I received a Lodge Enamel 7-Quart Dutch Oven in Patriot Red as an early Christmas present. It is absolutely wonderful, cooks like a dream, and the gorgeous color couldn't be more festive. It is perfect for slow cooking wintry dishes beef short ribs or lamb shanks, and it does a marvelous job baking that New York Times No-Knead Bread that is all the rage (though I have to admit I now bake mine on my baking stone so I can make two loaves at once.) This dutch oven is something I plan to keep forever. The Lodge Enamel Dutch Ovens recently rated highest in a comparison of similar items in Fine Cooking magazine--including Le Creuset. It's also less than half the price of Le Creuset. I went with the larger 7-quart size and am glad I did, but it does weigh about 17 pounds. Lodge also offers a 5-quart version. ~Susan

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Product Description

With Enamel Cast Iron cookware you get all the great benefits of cast iron like even heating, excellent heat retention and legendary cooking performance without having to "season" the pan. The 7 Qt Dutch oven features include self basting lid and easy grip handles.

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Product Details

• Brand: Lodge

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Customer Reviews

Gives Le Creuset a run for it's money
I've always wanted a Le Creuset Dutch oven for a long time, but they are just too expensive. I like my Lodge cast iron pan a lot so I decided give their enamel Dutch oven a shot. I was impressed the moment I opened the box. It looks and feels like a Le Creuset. I have used it for 2 slow-cooking dishes and it performed flawlessly. Nothing stuck to the inside or outside of the oven. When wearing oven mitts, I also like the handle more than that of Le Creuset.

Amazing piece of cookware.
This dutch oven is simply great. It's hefty, beautiful, and cooks like a dream. The handle is really neat, too. The quality of the pan is top-notch. It cooks well and cleans up with ease. (...)

The pan does appear to be made in China to Lodge's specifications. It's clearly a Lodge pan with their name engraved on the handles. It doesn't bother me in the least, but if that's something that bothers you than best of luck.

For me, I have found a pan that's going to be in my kitchen for the rest of my life.

Very solid Dutch Oven
I made my first-of-many gumbos in the Lodge Dutch Oven today. While it seems to take a while longer to get up to heat vs. stainless or plain cast iron, it does fine once you get there. If a roux usually takes 2 beers, according to Emeril, this may take 2.5. Or maybe I need to jack the heat in the initial stages; we'll get it figured out.

Anyway, a beautiful tool. The white interior makes it easy to ensure that you don't burn the roux. Also, no one has mentioned the extras here--stalactitic knobs on the lid that encourage condensation, which aids in braising/stewing. Nice stainless inlays on the handles. Lodge paid attention to the details here; this is a fine lifetime investment. When you add in that it's 100 or so less than the Frenchified version, it's a no-brainer where I come from. This is the best value going in enameled cast-iron cookware.