Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven - 5-Quart

For a long time I wanted a Dutch oven and after deciding it was time to invest in one I was given one for Christmas. I specifically wanted a cast iron Dutch oven and this is the one I now have. So far it has been absolutely wonderful and has very much met my expectations. There are several advantages to using cast iron cookware that have been stated over and over again but I will summarize quickly: it heats evenly, it is exceptionally durable and with proper care will build up a proper non-stick surface that makes cleanup a breeze. This particular Dutch oven comes pre-seasoned. This does not mean that it is completely nonstick. Rather, what it means is that the first layer of seasoning was put on by the manufacturer and that additional care is needed to get a good, proper seasoning coat on it. If you think that being pre-seasoned means that it's nonstick and is ready to go, disappointment awaits. That said, the pre-seasoning coat is a decent start and with additional care will be a fine foundation for a true seasoning coat. After preparing the Dutch oven, I went about making a stew. The stew itself was fine and the preparation of the stew was also very mundane, but the cleanup is where the interesting part lies. Because of the seasoning one cannot scrub with steel wool or with soapy water - a coarse vinyl brush and hot water are all that are necessary. With only a little bit of effort I was able to have it clean, seasoned and ready for the next use. The next use was macaroni and cheese which took more effort to clean off but again was not earth shattering or especially difficult. Using a vinyl brush I was able to have the Dutch over clean enough to use again without spending an exorbitant amount of time on it. The lid of this particular Dutch oven has a self-basting feature. There are a number of small spikes on the underside of the lid that serve to allow condensation and water vapor to drip back down onto the food. It took me a while to realize this, but it makes good sense - putting a roast or a bird in this Dutch over should result in a moister end dish. I have not yet tested this theory but will try it sometime shortly. I have used this Dutch oven on the stovetop and in the oven, and in both cases I have gotten very even heating. This is very important - there seem to be no hot spots or cold spots (a benefit of cast iron) which makes cooking very consistent. I am very pleased with this Dutch oven. It's a very straightforward product that when cared for properly will last for years and years. It's not fancy but it doesn't need to be. If you like cast iron cookware and you're in the market for a good Dutch oven, this is a good one to consider.

I am absolutely thrilled with my Lodge L8DOLKPLT Cast Iron Dutch Oven! From its sturdy construction to its convenient dual handles, this 5-quart beauty has exceeded all my expectations. The pre-seasoned coating ensured that I could start cooking delicious meals right away without worrying about sticking or uneven heating. Plus, the size is perfect for a variety of dishes, from soups and stews to roasts and casseroles. The dual handles make it easy to transport, even when filled to the brim with piping hot food. Whether I'm cooking on the stovetop or in the oven, this Dutch oven distributes heat evenly and retains it superbly, resulting in perfectly cooked meals every time. Cleanup is a breeze thanks to the durable cast iron material, and I appreciate the versatility of being able to use it on any cooking surface, including induction cooktops. Overall, I couldn't be happier with this purchase. If you're in the market for a reliable and high-quality Dutch oven, look no further than the Lodge L8DOLKPLT. Highly recommended!

Why five stars if the title says "fourteen pounds of grief"? Read on. I got this probably six months ago, and had a moment of laziness. Normally, I'd go ahead and add several more layers of seasoning, even on the pre-seasoned iron. But I didn't this time. Which was ok. The Lodge pre-season isn't perfect, and they don't claim it is. It's just a good head start. Shortly after I got this, my wife and I left my step-daughter house-sitting for the weekend. When we got back, I found my new dutch oven ruined. Apparently, my step-daughter had burned something in it, helpfully grabbed a stainless steel scrubby and some Comet cleaner and tried to scrub out the crunchies. She only succeeded in scrubbing off the seasoning, but not the burned-on stuff. So she threw it in the sink to soak. Yep, pretty much a complete list of things you should not do to cast iron. The bottom four inches of the dutch oven were solid orange rust. My wife took one look at the expression on my face and started hustling her daughter out the front door. I wasn't going to kill her. Honest. Especially when I realized that the five-quart pot was way too big to serve as an urn for her ashes. Instead, I grabbed some sandpaper, took the rust down to bare metal, coated the pan with lard and threw it in the oven. Rinse, lather repeat. And that's the beauty of cast iron. You can't mess it up, and if you do mess it up, you can fix it. My dutch oven is better now than when it was new, and it will only continue to improve. It's forever-ware. Lodge makes a great product, right here in America, and you can't buy better cast iron. I love mine for stews, and for the occasional batch of no-knead bread. Oven, cooktop or charcoal grill, this dutch oven turns out delicious food.

Bought this because it was the only true cast iron Dutch oven I could find without the enamel coating and without color on the outside. Absolutely love it – perfect for large sourdough loaves!

Love it. I can't wait to start making sour dough bread in it.

This is a good iron dutch oven overall. I bought it as a way to get more iron into my diet. However it seems that the factory seasoning wasn't as thorough as it should have been. I have some problems with rusting when I use this, even during cooking. I'm sure it will be fine when I take the time to season it properly but I haven't gotten around to that and I was hoping I wouldn't have to. Cast iron takes a little bit more care than other cookware. You need to use steel wool to clean it and don't really want to use soap on it unless you do it carefully. Cast iron is very porous and this is important for seasoning and cleaning. When it is warm/hot, the pores open and will accept substances, oil, for instance, if you are seasoning it. But if you want to clean it with soap, make sure you only use soap with cold water so it doesn't get absorbed into the metal. If it does, the soap will be released the next time you cook and would be quite nasty. Most people rarely use soap if ever. It's not the best to leave food in for storage in the fridge unless it is something dry like cornbread. If it's a stew, cobbler or something else that's moist, you can promote the oxidizing of the iron (rust). So the good things are an increase of iron in your diet, especially if you cook acidic food in it like a tomato sauce or something with lemon juice added. Also, the heavy lid makes this item work a little like a pressure cooker, so less cooking time may be needed for certain things that steam, like rice. One thing I did not like about this specific item is the self-basting lid. I didn't know what this was when I ordered it, but upon arrival discovered that the underside of the lid has many points as a part of the casting. It is designed this way so that moisture accumulating under the lid will drip down these points (maybe 30?) and into your dish, keeping things moist or whatever. This may make a difference for certain dishes, but I just noticed that it makes it harder to clean (eats up the steel wool) and feel that a basic, traditional lid is sufficient for most things. Overall it's a pretty good product and is certainly well-made. Maybe just a little slacking on the factory seasoning as I mentioned, so be prepared to give it a nice treatment yourself.

