Can’t go wrong with Lodge cast iron Dutch oven. Retains heat very well Cooks evenly just a great cast iron Dutch oven. Just know that this is heavy if you have problems lifting you might think about it. On the other hand for all those who love cooking with cast iron this is the product! You can make cobblers, stews, beans, stewed apples, just a wonderful cook pot. Do yourself a favor by yourself one, by a friend or family member one of these. You will not be disappointed. Be sure after you have washed and dried this pot that you keep it oiled and you don’t want to wash it with a lot of harsh chemicals or soap nor do you want to soak it in water for very long. After you’ve washed it you can put it on the burner and dry it that way turn your burner off and then take some oil while your pan is still warm and season your skillet or your Dutch oven or what other cast iron you’re using. Maintaining cast iron Dutch oven. Lodge is my go-to for cast iron cookware.

We bout this as a versatile pot for using on the smoker but also on the stove top. It is a high quality pot but is heavy.

Just love this cast iron dutch oven! I received stainless steel cookware as a wedding gift years ago, added various other pots, pans you name it over the last forty years…but my cast iron experience was limited to a small fry pan that I used to fry taco shells…but for some reason I never used cast iron other than a few LeCreuset pieces (an au gratin pan, large fry pan, huge dutch oven)which of course have a porcelain finish and after years and years of use the porcelain was wearing thin.

My daughter, also a foodie, raved about cast iron, but really I thought maybe she just liked it because it didn’t require “cleaning” on the other hand my Mother had been totally compulsive about her Lo-Heat stainless and cleaned it with KleenKing after every use for 60 years…it still looked like new but what a hassle! I’m an inveterate fan of dishwashers and yet just rinsing out a pan after using it and putting on the stove to dry sounded “iffy”…I knew I’d end up throwing it in the dishwasher and endlessly re-seasoning and watching it rust. Incidentally I did do that every time I used the small cast iron fry pan that I’ve fried thousands of taco shells in but hey, it worked, never rusted and has a lovely patina but then again I’d never used it for anything other than putting corn oil in it and frying corn tortillas…it was re-seasoned every time I used it! So while throwing it into the dishwasher was my “guilty secret”.

My 90 plus year old Mother passed away two years ago and while I kept her stainless for sentimental reasons, I re-discovered her 70+ year old collection of cast iron the source of countless roasts, fried chicken, stews and hamburgers. These pans were fantastic (of course they’d had 70 years of seasoning and love) after trying these cast iron “beauties” and discovering they were great…and no big deal to clean, I decided when I needed a new wok to try a cast iron wok…worked GREAT! Then I had a great recipe for no-knead bread and really thought I should try this dutch oven again just GREAT. I don’t throw them into the dishwasher but I do gently swish them in a little mild dish soap, rinse them, dry them by putting them over a low flame on the stove to dry and “shine them” with a tiny film of oil and I mean really just the least amount possible it needs to disappear leaving nothing behind but the shine.

So if you are looking at a relatively inexpensive pot that can become a cherished heirloom, is virtually indestructible, tolerates high temperature both oven and stove top and, while heavy, does a super job with very little effort I’d definitely recommend one of these healthy cast iron beauties.

I was in love the moment I laid eyes! It’s durable, and perfect for frying just like I wanted. Cast Iron is for heavy fats that other pans just can’t handle over time. The cost of resources are cut since I no longer need to de-grease it, and nothing sticks to it so carbon build up and yucky smells are gone. When I use this it smells like a restaurant. People that are using this to make stew are missing the point. It’s not for water, it’s for heavy duty jobs cooking oil and animal fat. If you’re looking to make stews, get Cast Aluminum. Big Boy here is for tough jobs, and will be used indefinitely <3

Gran capacidad de cocción. Esta cosa te sobrevivira a ti, a tus hijos, tus nietos, visnietos, tataranietos, etc. Es hierro desnudo, es decir sin pintura ni nada para evitar el contacto con el oxigeno del aire. Se oxidaria facilmente de no ser por que ya viene curado, osea que tiene una capa de aceite que lo protege, pero cada vez que utilices este horno debes lavarlo solo con agua tibia, (no detergente porque le quitarias la capa de grasa que lo protege) secarlo y untarle otra capa de aceite para protegerlo mientras llega el siguiente uso.

Love the size, the handle, the weight, the craftsmanship…everything!