Dutch Oven-Lodge or LeCreuset?

melis · #1 02-02-2008, 08:44 PM

I'm in the market for a Dutch oven and cannot decide between buying a very expensive Le Creuset or a traditional cast iron Lodge. Any ideas.

I'm looking at the Lodge because the cost is about 1/3 of most other dutch ovens and I also love cooking in pure cast iron for the health benefits and flavor. The downside is that their dutch oven is sooooo heavy and definitly will be hard to clean.

I'm looking at the pricey Crueset because of their stellar reputation and ease of cleaning.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Montelago · #2 02-02-2008, 09:39 PM

I have quite a few Lodge pieces. If they are seasoned properly, cleaning is a breeze. Just don't ever use soap, as I'm sure you know. They are heavy though, and there is no way around that with cast iron. There are some pieces out there that are ceramic with steel or aluminum inserts in the base. They are a bit more fragile, but work very well.

crimsonmist308 · #3 02-03-2008, 12:36 AM

the question is not of lodge or le creuset, but that of enameled or bare naked
cast iron.

the advantage of enameled is that you can use acidic ingredients and i is OK.

i have noticed that bed, bath & beyond and target both have another brand of
enameled cast iron dutch ovens that are 1/2 the price of le creuset, and
appear to be very well made (from china, of course!).

melis · #4 02-03-2008, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crimsonmist308

the question is not of lodge or le creuset, but that of enameled or bare naked
cast iron.

the advantage of enameled is that you can use acidic ingredients and i is OK.

i have noticed that bed, bath & beyond and target both have another brand of
enameled cast iron dutch ovens that are 1/2 the price of le creuset, and
appear to be very well made (from china, of course!).

I thought cooking with acidic ingredients was good because is pulls up a lot of the iron (which I need, as my son is anemic). Would I be ruining my cast iron with all the tomatoes I use in my cooking?

Thanks for the tip about Target and BB&B, I would have never thought of that.

crimsonmist308 · #5 02-03-2008, 06:31 PM

pardon me ...

of course it is OK to cook tomato/acidic food in cast iron ...
i was thinking of ALUMINUM, which is a no-no.

just remember to wash out the pot right after use or it will rust.
the more you use it, the longer it will take, but it is a good idea
to wash it (and season it!!) after each use.

and i wouldn't trust the cast iron to be all that big a suppliment ...
i read somewhere it wasn't. makes sense ... if all that much
iron came out of the pan, they wouldn't be lasting for generations,
right??

foodnfoto · #6 02-03-2008, 06:46 PM

My experience has been that using acidic ingredients in cast iron erodes the seasoning of the surface. It may not be unhealthy, but the acid reaction to the iron also gives the food an off color and makes it taste funny too.

BTW, health risks (including alzhiemers) from cooking acidic foods in aluminum pans is a myth. There has been no proven link between the two.

crimsonmist308 · #7 02-03-2008, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foodnfoto

My experience has been that using acidic ingredients in cast iron erodes the seasoning of the surface. It may not be unhealthy, but the acid reaction to the iron also gives the food an off color and makes it taste funny too.

BTW, health risks (including alzhiemers) from cooking acidic foods in aluminum pans is a myth. There has been no proven link between the two.

i use my 5 qt. lodge dutch oven for all the deep frying i do (and i love
deep fried foods!) and so maybe my layers and layers of seasoning
on my lodge has kept it from getting eroded. my mom uses one for all
her deep frying for the last 50 years and i don't think you can tell if there is any difference in the thickness of her pot anywhere.

as for aluminum,i have had bare naked pots lose metal on the inside of the pot. whether this is from cooking acidic foods or from scrubbing them afterwards, i can't tell, but when i do scrub them out, the grey water that forms on the bottom of the pot is aluminum being scrubbed off. i can only
imagine what my whisks, spats, and spoons are doing to it!

personally, i can do without all those aluminum particles floating around my food whether or not they are or are not a health risk.

shel · #8 02-04-2008, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crimsonmist308

i have noticed that bed, bath & beyond and target both have another brand of
enameled cast iron dutch ovens that are 1/2 the price of le creuset, and
appear to be very well made (from china, of course!).

Lodge enameled cast iron is also made in China, fwiw.

Le Creuset is spendy, but the company stands behind their products. Staub is another quality enamaled cast iron product.

shel

Ishbel · #9 02-04-2008, 09:59 AM

I have nearly 20 pieces of Le Creuset - casserole dishes (dutch ovens?), open lasagne dishes, two different sizes of crepe pans, a ridged frying pan, saucepans of various sizes etc. Although they are heavy, some of the pieces are about 30 years old and are still going strong.

The only thing is: don't drop them!

skillethead · #10 02-04-2008, 01:49 PM

I have an 8qt LeCreuset dutch oven and I have been very happy with it. Cooks Illustrated tested dutch ovens and it ranked as #1 for cooking, but their was another brand that was only 1/3 to 1/2 the cost and it ranked nearly as high as the LeCreuset but I can't recall the Brand. Maybe someone else can recall the brand. I am not a big fan of cast iron for everyday cooking because my wife is not very good about following the care instructions for cookware. She still refuses to admit that she put my Calphalan saute pan in the dishwasher. I will try and find the brand.

Good Luck

crimsonmist308 · #11 02-05-2008, 01:10 AM

I am not a big fan of cast iron for everyday cooking because my wife is not very good about following the care instructions for cookware. She still refuses to admit that she put my Calphalan saute pan in the dishwasher.
Good Luck[/quote]

i had a knife that all of a sudden, the plastic handle was all bubbly and
melted looking. as far as i could ascertain, it was as if the knife was
put under the broiler. i asked my wife what happened and she said she
didn't know ...

let's see ... she and i live alone in an apartment and she and i are the
only people who use the oven/broiler ... i know that I didn't leave the knife
in the broiler, so how many other suspects are there???

yanny · #12 02-06-2008, 01:35 PM

I absolutley love my Le Crueset's and they do stand behind their products. Mine chipped after having it about 5 years and I sent it back to them and they replaced it with a brand new one. No questions asked. I am slowly adding to my collection, piece buy piece.

melis · #13 02-10-2008, 02:52 PM

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

Today I picket up an 8qt LeCreuset Dutch Oven from Costo for $167!! Interesting...Costco online sells a 6.75qt for $187, but go in the store and the 8qt is only $167.

Based on all the research I did online, that is a GREAT price!

texasflute · #14 02-25-2008, 02:01 PM

Flea markets and junk stores are great places to pick up LeCreuset pieces. My big oval cost $12 at a Nashville flea market and I took it home as a carry-on item on the plane. I've picked up three or four other pieces of LeCreuset at such places, never paying more than $15 for any piece. My Lodge dutch oven is great for deep frying!