I'm not an experienced cast iron user. I received a well seasoned one years ago (no lid) and enjoyed using it. I took care of it, it never rusted but I really wanted something that I could heat up very high and didn't warp on my electric stovetop. I enjoy cooking soups and stews and I chose this huge one so I would never run out of room for ingredients. First off, the fit and finish really surprised me. The lid fits very flush but not tight. Which means its easy to put the top on and off and no sticking or jamming. The pot has two pour spouts which the lid can cover up if you dont want your food to vent while cooking----and it doesn't vent. This lid sits so flush steam doesn't escape at all. I boiled a chicken for stock and after 13 hrs I lost only an inch of liquid through venting. I was very impressed. The surface finish has a smooth pitted feel and even the edges of the handles are slightly smoothed after the casting process---no torn/sliced fingers from this baby. I will never buy this again for myself as I am quite certain it will last forever. However, when my children fly the coup and need cookware, this will be the first thing I buy for them. It is very heavy and every purchaser should know this instinctively----its cast iron. But It is fantastic for grilling your meats in first (because it can tolerate the heat from hell without warping), sauteing your veges next, adding your broths and other ingredients and create nearly anything you want all in ONE POT. If you know how to care for one of these (watch youtube vids on how to care for cast iron cookware) it is remarkable how little effort one needs to put into them and they will maintain their seasoning very well. I love this and will be bragging about how I am a cast iron cooker for life. (except for pasta sauces and other acidic liquids)

Perfect size and price for sourdough. Workhorse! My other pricey ones can’t handle highest temps.

石窯でよく使います 鶏肉を焼いたりしています 汚れとかを気にせず使えるので嬉しいです

I purchased this dutch oven just after Christmas and it did not disappoint. It has no defects and although it came pre-seasoned I re-seasoned just once to be certain. I have cooked so many different meals in it already I use it easy every 3rd to 4th day for something. I like the size as I can do a lot of batch cooking, and stocks. I use it for Rice and Beans, large cuts of meats, small chickens, and duck. I have used it for deep frying and just recently butter chicken. It really is a workhorse. Ive had no problems with its seasoning, if your concerned about it do look up how to properly care for cast iron, it should help you. Yes it is very heavy, when its filled it is even more so, it's an 8qt Cast Iron Pot and I didnt expect anything less. All around Im happy to have finally bought myself a great quality dutch oven.

Para cocinar sobre cualquier fuego, de gran calidad.

Siempre he cocinado mis propias comidas y preparado mis propios postres (desde muffins, waffles, crepas y brownies hasta pasteles). Sin embargo, no me atrevía a hacer mi propio pan hasta hace poco. Estuve investigando mucho tiempo el tema del pan casero y mis primeros intentos (con unos moldes metálicos para baguette), fueron un verdadero desastre. La clave para un pan crujiente es contar con un ambiente no solo caliente, sino también húmedo y por lo tanto una de las sugerencias es agregar agua al horno durante el proceso de cocción. Además de ser muy incómodo y poco práctico (ya que el agua a veces se tira o se evapora demasiado rápido), este proceso siempre baja muchísimo la temperatura inicial de mi horno y como resultado da un pan súper crujiente por fuera pero pálido y crudo por dentro. La segunda opción para el pan casero son los “hornos holandeses” o simplemente ollas con tapas muy resistentes al calor. Al permanecer tapado, el mismo recipiente genera calor, vapor, y la humedad perfecta para poder crear un pan crujiente. Las mejores marcas ofrecen estos productos en colores muy llamativos y acabados en porcelana, pero pueden llegar a costar miles de pesos. Aunque adoro el pan, esta es una inversión que simplemente no me puedo permitir. Por lo tanto, me fui por la opción “genérica”, aunque Lodge es una marca muy reconocida cuyos productos ya había comprado anteriormente. A pesar de no contar con una presentación tan elegante como la de otras marcas, este producto es muy resistente y duradero. Retiene y transfiere el calor de una forma increíble, pues el hierro fundido es el mejor material para esta tarea. Aunque requiere de ciertos cuidados especiales (como todos los productos de esta marca), estos valen siempre la pena. Además, el precio es incomparable ya que por menos de mil pesos se puede comprar un artículo que podría durar toda una vida (y hasta más). Aunque en mi caso solo lo uso para hacer pan (en tan solo un mes y medio ya he horneado diez), esta “olla” es muy versátil ya que también se puede usar para hacer sopas, pastas, o incluso como freidora (aunque esto último es un poco peligroso y requiere de mucha precisión). No podría estar más contenta con un producto tan útil y que da tan buenos resultados cuando se trata de hacer pan. Este queda casi igual (o mejor) que el de la panadería y desde que compré este artículo — no he vuelto a comprar pan.

Brilliant product. I have a couple of lodge frying pans and grill plate. I won't use anything else. This was great for a slow cook on the stove. The heat seems to spread fairly evenly with not real burn spots (depends on flame intensity). I love Lodge products.