Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 5-1/2-Quart Round French Oven, Red

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Average Customer Rating:	4.5
Brand:	Le Creuset
Model:	L2501-26-67
Color:	Cherry Red
Weight:	10.5 pounds
Dimensions:	10.75 inches x 10 inches x 4 inches [Width x Length x Height]

Product Categories

Dutch Ovens; Cooking; All Le Creuset; Cherry Red; French Ovens; Cast Iron; Cast Iron; Round; 60 Inches & Under; Cookware

Product description

Le Creuset Round French Oven - This everyday Round French Oven (or Dutch oven, referred by most people) never makes it to the cupboard: it goes from the stove or oven to the table to the dishwasher then back to the stove for tomorrow's dinner. If there are leftovers in the pot, save them for tomorrow. You can store it in the refrigerator or in the freezer and not worry about food reacting to the porcelain enamel surface. For generations, families have come to cherish the classic cocotte - the Round French Oven. This everyday pot never makes it to the cupboard: it goes from the stove or oven to the table to the dishwasher then back to the stove for tomorrow's dinner. If you want to keep leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer, you can store in our Le Creuset pot and not worry about food reacting to the porcelain enamel surface.

This 5-1/2-quart French oven by Le Creuset is the most forgiving pan I've ever used. If you just happen to forget you're sautéing onions for a soup while you answer the telephone, there's no need to worry--the onions won't burn. Enameled cast iron has been recognized as one of the best materials available for cookware because it retains heat and promotes gentle, even cooking at low heat ensuring that the best flavor is brought out from the ingredients. It's perfect for use on any heat source--gas, electric, radiant, ceramic, halogen, induction, or solid fuel. There's also a tight-fitting, enameled cast-iron lid that helps seal in heat and flavor. Food will be kept hot as you bring it to the table for serving. And you will certainly want to serve out of this beautiful piece--the deep color and shiny finish will brighten any table setting. --Jane DePaolo

Features

Handmade enameled cast-iron construction; works with all cooking surfaces

Dishwasher-safe

Allows you to bake, broil, braise, saute, marinate, refrigerate, and freeze

Food will not react with porcelain enamel surface

Lifetime warranty

Customer reviews

« As functional as they are beautiful »

I asked for this Le Creuset pot two years ago for Christmas. A former boss told me about how they had had Le Creuset pots in their family for generations and after being passed on from family member to family member they were still working perfectly. After a great experience with with my first pot I am now up to 5 pieces in my collection including Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 3-1/2-Quart Buffet Casserole, Red, Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 11-3/4-Inch Skillet with Iron Handle, Red, Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 5-Quart Oval French Oven, Red, and Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 3-1/2-Quart Round French Oven, Red. I would have stopped after the first pot if it did not live up to expectations, but I find these such a joy to cook in that I rarely like to use anything else.

Pros:
-These conduct heat very well. You get a nice even heat and the pot retains it quite well. I love this because I never have to worry that things will cook unevenly. The excellent heat retention also means that if I have a pot out for awhile after cooking the food stays quite hot as people go for seconds and thirds.

-These are very easy to clean. This was a major advantage to me as I also own several All Clad stainless pots and find them to be challenging at times. These are certainly much easier. As long as I catch a stain right away I usually don't have a problem removing it with the Le Creuset 12-Ounce Enameled Cast-Iron Cleaner. However I will say that the pot has still gotten some scratches in the interior and light stains(almost like a light golden brown patina). Originally this bothered me because when I invest in pricy cookwear I try to keep it looking perfect, but over time this has bothered me less and less. It doesn't make the pot look dirty or interfere with cooking so I have learned to live with it. The Le Creuset cleaner so far has been a godsend. It has helped me to remove tough, burnt on stains although I have a bit more trouble with the stains left behind from deep frying or old stains that have been missed.

-It's great for low fat cooking. When I spray it with a little bit of cooking oil I don't have many problems with things sticking. However, it still works well when I intentionally want the 'brown bits' stuck to the bottom so I can deglaze.

-It's attractive. This goes without saying, but is still worth mentioning. I constantly get compliments on my Le Creuset pieces and they are beautiful enough that I leave them on my stove fulltime.

The negatives:

-There is actually only one negative, which is the weight. This pot can get a little heavy when it's full of soup or a large roast. This doesn't stop me from using them daily, however it's worth mentioning as anytime my mother lifts one of mine she inevitably mentions it. If weight is an issue for you I highly recommend you try lifting one in store (preferably tossing a few items inside if you can to simulate the weight of soup or meat) before purchasing. However, if you are an active, relatively fit person this shouldn't pose an issue.

Overall I cannot say enough how pleased I am with my pots. I thought they might be something pretty that wouldn't function well, but that has not turned out to be the case at all. I highly recommend them.

Rating: (5 out of 5) @ 2009-01-06

« IT DESERVES 10 STARS »

I have several sizes of Le Creuset and we use this size the most. I love this stuff so much!!! There is no other cookware in the World as far as I know that is as good at creating "Mr. Brown" on the surface. "Mr. Brown" of course is the wonderful super yummy stuff that a good cook is always looking for every opportunity to create, that is released with "deglazing" and adds an enormous amount of flavor to any dish. No other does it like Le Creuset. These pans are a incredible! They are incredibly easy to clean compared to most pans, because usually most of the "Fond" releases. Try some "chicken and dumplings" in this baby. (Cooks Illustrated quick version) You will never "go back"! :) Great for browning chicken pieces or anything. Wonderful braises and stews, chili, soups, pasta sauce, ....SO many fantastic dishes with so much flavor.

Rating: (5 out of 5) @ 2008-11-26

« Great pot, great results, great everything »

I have both the 5 1/2 quart round and the 9 1/2 oval in the beautiful Flame color, and both have had unbelievably delicious results. I've baked bread in these, cooked meats that literally fall off the bone, soups, sticky cheese sauces, you name it! They're really easy to clean too. Le Creuset is indeed pricey, but they are so worth it. These will undoubtedly out-live me. These cost a lot of money for a reason--you're getting THE BEST.

Rating: (5 out of 5) @ 2008-06-30

« The best cookware ever! »

This is my first Le Creuset piece and I must say that it is the absolute best cookware I have ever used. I've owned it for about 4 months and find myself using it as often as possible to make soups, stews, chili, sauces, the best pot roasts and whatever else I can throw into it. On the downside I will say it is quite heavy and takes some getting used to because it transfers and holds the heat so well. Instead of setting your soup on a 3 or 4 setting to simmer you can actually set this on 1 with the lid on and it will simmer great. As I progress in age I have found myself buying higher end cookware, electronics, appliances, etc. and have finally realized you get what you pay for. This cookware, in my humble opinion is definately worth the extra money and is by far my most used piece of cookware that I own. I just ordered my second piece of Le Creuset and can't wait to use it.