I have been cooking with Lodge cast iron for about 7 years and own 8 pieces from their inventory. The Double Dutch Oven is my favorite Lodge cookware due to its versatility.
When using a dutch oven, I usually sear the meat first to add flavor. Usually, this requires searing the meat in several batches. The best part about the Double Dutch is that you can sear the meat in the big pot and in the lid simultaneously, thus reducing the time needed to brown the meat by half. Since the lid is then used for the braising step (after deglazing), you're not increasing the number of items to be cleaned later.
I like the lid so much that I often use it by itself for pan frying. Due to the smallish size (about 10 inches in diameter) and the inherent properties of cast iron, the lid can get incredibly hot if you want it to. Perfect for cooking a steak (it puts on a better crust vs my 12" Lodge skillet). I've even used it as a pie pan in a pinch. When properly seasoned, the lid also works great for cooking eggs without them sticking.A seasoned cast iron pan is the original nonstick and will outlast any synthetic-coated nonstick pan in the market (and without the toxic fumes).
When used as a Dutch Oven, it works like it should. It retains heat well and cooks evenly. There is very little steam that escapes. The smaller 5qt capacity (vs a 7qt Dutch Oven, which I use less now that I've got this one) is also better for cooking moderate amounts of food. Generally, you want little empty space when using a Dutch oven.
In response to the reviewer who has problems getting the lid off, I suggest the following. When setting the lid on the pot, don't align the handles of the two. This will allow you to remove the lid easily, without having to worry about injuries. I've owned another Lodge 5qt Dutch Oven
with a more traditional handle I don't miss that one at all...nor do I miss not having a standalone 10" skillet.
UPDATE (December 2010):
I've been using this thing for over two years now, several times per week. It is still my favorite, but ever more so. Here's one more thing that you can use this for: Baking super awesome bread that rivals anything you can get at your bakery. One of the secrets of making great rustic breads with a thick chewy/crunchy crust and great oven spring is to use a lot of steam for the first 10 minutes of baking. Bakeries use a steam-injected oven. For us at home, using a covered pot, such as this one, is the easiest way to replicate the effects of a steam oven. After shaping a boule, I place it on the lid, cover it with the main pot and let it proof (so the whole pot is upside down). When the dough is ready, I score it and place the covered pot on a preheated stone in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Then I remove the lid and let the top crust brown while the interior reaches the proper temperature. Depending on your oven, you might have to remove the bread from the lid halfway though cooking so the bottom doesn't burn I usually put it on a cool baking tray on a rack without a stone. It's a minor inconvenience, but it's easier than trying to steam an oven with boiling water, ices cubes, mister, etc. And the results can't be beat!
To preface, I'm trying really hard to be a "good cook" but don't have a lot of experience, and I can't justify spending thousands of dollars on a budding hobby. So, when it came to replacing my flaking non-stick cookware, I researched for months before deciding on a hybrid set of copper-core stainless and Lodge cast iron. I read dozens of reviews and was intimidated by the extra care required by cast iron (I'm a wash-and-wear type). But, Lodge is so cheap comparatively and still really respected as an industry standard, that it's hard to overlook.
I initially purchased the combo cooker, a 5qt dutch oven, and a variety of skillets. The cookers arrived in their Lodge packaging and were quite secure, but the skillets definitely were shipped loose. Fortunately they survived the jumbled journey fine, but I can see what other reviewers suffered with regards to skillets scraping each other or breaking out of their boxes they are only a few steps shy of being insufficiently packaged. Free shipping is a great offer though.
The pieces were just what I expected after having read the reviews heavy, uneven in color/preseasoning application, and rough like sandpaper. Several reviewers I read were upset by sticking of initial cooking attempts, specifically because of the cat's tongue-like feel of the basin surface (which Lodge's website says is a normal condition). Responders suggested a few home seasonings prior to cooking, but I was impatient and followed one piece of advice spefically: go to my local bulk goods store, buy ten pounds of ground beef, and cook it in my new cast iron. I ended up also getting four pounds of bacon for good measure, and spent three hours cooking batch after batch of ground beef and bacon in every piece I'd purchased.
The plan worked perfectly by the time I had finished cooking, drained the oil and scraps, rinsed the pieces with hot water, and towel dried, the insides of the skillets were smooth as satin. The beef fat had left a gray film that made the skillets look instantly "used", which is a benefit I'll have to get used to (not being able to polish them back to a "new" looking state). The bacon stained the cooking surface a bit worse in bacon-shaped shaddows, but I saved the bacon grease and used it for weeks to brush on the pans prior to use. I've cooked on the cast iron many times since (just dislodged a perfect batch of cornbread this morning), without any sticking during or after cooking. The several weeks of bacon grease was unhealthy, sure, but a great patina starter I now use a spray or a light brush with butter with no problems.
