Le Creuset

[Amara]

Do you have any? If so, how do you use it? I am asking only to get more ideas because while Cook's Illustrated has quite a few I know my fellow e-Hellions will have more. And I am new to Le Creuset, though I have lusted after them for years.

I drove down to the outlet for Le Creuset today, and I got the 10 1/4-inch skillet and the  7 1/4-inch round oven, both in red. (Also got the silicone handle for the skillet plus the silicone spatula.) I was tempted by a few other things but felt that the total price was enough of a load for my credit card today.

So, what do you have? And how do you use it? Was there a learning curve?

[amandaelizabeth]

I have a couple of dutch ovens.  I have found that you should cook on slightly lower temps and for shorter times as they hold the heat for ever.  So if the recipe says three hours say, i turn the oven off after two and a half hours and let it just sit.

[Baxter]

I love my Creuset.  I use it for stews and chillis, anything with a long slow cooking time.  I have a slow cooker also and have found that Le Crueset is actually better, the end result is far better and the cooking times aren't as long.

I'm saving up for the skillet!

[Catananche]

Something rather different:

http://www.simplysogood.com/2010/03/crusty-bread.html

The plain ones were very tasty, but the orange/cranberry/almond bread was the biggest hit.

I also use it for goulash, stews etc.

[Momiitz]

My favorite is the sauce pan with lid. If you like to make sauces, gravy, I even make cheese sauce for Mac and cheese in it. 

[kckgirl]

Something rather different:

http://www.simplysogood.com/2010/03/crusty-bread.html

The plain ones were very tasty, but the orange/cranberry/almond bread was the biggest hit.

I also use it for goulash, stews etc.

Make the bread!!!  It's the very best bread I have ever made at home, and I have made a lot of very good bread at home.

[Acadianna]

I absolutely adore my LeCreuset!  I researched different lines of cookware before settling on LeCreuset, and have no regrets all all.  I built my set over a couple of years, buying a piece or two every month from the outlet store.

We have quite a few pieces now (saute pans, Dutch ovens, bouillabaise pot, risotto pot, tea kettle, even the wok) and love all of it.  One of my favorites is a long-handled pot whose top is a small enameled frying pan, great for grilled cheese sandwiches or small omelets.  My daughter got the only one of another piece that I still hope to find someday -- it's a really large square enameled cast iron roasting pan, that is lovely for roasting multiple Cornish hens or chickens.  We use the LeCreuset for everything -- soups, stews, chili, pan dishes, pretty much whatever we happen to be cooking.  Being cast iron, it takes a bit longer for a pot to heat up, but they do hold heat well.

LeCreuset also has a line of wine glasses that I love.  Their bakeware is nice too.

One thing to be careful of in purchasing from the outlet store is that they sell "seconds," which means pieces that didn't pass inspection for sale in regular stores.  Almost always, this involves very minor defects (such as a tiny barely-visible dot of missing enamel) that don't make any difference, either in appearance or cooking -- but you still want to check and make sure.  The outlet store prices are wonderful though, usually at least half off regular retail and often more if you catch a special sale or have a coupon.

Another thing to be careful of is stacking the pieces in your cabinet, as the enamel can scratch.  There's a set of pot protectors, not too expensive, that you can place between pieces.  Here's the search page on Amazon that has sets at a variety of prices (and Pampered Chef also has them, but don't go by the PC set on the Amazon page which are different and much more expensive than the set PC sells on their own website):

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=pot+protectors

Last of all, if you have any of the enameled pieces, LeCreseut sells their own enamel cleaner.  Stains are usually not a problem -- the stuff cleans like a dream! -- but if you happen to get a stain or two, the cleaner works very well.

Edited for spelling.

[Acadianna]

Something rather different:

http://www.simplysogood.com/2010/03/crusty-bread.html

The plain ones were very tasty, but the orange/cranberry/almond bread was the biggest hit.

That bread recipe looks amazing!!!  I can't wait to try it!!!  A loaf of that bread, with some of her honey butter, would make a lovely Christmas gift.

The rest of her website is great too.  Some wonderful recipes there, and the best part is that she provides photos for every step of the process.

[sparksals]

I have my mom's burnt orange LeCreuset 5 qt dutch oven that she got when she was first married in 1960.  It is in FABULOUS shape.  I use it for soups, stews, roasting meat and it cleans like a charm. It is heavy but I absolutely love it!  The thing has been going strong for 53 years.  Some of the enamel inside has faded, but it is still in great shape, does not stick and no rust.

I can't wait to try the bread.

[half_dollars]

I love, love, love mine-2 Dutch ovens, a soup pot, and a shorter Dutch oven-type pot!  I'm slowly building up my set, and really use them for almost everything.  I just bought 2 griddle-like pans, but haven't used them, so I can't vouch for them.  I also have a wok, but I really don't like it, the way it takes so long for the sides to heat compared to the bottom nor the way it doesn't clean up easily.

I bought an Ikea Dutch oven first, because I didn't want to spend all the money for a Le Creuset and not use it, but IMO, the Le Creuset is just degrees better!

I bought mine at their outlet store, on sale from Williams Sonoma outlet and also from TJMaxx, so I didn't pay full price for any of them.

I dropped one of my Dutch ovens on my tile floor, and it chipped/cracked.  I called Le Creuset's customer service, and shipped my broken pot back with a check for $80 and received a new pot w/lid. I almost hated to start using it, because it would have made an awesome gift for someone, but, my "need" for the pot won out.  :-)

[sparksals]

Why did you have to send $80?

[half_dollars]

Why did you have to send $80?

Sorry, my mind knew what I wanted to say!

Dropping the pot wasn't covered in the warranty.  So, they replaced my broken pot for $80-better than having to buy a new pot!

[Acadianna]

Dropping the pot wasn't covered in the warranty.  So, they replaced my broken pot for $80-better than having to buy a new pot!

My sister's LeCreuset went through Hurricane Katrina, so it spent weeks sitting in nasty brackish water.  (Her house flooded almost to the ceiling.  We helped her sort through the muck and debris, trying to find salvageable items.  What a mess!)  The LeCreuset did rust, and wasn't covered by warranty apparently, but they did allow her to repurchase at significant savings.

[WillyNilly]

I love my LeCruset dutch oven.  I also have basically a full set of bake ware from them, and a mid-sized pan.  They are heavy, but they cook things so nicely and look so lovely, its worth the weight.

[Amara]

I can't wait to use it, and I am going to make that crusty bread tomorrow. It looks fantastic!