French company Le Creuset has been manufacturing high quality cast iron cookware for nearly 100 years. With some care and routine maintenance, it is possible for items like the Le Creuset cast iron casserole dish or the Le Creuset cast iron skillet, to last for years or even decades. The enamelled cast iron heats food uniformly, and its properties mean that you only need to use it on a low to medium heat.

There is a huge selection of cast iron cookware items to choose from, including saucepans and frying pans, as well as full cast iron pan sets. The ferrous material means that you can use cast iron cookware on any hob, including induction hobs, while the enamel coating means that you should enjoy a lifetime free of rust and wear and tear. In fact, Le Creuset cast iron cookware comes with a lifetime guarantee, proving the overall quality and strength of the products.

At ECookShop, we love Le Creuset products, and we stock stoneware and cast iron cookware, as well as kitchen utensils and tools made from other high grade materials. Take a look at the varied selection that we stock, buy now using our secure online ordering system, or call in to Dawson's Department Store where you will be able to see our full stock of homeware and garden products. If you order online today, you can enjoy free delivery on all orders over £50, to your UK address.

Le Creuset is headquartered in Fresnoy-Le-Grande, France, where it has been since being founded in 1925. The company is best known for its cast iron cookware, especially their cast iron casserole dishes, although they do have a large selection of other items made from stoneware and other materials.

The Benefits Of Cast Iron Cookware

With so many different materials available, it can be difficult to choose whether you want the likes of stainless steel, non-stick, stoneware, glass dishes, or cast iron. Below are some of the main benefits of owning and cooking with cast iron pans.

Natural Non-Stick - When cast iron pans have been seasoned properly, they are naturally non-stick, and they don't have to rely on chemicals, like Teflon and other manufactured non-stick materials.

Easy Maintenance - The non-stick nature of cast iron also makes it easy to clean and maintain. Although you shouldn't place them in the dishwasher, and you should dry them straight after washing to avoid the pooling of water, you can treat the pan at the same time as cleaning, simply by rubbing a little olive while you dry the pan.

Virtually Indestructible - Cast iron can be recovered from almost any state, even if you leave it with food to go crusty for days or even weeks. It also won't smash, dent, or break if you happen to drop it or hit it against other items. One of the reasons that Le Creuset offer a lifetime guarantee with their cast iron cookware is because of this natural strength that cast iron has.

Even Cooking Temperatures - Cast iron has excellent thermal property, which means that the metal heats evenly, even at low temperatures. This means that you don't have to cook some food as long, and also means that you won't experience colder parts of a cooked meal. These are just some of the benefits of cooking in cast iron, and there are many other benefits to Le Creuset cast iron products. They have a distinctive and instantly recognisable look, even if you opt for a colour other than the volcanic orange.

Casserole Dishes

The Le Creuset casserole dish is arguably the company's flagship product. Many of us have used, seen, or owned one of these cast iron pieces of cookware. Traditionally available in volcanic orange, the French cookware manufacturer now produces more than 100 different colours.

Other sizes are available, but the Signature Round Casserole comes in 20cm, 22cm, and 24cm diameter. There are also shallow versions of the casserole dish, and all offer a convenient way of preparing a variety of dishes. While stoneware casserole and other dishes should not be used on the oven top, cast iron can. In fact, it can be used on any heat source except in the microwave, and it makes easy work of dishes ranging from a quick pasta dish to full roast dinners.

Cast iron stays hot for longer periods of time, when compared to other cookware materials. This means that the casserole dish is not only great for preparing food, but for serving it to eager guests too. The casserole dishes come complete with a lifetime guarantee.

Le Creuset Cast Iron Frying Pan

The frying pan is an increasingly versatile pan. It is primarily used for frying, which means that it can be used to prepare bacon and other meats, and it can also be used to make perfect stir fry vegetable dishes. You can add sauces to the fried food, at which point the frying pan has many of the same cooking properties as a saucepan or stew pan.

Le Creuset manufactures frying pans in a selection of stainless steel or cast iron metal. The cast iron has a tactile feel, and the same uniform heating properties as cast iron casserole dishes. In fact, it offers everything you want from a high quality cooking pan. Cast iron frying pans come with metal or wooden handles. The former are safer if you tend to place the frying pan under the grill or under another heat source to keep warm or to toast the top of omelettes and frittatas. Wood is preferred if you don't like warm cooking handles, because the heat can transfer from the pan base to the handle after some time.

Le Creuset Cast Iron Saucepan Set

The saucepan is another versatile and functional addition to a pan set. Available in a wide variety of sizes, saucepans are used to prepare pasta, to warm up sauces and soups, to make jus, and much more. They are the workhorse of the pan cupboard, and it is important that you invest in a good saucepan or, better still, in a full Le Creuset cast iron saucepan set. The saucepan set incorporates pans of different sizes, including a milk pan, vegetable pan, and large potato or pasta pan. Choose from a selection of iconic Le Creuset styles, and enjoy the uniform and long lasting heat that is provided when you cook in cast iron.

Woks, Skillets, Grills And More

There are a lot of other Le Creuset cast iron pans and cookware to choose from. Woks are ideal for making stir fry, grills can be used to prepare meat while being easy to clean and incredibly strong and durable. A skillet is very similar to a frying pan, except that it includes a tight fitting lid, and has a deeper pan so that it can be used for a wider variety of frying and cooking purposes. The depth of the sides means that the skillet can even be used for preparing roasts. The skillet is, essentially, a deeper frying that also includes a lid and it is one of the most popular forms of pan because of its versatility and the flexibility that it offers.

Cast Iron Maintenance

Le Creuset cast iron cookware is very strong and long lasting, but it does require some routine maintenance, and you do need to follow some general care guidelines. You shouldn't put cast iron in the dishwasher, and you should ensure that it is dried as soon as it has been washed. If water is allowed to collect and pool, then this increases the likelihood of rusting. Le Creuset cast iron pans and other cast iron products are enamelled, which helps prevent rust, but some patches can still occur, especially at the top and on the base. After cleaning and drying, you can apply some olive oil to help prolong the rust proof properties of your cast iron pan.

Buy Cast Iron Le Creuset From ECookShop

ECookShop is the official website of Dawson's Department Store, which is located in Clitheroe. You can call in to see our full range of homeware items, including barbecues and garden furniture as well as cookware and kitchenware. Alternatively, you can call us with any questions about the specific items that we sell. If you order online, and your spend more than £50, you can have your items delivered to your door completely free of charge.