in the market for an enameled dutch oven

[TasunkaWitko]

hey - PMs received - i'll run them by mrs. tas ~ thanks!

[TasunkaWitko]

well, folks - my wife got paid a day early, and when i got home, she had ordered the tramontina from walmart.com. it comes as a package deal with this 192-page book on cast iron cooking:

http://www.amazon.com/Cast-Iron-Skil...6429969&sr=8-1


if the tramontina is anywhere near as good as the ratings say, it should be money well spent.


will give a report when arrives, and of course a review on performance!

[meatballtn]

I know people say don't use acidic food in ci,, but and i do understand the logic, but what did they do in the old days? To be honest if its seasoned and well oiled, and acidic things aren't left in it, and its cleaned promply i would think you could cook anything in it and you would not need the enamel. just my 2 pennies

[TasunkaWitko]

that is true, meatball, but why subject good cast iron to the abuse? i've taken great care of my dutch oven, seasoned it after nearly every use, etc., but certain dishes that are high in acid strip it right down, especially the ones that require long cooking. then the food tastes metallic, the dutch oven gets all dry looking, turns orange - that's iron leaching out. if getting an enameled one will eliminate that and save the cast iron one for great-tasting non-acidic dishes, then it just makes sense to use the right tool for the right job.

as for the old days, i guess they didn't concern themselves as much with that back then, or perhaps didn't cok as many of the types of dishes that are acidic? who knows.....

[lcruzen]

My favorite quality of enamel coated CI is how well it deglazes after browning meat. Got 3 a qt DO this Christmas to go with my 6 qt.

[erain]

i just read this thread in length... Taz, i just wonder what you go thru when you buy an automobile or something...

good luck on the dutch oven buddy, hope the Mrs got you what you needed.

oh and on edit to Mikey for the extra effort helping in the hunt. above and beyond!

[TasunkaWitko]

well, good news - the tramontina arrived today, which seemed to be in pretty good time; we ordered last thursday after business hours, and it arrived on wednesday - with a holiday on monday, no less!

packaging seemed quite adequate - the box was square-shaped and each corner was padded with a triangular cardboard insert. each handle was secured into an insert, and lid was held just separate from the pot by three plastic inserts set equidistant from each other, which precluded any contact. in my opinion, four would have been better, but there seemed to be plenty of protection.


the lid of the casserole seemed just fine; there were no mars in the finish outside or inside. the underside of the lids is stippled to allow some self-basting. the very edge of the outer enameling, where it stopped and the rim of the lid began, was a little rough and not in a straight line around the lid, with a millimeter or so in variation around the circumference - but a person really had to be looking in order to find fault here. my only real complaint was the phenolic knob on the lid, but i knew about that when i ordered it. the handles are indeed a little smaller and thinner than can be found on other models, and i can see where some people might complain a bit, but they seemed fine to me.


the outside of the dutch oven looked great, with the same, very slight rough edge at the top where the side of the casserole ends and the bare rim begins. no big deal. the porcelain enameling looked great along the inside walls, but there are two concerns on the bottom, which of course is the working portion of the dutch oven.


the first is that there are three very-shallow "dimples" in the bottom, as if something fell into the bottom of the pot before it was enameled, each about a centimeter in diameter. i don't really think these would be a problem, but they are there. second, there was one "pin-hole" in the bottom. very tiny, but definitely there. i would certainly consider it a defect in workmanship, but i do not know how serious it is. i have no idea how this would affect performance, or if it will indeed be the beginning of future problems; nor do i know if this flaw can be repaired. if it would have been on the outside, i wouldn't even worry about it, but considering its location, i am definitely considering the possibility of returning and exchanging it. i guess the other option would be to use it until or unless the "flaw" leads to problem, and then take advantage of lifetime warranty.


so, at least at this preliminary stage, i give it a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars, with a few points deducted for the flaws in the bottom, and maybe a small fraction of a point for the finish around the edges, where the enameling ends and the bare edges of the lid and pot begin.


more as it develops.....

[TasunkaWitko]

Well, I am now the proud owner of a red Tramontina 6.5-quart Dutch oven, courtesy of the Site-to-Store option from walmart.com:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tramontina...-Oven/11989387



The store informed my by email and text message that it had been delivered, so I went to pick it up after work. The gal at the Customer Service counter had been with me throughout this ordeal, and seemed almost more excited about its arrival than I was.

