milovany Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 (edited) Sorry. Long day and I can't process the information in my head. :tongue_smilie: I had a nonstick soup pot and it's starting to flake off, so I bought a stainless steel one and everything is burning in that (we have both a light one and a heavy-bottomed one). So I'm looking for new options. ETA -- I know Le Creuset is considered wonderful by many! But what I want to know is if food burns/sticks. We're having a problem with that in our stainless steel, and I'm looking for something else that will be more non-stick. Edited October 11, 2012 by milovaný Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 I love my Le Creuset. Though Cooks Illustrated rated Tramontina as best value and paired it next to Le Creuset. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 It is not non-stick, persay. The pots are cast iron, covered in enamel. It will NOT chip, in any way. The enamel will stay there. But things can and will stick if you don't oil the pan, or turn the heat up to high. But it's easier to get it to unstick than regular pots, and easier to clean. I love my Le Creuset and think it's worth every penny!! Oh, and the skillets are cast iron, and just mostly covered with enamel.... as in, everything but the cook surface is covered in enamel. The cook surface is just the cast iron, already pre-seasoned.... I love the skillets :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krisperry Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 I have Le Creuset. It is not nonstick. I love it - it cooks wonderfully but I do sometimes wish it was nonstick. At one point, I remember seeing a nonstick pan in an outlet store - for eggs or something. Pretty sure they discontinued it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted October 11, 2012 Author Share Posted October 11, 2012 I just find that we're burning applesauce this year (and probably will burn soup), unlike with our non-stick. These aren't cooked at high temps. I almost don't mind splurging, I just don't want to have to still scrape and chip away burned food at that price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 I just find that we're burning applesauce this year (and probably will burn soup), unlike with our non-stick. These aren't cooked at high temps. I almost don't mind splurging, I just don't want to have to still scrape and chip away burned food at that price. If you have the money for it you can't go wrong wtih a piece then. I have the largest oval dutch oven from Le Creuset and a couple other small ones. I just love it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitten18 Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 I love my Le Creuset. Though Cooks Illustrated rated Tramontina as best value and paired it next to Le Creuset. I have a big (6.5 qt.) Tramontina Dutch Oven. I really like it, I've had it for several years and I use it at least 2-3 times/week. I want to get a brasier, it's shaped more like a skillet but it's enameled inside where the actual skillets are not. My other main cookware that I use all the time are a small cast iron skillet and a round cast iron griddle (mostly for heating corn tortillas). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted October 11, 2012 Author Share Posted October 11, 2012 (edited) If you have the money for it you can't go wrong wtih a piece then. I have the largest oval dutch oven from Le Creuset and a couple other small ones. I just love it I want to heed your advice, and I thank you for it, but in both your replies you haven't yet told me if food burns and sticks for you. That's what my query is based on. :tongue_smilie: Edited October 11, 2012 by milovaný Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amey311 Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 (edited) If you're not attached to the Le Crueset brand, IKEA has similar pots. I have a large dutch oven from IKEA. It was on clearance probably because of the color (it's avocado and the main display was all blue): http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40131725/ ETA: I've only used mine for roasting in the oven (and then making gravy in the pan). things didn't burn. We also have Calphalon pots and things don't automatically burn in them. I use them nightly. They're not non-stick, but with an acceptable amount of oil they don't stick. As an example, with a spritz or two of Pam and only turning the heat on our gas stove to medium, we can make fried or scrambled eggs and be left with a pan that looks like you could just wipe it with a paper towel and completely reuse it. Edited October 11, 2012 by amey311 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 I want to heed your advice, and I thank you for it, but in both your replies you haven't yet told me if food burns and sticks for you. That's what my query is based on. :tongue_smilie: Oh sorry :lol: Yes agree with the others that it does not stick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyS Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Things will stick to enamel, though not quite as readily as stainless steel. That being said, my guess is that you just need to learn how to use the stainless properly and you'll be a lot more satisfied with what you already have. Three things with stainless: 1. Put enough fat (of whatever type makes sense for the recipe) into the pan before adding food. 2. Get the pan and fat hot enough before adding. 