The 7 Very Best Dutch Ovens
My Dutch oven sits proudly on my stovetop at all times. Otherwise, there’s a rotating cast of characters (sometimes the nonstick I use for my morning eggs, sometimes a sauté pan drying on a back burner). But the large enameled pot stays. It’s a kitchen staple in line with sheet pans and high-quality knives — the kind of tool everyone, if they cook at all, should own. Dutch ovens are heavy-bottomed and thick-sided, which lets them hold very even heat. They’re also wide enough to sear meats and brown vegetables, but tall enough to contain a substantial amount of liquid, ideal for soups and stews. They go from stove to oven, the champions of braises. You can use them to fry, make rice dishes, bake bread, build pasta sauces and curries, roast whole chickens, and more.
Summary of items we will discuss in this buying guide :
Lodge Cast-Iron Round Dutch Oven
Lodge Cast Iron Combo Cooker
Our top picks :
Lodge Cast-Iron Round Dutch Oven
Both Todd Pulsinelli, owner of The Chloe in New Orleans, and Irani swear by Lodge’s enameled cast-iron Dutch oven, which comes in at a striking $110 less than Made In’s. Lodge is most well-known for their standard cast-iron skillets, in part due to how well-made they are for the price. That reputation holds for this product, too. Both pros have had theirs for about eight years, use it all the time, and say it’s in just as good of shape as it was when they bought it, with Irani calling it “pretty damn near indestructible.” While he acknowledges that the Staub is a bit more refined-looking than the Lodge, he still appreciates that the latter comes in multiple colors and says its plenty attractive to keep out on his stove.
Lodge Cast Iron Combo Cooker
This offering from Lodge isn’t enameled; instead, it’s made from the same raw cast-iron material as the brand’s skillets. As with Staub’s, the darker interior color is great for achieving an ideal crust color on bread. That’s the primary thing Georgia Macon, executive pastry chef at Twelve, makes in it. Instead of a traditional deep pot with a thinner lid, she explains, it’s a slightly shallower pot with a skillet as a lid — not only a two-in-one deal but a build that allows for easy maneuvering when baking a loaf. “Every other option on the market leaves you ripe with chances to burn your forearms,” Macon says. “With this, you load into the lid and then put the bottom on top to cover it. Loading and unloading is miles easier.” Macon uses the set for other dishes, too, like braises, searing meats, and making popcorn. When doing that, however, she cautions that you have to season the metal before to ensure foods don’t stick. (With bread, the high-cook heat and dusting of flour doesn’t render seasoning necessary.)