More Pros:
The skillets keep food hot for more than an hour, but yet are not dangerously hot to handle from the oven or stove. I'm going to purchase the handle pads now, but so far I've been using those old loom-woven potholders I made at summer camp with no added discomfort relative to other pans.
The skillets are so versatile! I heat them on the stove to melt butter, toss in some whole garlic cloves, pop in the oven to roast, and bring right to the table for a hot appetizer on toast. They have a vintage-y, industrial charm that allows them to mix and match smartly with existing serveware, and I love the stove-to-oven/broiler convenience.
Food cooked on cast iron really does taste better. I was skeptical because all food tastes good to me, but a few friends and I conducted a "Test Kitchen" on Aebleskiver pans, pitting a teflon against a cast iron. My friends' husbands consistently chose the cast iron-cooked pancake balls citing their crust and flavor to be preferable.
Lodge designed their lines efficiently. The 10.25" lid fits the 3qt Combo Cooker base, for example, allowing me to purchase one lid for several skillets.
Cons:
Duh, they're heavy. I'm talking two-hands-heavy. It's a drawback for sure, but nothing's perfect and I know the heaviness is directly related to all the reasons I really like my cast iron.
They're quirky cast iron doesn't like soap, doesn't like sudden temperature changes, and likes to stay very dry. But, like good table silver, the more the cast iron is put to use, the more forgiving and less tempermental it becomes.
I'm back to purchase more pieces, because Lodge cast iron has exceeded my expectations and caused me to take a sentimental approach to cooking how many Thanksgivings will I reach for this dutch oven?, I wonder. A cook with cast iron in his or her hand is at once an intimidating force to be reckoned with, and a comforting vision of timeless domesticity. Thanks to Lodge (and Amazon!), I can live up to that image with few qualifications and little effort.
Buy Lodge Logic L8DD3 Double Dutch Oven and Casserole with Skillet Cover, 5-Quart Now
The use of the Dutch oven has recently been reborn with just about every Food Network Chef/star touting their very own product version. During the holidays a good friend purchased a beautiful royal blue Le Crueset from William Sonoma and recently served us a wonderful roast beef and veggie dinner. The meat was flavorful and rich, cooked to perfection and had complexity in flavor, much more so that the same recipe cooked in a crock pot (which often leaves everything in the pot tasting the same).
As a wanna-be homesteader, in-training, I immediately decided I must have a Dutch Oven... I went straight to William Sonoma's site, credit card in hand, and stopped dead when I saw the price tag of the Le Creuset of $250.00+. As a bargain shopper who aims for product knowledge then sensible purchases, I set out to research my options to determine if a good dutch oven warranted such a heft price tag. I explored the Kitchen Aid, Le Creuset, Mario Batali, Calphalon, Lodge, Rachel Ray, Paula Dean and many others. All have varying price points and gorgeous enamel finish colors and sizes. What to do? Should I spend the $250 for the Le Creuset. Would my food taste that much better than the more economically priced Rachel Ray oven? 100+ product reviews later and I was on product information overload and still totally undecided.
So here do you go when you need to know? Thesocial networking sites, of course! I posted the question "Considering purchasing a Dutch oven, reviews, recommendations and feedback please!" Within the hour I began to receive a live stream of reviews from friends, family and associates. I asked questions like Enamel or Cast Iron? Which size oven works best for your family? Are they easy to care for? How often do you use it? Is it hard too season cast iron and maintain it?
The verdict is the beautifully colored enamel Le Crueset and Lodge products are the most popular choice from the average reviewer. However, it was my "foodie" friends who had opted for cast iron, sans enamel.Why? For several reasons, they explained, including preferring a natural product rather than one with dies but mostly for flavor. The cast iron absorbs the flavor of your meats, etc and releases them through the cooking process. The seasoning process, which after watching multiple YouTube videos, I learned takes time but is not difficult, enhances the flavors of your meals. Over time, if properly season and cared for, the pot will develop a rich black, smooth, non-stick surface. Cast iron was also the way of the original homesteader back in the 1700's which gave me the feeling of nostalgia.
