Customer Reviews

Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 3-1/2-Quart Wide French Ovens

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have this 3.5 qt round *wide* in Lilac Mist. I like the fact that this pot gives you more flat surface area than a taller pot - good for browning your meat. This is a nice size and shape for cooking a meal for two people or a side dish for more. I have made several recipes from Glorious One-Pot Meals in this pot as well as a yummy Boeuf Bourguignon from Judith Jones' The Pleasures of Cooking for One (for which the recipe is currently posted on that page). I have also made some nice veggie side dishes for larger family get-togethers in this. So it is useful for a small household as well as a larger one. Plus it's pretty, so it sits out in my kitchen on a set of open shelves with my other Le Creuset items, adding cheer and color to the room.

OH! Plus the lid fits on top of the Le Creuset Tarte Tatin Pan, which I just got. A nice bonus.

(see the pictures I posted)

****update****

Another thing this pot does well is the baked brown rice recipe from The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook. I have had the worst luck in trying to cook brown rice on the stove. I think my problem is just not knowing my stove (heat control) well enough, plus you're not supposed to peek at the rice as it's cooking, nor for about 10 minutes after, so I don't know till then that the rice is a bit under- or over-cooked. But, BAKING the brown rice turns out nice every time since you can better control the oven heat. This pot has a nice, snug lid and cooks my brown rice in the oven perfectly.

This is the 2nd Le Creuset pan that I own. This one is a little bigger. The heavy 3 1/2 quart is perfect for a big Chili recipe. I make a chicken dish often in this pan and I need to simmer on the stove and then roast in the oven. This pan can do that! Stove to oven to table to fridge with leftovers. It looks great on the stove top too. Cleaning this pan seems easier than other pans also.

Found this under warehouse deals and got it on sale saying it had some imperfections. Found nothing wrong with it; perfect shape, no scratches and came in it's original box. Like using Le Creuset for cooking as it keeps food nice and warm and cooks it slowly making it nice and moist. I have a few other pieces from warehouse deals; all different colors and they are beautiful.

Looks new and unused, but not first quality. Flaws in color on embossed, "LeCreuset" part of the lid, and on both handles. Should have paid less and settled for color at William Sonoma, who's selling and updated version of this size for $129.99 instead of the $189.99 I paid here. Paid extra for the color; mistake! Size was misrepresented in the ad. It's only 9 1/4 by 9 1/4 ... not the wide measurements promised, which was the purpose of this purchase. Le Creusets are great, I have another! But this transaction was disappointing.

Le Creuset is a great product and perfect for my induction stove top. This particular pot is great as it is wider and a bit shallower which makes for a versatile cooking vessel with all the usual features -- even heat, virtually nonstick and beautiful to boot. I like to have my LC in a variety of colors and the Dijon livens up the array beautifully. Highly recommended.

I love enameled cast iron cookware and I'm happy I decided to buy this. I have a much larger Le Creuset, which I received as a gift and use very often for risotto and braising. I was looking for a smaller version but the price is intimidating. I read loads of reviews and considered all of the cost options but in the end I went with tried and true. The color is very nice and it's a great size for cooking side dishes.