Cooking
An opportunity to try out an 8 quart enameled cast iron casserole of cookware from Martha Stewart Collection was an offer I couldn't turn down. I'd seen the line at Macy's, the only place where it is available, and it's very handsome and I wondered how it would compare to my other enameled cast iron from Le Creuset..
I have three pieces of Le Creuset enameled cookware. I have smaller and larger "French ovens" as Le Creuset refers to them in round and oval shapes. I use them all the time and in recipes I refer to them as Dutch ovens or heavy casseroles.
There are some differences between the two lines of cookware. The Martha Stewart Collection cookware is made in China, and the Le Creuset cookware is made in France. The colors and styling of the cookware is slightly different as is the sizing. Le Creuset makes a 7 /14 quart round and a 9 quart round, but not an 8 quart round piece. The interior of the Le Creuset is white, whereas the Martha Stewart is a pale cream color.
I used the 8 quart enameled cast iron casserole to soak black beans and cook them to make black bean soup. I chose black beans because while enameled cast iron is stain resistant, I have found my Le Creuset pieces have stained, and I blame black beans. While the black beans created a tough to remove scale on the Martha Stewart piece, I was able to remove it completely with a gentle cleaner. The 8 quart piece is very heavy, I'd say the same weight as the 7 1/4 quart piece from Le Creuset.
What I like about the Martha Stewart Collection:
What I don't like about the Martha Stewart Collection:
This Martha Stewart Collection casserole was provided to me by GigaSavvy for review purposes. I was not paid for this review and the opinions expressed are my own.
- Neoflam Ceramic Stovetop Cookware Review
I’m pretty satisfied with the cookware I own, which is a combination of stainless steel, cast iron, enameled cast iron, stoneware ceramic and ceramic non-stick, but I’m always open to checking out what’s new. Every once in a while there’s...
- Stoneline Cookware Review
For the last four months I’ve been using Stoneline cookware in place of my regular pots and pans. I’m always interested to try out non-stick cookware because I hate scrubbing pots and pans. I put the cookware through the paces. I don’t...
- Cool Gifts For Cooks 2013
Here are my picks for things that cooks will find particularly useful: AnySharp bills itself at the world's best knife sharpener. I'd say it has the world's best knife sharpening video ever. I can't say if it's the best, but it is...
- Cookware Reviews And Giveaway
I'm always happy to try out new cookware, mostly because the options just keeps getting better and better. Looking for the latest nonstick? An alternative to nonstick? A great steamer? It's all here. Imagine the perfect non stick...
- Amy's Favorite Cookware
Lately I've been getting a number of emails asking me about cookware. I'm no expert, but I'm happy to tell you what I like and why. Cast iron I received a cast iron pan as a "cast off" from someone who didn't want it any longer. I can't...
Cooking
Martha Stewart Collection Cast Iron Enamel Cookware
An opportunity to try out an 8 quart enameled cast iron casserole of cookware from Martha Stewart Collection was an offer I couldn't turn down. I'd seen the line at Macy's, the only place where it is available, and it's very handsome and I wondered how it would compare to my other enameled cast iron from Le Creuset..
I have three pieces of Le Creuset enameled cookware. I have smaller and larger "French ovens" as Le Creuset refers to them in round and oval shapes. I use them all the time and in recipes I refer to them as Dutch ovens or heavy casseroles.
There are some differences between the two lines of cookware. The Martha Stewart Collection cookware is made in China, and the Le Creuset cookware is made in France. The colors and styling of the cookware is slightly different as is the sizing. Le Creuset makes a 7 /14 quart round and a 9 quart round, but not an 8 quart round piece. The interior of the Le Creuset is white, whereas the Martha Stewart is a pale cream color.
I used the 8 quart enameled cast iron casserole to soak black beans and cook them to make black bean soup. I chose black beans because while enameled cast iron is stain resistant, I have found my Le Creuset pieces have stained, and I blame black beans. While the black beans created a tough to remove scale on the Martha Stewart piece, I was able to remove it completely with a gentle cleaner. The 8 quart piece is very heavy, I'd say the same weight as the 7 1/4 quart piece from Le Creuset.
What I like about the Martha Stewart Collection:
- The performance. I found the Martha Stewart piece to work just as well as the Le Creuset. It's great for low and slow simmered dishes like black bean soup or braised beef.
- On the interior of the lid there are "condensation rings" that help to redistribute moisture. Do they make a big difference? Probably not. But it's a nice feature and certainly makes the lid less drippy when you go to remove it.
- The price! Wow! The 8 quart piece is $184.99 and $109.99 on sale. By comparison, the Le Creuset 7 1/4 quart piece is more than twice the price. The list price is $400 and you can get it online for about $294.99. Granted both manufacturers offer a limited lifetime warranty and their products are built to last, but that's a big price difference.
What I don't like about the Martha Stewart Collection:
- My biggest issue is with the handle. It's handsome, but it gets hot. I prefer the Le Creuset black phenolic lid knobs, which stay cool.
- The colors are bright and appealing but the Le Creuset pieces have a gradation of color that is particularly attractive.
This Martha Stewart Collection casserole was provided to me by GigaSavvy for review purposes. I was not paid for this review and the opinions expressed are my own.
- Neoflam Ceramic Stovetop Cookware Review
I’m pretty satisfied with the cookware I own, which is a combination of stainless steel, cast iron, enameled cast iron, stoneware ceramic and ceramic non-stick, but I’m always open to checking out what’s new. Every once in a while there’s...
- Stoneline Cookware Review
For the last four months I’ve been using Stoneline cookware in place of my regular pots and pans. I’m always interested to try out non-stick cookware because I hate scrubbing pots and pans. I put the cookware through the paces. I don’t...
- Cool Gifts For Cooks 2013
Here are my picks for things that cooks will find particularly useful: AnySharp bills itself at the world's best knife sharpener. I'd say it has the world's best knife sharpening video ever. I can't say if it's the best, but it is...
- Cookware Reviews And Giveaway
I'm always happy to try out new cookware, mostly because the options just keeps getting better and better. Looking for the latest nonstick? An alternative to nonstick? A great steamer? It's all here. Imagine the perfect non stick...
- Amy's Favorite Cookware
Lately I've been getting a number of emails asking me about cookware. I'm no expert, but I'm happy to tell you what I like and why. Cast iron I received a cast iron pan as a "cast off" from someone who didn't want it any longer. I can't...