Customer Reviews

Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 6-3/4-Quart Oval French Oven, Flame

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
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Le Creuset manufactures porcelain enameled cast iron cooking vessels as well as other quality products. These cooking vessels are cast from molten iron poured in sand moulds which are used only once. For this reason, one pan may look like another, but each is unique in its own way.

Cast iron is a highly efficient material which absorbs and distributes heat. Due to this efficiency, it is recommended that cooking with cast iron is done on low to medium heat. Over heating may cause foods to stick to the pan, or worse burn and can cause the enamel to appear stained. Remove cast iron from the heat and it does not cool off quickly. This helps your food stay warm while serving. The opposite holds true as well, chill the pan and it will retain its chill for a surprisingly long time. Beware; iron tends to be heavy so these cooking vessels tend to be heavier than other pans made from alternate materials.

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 its cooking surface. 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 contact to heat resistant plastic or wood utensils to eliminate the scratching and scoring the porcelain.

The benefits of cooking with Le Creuset cast iron are many, but lets get down to the French oven, Cocotte or as it's also referred to, the Dutch oven specifically. French ovens have been manufactured by Le Creuset for over 75 years, and were developed well before then. In all this time the design has stayed constant, affirming the relevance of its cooking qualities. These ovens come in either oval or round shapes. The oval shape works well for roasting whole chickens and porkloin roasts, otherwise the differences are minimal.

This pan holds 6 3/4 quarts of food, measures 9 1/2 x 12 inches or 24 x 30 cm internal diameter, 4 3/4 inch or 11 1/2 cm deep, and weighs 13 pounds. The domed lid provides a tight seal, trapping in moisture to roll back into the dish. The lid may alternatively be used as a holding plate for chopped vegetables or meat during initial preparations. Be sure to lift the pan off of cooking surfaces to reduce damaging either the pan or the surface. French oven tends to do best if at least 3/4 full. Any less and you may overwhelm your food with heat evenly dispersed in the pot.

French ovens were developed for slow cooking by stewing, braising or boiling. Some typical dishes include roasts, and stews. Other possibilities include gumbos, chili, dirty rice, baked beans, Swedish meatballs, osso bucco, or curing ice cream to name a few.

One feature that people tend to complain about is the cost. The cost does seem steep compared to other pans made from other materials. Heck, cast iron doesn't seem like it should be expensive when comparing 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. They then go through the enameling process before shipping these heavy pans. 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

Cleans easily when not abused or misused

Can be transferred from stove top to the oven to the table

Easily lasts a lifetime

CONS:

Its heavy, as cast iron tends to be weighing in at about 13 pounds

I love this pot! Like all Le Creuset products, this comes in gorgeous porcelain enamel colors (my favorite is their classic "volcanic flame"). It is also quite heavy, being a 6 1/2 Quart cast iron pot. This is actually an advantage when cooking--using only a low flame, it maintains perfect cooking temperatures, and the heavy lid ensures that you will not lose precious moisture during long simmering. It is very difficult to burn anything in this cookware when you follow the simple direction to avoid anything over a medium heat setting. If, however, you happen to burn something in the pan, cleanup is a breeze: simply fill the pan with hot, soapy water and soak for a little while. Everything then comes quickly off with minimal fuss, thanks to the very hard and smooth enamel finish.

This oval "French Oven" is the perfect size and shape for a nice beef roast, pork tenderloin, or a delectable Boeuf Bourguignon. Be sure to check out the Le Creuset website at lecreuset.com (US, UK, and France) for a large selection of delicious recipes for your cookware. The price may seem a little steep, but bear in mind the company's unparalleled 101 year warranty--this is cookware you will never have to replace!

I have always wanted a Le Crueset pan and used to just oggle at them in the stores b/c they are so beautiful. I assumed they were also good to cook in since every great cook owns one and I have heard how wonderful from everyone who owns one. I finally bit the bullet and bought this Dutch Oven in Flame.

This pot is the "baby" of my kitchen-I LOVE THIS THING!!!!! It really is a work of art and is made so beautifully and the color is so great (I liked it so much I also bought a tea kettle in flame so I could show it off).

I haven't had ONE meal not turn out amazing. This has now replaced my slow coooker for stews and braised meat dishes. It gets hot enough to really sear, but can cook slowly like nothing else. I have yet to find a piece of meat that won't come out fall apart tender in my Le Crueset.

Once done, my pans looks like it will never come clean. Sometimes the juices bake on the sides of the dish and I think "oh boy, this is NEVER going to come clean". EVERY inch of baked on goo comes off with ease. NOTHING sticks. Nothing mars this pan...

Its a dream come true!!! I feel good knowing I bought such a high quality piece (its definitly not all hype, these things ARE that good) that I could pass down to generations to come (if I wanted to part with it, that is..which I don't!!).

If you are considering if its worth it, it is WEEEEELLL WORTH IT!!! JUST DO IT!

I own a few Le Creuset ovens and i think this oval oven is the best size to own if you plan on buying just one piece. I cook for a family of five with some leftovers for lunch during the week. You can make stews, soups, curries, braised dishes and roasts all in this one oven. The oval shape makes it easier to fit a chicken or roast in the oven. I can roast a 4-5lb chicken in it and it comes out perfect each time. It works great on my glass stovetop and in the oven. So if you plan on buying your first, this is the size to get...but if you're like me, why stop at one. It's getting to be an addiction!

All Le Creuset is beautiful--you can hang them on your pot rack & just ogle them, altho they are also great to use! This 6-3/4 Quart Oval French Oven weighs at least 14 lbs, & I think the weight & quality is obviously part of the appeal. But, if you have a "bad back", or are "downsizing" & packing to move, as I am, the weight can turn into a negative. Also, you should check around for price--I'm pretty sure Amazon had these at a much lower price a week or 2 ago, & there also good deals on the main online auction site. BTW, I have the Citrus Yellow, which is my favorite color.

This pot rocks. You'll fall in love with it the first time you cook with it. It browns well, cleans easily, and goes from the stove to the oven to the table in style.

My only complaint is that mine arrived slightly chipped, but the chips don't seem to affect its performance, so I didn't send it back.

This is the by far the best piece of cookware I have in my kitchen. It is perfect for stew, chili, browning, slow cooking, casseroles and much more. It is very easy to clean and is also beautiful to look at. This french oven is constructed so well, I will have to put it in my will because it will surely out live me. I will buy Le Creuset again and again!

I was a little concerned over complaints about Le Creuset's weight--yes, you can really get a good upper body workout schlepping it around your kitchem--and problems with clean up. I use Bon Ami and it came clean after every time (18 stovetop and oven uses, so far) I've cooked with it. Yes, it is indeed pricey, but how many reading this have spent hundreds on cheap, shoddy imitations--cutlery and cookware come to mind--when just paying for quality the first time would have saved so much? Save up, do without for a bit, and buy something your great grandchildren will fight over.

Nothing beats Le Creuset for durability. Well made, solid construction, best in its' class. I'd been looking for this french oven in this size and this color for over a year at a reasonable price. Had just about given up hope when low and behold, my ShopAdvisor iPhone app wakes me up in the middle of the night with a $150 price at Amazon.com! Whoa, baby! Now that shook me out of a dead sleep! Once I determined that it was NIB (new in box) from a reputable Amazon vendor, it took me less than ten minutes to log into my Amazon account, put the Le Creuset pot in my cart, checkout, and go back to sleep with happy dreams of hearty winter casseroles and beef bourguignon dancing in my head! Love, Love, Love this pot!!