I chose the Lodge Double Dutch for several reasons; Lodge has an excellent name and reputation behind it's brand and it was the choice of all of my "foodie" friends and flexibility of product by using the lid as a second cooking piece. Often when browning the meats it is recommended to do it in batches. The Double Dutch allows you to do all the meat at one time by using the lid as a cooking pan. This saves time!The size is perfect for a 2-4 person family meal. I also purchased the optional lid and trivet. This allows me to use the optional lid on the oven and continue to use the original lid as a second cooking pan, much like a 10" fry pan.
Seasoning was relatively easy. The Double Dutch comes pre-seasoned however it was recommended by those "in the know" to add a few seasoning processes of my own. This would give me that rich and glossy black non-stick finish. After watching videos online it was strongly recommended to begin with a saturated fat. I chose to use a few pieces of pastured and non-curred bacon from a local farmer. Hands down I have never had bacon taste this good. It cooked to perfection on the cast iron. Using a paper towel and tongs I gently wiped the bacon grease to coat the pan, and applied organic vegetable shortening to the lids and outer areas and placed in the oven at 275 degrees for 2.5 hours. The pans are beautiful. I plan to repeat this process several times until I obtain the finish that satisfies me.
Last night, snowed in under 16" of freshly fallen snow, I cooked my first meal in my Double Dutch. I browned ground beef in the oven, added onions and garlic, chicken stock red wine, tomato vinegar, salt, pepper, and marjoram and cooked on the stove to a boil. On top of the meat mixture I placed sliced carrots and then topped with sliced potatoes. I splashed a bit more tomato vinegar (FYI it's not recommended to use tomato products in cast iron so the tomato vinegar is great for adding the tomato flavor), added some seasoning and then placed large red cabbage leaves over the entire dish, one more splash of tomato vinegar and some sea salt, placed the lid on the dutch oven and popped it in the oven at 375 for about 40 minutes. When finished cooking I removed the cabbage and potatoes, placed the oven back on the stove, added corn starch to thicken the juices and brought to a boil. This all happens quickly because the oven is still piping hot. I served this over a small amount of egg pasta with the cabbage and potatoes on the side. All was excellent but cabbage was the best. It has steamed in the pot and absorbed some of the flavors meat and veggies. My husband and I have been together for almost 12 years and his comment on dinner was "this is one of the best meals you have ever made".
Clean up was easy. Allow the oven to cool a bit so you can safely handle it and wash with warm water and a sponge. A special scrub brush can be purchased for tougher jobs. Be sure you completely dry your cast iron and use a small amount of shortening to wipe down the oven before storing.
I am completely happy with my purchase and very pleased I opted for the cast iron product. I'm certain this oven will bring us many years of delicious meals and imagine passing the oven down to the next generation. It makes my heart happy to imagine a family member one day cooking with my oven and telling stories of warm and deliciously rich dishes from the past. At a savings of hundreds over the brightly colored enamel coated designer ovens, it has even left room in my budget to purchase additional Lodge cast iron pieces. I'm currently investigating the frying pan. Stay tuned and happy cooking!
Read Best Reviews of Lodge Logic L8DD3 Double Dutch Oven and Casserole with Skillet Cover, 5-Quart Here
****EDITED BELOW****
I am so very happy with this Dutch Oven.Just so you know where I'm coming from, my mom used a cast iron skillet when I was growing up.When I started on my own I also used a cast iron skillet and was very happy with it.Years ago I was in an accident which forced me to close up my apartment and move back home.I gave away all my cookware and focused on physical rehab.When I was patched up and ready to get back in the rat race I bought all T-Fal cookware which I've used for years.My reasons for going with Teflon was because the Teflon was ready to use right away so I could hit the ground running.It didn't require seasoning which was something I didn't want to be bothered with at that time.Using it has been okay but I truly missed my cast iron pan.You could do anything to that pan and it would still love you the next day.I've read people talking on here about the arduous task of having to re season cast iron regularly.I don't know what those people are talking about.All you have to do is keep using it, it seasons itself.You could even get one bland in the mail and not season it at all.Just start cooking on it and deal with strangely burnt food for a while till eventually it becomes seasoned with regular use.Even my Teflon pans became seasoned after years of using it on a regular basis.Seriously, cast iron is ridiculously low maintenance and that is one of my strongest reasons for upgrading to it.And now they come pre seasoned!BONUS! This wasn't the case when I bought one years ago.
