Cookware FAQs

Dutch Ovens are absolutely oven-safe, making them ideal for braising meat, slow-cooking a stew, and even baking bread. In fact, Le Creuset French or Dutch Ovens are oven-safe up to 260ºC / 500ºF. This includes both the French Oven itself as well as the heat-resistant knob. The Dutch Oven is a kitchen workhorse and can be used on any cooktop, including induction. It is no wonder that this iconic piece of cookware has stuck around in households across the world since its invention in the 18th century.

Dutch Ovens are extremely easy to use for beginner cooks and seasoned chefs alike and can accommodate a number of different recipes and cooking techniques. This iconic pot can be used for searing, sauteing, braising, simmering, slow-cooking, boiling, and more. Beyond its versatility, the Dutch Oven has a self-basting design which tenderizes the food inside the pot by helping air circulate. Finally, this multi-cooking pot exposes ingredients to a consistent heat source thanks to its tight-fitting lid and high walls.

The Dutch Oven is a great investment if you’re looking to get your Le Creuset collection started. Not only is it an extremely durable piece of cookware, it’s also one of the most versatile. This pot is resistant to chipping, peeling, or staining and is built to last a lifetime. The Dutch Oven is an ideal pot to get familiar with classic recipes and start sharpening your cooking skills, as it can be used for a variety of different cooking techniques. In addition, it simplifies your cooking experience and does much of the work for you, slow-cooking and tenderizing ingredients all within the pot.

In principle, anytime! The Dutch Oven is one of the most versatile pieces of cookware on the market and can be used for almost all of your favourite recipes. From baking delicious no-knead bread, to a decadent dessert, or a hearty stew, there are few recipes the Dutch Oven can’t tackle. This iconic piece of cookware is especially useful when entertaining guests and embodies the set-it-and-forget-it nature of cooking, allowing you to spend quality time with your loved ones as your meal simmers to perfection.

Braised refers to the cooking technique braising and typically applies to meat and vegetables. Braising ingredients involves first searing them at a high temperature, adding another layer of flavour via a natural browning effect. The next step involves partially covering the ingredients in liquid, be it chicken or vegetable stock, and allowing them to cook slowly on low heat for hours. While this cooking technique requires patience, braised ingredients are delightfully tender and moist. The braiser’s tight-fitting lid ensures this, creating steaming conditions inside the pot.

The braiser is a pot that employs both wet and dry heat to create the perfect environment for tenderizing meat and vegetables. Braisers are extremely versatile and are typically used for braising, browning, and poaching. The braiser derives its name from the French word “live coals” or “embers” and is ideal for slow-cooking. Its shallow base and domed lid lock in moisture and flavour and slowly deliver a tender final dish.

The braiser and the Dutch Oven share many characteristics and are both slow-cooking pots that provide tender final dishes. However, key distinctions exist between the two pieces of cookware. For one, the braiser has sloped sides that are shallower than a Dutch Oven, offering plenty of surface area for sauces and stews.

In addition, the braiser differs from the Dutch Oven in that it also has a curved bottom, making it ideal for stirring and tossing food. A final key difference between the two is the amount of liquid used when cooking. The Dutch Oven is crafted for soups, stews, and a number of recipes requiring a lot of liquid, whereas in a braiser, ingredients should only be partially submerged in liquid. In addition, the Dutch or French Oven is solely offered in cast iron, while the braiser is available in toughened nonstick pro, cast iron, and stainless steel.

Sauciers and saucepans are often confused as these pieces of cookware share many similarities. In practice, however, they are very different. For one, saucepans typically have straight sides, while a saucier is designed with sloped sides, making it perfect for whisking delicate sauces. In addition, sauciers have rounded bottoms, eliminating the possibility of sauce sticking to the corners of the pan and getting burned. A saucepan can also be used to reduce a sauce, but this piece of cookware is better suited to prepare side dishes and grains.

Saucepans are traditionally used on the stovetop, but also offer home cooks and chefs the ability to use them in the oven. Le Creuset offers both toughened nonstick pro and stainless steel saucepans, which are oven safe up to 260ºC / 500ºF. This can help with simmering a sauce to perfection, preparing hearty soups, and stews. Our saucepans are crafted with premium materials, ensuring durability and top-notch performance for years to come.

Le Creuset’s saucepans are equally durable as they are versatile, however, learning how to properly store them can make a world of difference. There are a number of storage options for saucepans, ranging from hanging them from a pot rack to storing them in a dry cupboard or airy space away from steam. Most importantly, saucepans should never be stored while they are still damp as this could eventually cause rusting and pitting. If you must stack your saucepans in a cupboard, you can always invert the lid and place a protective towel between them to avoid scratching the surface.

Before purchasing nonstick cookware, inspect that it is completely PFOA-free. In the past, the nonstick coating on this type of cookware was created with a chemical called PTFE, which over time can be harmful. This chemical was used to avoid ingredients from sticking, and made cleanin up easier. Le Creuset’s nonstick cookware, by contrast, is PFOA-free, ensuring that it can be used daily without any safety concerns. Our line of nonstick cookware is made up of a triple-layered reinforced coating, providing even heat distribution and the ability to tackle sensitive recipes with the utmost of confidence.

Le Creuset nonstick cookware is dishwasher safe, however, it is recommended to wash it by hand. If this type of cookware is regularly washed in the dishwasher, it can wear the material down, eventually darkening the rivets or the outer ring of the base. In addition, a powdery white deposit may form. Typically, nonstick cleaning pads are ideal for removing stubborn residue and will not damage the easy-release surface. Keep in mind that every time nonstick cookware is washed in the dishwasher, the cooking surface must be reconditioned with vegetable or corn oil before the next use.