Lodge 6 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, Oven Safe up to 500°F with Lid - Limited Offer

I purchased this Dutch oven when it was on sale as I've been wanting an enameled piece of cast iron for a while. The price was almost 50% when I bought it. It arrived as expected and was securely packaged. The color of the piece is consistent and solid throughout. My first meal prepared in it was a chicken in salsa verde dish. It was a one pot meal as I first browned the chicken breasts and then brought together the remaining ingredients on the range top before reintroducing the chicken to the oven and placing it all in the oven for 30 minutes. The Dutch oven performed as intended heating evenly and retaining warmth after removal from the oven. We weren't quite ready to eat when cooking time was complete and the meal remained nicely heated. This piece would also have been quite attractive to have moved to a dining table for serving if we had guests. Cleanup was very easy. The rubber 'clips' that keep the lid above the rim of the oven when stored is a small matter but an appreciated one as it replaces any need to store a paper towel hanging out to wick moisture away form the inside during storage. All in all, this has been a very good addition to my cast iron collection.

I bought this primarily for baking sourdough a couple months ago. I’ve baked several loaves so far and it works great! I’ve also used it on the stovetop for making sauces and soups. It holds up to high heat, cooks evenly, is easy to clean, doesn’t stain, and looks beautiful. Really impressed with the quality for the price. Highly recommend! It’s quite heavy but that’s to be expected. I store it in the oven when not in use.

For those of you who never have used a cast iron enamel coated dutch oven, you are missing out on a very useful and versatile part of your kitchen 'kit'. This one is from Lodge - one of the leading names in cast iron cookware. While made in China, immediate inspection and cleaning only showed a couple of small imperfections that won't impact the durability and longevity of this pan. I mentioned this is a replacement. The prior one was from a 'no name' brand and lasted about 10 years. We had changed color in the kitchen and because of how we store it (on the cooktop), we needed to update the color of the dutch oven as well. The 'old' one was put into the box that this one came in and is in the garage just in case we choose to bring it back into the kitchen! Cast iron conducts heat extremely well. The distribution is very even - if the material is evenly spread across the bottom. It also holds heat well allowing a very slow 'cool down' when cooking. This is enamel coated meaning it cleans up easily and well. A common complaint of uncoated cast iron is that it never really cleans up well. While potentially true, that is not the case with an enamel coated pan. So what would you do with it? I have used it for krispie bars (the butter & marshmallows met great) , soups, stews, browning meat (it can go into the oven too) and even cooking bacon (sides make it hard for the splatters to escape). We have looked at smaller (4 qt) and larger (7+ qt) but decided that for us - a 6qt one is the sweet spot. It is big enough to handle the larger cooking needs while small enough to handle and move without too much difficulty. For those of you who have/have used enameled cast iron dutch ovens, you know what this is and already know that it is an easy 5 star rating. For those who haven't experienced it, what are you waiting for? Lodge is affordable and works great.