I gave it a visual inspection, and found it to be quite acceptable. It was packaged very well - actually better than the previous one, and there were absolutely no flaws inside; the entire interior porcelain surface was completely free of chips, pinholes, dimples or any other red flags. The edges of the rims looked to be just fine, and the red enameled finish was actually a lot more attractive than I thought it would be.

There are two minor reasons that force me to give a 95%, rather than 100%:

1) Even though this was packaged very well and obviously had never been opened, there were no use and care instructions included. This is no big deal, because I am able to get the same information from Tramontina's website:

http://www.tramontina-us.com/Cast%20...nd%20Care.html

But the fact remains that they should have been included. I will copy/paste these use and care instructions to the end of this post.

2) There were, on the outside surface, 5 or 6 tiny bubbles that had formed during the enameling process, then popped, leaving behind very small, very shallow "craters." This looks like it will in no way interfere with the function and durability of the pot, and I see no danger at all of these few slight cosmetic mars leading to any problems later. The enameling looks to be completely sound, and I had to look pretty closely to see these minor flaws. I'll try to post a picture or three of what I am talking about at a later time, but suffice to say that I was completely satisfied that these were not earth-shattering enough to go through the returns process again. I've kept all documentation regarding this purchase, including many of the notes written here, and if it ever becomes a problem, I'll take care of it then, thanks to the lifetime warranty.

All-in-all, I found the Dutch oven to be completely acceptable, so I happily carried it out of the store and brought it home. Tonight, I will season the rim of unseasoned, bare cast iron on the edges where the pot and lid meet, using flaxseed oil that the beautiful and ingenious Mrs. Tas found in the vitamin/health food section at a nice price. For the seasoning process, I'll follow this procedure:

1) heat the cookware to about 200 degrees, to open up the "pores"

2) wipe a thin layer of oil on the rims, then wipe off the excess

3) put the cookware in the oven (bare iron facing down) at 350 degrees for an hour

4) let the cookware cool down naturally, then repeat for a total of 6 treatments

One thing I noticed was that the exact-same product shown on Tramontina's website:

http://www.tramontina-us.com/Product.html?pid=80131/048



has a metal, stainless steel knob:



rather than the phenolic knob that comes with the ones distributed by Wal-Mart. I plan to contact Tramontina and inquire as to whether I can acquire one - if not, I believe I can find one somewhere on the big, wide internet. It may never be an issue, since I don't plan on using the Dutch oven at a higher temperature than the 400- (or 450-, depending on whom you listen to) degree maximum that the phenolic knob is rated for; however, I like things to be well-crafted and, to quote a friend, "bullet-proof."

Now, the only question is: what will be the first dish I cook in it? Due to my schedule, I won't be able to use it until this weekend, so I am thinking about using it to prepare my pernil:

http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards....-pork-shoulder

for the Cubanos that I'd like to serve on Sunday for the Superbowl:

http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards....daisy-martinez

Having said that, if I get an opportunity to use it on Saturday, I'll take it!

That's about it for now - more as it develops. I'll report on how it performs during use, but for now, if anyone is thinking about getting one of these, I highly recommend it. As promised above, here are the use and care instructions from Tramontina's website:

Use & Care Instructions



The use and care information applies to Tramontina enameled cast-iron cookware with an off-white or matte black interior finish.

Using Your Enameled Cast-Iron Cookware

Before using your cookware for the first time, hand-wash with warm soapy water and dry thoroughly.

Although the enamel coating on your cookware does not require seasoning, we recommend seasoning the vessel rim and lid rim where the cast iron is exposed. Season by lightly rubbing cooking oil onto surface. Heat cookware in oven for one hour at 350°F (176°C) and let cool. Cookware is ready to use. The cast-iron grill pan and skillets are coated with an interior matte black porcelain enamel; therefore, it is only necessary to season the rim on these items.

Avoid knocking utensils on the cookware rims or cutting food directly within the cookware, as this may permanently damage the enamel surface.

The enamel surfaces are not suitable for dry cooking. Add a liquid, butter or oil to the bottom of the cookware prior to heating.

A gradual low-to-medium heat setting yields the most even and best results for most cooking tasks, including frying and searing, and the use of high heat is not necessary. Once hot, nearly all cooking tasks can be completed with lower settings. In fact, use of high heat can permanently discolor and damage the cookware and void the warranty.

