Enameled Cast Iron Cookware

Morning Glory

Obsessive cook
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Until recently, I've never got on well with enameled cast iron cook ware. My friend has a set of Le Creuset and I use that quite a lot when I stay with him. I find it is a bit heavy for me as I have arthritic wrists. However, as I've become more experienced as a cook I've grown to rather enjoy using them. They are great for retaining heat and maintaining an even heat.

Anyway, I decided to look for a white shallow enameled round casserole dish - the reason being that apart from being useful it would look well in food photos. I looked high and low but the only ones I found (and there weren't many) were incredibly expensive. I forgot about it for a while and then whilst looking for something else entirely, came across an article in the Daily Mail about how Aldi (discounter supermarket) were stocking enameled cast-iron cookware at budget price. There was a limited supply and they were only being stocked for a short time. Apparently they were selling like hot cakes. I dashed to the local Aldi (I was in Essex at the time) and miraculously there was the perfect pan.

For £24.99 ($32) its an absolute bargain. It looks and feels the part - but of course, it will be a test of time to see if it keeps its good looks. I just looked in my local Aldi and there were only a few items left...

Do you own enameled cast iron cookware and are you a fan?


The bargain Aldi cast iron casserole:

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We have a similar dark royal blue one that is a Sur La Table brand. I don't remember how much it cost, but substantially less than Le Creuset. We've had it several years and, so far, it's holding up as well as the Le Crueset. I find it a bit heavy, though nothing like the bigger pans/pots. It does do a wonderful job with heat distribution/retention.
 
We have a similar dark royal blue one that is a Sur La Table brand. I don't remember how much it cost, but substantially less than Le Creuset. We've had it several years and, so far, it's holding up as well as the Le Crueset. I find it a bit heavy, though nothing like the bigger pans/pots. It does do a wonderful job with heat distribution/retention.


Beautiful to look at in any color, but it is really expensive to own!! :headshake:
 
I see enameled cast iron at the thrifts with chipped enamal so i figured i'd rather stick to my stainless pots. Thats one thing you get to see while shopping the thrifts is the common damage that happens to different things. Like i avoid certain upolhstery cause of the wear damage i see. I avoid certain small appliances cause of the condition of the ones at the thrifts. And definately have figured out which cookware or dishes holds up the best from what i find at the thrifts.

Multi-ply stainless pots seem to hold up the best with the exception of fry pans as most of them at the thifts won't sit flat. And old corelle and arcopol dishes seem to look like the day they were bought...i see patterns from the 70's that look brand new. And of course old pyrex as long it has not been dishwashered looks fabulous.
 
Very pretty. The white looks so classy, and goes with your blue and white curtains.
 
Very pretty. The white looks so classy, and goes with your blue and white curtains.

They aren't my curtains - the shot was taken in my friend's quaint little house in Saffron Walden. :) My house is curtain free! But yes, I love the crisp white and it will showcase food very well in photos. And the shallow dish means I won't get shadows cast on the dish. I haven't used it yet but as soon as I do, photos will be posted!
 
I've owned a lot of Le Creuset kit over the years. I've had the 5 saucepans in the attached photo for at least 35 years. Nos 1 and 5 don't get much use as witnessed by the state of their handles. No.2 is used for making coffee every morning as well as for cooking vegetables - I've just calculated that for coffee alone over the last 15 years I've used this 5475 times. The handle's a bit wobbly but so am I - we work well together.

I've also got a couple of Le Creuset oval oven dishes which have done some thousands of hours in ovens over the last 35 years. I had a rectangular one too which would make lasagne for 8 but I gave it away - I've hardly used it in the last 15 years. I'm sure I had a Le Creuset frying pan once upon a time - but perhaps I dreamt that, or a previous wife decided it was hers and kept it.

I'd no idea other people didn't own this gear because it's expensive. I've never bothered to check the price of something I've already got - well, why would you? You only buy this stuff once - it'll see you into the ground. And your kids probably.


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My wife says the reason that Le Creuset pans last so long is that they're so heavy that no-one bothers using them.

I've had a few Le Creuset pans & dishes, and other, similar makes, but I think they're overrated; I no longer buy them

I think it's noticeable that professional kitchens almost always use heavy duty aluminium
 
I am getting rid of aluminum in my kitchen. Better safe than sorry with the potential heath problem it might cause. My cabinets have become a bastion of stainless steel and glass. I have a bevy of griswold cast iron but they are tucked away out in the garage in a cedar chest as my glass stove top said not to use cast iron on it.

I think it's noticeable that professional kitchens almost always use heavy duty aluminium
 
I've owned a lot of Le Creuset kit over the years. I've had the 5 saucepans in the attached photo for at least 35 years. Nos 1 and 5 don't get much use as witnessed by the state of their handles. No.2 is used for making coffee every morning as well as for cooking vegetables - I've just calculated that for coffee alone over the last 15 years I've used this 5475 times. The handle's a bit wobbly but so am I - we work well together.

I've also got a couple of Le Creuset oval oven dishes which have done some thousands of hours in ovens over the last 35 years. I had a rectangular one too which would make lasagne for 8 but I gave it away - I've hardly used it in the last 15 years. I'm sure I had a Le Creuset frying pan once upon a time - but perhaps I dreamt that, or a previous wife decided it was hers and kept it.

I'd no idea other people didn't own this gear because it's expensive. I've never bothered to check the price of something I've already got - well, why would you? You only buy this stuff once - it'll see you into the ground. And your kids probably.


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Love that orange!!
 
I've owned a lot of Le Creuset kit over the years. I've had the 5 saucepans in the attached photo for at least 35 years. Nos 1 and 5 don't get much use as witnessed by the state of their handles. No.2 is used for making coffee every morning as well as for cooking vegetables - I've just calculated that for coffee alone over the last 15 years I've used this 5475 times. The handle's a bit wobbly but so am I - we work well together.

I've also got a couple of Le Creuset oval oven dishes which have done some thousands of hours in ovens over the last 35 years. I had a rectangular one too which would make lasagne for 8 but I gave it away - I've hardly used it in the last 15 years. I'm sure I had a Le Creuset frying pan once upon a time - but perhaps I dreamt that, or a previous wife decided it was hers and kept it.

I'd no idea other people didn't own this gear because it's expensive. I've never bothered to check the price of something I've already got - well, why would you? You only buy this stuff once - it'll see you into the ground. And your kids probably.


View attachment 19484
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I had an identical set when first married in 1987! I think they cost about £75 at the time. Fixing the rack to the kitchen wall was probably my first ever attempt at DIY. They were passed on to my son a few years ago - current wife had a full set in blue when we got together.
 
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