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vschlaff

LOOKING for: cooking with Le Cresuet

vschlaff
14 years ago

Hi everyone,

I hope I'm in the right section!! I'm going to be purchasing

some Le cresuet enamel cast iron and I was wondering if there will be a large difference with my recipes. And is there a site that has recipes for cast iron cooking? Thanks

Comments (15)

  • lindac
    14 years ago

    Just cook.....wonderful stuff....you will love it.
    I like it best for soups and stews and braised dishes....and the smaller pans for things you might ordinarily use a double boiler for....and I love the fry pans and bakers for the stove to oven properties.
    Linda C

  • ginger_st_thomas
    14 years ago

    If you're browning meat, make sure you heat the pan, then add oil & then add the meat to prevent sticking.
    Use & care are below.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Le Creuset care & use

  • teresa_nc7
    14 years ago

    And if you are braising or stewing for a longer period of time, lower the heat considerably or you may have sticking, loss of liquid, or worse....burned food. Le Creuset was born for slow (time) and low (temperature) cooking whether on the stove top or in the oven.

  • vschlaff
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thank you, I ended up getting the rosotto pot. it is wonderful!!

  • woodie
    14 years ago

    Every time I lust after a Le Creuset pan and pick it up and look at it closer, it just seems so heavy (empty) that I never buy one. Just the thought of carrying it over to my stove seems difficult - is it just me? I know that you all like them - any comments on the weight?

  • cookingrvc
    14 years ago

    I have a few and keep them in the cabinets near the stove. I don't have the best upper-body strength and I can deal with them fine. I have the huge round dutch oven and just did a 5-lb pot roast in it. Fantastic.

    Due

  • jessicavanderhoff
    14 years ago

    Ginger, my le creuset actually came with a big warning never to heat it up dry. (needs water, oil, or food in it)

  • teresa_nc7
    14 years ago

    Woodie, I think the weight of LC can be made manageable if you don't buy a huge piece and if you keep the distances between sink/prep area and oven down to just a few steps. Like Sue, I keep my one Le Creuset pot in a cabinet next to the stove and prep it on the stove top so that all I have to do is move it down a foot or so into the oven. My pot is a 3.5 qt. size, I think, and is plenty big enough for 2-4 servings, or more if I'm doing a stew or soup.

    Teresa

  • woodie
    14 years ago

    Thanks Sue and Teresa! I still can't help but think of going down the basement steps to the second fridge which is where I usually put a big pot to let the fat rise overnight. I think I've got to give this some more thought.

  • cmg01
    14 years ago

    I wondered about recipes and modifications when I started collecting Le Creuset, too. Look up "Le Creuset recipes" on the internet & you'll find use and care guides as well as dozens of recipes. I've tried several & they're great. The surprise for me was that it takes a few minutes longer on the stovetop for a pot to heat up, but once it does, you'd better turn down the heat because it gets hot all over. And don't cook with heats higher than med.-low to prevent the pot from browning inside. Love my le Creuset!

  • teresa_nc7
    14 years ago

    Woodie, in your case, I would transfer the contents of the pot to a stainless mixing bowl and take that to the fridge down in the basement.

    Yesterday I cooked a Boston butt pork roast in my LC French oven for about 3 hours at 300 degrees F. This was the recipe shown Friday on Regis & Kelly by Daniel Boulad. I was sitting in the dentist chair having my teeth cleaned while watching R&K - how's that for a captive audience? Ha!

    Teresa

  • ginger_st_thomas
    14 years ago

    Jessica, I've had a Le Creuset Dutch oven for 30 years & have always heated it before adding oil. I don't make it white hot before adding the oil but I've noticed it's better when it's heated somewhat & then added whatever to be sauteed.

  • jessicavanderhoff
    14 years ago

    Good to know.

  • seagrass_gw Cape Cod
    14 years ago

    Does anyone here have experience cooking from Molly Stevens' "All About Braising" cookbook? She advises putting a piece of parchment paper under the lid of the braising pot, such as Le Creuset, to hold the moisture in better. I have done it, but don't know if it really makes a difference.

    seagrass

  • teresa_nc7
    14 years ago

    The parchment paper might keep the under area of the lid cleaner, but I don't know that it would help retain the moisture substantially. Those lids are pretty heavy! While oven braising over the weekend in my LC French Oven, the lid became quite dirty from a 3 hour bake, but just a few minutes in hot, soapy water and it was whistle clean again.

    Teresa

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