When using cookware on ceramic glass stovetops, always lift (do not slide) to move to avoid scratching the cooktop.

Keep cookware on burner only during necessary time for cooking or boiling. Do not overheat empty cookware or allow gas flames to extend up sides of cookware and overheat handles.

The cookware is oven-safe at temperatures up to 450°F (232°C). Even though integral handles and lid knobs are oven-safe, they will get hot in oven and on stovetop, particularly gas stoves where an open flame is used. Therefore, use protective mitts when handling hot cookware.

CAUTION: TO AVOID INJURY, ALWAYS USE PROTECTIVE MITTS WHEN HANDLING HOT COOKWARE

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cleaning and Caring For Your Enameled Cast-Iron Cookware

Enameled cast iron is extremely durable but may become damaged if accidentally dropped or knocked against another hard surface.

HAND-WASH ONLY: We recommend hand-washing and drying your cookware to preserve the original finish.

For hard-to-clean, stuck-on foods, soak cookware in hot, soapy water and re-season as directed.

Use only nylon or soft abrasive pads or brushes to remove stubborn residues. Do not use metallic pads or harsh abrasive chemicals, as these will damage the enamel.

Be careful when stacking or nesting your cookware. Although it won’t affect the cookware’s performance, bumping or knocking against other pieces will scratch or chip the exterior and interior surfaces.

Never store your cookware when it is still damp. Allow pans to dry thoroughly by placing the cookware in an airy space, away from kitchen steam.

For items with lids, over time, the screw attaching the knob to the lid may become loose. In most cases, this can be corrected by retightening the screw, taking care not to over-tighten, as this may damage the lid. If the knob cannot be retightened, contact Tramontina’s Customer Service Department for assistance. For safety reasons, do not continue to use a cookware lid with a loose knob.



TRAMONTINA GOURMET, a collection of premium products engineered and manufactured with the finest design, materials and workmanship, outperforms similar products within the market and delivers the best quality and value to the cooking professional and enthusiast alike.

Lifetime Warranty.

[TasunkaWitko]

I've contacted the company regarding the stainless steel vs. phenolic knob, and will report back on how much a replacement will cost.

Also, for those interested, here are some specifications:

[TasunkaWitko]

so far i am lovin' it. i did season the upper and lower rims of the DO (flaxseed oil really works nicely for this) and have used it once already last weekend when i cooked a pork roast in it for pernil that i used to make sandwiches cubanos.

the tramontina performed beautifully - roast was done very nicely and there were no issues. due to the adobo mojado rub, it was a messy, baked-on job that was wonderful, and it cleaned up beautifully with no issues.
i know that this is only one time using it, but so far, i am impressed.

[erain]

so far i am lovin' it. i did season the upper and lower rims of the DO (flaxseed oil really works nicely for this) and have used it once already last weekend when i cooked a pork roast in it for pernil that i used to make sandwiches cubanos.

the tramontina performed beautifully - roast was done very nicely and there were no issues. due to the adobo mojado rub, it was a messy, baked-on job that was wonderful, and it cleaned up beautifully with no issues.
i know that this is only one time using it, but so far, i am impressed.

glad you liking it Tas. just curious about this seasoning process. always thought these porcalin coated products did not need seasoning.

[TasunkaWitko]

erain - that is true, but the very edge of the rim where the top of the pot and the bottom of the lid come into contact are left "bare;" i am assuming this is to preclude chipping in enamel from the lid being set down on the pot. here's an example:



in any case, these circles of bare cast itron do need some seasoning, or they could rust.

[erain]

erain - that is true, but the very edge of the rim where the top of the pot and the bottom of the lid come into contact are left "bare;" i am assuming this is to preclude chipping in enamel from the lid being set down on the pot. here's an example:



in any case, these circles of bare cast itron do need some seasoning, or they could rust.

gotcha... been tossing the idea of getting one around too. thks

[TasunkaWitko]

well, i can very much recommend the tramontina - it's in the 45$ range and according to the reviews from cooks illustrated and america's test kitchen (womewhere on this thread, i think), it performed right up there with the 275$ le creuset etc. pretty hard to argue with that. if your local wal-mart doesn't have it in stock, they can order it - just inspect it carefully when you pick it up to ensure tehre are no pin-holes or chips in the exterior enamel or the porcelain interior, and you're good to go.