Le Creuset 9 Cast Iron Skillet for Home Cooks

Cornbread, a quintessential comfort food, is often crafted in a cast iron skillet greased with either bacon drippings or vegetable oil. Chefs globally agree on the skillet's extraordinary capability to create a delightful contrast between a crispy, golden crust and a tender, fluffy interior. Our diverse selection of premium enameled cast iron cookware is carefully designed for both convenience and versatility, catering to various cooking styles, kitchen appliances, and dining aesthetics. Before using your cookware for the first time, we recommend reading this section. It contains crucial information to help you achieve optimal cooking results.

Enameled cast iron is a unique and durable material that meets the demands of contemporary cooking and food preparation. Regardless of whether you're stir-frying, slow-cooking a casserole, searing a steak, or baking a cake, you will find a suitable shape within our collection. This versatile material excels in both slow cooking and high-temperature searing.

One of the standout features of cast iron is its adaptability to various heat sources, including induction, as well as its compatibility with all ovens and grills. Its excellent heat retention enables effective use of lower heat settings during stovetop and oven cooking, while a hot covered dish can maintain warmth for second servings at the table. Beyond keeping food hot, cast iron can also serve as an effective cold server for chilled dishes on warm summer days. Additionally, it can be placed in the freezer for food storage or preparation in advance.

High temperatures should be reserved for boiling water to cook vegetables or pasta, as well as reducing stocks or sauces. However, it's essential not to preheat cast iron pans at high temperatures before lowering the heat for cooking, as the efficient heat retention can lead to burning or sticking if the pan overheats.

The vitreous enamel surface on our cookware is impermeable, making it ideal for storing both raw and cooked foods. It's also suitable for marinating with acidic ingredients, such as wine. When frying or sautéing, it's important to ensure that the fat is hot prior to adding food. It’s best to bring the pan and fat or oil to the desired temperature simultaneously. You can tell that oil is sufficiently heated when it displays a gentle ripple on its surface. For butter and similar fats, the presence of bubbles or foam indicates the right temperature. If either begins to smoke or if the butter browns, the heat is too high and should be moderated by removing the pan from the heat momentarily.

For extended shallow frying, a combination of oil and butter yields excellent results. Enameled cast iron is known for its exceptional heat distribution and retention, requiring no seasoning before use. The durable enamel is easy to clean and resists dulling, staining, chipping, and cracking. Its black satin interior enamel has been specially formulated to withstand higher surface temperatures, promoting excellent cooking performance. Offering the lightest weight cast iron per quart on the market, this cookware is compatible with all cooktops and oven-safe up to 500°F, and also safe for use in the dishwasher.

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