If you feel overwhelmed when looking for a new Dutch oven, you’re not alone. There are a plethora of different material types, sizes, shapes, and colors. And with so many options, the process of choosing the right product can be a headache. So, my article on the 5 Reasons To Own An Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven aims to help with just that.
I purchased the Lodge EC6D43 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven about a year ago. You can visit our full review of this Dutch oven by clicking here. And let me tell you, it is one of the best purchases I have ever made. In fact, it is without a doubt, the best piece of cookware I have ever purchased.
Not only is it well-built, but it is versatile, easy to use, and easy to clean. Not to mention, it is quite easy on the eyes as well. Furthermore, the Lodge EC6D43 enameled cast iron Dutch oven will not break the bank. It is extremely well priced for the benefits it offers.
With an enameled cast iron Dutch oven, you’ll be able to focus less on which cooktop type to use, or how hard cleanup will be. This is because, with an enameled cast iron Dutch oven, all cooktop types are opened up to you including induction. And, with a porcelain enamel coating, cleanup is always a breeze.
So, in this article, I will be sharing my top 5 reasons to own an enameled cast iron Dutch oven. Furthermore, I will also be discussing the pros and cons of owning such a product. Finally, I will give some tips on cleaning and maintenance. So, let’s get into it, shall we?
5 Reasons To Own An Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Usability:
Probably one of the most important qualities a piece of cookware can possess is being easy to use. And you’ll know after cooking a few meals if your Dutch oven is worth the money. Luckily, a quality enameled cast iron Dutch oven can make all the difference.
Furthermore, your Dutch oven needs to be easy to clean and maintain. The last thing you want to do is spend hours scrubbing and scraping food particles off of your Dutch oven. And with a quality enameled coating, these issues will be a thing of the past.
Also, a high quality enameled coating will reduce hot-spots, and allow your food to cook evenly. So how does the Lodge EC6D43 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven stack up? Well, I have cooked well over 50 meals over the past year. And this Dutch oven does not disappoint.
First of all, this Dutch oven is incredibly easy to cook with. And thanks to its cast iron core, this Dutch oven heats up fast and retains that heat longer. However, one of its greatest features is how easy it cleans up.
First, I scrape any excess food particles from my Dutch oven using a plastic scraper. This will ensure that I will not scrape and damage the enamel coating. Next, I will soak the Dutch oven in hot, soapy water.
Finally, I scrub my Dutch oven with a nylon scrubber brush, making sure I remove all food particles. Then, I simply let it air dry in the drain board. It should be noted, that this Dutch oven is dishwasher safe. However, this may cause fading of the exterior finish, so I choose to hand wash instead. As you can see, the Lodge EC6D43 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven is incredibly easy to use.
Versatility:
The next reason to own an enameled cast iron Dutch oven is versatility. And if the Lodge EC6D43 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven is anything, it’s versatile. With this Dutch oven, you’ll be able to sauté, fry, sear, braise, roast, broil, and bake.
Furthermore, I can even place it in the oven up to 500°F. I have baked spaghetti, bread, casseroles, and even birthday cakes. The sky really is the limit. And with this Dutch oven, as well as others like it, you really do get the best of both worlds.
What may those benefits be you ask? Well, with a cast iron body and a porcelain enamel coating, you can enjoy the superior heat retention of cast iron. And the porcelain coating will allow you to cook acidic and alkaline foods, and can even be used to marinate.
I personally like to marinate chicken and steak overnight in the fridge. And when I’m ready to cook, I simply let the Dutch oven set out for a half an hour to get closer to room temperature. This prevents the cookware from cracking when brought to higher temps.
So, as you can plainly see, the Lodge EC6D43 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven is definitely not lacking in the versatility department. And owning a piece of cookware as versatile as this makes all the difference. Just think of all the meals and memories you’ll create for friends and family.
Ability To Use On Most Cook-top Types:
One of the greatest benefits of cast iron cookware is its ability to be used on an induction cook-top. And with an enameled cast iron Dutch oven, you can do just that. In fact, these types of cookware can be used with gas, electric, ceramic, and induction cook-tops.
This prevents the need to use multiple pieces of cookware to cook on multiple cook-top types. For example, if you were to use a solid porcelain piece of cookware, you would not be able to use it with an induction cook-top.
Furthermore, if you wanted the benefits of induction cooking, aluminum and nonstick cookware would be out of the question as well. However, be sure to fully lift your enameled cast iron Dutch oven when moving to and from your cook-top. This is to prevent scratching of the cookware and to reduce damage on the cooktop itself.
As I have shown, the benefits of owning an enameled cast iron Dutch oven just keep stacking up. Owning one of these pieces of cookware will allow you to forget about the technicalities, and just be creative with meal preparation.
Quality Construction:
Most pieces of enameled cast-iron cookware will be well made. They will all have a cast iron core, surrounded by a durable porcelain coating. With the Dutch oven I purchased, the Lodge EC6D43 model, this definitely holds true.