All I've used in the past were skillets.This time around I decided to convert ALL of my cookware to cast iron.I went with this Dutch oven because it was eligible for the 4 for 3 deal here at Amazon and the other model I looked at wasn't.I was afraid of how heavy it would be.The Dutch oven really isn't all that bad weight wise.My electric slow cooker seems heavier by comparison.This is my first time using a cast iron Dutch oven and when I finally got it I was so excited I decided to start cooking on it right away.The fact that it comes pre seasoned bothered me a little because I didn't get to choose the kind of oil I wanted since it was already predetermined.Nobody is really selling unseasoned cast iron these days though so I decided to go with the Lodge brand made right here in America.I was really distracted by the concept of pre seasoning but now that the Dutch oven is here my misgivings about it are completely gone.The pre seasoning is not sticky or gross, it wasn't thick like it could chip off and there was no funny smell to it at all all things I was paranoid about.Compared to the worries about Teflon and the fumes from it though, the pre seasoning of cast iron is the least of my concerns. They were clean, ready to use and I loved being able to dig it right out of the box and start using it as soon as it arrived.
It was only received yesterday and so far I've used it twice to cook vegetables and once I've used the lid to fry bacon as suggested by another reviewer.FABULOUS!I will add that I didn't stir anything in these pots.I just set the food in and let it cook in there.Nothing stuck to the Dutch.When everything was done and the pot cooled I simply hosed it off with water and a soapy sponge, then dried it up.Splendid!Paper towels shed in this pot however.It might be better to use a cloth or a rag of some sort that wont leave lint behind.
The lid does not have a knob on the top like most lids you see on a Dutch oven.When I put this lid on the Dutch oven I'm sure not to line up the side handles to the handles on the Dutch so that it's easier to remove the lid for stirring, adding ingredients and peeking in to see how things are coming.The lid seems to fit the same way on the pot no matter which direction you put it on so there's no qualitative reason to line up the handles.Just make sure you protect your hands with oven mitts because this thing does get very hot.I just ordered another lid for it.It's not something I really *need* to do, the present lid works just fine.I just thought it might be nice to have one of those lids with the spiky interior for even distribution of condensation back in to the food as it cooks.The lid that comes with it is smooth inside which is handy for using it as a skillet.In all honesty I'm purchasing this other lid simply because I know it exists, the present lid is perfectly fine so far.I just like having other options and I'm hoping the spike lid I just bought will also fit on the Dutch oven lid.Wouldn't that be cool?
Don't be afraid of this Dutch oven.It's a keeper!I'm really pleased with my purchase.
EDIT:
I finally got the other lid and it fits perfectly with no problems.I'm glad I bought this particular Dutch however and not the other.The lid that comes with this Dutch is ideal for the way I use it.I make short ribs but instead of braising them beforehand I put them in the hot liquid straight from the freezer. The ribs pile up high in the Dutch.The new lid would not fit on top of the meat but the depth of the original lid makes it fit right over it with no problems.I've searched and you can't buy this lid separately, it only comes with this particular Dutch.I'm thrilled with the other lid too but I'm REALLY glad I have this one.Options are A+ in my book.Purchase a steel brush with this pot.I've bought a couple of Lodge cast iron products and they do tend to develope rust.I scrubbed them with a Quickie steel brush and reseasoned them a few times which solved the rust problem.You DO need to season these yourself though.The preseasoning is just a quick dressing to get you started.
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As usual Lodge has outdone themselves with this unique double dutch oven.It makes excellent roast and the great part is that the top can be used as a serving platter for the table keeping the sliced roast and vegetables warm as only cast iron can do. It also works well for cobblers, stews and soups.
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I absolutely love Circulon "Infinite" cookware!It does everything that's promised, and goes into the dishwasher too!Believe me; this can be a very important feature if quick and easy cleanup is important you.Yet, that is not my only reason for giving this product a five star rating.I've owned many brands of cookware over the years, and for one reason or another, they have fallen short of my expectations.Yes, even my Calphalon cookware can't hold a candle to Circulon "Infinite."For instance, I've had a couple Calphalon frying pans for more than a year now.I tend not to use them because their non-stick properties are lacking--so much so that making eggs "over-easy" is almost impossible.I've tried several different things to correct this problem, but no matter what I've tried, food continues stick, which not only makes cooking more difficult, but it makes cleanup more difficult as well.Another problem that I have is that the bottoms of my Calphalon pans have a slight curve to them; as a result they don't sit firmly on my burners.On the other hand, however, each of my "Infinite" cookware pieces have a flat bottom, which allows them to sit firmly on my burners, and I never have a problem with food sticking to them.