3. Immediately after you get done cooking, deglaze the still-hot pan with water and a metal whisk. Just stick the pan under running water, it will steam and sizzle, and scrape the pan out with the metal whisk. This takes literally 10 seconds. Bammo, all the stuck stuff will unstick. You can then set the pan aside for proper cleaning after dinner. FWIW, my favorite no-stick solution is properly seasoned cast iron (traditional, not enamel). It's pretty much all I use (unless I want to deglaze the pan for a sauce, which isn't good for the seasoning on the cast iron). It is the most non-stick stuff in the world. Way better than teflon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 (edited) I love my Le Creuset. I have six different pieces, and my favorite piece is this: http://cookware.lecreuset.com/cookware/mProductDisplayView?catalogId=20002&parent_category_rn=10013&top_category=10003&categoryId=10055&langId=-1&productId=10122&storeId=10151&pgGrp=catNav I rarely have anything stick. Applesauce should not stick when cooked at low temperatures. I brown my roasts in this piece on top of the stove, drain the oil, add my other ingredients, bring to a low boil, then transfer to the oven to cook for hours. Williams-Sonoma has good prices on Le Creuset, but I am not sure if they have this piece. They also have free shipping for a year for a fee like Amazon Prime. If you are anywhere near an outlet, their seconds are sold for really good prices and it is very difficult to find the fault on them. The only things that could be considered negatives, IMO, are that the light interior does turn a light brown (more of a seasoned look) if you cook with tomatoes and beans in it, and that the pieces are quite heavy. Although you do not need to be concerned about chipping, metal utensils can scratch them. I have owned my pieces more than 25 years and the exteriors of them look the same as when I purchased them. These are pieces that you will be able to hand down to your children. Edited October 11, 2012 by besroma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krisperry Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Yes, if the heat is too high or you forget to stir, the food can and will stick to the Le Creuset. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 I just find that we're burning applesauce this year (and probably will burn soup), unlike with our non-stick. These aren't cooked at high temps. I almost don't mind splurging, I just don't want to have to still scrape and chip away burned food at that price. I can't imagine it would burn applesauce and soups... it cooks very evenly. Things that I burn, or that stick, are things like chicken breasts when there isn't enough oil, or the heat is too high. The chicken will peel off Le Creuset enamel a LOT easier than my stainless steel pans. And it is easier to clean, especially if I soak it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted October 11, 2012 Author Share Posted October 11, 2012 FWIW, my favorite no-stick solution is properly seasoned cast iron (traditional, not enamel). It's pretty much all I use (unless I want to deglaze the pan for a sauce, which isn't good for the seasoning on the cast iron). It is the most non-stick stuff in the world. Way better than teflon. This is all I use, too, except for soup, pasta and applesauce. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyS Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 I have a regular cast iron dutch oven (5qt Lodge $35 at Walmart) and I would probably just cook applesauce in that. But, you really shouldn't be burning applesauce in a stainless steel pot, unless your heat is too high or too uneven. Maybe consider turning the heat down, or getting one of those heat conditioner plates (a metal plate that sits on top of the burner to even out heat)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted October 11, 2012 Author Share Posted October 11, 2012 I have a regular cast iron dutch oven (5qt Lodge $35 at Walmart) and I would probably just cook applesauce in that. But, you really shouldn't be burning applesauce in a stainless steel pot, unless your heat is too high or too uneven. Maybe consider turning the heat down, or getting one of those heat conditioner plates (a metal plate that sits on top of the burner to even out heat)? Would love to use cast iron, but we make 8 quarts at a time, several times each fall (70 or so quarts total). That'd be one heavy pot. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 I want to heed your advice, and I thank you for it, but in both your replies you haven't yet told me if food burns and sticks for you. That's what my query is based on. :tongue_smilie: The enamel is not a "non-stick" surface in the way "Teflon," Silverstone, and the like are non-stick. But food does not tend to stick or burn. For making apple-sauce it think it would be perfect. It would give you a nice even heat. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amey311 Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Can you make the applesauce in a crockpot? It won't do 8 quarts at a time unless you get 2 (I don't think? is there an 8 qt cp?), but it would definitely solve your burning problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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