains the difference in case anyone is interested.

 

https://www.thekitchn.com/difference-dutch-oven-cast-iron-enameled-253838