Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 4-1/4-Quart Soup Pot with Cover, Dune
by Le Creuset of America
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Product Summary
Manufacturer: Le Creuset of AmericaBrand: Le Creuset
Release Date: 2005-07-01
Model: L2537-2668
Color: Dune
Product features:
- Round 4-1/2-quart soup pot made of cast iron with 2 coats of colorful enamel
- Loop handles facilitate carrying from the oven or stovetop to the table
- Heavy, tight-fitting lid keeps in moisture, flavor, and nutrients
- Dishwasher-safe; oven-safe to 450 degrees F
- Measures approximately 10-3/4 by 10-3/4 by 5 inches; limited lifetime warranty
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 4-1/4-Quart Soup Pot with Cover, Dune
Customer Review: A great starter piece or addition to your Le Creuset collection
Summary: 5 Stars
Le Creuset manufactures porcelain enameled cast iron cooking vessels as well as other products. These cooking vessels are cast from molten iron poured in sand moulds that are used only once. For this reason, one pot may look like another, but each is unique in its own way.
Cast iron is a highly efficient material which absorbs and distributes heat efficiently. It is recommended to use low to medium heat when cooking with cast. There are a few exceptions like boiling water where cooking on high heat is appropriate and okay. Otherwise, cooking with high heat may cause food to stick, discolor the enamel coating, or cook the food unevenly. Remove cast iron from the heat and it does not cool off quickly. This helps your food stay warm while serving. Beware; iron tends to be heavy so these cooking vessels tend to be heavy as well.
Cast iron is an effective material for cooking so why cover it with enamel? Iron tends to rust; iron oxide (rust) doesn't add any complimentary flavors to your food. If your cast iron cooking vessel was not enameled, you would have to season and maintain it. Adding the porcelain enamel not only looks good, but has multiple benefits. The enamel, being a solid coating, is one of the most hygienic surfaces to cook on, does not stain, absorb odors, retain flavors, and is easy to clean. The enamel can be damaged, so limit cooking tools to plastic or wood.
The benefits of cooking with Le Creuset cast iron are many, but lets get down to the soup pot specifically. 4 1/4 quarts is not a whole lot of space when it comes to making soups, consider your recipes when determining the size you need. The soup pot tends to do best if at least 3/4 full. Any less and you may overwhelm your food with the pot's evenly dispersed heat.
The pot has flat bottom that broadly curves up the sides to 4 inches high making stirring your soup simple. Atop internal diameter of about 10 1/2 inches makes for a wide top allowing room for a whole chicken. The tight fitting lid is slightly angled sealing in heat, moisture, and flavors. Use the lid to hold your meat while you are making a sauce from the drippings, or holding your prepared vegetables while creating your culinary feast. Its shape and design makes this an extremely versatile pan. I tend to cook large amounts so this pan is usually used for mole de pollo, chili con carne, chicken and dumplings, tomato sauce, and soups.
Once you get beyond the basic functionality, the soup pot can really open up the possibilities. Keep in mind this is a 4 1/4 quart pan with about a 10 1/2 inch diameter, perhaps the optimal pan for families from 2-4. Some possibilities for this pan besides soups include rice pilaf, roasted chicken, braising, steamed artichokes, Jell-O molds, and assembling a baked Alaska.
One feature that people tend to complain about is the cost. The cost does seem steep compared to other pans made from other materials. Cast iron doesn't seem like it should be expensive, compared to the old cast iron pans past generations have used for cornbread and camping. However the manufacturing process requires making a mould for each and every pan produced. These heavy pans then go through an enameling process before being shipped. If you take what goes into making and distributing these high quality cast iron products, the cost tends to make sense. Then consider that this pan will easily last a lifetime when taken care of.
PROS:
Efficient absorption and distribution of heat
Hygienic enamel cooking surface
Does not stain, absorb odors, or retain flavors
Easy to clean when not abused or misused
Can be transferred from stove top to the oven to the table
Can easily last a lifetime
CONS:
Its heavy, as cast iron tends to be weighing in at about 10 pounds.
Description of Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 4-1/4-Quart Soup Pot with Cover, Dune
Le Creuset 4 1/4 Quart Soup Pot, Dune - Amazon Exclusive piece - The hand-finished craftsmanship and superior quality of Le Creuset enameled cast iron have long made it the cookware considered by many to be the finest in the world. Bold colors, timeless dBeautiful enough for the table and durable enough to outlive its warranty, this heavy, round, 4-1/2-quart soup pot is shaped to circulate ingredients' flavor while they simmer. Soup, stew, beans, or corned beef and cabbage then can be served stylishly. The pot is made of cast iron, which is unexcelled for fast, even heat distribution, while both the exterior and interior are clad in two coats of enamel, which prevents foods from sticking and is impervious to acids and odors. The knob on its heavy, tight-fitting lid is oven-safe to 450 degrees F, and the pot can also be used on any stovetop, including induction. Sturdy loop handles facilitate carrying from the oven or stovetop to the table, and the casserole is dishwasher-safe for quick cleanup. Like all Le Creuset cast-iron products, it's hand cast in a one-of-a-kind sand mold and hand finished at the Le Creuset factory in France. The soup pot measures approximately 10-3/4 by 10-3/4 by 5 inches and carries a lifetime warranty against defects. --Fred Brack
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