Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 3-1/2-Quart Buffet Casserole, Red
by Le Creuset
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List Price: Our Price: $189.95 You Save: $80.05 (30%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $176.99 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 3-1/2-Quart Buffet Casserole, Red
Customer Review: Gift to My Daughter - LeCreuset Buffet Casserole
Summary: 5 Stars
The Casserole was exactly what my daughter wanted. It was priced right and came within a few days of odering. I am very pleased with this purchase.Customer Review: Beautiful and Versatile
Summary: 5 Stars
I just cooked the Sauerbraten recipe from Molly Stevens "All About Braising" cookbook entirely in this pan. The results were fabulous. This pan is very versatile since it is quite wide (12") and deep enough to hold a 4LB chuck roast. You can crank up the heat to medium high to sear the meat and you will be get that great fond that adds so much taste to the sauce. The lid fits extremely well so that no braising liquid was lost in the 3 hours that the roast sat in the oven. The clean up was simple using a Dobie pad with detergent - really as easy as non-stick. This piece of cookware is so nice looking that we leave it out on the cooktop as kitchen decoration. So, while a Lodge dutch oven may work almost as well and is a lot cheaper, it can't compare to how great this pan looks in our kitchen.
One note of caution. The enamel has some scratchs on the bottom from the pan being dragged about the cooktop and oven rack. I can see a little shiny metal, leaving me to think that the pan has an aluminum disk in addition to the cast iron. Need more time to see if this becomes a problem.
Customer Review: Constantly in use in our house
Summary: 5 Stars
My thoughtful guy stopped off at a Le Creuset outlet and called me from the store: "Hey, I'm at the Le Creuset outlet and you can have anything you want!" Oh, boy, it wasn't even my birthday. After consultation with the helpful sales assistant, we chose this casserole. It's large and flat like a skillet, has a domed cover, two side handles and it has the regular enamel lining. The sales assistant claimed it was the most used pot in her kitchen. I agree!
We leave this out on the stove as it's rather large. We do a lot of things in it, but recently we made Swiss Steak. I am not a big Swiss Steak fan, but when someone comes home with the wrong meat for the grill (hint; you BRAISE round steak, not grill it) then you deal with it. I hammered flour into the steaks with the cubed side of the meat mallet. Then sauteed the meat in the Le Creuset casserole. I added minced onion, a can of diced tomatoes and let the whole thing simmer on the stove (though I could have finished it in the oven--this goes in the oven at moderate temperatures.) The result was a tender Swiss steak and with judicious stirring from time to time with a spatula to release the meat from the enamel surface, it was an easy cleanup.
Unlike teflon, you do have to stir to avoid catching the food on the bottom. I find that a nylon spatula, shoved under the meat from time to time, releases it well. But I'd advise you never really leave this kind of pot to cook on its own even on the lowest heat unless you have a heat spreader or even heat. Our gas stove seems to create hot spots under the surface, so I keep an eye on it from time to time.
The cleanup is easy--no abrasives or rough pads, please, but a good soaking cleans it up with a mild scrubbing nylon pad. The cream enamel does stain from tomato and caramelized foods, quick cleanup mitigates this, but over time, you will see some darkening. This bothers some people but as long as the surface is intact, we are ok with a bit of staining.
If you do a lot of skillet cooking and like Le Creuset, this piece is wonderful and it can go from stove to tabletop because it is quite pretty.
Customer Review: Great Looking and Functional
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently purchased the 3 1/2 quart buffet casserole. I was worried about the size, but found that this pot beats the capacity of my 9 x 13 rectangular pyrex baking dish by 1/2 quart...and it has an oven proof lid! So, any casserole that fits into my pyrex, will also fit into my buffet casserole, which is a much prettier serving piece.
I also love the heat retention properties of Le Creuset cookware. This is helpful, as I only have one oven and sometimes need to cook a side dish in the oven after removing the main course. No worries about the main course getting cold!
Customer Review: extremely versatile, overpriced
Summary: 4 Stars
I use my Le Creuset casserole often but was amazed to see how easily and quickly its lining can be chipped. For this reason, I would say the casserole is overpriced but I continue to use my chipped one over and over, both stove-top and in the oven.