Never allow me to enter a kitchenware shop unsupervised!

[Howard]

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard
Never really figured out the point of Le Creuset...

I'd never picked you as the trolling type before.

Because I'm not. Don't throw me into the troll category just because you don't like what I say.

 

[legoman666]

Originally posted by: CptCrunch
bacon

 

[LS21]

Originally posted by: Maximus96
i have two lodge pans and a lodge dutch oven. i never cooked bacon on it because we don't ever eat it. but i did rub lard all over and baked it in the oven for a few hours in 300*. i fry spam in it every now and then and its held up pretty good. the only difference is the le creuset is coated in enamel right?

i have, and have had, a bunch of different cast iron vessels - some lodge some not - some enameled some not

i like frying pans plain. it means it can take lots and lots of abuse.

not ALL le creuset are enameled, and not all enameled creuset are enameled similarly (inside vs outside) but theyre probably best known for their full-enameled cookware (dutches, specifically).

the ones with enameled cooking surface allows the the cook to use tomatoes/wine/other acidic ingredients - something cautioned against for plain cast iron as it will "eat" the seasoning away. which is a big inconvenience, esp for making things like pasta sauce

i like my frying pan plain, and my dutch oven enameled

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard
Never really figured out the point of Le Creuset...

I'd never picked you as the trolling type before.

Because I'm not. Don't throw me into the troll category just because you don't like what I say.

Cry me a river, Howie :laugh:

If you weren't trolling, you'd have substantiated your initial comment.

 

[So]

Awesome mate! I fully expect something delicious overnighted from the land down under.

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: So
Awesome mate! I fully expect something delicious overnighted from the land down under.

A large seared Grue?

:beer:

 

[So]

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: So
Awesome mate! I fully expect something delicious overnighted from the land down under.

A large seared Grue?

:beer:

Mmmmm, They fry up nice.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard
Never really figured out the point of Le Creuset...

I'd never picked you as the trolling type before.

Because I'm not. Don't throw me into the troll category just because you don't like what I say.

Cry me a river, Howie :laugh:

If you weren't trolling, you'd have substantiated your initial comment.

What does the enamel do?

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard
Never really figured out the point of Le Creuset...

I'd never picked you as the trolling type before.

Because I'm not. Don't throw me into the troll category just because you don't like what I say.

Cry me a river, Howie :laugh:

If you weren't trolling, you'd have substantiated your initial comment.

What does the enamel do?

It's smooth, hard, chemically resistant, extremely durable, can assume brilliant, long-lasting colors, and handles high temps very well, to paraphrase wiki

You add that to all the benefits of solid cast iron cookware, and I can't see what's to dislike.

 

[OpenThirdEye]

*drool* Excellent choice, dug!

 

[JDub02]

:thumbsup: for quality cookware. I made sure I put quality stuff in my wedding registry. Wound up with a nice knife set, a wok, and a griddle. I already had a nice, heavy stainless steel pot set. I've been wanting a cast iron skillet, but my wife would kill me if I tried to put more stuff in our cupboard.

 

[SoulAssassin]

bacon

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard
Never really figured out the point of Le Creuset...

I'd never picked you as the trolling type before.

Because I'm not. Don't throw me into the troll category just because you don't like what I say.

Cry me a river, Howie :laugh:

If you weren't trolling, you'd have substantiated your initial comment.

What does the enamel do?

It's smooth, hard, chemically resistant, extremely durable, can assume brilliant, long-lasting colors, and handles high temps very well, to paraphrase wiki

You add that to all the benefits of solid cast iron cookware, and I can't see what's to dislike.

Smoothness and hardness don't matter for the outside of a cast iron vessel, nor does chemical resistance. The durability of the enamel is certain to be lower than the base iron. Something else will fail before the cast iron is damaged by heat.

I'll give you aesthetics. But it's up to you to decide if the price premium is worth it, and I suppose you did decide.

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: TruePaige
I don't really know what makes these pans (or any pans short of something that is non-stick so I don't get all angry) special.

But I'm glad your happy with it. =p

I use to think just like you, but then I had the chance to make a Grilled Cheese in this uber $200 pan. It came out perfectly even, with my old crap pan it would have had spots of brown and spots of not quite brown.

It was the single greatest Grilled Cheese I had ever made, almost perfectly grilled and so delicious. At that moment I knew the worth of good cookware.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: QueBert

Originally posted by: TruePaige
I don't really know what makes these pans (or any pans short of something that is non-stick so I don't get all angry) special.

But I'm glad your happy with it. =p

I use to think just like you, but then I had the chance to make a Grilled Cheese in this uber $200 pan. It came out perfectly even, with my old crap pan it would have had spots of brown and spots of not quite brown.

It was the single greatest Grilled Cheese I had ever made, almost perfectly grilled and so delicious. At that moment I knew the worth of good cookware.

Mind if you tell me what pan it was?

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: QueBert

Originally posted by: TruePaige
I don't really know what makes these pans (or any pans short of something that is non-stick so I don't get all angry) special.

But I'm glad your happy with it. =p

I use to think just like you, but then I had the chance to make a Grilled Cheese in this uber $200 pan. It came out perfectly even, with my old crap pan it would have had spots of brown and spots of not quite brown.

It was the single greatest Grilled Cheese I had ever made, almost perfectly grilled and so delicious. At that moment I knew the worth of good cookware.

Mind if you tell me what pan it was?

