Friday, July 10, 2020

Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven With Loop Handles

Cast Iron Dutch Oven and Lid Skillet
When fellow contributor, Dawn Rae, started tempting me with homemade bread recipes, I decided I needed a dutch oven.  My husband loves homemade bread and I enjoy cooking, so it was time to test my bread baking skills again.

It has been years since I have baked bread other than my banana bread.  I used to bake bread every week, but I got out of that habit when I let my sour dough starter ruin.  I would love to find another really good sour dough starter.  Until then, Dawn's Artisan Bread Recipe is great!  Actually, it is faster and easier than the sour dough bread I used to make and my family seems to be just as happy with Dawn's Artisan Bread. 

There are a lot of dutch ovens available, but I wanted the cast iron version.


The Versatility of Cast Iron


 Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven on Gas StoveI have cooked with a cast iron skillet my entire life.  It is heavy compared to other skillets, but you can't beat it when frying fish, frying pork chops, or baking cornbread.  

You can use cast iron on a stove top, electric or gas, as long as it has range burner elements (not recommended by some glass stove top manufacturers for a flat surface glass stove top).  
Update: Contributor Sam Monaco comments below that he uses his cast iron skillet on his glass stove top all of the time.

Cast Iron will also go in the oven, which is how my mother, my grandmother, my great grandmother and I have all baked cornbread.  That is why I wanted the cast iron dutch oven.  I knew it would be most excellent for baking!

Cast Iron can also be used on a open flame, like a campfire.  I have been known to fish which is rather ironic since I don't eat trout or catfish.  However, when you come from a family with 4 brothers and a mother who loves catfish, you better fish or you are left behind counting the hours.  Besides, I love quietly floating down the river in a boat, soaking in the sun and the beauty of nature surrounding me.  

One year, Dad hired a guide.  We caught our limit by midday, but didn't have any desire to stop fishing.  So, we pulled to shore, built a campfire and cooked our fish in a cast iron skillet along with some potatoes the guide provided.  After lunch, we fished a few more hours and brought home fish for dinner.  That is how I discovered a cast iron skillet could be used over a open campfire!


My Cast Iron Dutch Oven


 Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven With Loop Handles, 5 qtCheck PriceI purchased a 5 qt. Lodge brand cast iron dutch oven and I have be thrilled with it for several reasons.

  • The lid doubles as a skillet
  • I really like the handles on both the lid & the dutch oven
  • It is just the right size for the oven
  • Perfection in cooking due to even heating 
  • Easy to wash, dry & re-season* 
  • I know it will outlast me, which means I will never have to buy again
  • Lodge is a trusted name in cast iron.  Over 100 years in business

*Seasoning cast iron is simply rubbing it lightly with vegetable oil after washing while it is still warm from the hot water wash or you can place it back in a warm oven after applying the oil.

I chose the basic cast iron dutch oven mainly because I loved the dual purpose lid.  I knew I could flip the lid and bake cornbread on top while a roast baked below it in the dutch oven.  The top would not only be a lid for the roast, but also a skillet for the cornbread.  

One note about using the lid on the dutch oven.  In the photo, you see the lid and dutch oven handles are evenly aligned.  I prefer to offset them slightly so lifting the hot lid is much easier.

Dawn Rae chose an enameled cast iron dutch oven which should be fine for cooking on a flat, glass stove top.  You can read her review here: Enameled Cast Iron - Pricey But Worth It 


You too can Bake Dawn's Easy No-Knead Dutch Oven Artisan Bread! 
To make my bread in the intro photo, I used Dawn's recipe. 
I added 3/4 cup cranberries, 3/4 cup walnuts & 1T honey.
Simply click the image below for her recipe. 

crunchy-no-knead-round-loaf-bread





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17 comments:

  1. Oh Wow, I like that cast iron pot and lid. In my current situation, space is limited, so whatever helps me to make better use of the space I have, is a bonus. I would consider this one of those bonuses. Thanks for sharing this great Cast Iron Duo with me.

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    1. You are so right Olivia! Limited storage space can certainly make a big difference when buying anything (or not buying something). The 5 quart size easily fits into my cabinet. Anything larger (side to side) would not slip into my cabinet. Having a skillet without that long handle is definitely easier to store too.

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  2. My dad was the cook in my family growing up, and he swore by cast iron pans. So I can imagine your recommended cast iron dutch oven is perfect for your needs.

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    Replies
    1. Cast iron definitely has benefits over some of the other types. The heat is more consistent throughout the pot than my stainless steel dutch oven, which tends to get hotter and cook faster on the edges, leaving the center raw.

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  3. Sounds like a great choice to fit your needs. That lid doubling as a skillet is a real bonus.

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    Replies
    1. The lid that doubles as a skillet was certainly the clinching factor in my final decision when selecting a dutch oven.

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  4. Oh! My! You know how much I love cooking with my cast iron skillets. I don't have a Dutch Oven yet, but my daughter does have the Enameled one and she loves it. I've never seen that recommendation before. I use my cast iron skillets on my glass stove top all the time. I'll have to check that out. I wonder if it has something to do with the glass stove top, or the cast iron? Thanks Cynthia

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    1. I do know how much you love you cast iron skillet Sam! I'm really glad to hear that you use yours on the glass stove top. It made me really angry when my glass stove top booklet said not to use cast iron on it. I might not have made the choice to buy it had I known in advance. I think it said that was due to potentially scratching the glass stove top, but I need to pull out that manual again to confirm that. Knowing that you use yours on your stove top though, gives me courage to do so too! Thank you

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    2. Okay, you made me do a bit of research outside of that stove top manual. Lodge, which is on facebook, answered that question here: https://www.facebook.com/LodgeCastIron/photos/a.10151007300510496/10152629728755496/?type=3

      I guess we are not alone in wanting to use our cast iron on our glass stove tops.

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    3. Thanks, I checked it out also. The warning is due to scratching. But I have not had that problem at all, as I use my skillets all the time on the stove top. Thanks again Cynthia.

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  5. P.S. Forgot to thank Dawn Rae for the wonderful bread recipes!!!

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    Replies
    1. I've made both the artisan bread and the peasant bread. We prefer the artisan bread, but I'm going to make the peasant bread recipe again as rolls instead. To us, it has more of a dinner roll taste. They are both delicious! If you haven't tried them yet, Sam, you need to. I think you & Fran will be pleased.

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  6. Seriously you make me want one of these now! I have to get this! There's so many ways to use it! My hubby would love this too - This is now on my must get treat list. Thanks for this, if you hadn't written a review on a cast iron dutch oven I would never have even thought of something like it.

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    1. I've really enjoyed mine Barbara. My husband gets pretty excited every time I pull it out of the cabinet now. He knows he is in for something really good. I hope you get one soon. Do be sure to let me know what you think of it.

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  7. Cynthia, I love my Lodge 12" cast iron skillet (which I, too, use on our glass cooktop with no problem). I recently got rid of our nonstick Dutch oven because nonstick cookware has a limited life and it was definitely time for this one to retire, lol. Now I'm thinking I might replace it with this Lodge cast version!

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  8. Wow, I would have never thought of making bread in a dutch oven. After reading this I think I need to get me one of these.

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  9. Have always wanted a cast iron dutch oven, after looking at the bread, now I really want one!

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