Lodge Logic 5 Qt Double Dutch Oven and Casserole with Skillet cover set, 10-1/4-Inch in diameter

Comment: Typical Lodge product, first rate quality. I was a little skeptical of the "pre-seasoned" part, but it was fine. The lid has limited use as a skillet, and I need to experiment more with it in that useage.

Comment: The use of the Dutch oven has recently been reborn with just about every Food Network Chef/star touting their very own product version. During the holidays a good friend purchased a beautiful royal blue Le Crueset from William Sonoma and recently served us a wonderful roast beef and veggie dinner. The meat was flavorful and rich, cooked to perfection and had complexity in flavor, much more so that the same recipe cooked in a crock pot (which often leaves everything in the pot tasting the same).

As a wanna-be homesteader, in-training, I immediately decided I must have a Dutch Oven... I went straight to William Sonoma's site, credit card in hand, and stopped dead when I saw the price tag of the Le Creuset of $250.00+. As a bargain shopper who aims for product knowledge then sensible purchases, I set out to research my options to determine if a good dutch oven warranted such a heft price tag. I explored the Kitchen Aid, Le Creuset, Mario Batali, Calphalon, Lodge, Rachel Ray, Paula Dean and many others. All have varying price points and gorgeous enamel finish colors and sizes. What to do? Should I spend the $250 for the Le Creuset. Would my food taste that much better than the more economically priced Rachel Ray oven? 100+ product reviews later and I was on product information overload and still totally undecided.

So here do you go when you need to know? The social networking sites, of course! I posted the question "Considering purchasing a Dutch oven, reviews, recommendations and feedback please!" Within the hour I began to receive a live stream of reviews from friends, family and associates. I asked questions like Enamel or Cast Iron? Which size oven works best for your family? Are they easy to care for? How often do you use it? Is it hard too season cast iron and maintain it?

The verdict is the beautifully colored enamel Le Crueset and Lodge products are the most popular choice from the average reviewer. However, it was my "foodie" friends who had opted for cast iron, sans enamel. Why? For several reasons, they explained, including preferring a natural product rather than one with dies but mostly for flavor. The cast iron absorbs the flavor of your meats, etc and releases them through the cooking process. The seasoning process, which after watching multiple YouTube videos, I learned takes time but is not difficult, enhances the flavors of your meals. Over time, if properly season and cared for, the pot will develop a rich black, smooth, non-stick surface. Cast iron was also the way of the original homesteader back in the 1700's which gave me the feeling of nostalgia.

I chose the Lodge Double Dutch for several reasons; Lodge has an excellent name and reputation behind it's brand and it was the choice of all of my "foodie" friends and flexibility of product by using the lid as a second cooking piece. Often when browning the meats it is recommended to do it in batches. The Double Dutch allows you to do all the meat at one time by using the lid as a cooking pan. This saves time! The size is perfect for a 2-4 person family meal. I also purchased the optional lid and trivet. This allows me to use the optional lid on the oven and continue to use the original lid as a second cooking pan, much like a 10" fry pan.

Seasoning was relatively easy. The Double Dutch comes pre-seasoned however it was recommended by those "in the know" to add a few seasoning processes of my own. This would give me that rich and glossy black non-stick finish. After watching videos online it was strongly recommended to begin with a saturated fat. I chose to use a few pieces of pastured and non-curred bacon from a local farmer. Hands down I have never had bacon taste this good. It cooked to perfection on the cast iron. Using a paper towel and tongs I gently wiped the bacon grease to coat the pan, and applied organic vegetable shortening to the lids and outer areas and placed in the oven at 275 degrees for 2.5 hours. The pans are beautiful. I plan to repeat this process several times until I obtain the finish that satisfies me.

Last night, snowed in under 16" of freshly fallen snow, I cooked my first meal in my Double Dutch. I browned ground beef in the oven, added onions and garlic, chicken stock red wine, tomato vinegar, salt, pepper, and marjoram and cooked on the stove to a boil. On top of the meat mixture I placed sliced carrots and then topped with sliced potatoes. I splashed a bit more tomato vinegar (FYI it's not recommended to use tomato products in cast iron so the tomato vinegar is great for adding the tomato flavor), added some seasoning and then placed large red cabbage leaves over the entire dish, one more splash of tomato vinegar and some sea salt, placed the lid on the dutch oven and popped it in the oven at 375 for about 40 minutes. When finished cooking I removed the cabbage and potatoes, placed the oven back on the stove, added corn starch to thicken the juices and brought to a boil. This all happens quickly because the oven is still piping hot. I served this over a small amount of egg pasta with the cabbage and potatoes on the side. All was excellent but cabbage was the best. It has steamed in the pot and absorbed some of the flavors meat and veggies. My husband and I have been together for almost 12 years and his comment on dinner was "this is one of the best meals you have ever made".

Clean up was easy. Allow the oven to cool a bit so you can safely handle it and wash with warm water and a sponge. A special scrub brush can be purchased for tougher jobs. Be sure you completely dry your cast iron and use a small amount of shortening to wipe down the oven before storing.

I am completely happy with my purchase and very pleased I opted for the cast iron product. I'm certain this oven will bring us many years of delicious meals and imagine passing the oven down to the next generation. It makes my heart happy to imagine a family member one day cooking with my oven and telling stories of warm and deliciously rich dishes from the past. At a savings of hundreds over the brightly colored enamel coated designer ovens, it has even left room in my budget to purchase additional Lodge cast iron pieces. I'm currently investigating the frying pan. Stay tuned and happy cooking!

Comment: Love this! It is two products in one! I have been using the lid almost more then the pot. It makes a great skillet. The dutch oven is great for making bread! I really like this product!

Comment: Way to go Lodge! We lovingly refer to this item as the "Magic" pan. Easy to Clean...ready to go out of the box...A very high quality product.

Comment: We received the Dutch Oven quickly and it is all it was described to be. We love it.