This makes Le Creuset skillets and grill pans ideal for searing because of their exceptionally even heat distribution and retention.
Thermal shock is really the biggest risk for LC (other than dropping) and the enamel coating. Just treat it gently and you should be fine. No metal tools, regardless of what you see pro chefs, and even chefs on LC's own videos, do. Use wood, silicone, nylon, etc. And never bang a metal spoon on the side of the pan.
Medium or low heat will provide the best results for cooking, including frying and searing. Allow the pan to heat gradually and thoroughly for even and efficient cooking results.
What Kind of Pan is Best for Searing? To get an even and crisp sear on a piece of chicken you will want to use a thick, heavy bottom pan like a cast iron skillet or enameled cast iron skillet. I personally like to use an enameled braising pan because it comes with a top.
Le Creuset is quite literally the reigning monarch of cookware and that is not up for debate. We could rave about their entire line of top-notch, color-infused, French-made pots and pans all day, but we'll keep to one: the wide, shallow shape of this cast iron makes it ideal for egg dishes.
And use just enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan and heat the oil just until it is shimmering but not smoking. Turn down the heat – Le Creuset skillets and pans retain heat exceptionally well. So you only need to use medium to medium-high heat for searing.
For crispy "oven-fried" chicken, try an enameled cast-iron pan. I have to admit, I created this recipe for one of my very favorite pans — a round, two-handled, enameled cast-iron Le Creuset skillet.
When we tested enameled cast iron skillets, we seared a whole bunch of pork chops. You can see how the browned differently per pan here. Both enameled and bare pans are great at searing. The presence of an enamel coating may slightly hinder browning, though.
It's important not to overheat your Le Creuset Cast Iron Casserole – this can cause food to stick. Always cook on a low to medium heat, whatever heat source you're using. Make sure you build heat gradually too.
Le Creuset Dutch ovens have nice wide handles, easily grippable with oven mitts, and are lighter than most other enameled cast-iron Dutch ovens available today. The 5.5-quart Dutch oven we tested from Le Creuset weighed in at a little over 11 pounds.
Expensive — the cost for a 5 1/2-quart pot is $420 when it's not on sale. The light interior can be easily scratched by metal tools and stained by food (although you can eliminate some stains with a bit of elbow grease).
The most common reason food sticks to cast iron is because the pan is simply too hot. Because cast iron retains heat much better than other types of cookware, you generally don't need to use as high of a heat setting as you normally would with stainless steel or aluminum cookware.
As for cleaners, our Le Creuset Cast Iron Cookware Cleaner will help keep your Dutch oven looking great, and is ideal for removing metal marks caused by metal tools. Bar Keeper's Friend, or a paste of baking soda and water, also comes in handy for cleaning tough stains, oil residue and marks on your Dutch oven as well.
It is recommended to use silicone, wooden or other heat-resistant tools when cooking. NEVER use knives or other sharp metal utensils that may mark and scratch the enamel cooking surface. NEVER knock metal utensils on the top rim of the product to avoid chipping or breaking the enamel surface.
Add a splash of oil to a Le Creuset braiser then place over medium heat and once the oil just begins to smoke, carefully lay the meat in the vessel leaving space between each pieces. After a few minutes, turn the meat exposing that beautifully browned crispy surface.
While the outside enamel of Le Creuset Dutch ovens is available in a rainbow of colors, the interior is sand-colored enamel. If you use metal cooking utensils to stir foods, they will leave unsightly black or grey marks.
It may seem like ceramic cookware has to be handled with caution, but it's actually an incredibly versatile type of cookware. You can use ceramic cookware for making basically whatever you want, such as a baked casserole, a pan-seared steak, or a slow-cooked stew.
Le Creuset enameled cast iron Dutch ovens are ideal for deep frying because the excellent heat distribution and retention of cast iron keeps the oil temperature even and consistent, even when adding larger items like bone-in chicken.
Even though most treasure their Le Creuset Dutch oven as their favorite piece of cookware, many only think to pull it out when making soups, stews or things like a big batch of chili. But the Dutch oven is an uber-versatile workhorse that can handle just about any recipe or task in the kitchen.
We were looking for a dish to fit inside our air fryer and this is just what we wanted and the quality expected from le cruset .