Opps lol it was a Calphon, maybe not the best, I don't know a whole lot about cookware, but it was more expensive then all my cookware combined x2. I believe they paid about $220 for the one skillet. What a difference it made over my $12 Teflon deal from Target.

 

[SampSon]

Teflon... rookie.

 

[Dirigible]

I fully endorse your purchase. When a craftsman loves his tools, everything he creates is just a little bit better. Enjoy every morsel that comes out of your pan.

 

[zinfamous]

i've had my eye on a le creuset dutch oven for several years now....just have no room to put store it if I ever get it

 

[LS21]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard
Never really figured out the point of Le Creuset...

I'd never picked you as the trolling type before.

Because I'm not. Don't throw me into the troll category just because you don't like what I say.

Cry me a river, Howie :laugh:

If you weren't trolling, you'd have substantiated your initial comment.

What does the enamel do?

It's smooth, hard, chemically resistant, extremely durable, can assume brilliant, long-lasting colors, and handles high temps very well, to paraphrase wiki

You add that to all the benefits of solid cast iron cookware, and I can't see what's to dislike.

Smoothness and hardness don't matter for the outside of a cast iron vessel, nor does chemical resistance. The durability of the enamel is certain to be lower than the base iron. Something else will fail before the cast iron is damaged by heat.

I'll give you aesthetics. But it's up to you to decide if the price premium is worth it, and I suppose you did decide.

for a fair assessment, (high) temp handling and durability are a weakness of enameled cast iron compared to plain cast-iron or other vessels. i wouldnt heat enameled too much. also, hardness of enamel surface = prone to chipping/peeling. smoothness is a non-point, unless you compare at the microscopic level or something; practically, any alum/ss surface would serve as well

where enameling has an advantage is when you need a cast-iron vessel (for heat capacity), but want a non-reactive surface. of course, it does look pretty too

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

Originally posted by: LS21

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard
Never really figured out the point of Le Creuset...

I'd never picked you as the trolling type before.

Because I'm not. Don't throw me into the troll category just because you don't like what I say.

Cry me a river, Howie :laugh:

If you weren't trolling, you'd have substantiated your initial comment.

What does the enamel do?

It's smooth, hard, chemically resistant, extremely durable, can assume brilliant, long-lasting colors, and handles high temps very well, to paraphrase wiki

You add that to all the benefits of solid cast iron cookware, and I can't see what's to dislike.

Smoothness and hardness don't matter for the outside of a cast iron vessel, nor does chemical resistance. The durability of the enamel is certain to be lower than the base iron. Something else will fail before the cast iron is damaged by heat.

I'll give you aesthetics. But it's up to you to decide if the price premium is worth it, and I suppose you did decide.

for a fair assessment, (high) temp handling and durability are a weakness of enameled cast iron compared to plain cast-iron or other vessels. i wouldnt heat enameled too much. also, hardness of enamel surface = prone to chipping/peeling. smoothness is a non-point, unless you compare at the microscopic level or something; practically, any alum/ss surface would serve as well

where enameling has an advantage is when you need a cast-iron vessel (for heat capacity), but want a non-reactive surface. of course, it does look pretty too

A family friend of mine gave me a cast skillet set that doubles as a dutch oven... its been great over the years, and thought it was the best until my MILaw gave us her hand me down stainless steel cook ware (think they're branded dansk). SS is so easy to clean, cooks even, and takes the oven as well as the cast iron.

But back on topic, cook ware quality does correlate with price. I'd like to try one of the OP's just to see.

:beer:

 

[Bignate603]

We've got a sweet frying pan, I think it came from Macy's. We use it constantly.

 

[SampSon]

Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
But back on topic, cook ware quality does correlate with price. I'd like to try one of the OP's just to see.

:beer:

To some degree. But for the most part the cost to benefit tails off sharply when it comes to high priced pans etc.

I buy all of my cookware from restaurant and hotel supply stores.
All of the gear is moderatly priced. All of it is also the exact same cookware that will be found in any professional kitchen.

You most likely will not find any professional chef using any Le Creuset product in their restaurant. Possibly at home, but definitely not at work.

 

[sygyzy]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Howard
Never really figured out the point of Le Creuset...

I'd never picked you as the trolling type before.

Because I'm not. Don't throw me into the troll category just because you don't like what I say.

Cry me a river, Howie :laugh:

If you weren't trolling, you'd have substantiated your initial comment.

What does the enamel do?

It's smooth, hard, chemically resistant, extremely durable, can assume brilliant, long-lasting colors, and handles high temps very well, to paraphrase wiki

You add that to all the benefits of solid cast iron cookware, and I can't see what's to dislike.

Smoothness and hardness don't matter for the outside of a cast iron vessel, nor does chemical resistance. The durability of the enamel is certain to be lower than the base iron. Something else will fail before the cast iron is damaged by heat.

I'll give you aesthetics. But it's up to you to decide if the price premium is worth it, and I suppose you did decide.

Quotes from eGullet, the definitive forum for food, cooking, etc.

Enameled cast iron is much better at browning and searing than enameled carbon steel, but still suffers compared to copper, aluminum and unlined iron. The lesser performance has to do, I'm guessing, with the very low thermal conductivity of the enamel.

It is true that enameled cast iron is best for low/slow [cooking]

Cast iron is slow with heating, but good at maintaining a lot of heat when it gets there, making it ideal for slow braises and roasts, in which case enamel-coated would win as far as reactivity goes (acidic liquids cooking for hours).

 

[Howard]

That's the only advantage, I'd say - the relative inertness. But dug only got the coating on the outside.