This Dutch oven is manufactured by Lodge. The Lodge corporation was established in 1896 and is located in South Pittsburg, Tennessee. Since this time, they have been leaders in manufacturing, non-enameled cast-iron cookware. These include skillets, Dutch ovens, and griddles.
And their porcelain-enameled cast-iron cookware is no different in quality and legacy. Likewise, attention to detail and quality control are always of the utmost importance. The porcelain enamel coating is actually glass that is bonded to the cast iron core at temperatures up to 1,400°F.
This coating melts and fuses with the cast iron core creating an irreversible permanent bond. On the Lodge EC6D43 Dutch oven, there is no exposed cast iron. However, the pot and lid rims are covered with a black matte porcelain finish. This reduces the risk of the lid sliding off the pot itself.
While enameled cast iron Dutch ovens are rugged, there are some caveats to take notice of. As expected, if these Dutch ovens are dropped there’s a good chance they will crack or shatter altogether. Furthermore, the interior cast iron core can warp or bend if dropped as well.
Another great feature of cast iron is its ability to withstand high oven temperatures. And the Lodge EC6D43 Dutch oven is no exception. You can bake or broil in any conventional or convection oven at temperatures up to 500°F. And since the lid knob is made of stainless steel, you can place the lid in the oven as well.
Affordability:
While there are some enameled cast iron Dutch ovens that are in the higher price range. The product I chose, was both feature-rich as well as affordable. In fact, most quality enameled cast iron Dutch ovens are priced under $100.
Furthermore, when compared to stainless steel or non-enameled cast iron Dutch ovens, enameled cast iron Dutch ovens can be a real bargain. Likewise, since you are getting the versatility of cast iron as well as porcelain enamel, you can purchase fewer pieces of cookware.
So, if you want versatility, quality construction, usability, the ability to use almost all cook-top types, then get yourself an enameled cast iron Dutch oven as well. And if you are interested in learning more about the Dutch oven I purchased, then you can visit my full review of the Lodge EC6D43 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven.
How I Cook In My Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven:
First off, before I begin cooking, I will usually apply vegetable oil, olive oil, or cooking spray inside the Dutch oven. And while this isn’t always necessary, I find that it is just an added layer of protection in keeping food from sticking.
Next, when cooking meals, I always use low to medium heat. I know if you’ve been cooking for any amount of time, this should be common knowledge. However, you would be surprised how many people crank the heat all way up to high.
This is unnecessary, especially with cast-iron cookware. Cast-iron cookware offers superior heat retention qualities. Therefore, it takes less energy and heat to bring your cookware up to temperature. And after it does reach the desired temperature, it holds that heat longer.
I also never heat my Dutch oven up when it’s empty. This, along with placing a Dutch oven that has been in the fridge on a hot stove top, can cause the porcelain enamel to crack. Like I said before, this should all be common knowledge. However, I’m going to lay it out anyway for those who don’t know.
While preparing meals, I also only use nylon, silicone, or wooden utensils. This is because metal utensils can easily scratch the porcelain enamel cooking surface. And the last thing you want to do is damage your new enameled cast iron Dutch oven.
Some More Great Tips:
One thing that I never do with my enameled cast iron Dutch oven, is using it outdoors over a grill or campfire. Regular non-enameled cast-iron cookware is great for outdoor use. However, the porcelain enameled types of cast-iron cookware can crack under an open flame or heat source.
My final word of advice when cooking with an enameled cast iron Dutch oven is burner size selection. I always make sure the stove-top burner size that I use closely matches the diameter of the bottom of my Dutch oven.
This will prevent hot-spots as well as the tendency to overheat, as the sidewalls of the pan and the handles can become too hot too quickly. I share these tips and techniques because I want your Dutch oven to last as long as possible.
As you can see, an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven is quite low maintenance. All you have to do is adhere to some basic safety practices to ensure a quality cooking experience. Just remember to have fun and be creative in the kitchen whenever possible.
5 Reasons To Own An Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven – Conclusion
Well, there you have it. Owning an enameled cast iron Dutch oven offers many benefits. Furthermore, this type of cookware can replace several other pots, pans, and skillets. Cast iron offers superior heat retention, while the enameled coating allows more acidic foods to be prepared without harmful chemical reactions.
With that said, I highly recommend owning an enameled cast iron Dutch oven. And as stated before, I purchased the Lodge EC6D43 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven about a year ago. After extensive use and testing, I cannot recommend this Dutch oven enough. It offers reliability, quality, usability, and versatility.
So, if you are interested in the Dutch oven I chose and highly recommend, you can click here for my full review. Finally, I would like to personally thank you for visiting and taking the time to read my article. I hope this article will help and benefit you in finding your next enameled cast iron Dutch oven. Thank you again and have a great day.
