Kitchen

[CamilleP]

@Sooner  You were right!  The Q just posted some upcoming TSV's for the week and the Le Creuset is a 9.75" grill pan.  UGH!  It has that black finish that I find is very much NOT non-stick, too, so it's a very easy pass for me.  Guess I'm saving money this week.

[Othereeeen]

@CamilleP 

You are spot on about this surface being as non-stick as you can get. And when I say non stick, I mean GLUED to the raised grill part.

I don't know why Le Creuset insists on using this "matte enamel" coating when it is THE stickiest surface I ever cooked on. EVER.

I see now Nate is including more cleaning instructions because reviews in the past mentioned the horrible sticking problem. 

I can live with developing a "patina" over time, but the stickiness of this surface makes this a NO for me.

Le Creuset sand finish is indestructible and SO easy to clean. I wonder why they insist on using this finish when the sand finish is so superior. Maybe it's the raised grill sections, don't know.

Staub has a black finish too and it is night and day compared to Le Creuset's. Perfect non stick, and the raised grill is a tad higher that elevates the food off the bottom of the pan.Makes a HUGE difference.

I have a TON of Le Creuset and cook all the time, and consider myself an expert user of the product. I hardly use any other type of cookware.

This grill pan is, IMHO, a not one of ther better offerings. 

Anyway....there is a tutorial on the Le Creuset website about how to sear and clean these pans.

Pretty colors, but I won't buy!!!

[Wildhorses14]

I would be interested in a bread oven for a future Le Creuset TSV. Homemade bread is always so delicious!

[CamilleP]

@Othereeeen  Thank you, sometimes I think I am the only person who hates that black coating Le Creuset uses, I appreciate hearing that others share my opinion.  I'm also not fond of grill pans in general, I cook steaks in a Zakarian cast iron skillet which is very non-stick and cleans up easily, and on the smooth surface I get sear all across each steak, not just little stripes, and the whole piece of meat cooks evenly.  I know that the "grill marks" are desired by lots of cooks because it makes the meat look more like it was cooked outdoors over charcoal (propane, most of the time, really), but I'm just happy to be able to cook steak, I don't need to kid myself about how.

I was hoping the new break oven was going to be the TSV, but the Q only ever had the cerise in stock, despite using photos from LC showing other colors, and it's been sold out for a while now.  It also has the black finish on the bottom plate of it, so now I am re-thinking my desire to purchase one of these cast iron pieces.  Do you have the bread oven, @Othereeeen ?  If so, do you like it and find it useful?

[Othereeeen]

@CamilleP 

I do have the bread oven...I bought it when it first came out....but I was leery because it too has that black enamel...

I haven't used it yet. I think it'll be OK because it's not subject to grease, oil, food bits.

I bought it because I really like the shaped enamel cast iron from both Le Creuset and Staub. I got Caribbean blue and it IS pretty and interesting!

I have a few of the Staub 5 qt cast iron chicken cocottes that william sonoma sold years ago ( they are on E-bay occasionally-that's where I found mine....)

And the pumpkins, tomatoes, artichoke etc....

Staub makes really nice unusual shaped enamelled cast iron....that was my Covid addiction while locked up in the house for a year!!! I rue the day I ever saw the first one on E-bay!!

But...I always wanted chickens....so now I have some!! These don't eat or moult and I will never have to chop of thier heads!!!!

[Sooner]

@Othereeeen @CamilleP  

My husband and I are really in the minority here because we use and like a lot the black finishes.  We have found if we don't get them too hot, oil them lightly after they are heated and before we add meat or poultry that it helps a lot.  If they are too hot things can stick.

Also, pour in hot water as soon as you take the food out and let it sit a while and we haven't had a real problem.  

But they make a lot of different cookware for how and what we all do differently!  And we do love those little ridges for cornbread!  

[CamilleP]

@Othereeeen  I had to help my Mom and Grandma kill chickens when I was a little girl, and I never, ever want to do that again, so I'll never keep live chickens, either.  That, and we live in the forest and I don't want to attract the predators that would come around looking to eat my chickens, either!

You have the same color of the bread oven that I collect, Caribbean.  I don't have any of the figural Staub or Le Creuset pieces, I don't have room to store very much in my antiquated kitchen, so I am resisting temptation to get a bunch more cast iron pieces.  I am thinking I might "scratch the itch" for a chicken piece by getting that Temptations "Doodle Doo" teakettle if it comes back in stock in the red color, it's a lighter-weight piece I could make room for.

I look forward to hearing about your results whenever you do use your bread oven, it looks to me as if it ought to make really good, crusty round loaves.  I'm looking forward to trying sourdough, for instance.  Thanks for sharing your info!

[CamilleP]

Thank you, @Sooner , for sharing your tip!.  I will try that method the next time I want to use a grill pan.  I have a square borosilicate glass dish, I think it's 9"x9", that has a

"lock-n-lock" style lid, and I tend to bake cornbread in it because after it cools I can cover it solidly to put it in the fridge.  We've been experimenting with cornbread recipes lately to try putting cooked sausages or ground beef, seasond in different ways, along with various cheeses, to make the cornbread into a sort of one-dish supper, and so far it's all barely fit, so if we wind up doing it again, I may move to something like a bigger cast iron dish, using your advice to make sure it doesn't stick.  Thanks again!