I’ve had a cast iron enamel dutch oven pot for years. There’s not too many kitchen things i can say I’ve had for this long, but my love of this pot runs deep as I continue to find new and exciting things to make with it. If you don’t have one, you absolutely must treat yourself to it for this one thing is truly a life-long cooking element you’ll fall in love with.

Don’t Believe the Hype: Cast Iron is Easy to Care For

A few people I’ve talked to about this are wary of cast iron because of the rumors surrounding cleaning and care. Its true, you cannot put these in the dishwasher. Hand wash only with soap for enamel finishes, and treat the exposed cast iron edges of the pan and lid with a light coat of olive oil every so often.

For raw cast iron pans, hot water and a gentle rough pad is the way to go but if there are rough spots you can’t stand, pour in some coarse salt. Use a sponge to exfoliate the pan with the salt until the rough burned bits are gone. Read more on care and use for cast iron here.

The #1 thing to NOT DO: Don’t take a piping hot cast iron pot and pour in cold water. You will crack it. Let it sit and cool off completely before cleaning.

What Can You Make? EVERYTHING.

The greatest thing about a dutch oven is its versatility. Soups, stews, meat dinners, roasts, chicken, bread, the list goes on and on. You can start out on the stovetop and end in the oven all in one single pot.

My favorite thing right now is making a dutch oven bread loaf. It’s great for steak sandwiches or just to toast up with some butter, and it is a nice presentation tableside.

Best Cast Iron Brands

Le Creuset is probably the most recognizable manufacturer of quality cast iron cookware of all shapes, colors and sizes. They’ve just released the most beautiful new enamel finishes which almost make me hate the fact that they’re so well made; There’s really no reason for me to buy a new one.

They’re so well made and they’re not cheap, but keep in mind - this thing is pretty much forever.

Cuisinart also makes great cast iron dutch ovens and enamel cookware at a fraction of the price, with great durability. You can find these on sale at Home Sense quite often but the finish offering is usually limited. It’s a great opportunity to introduce yourself to a cast iron pot affordably before choosing the style/finish of your dreams.

Staub is a French cookware brand specializing in enamel and cast iron, and is known to be the product of choice to professional chefs all over the world. You can often find these at Sur La Table and Williams Sonoma. The offer a wide variety of very well-made pots called cocottes which are hefty kitchen sidekicks.

Lodge is an all-American brand of cast iron pots and skillets with a 120-year pedigree. I have a raw cast iron skillet of theirs that I’m working on getting seasoned - the more you use it, the better it is. Its a bit of a learning curve as I’ve been used to enameled cast iron. They offer both enameled and raw cast iron cookware depending on your preference. Their enamel finishes and quality designs are a thing of beauty and they’re EXTREMELY affordable. Worth every penny!

Dutch ovens can be used on camp sites, on cooktops, and in and on kinds of stoves. Treat yourself to this all-in-one dinner performer and you won’t be sorry.

- WLL