An enameled cast iron casserole is a piece of kitchenware that can be used for almost everything.
It distributes heat evenly, retains it for a long time, tolerates acidic dishes and can go straight from the stove to the oven – and then to the dinner table.
This makes it ideal for both everyday meals and dishes that need a little extra time and care.
Here are five ideas for dishes you can make in your cast iron casserole – but of course it's just a small selection of what you can use it for.
Oven-Roasted Chicken
A cast iron casserole can do what many other pots cannot do to the same extent: It can both brown and bake.
Start by searing the chicken directly in the pot, so you get a crispy, caramelised surface.
Then add vegetables, herbs and perhaps a knob of butter or a little stock, put the lid on, and place the pot in the oven.
Then the chicken gets to continue cooking and develop flavour with the vegetables, so you end up with a juicy, tender result – and only one pot to wash up afterward.
French Fries
It may sound surprising, but a cast iron casserole is perfect for making french fries in.
Cast iron's ability to retain heat makes it easy to maintain a stable temperature, even when you add cold potatoes to the oil.
This means you can fry on a lower heat without losing the crispiness.
The result is evenly golden, crispy fries with a soft interior.
Pot Bread
There is a reason why so many bakers bake their bread in a cast iron casserole.
The pot functions as a small oven within the oven, where both heat and steam are trapped and kept close to the bread, so the dough has time to develop before the crust sets.
This gives a crispy and golden result – and a crumb that is airy and elastic in just the right way.
A good cast iron casserole can take your home baking to the next level, whether you're making sourdough bread on a Sunday or quick pot breads on weekdays.
Steamed Mussels
For steamed mussels, it's all about retaining the steam.
The tight fit between lid and pot keeps the steam in the pot and circulating, while the condensation grooves in the lid send the liquid back.
Use a splash of white wine, a little garlic and fresh herbs, and you have a dish that smells of the south French coast and tastes of summer.
And then it becomes even more appetising to serve the mussels from a beautiful pot.
Long-Simmered Beef Stew
It is in the slow-cooked dishes that an enamelled cast iron casserole really shows its worth.
When you make a simmered dish, it's about giving the ingredients time to develop flavour – and that requires even, stable heat.
Cast iron maintains the temperature, even when you turn down the heat, and gives the meat a chance to become tender, while the sauce develops depth and intensity.
A pot like this makes it easy to make everything from classic beef bourguignon to beef brisket in red wine, where the dish can sit and take care of itself on the stove.
And it's also fantastic when the dish is started and the meat needs to be browned, so it gets a delicious, caramelised sear before it meets vegetables and red wine.
Ready to create delicious dishes in your kitchen with an enamelled cast iron casserole?
Then you can find it right here.
