Bargain!

camochef · March 30, 2012

was in Wal-mart yesterday and found a Better Homes and Gardening enameled cast iron 6 qt dutch oven for only thirty dollars. Now I have plenty of enameled cast iron, especially dutch ovens and doufeu's but thirty dollars...well, I got it in green. They also had yellow, red, blue and quite a few other items on the sale rack. From paula deen cast iron to 22 qt stainless steel stockpots. If you get a chance, check it out!
Enjoy!
Camo

Tracydr · March 30, 2012

Good deal! I bought mine on Amazon for $34 with free shipping about 6 months ago. Mine is the lodge brand.
I then replaced the handle with a Le Creuset handle so that it can handle high heats for bread baking. Makes a very nice, crusty loaf of bread without having to bother with steaming.

camochef · March 31, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tracydr

Good deal! I bought mine on Amazon for $34 with free shipping about 6 months ago. Mine is the lodge brand.
I then replaced the handle with a Le Creuset handle so that it can handle high heats for bread baking. Makes a very nice, crusty loaf of bread without having to bother with steaming.

I also have the lodge 6 qt which I like alot but mine cost almost twice what you paid. So you did well, too!
I've never made bread in any of my dutch ovens but perhaps sometime in the future. I like using my Cloche or Long Baker from King Arthur to do most of my breads. I fill the lids with water for about 15 minutes before baking and then drain and place on bottoms, it steams automaticly that way and you get wonderful oven spring.
Of course my french breads get done on the perforated french bread pan and I steam the oven every thirty seconds with a mister plus keep a pan of ice cubes on the floor of the oven.
Baking artisan breads is what got me interested in this entire adventure after becoming disabled years ago.
Enjoy!
Camo

dustdevil · March 31, 2012

Hi Camo.

That is an excellent buy...half off!

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Better-Hom...-Oven/14915165

camochef · April 5, 2012

Was back at Wal-Mart, and picked up another one, this one in yellow...the only color they had left.
Enjoy!
Camo

happydog · April 27, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by camochef

I like using my Cloche or Long Baker from King Arthur to do most of my breads. I fill the lids with water for about 15 minutes before baking and then drain and place on bottoms, it steams automaticly that way and you get wonderful oven spring.

Could you please elaborate on this? Do you drain and place on the bottoms before heating or do you preheat the cloche/baker?

I'm working on refining my method. I love the chewy, thick crust on artisan breads but my family prefers a soft sandwich type crust and I've had a hard time making that without resorting to standard loaf pans.

Thanks!

Tracydr · April 27, 2012

I cook my bread in the lodge cast iron Dutch oven. Just plop it in the preheated pot with some parchment paper and put the lid on. Bake at 450 until done. Perfect oven spring, crackly crust.
I did change out the handle for a Le Creuset because it wasn't rated for high oven heat.

camochef · April 27, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by happydog

Could you please elaborate on this? Do you drain and place on the bottoms before heating or do you preheat the cloche/baker?

I'm working on refining my method. I love the chewy, thick crust on artisan breads but my family prefers a soft sandwich type crust and I've had a hard time making that without resorting to standard loaf pans.

Thanks!

I preheat the bottoms, then set my dough which is on pre cut parchment paper in side and drain lids and set on. After a set time the (different on each type of bread),lids are removed and probe thermometer is inserted into center of loaf.
I strive for a thick and crunchy crust with a tender crumb. You could experiment with different "glazes" or liquids for softer crusts.
Camo

Worth1 · April 27, 2012

I'll have my butler talk to my kitchen staff to see if they need one.

Worth

stonysoilseeds · April 27, 2012

my 2 favorite pots are my carbon steel wok and my cast iron pot which i bought probably 25 years ago probably only 10 dollars at the time but it improves with age i was once looking at the creuset enamelled cast iron pots but they were priced too high for me i think i will make a trip to walmart tommorrow there are 4 each about 25 miles from me in 4 directions and pick up one of the pots you suggested... my favorite thing to cook are stuffed vegetables in the summer stuffed zuchinni peppers tomatoes all in one pot from my mom and late grandmas recipe from turkey.... mmmmmmmmmm my mouth is watering already although we have snow today so i might have to wait a bit for harvest lol

camochef · April 28, 2012

Stonysoilseeds,
Good Luck! our wal-marts have been sold out for about two weeks or more. These were an item that went fast.
Enjoy!
Camo

happydog · April 30, 2012

Thanks camochef. I'm going to try that. I found a couple of le crueset pots at TJ Max for about half price. They were still too much but I happened to go back the day they were put on clearance so I took that as a sign I should get them, lol.

I went to Lowes and bought some stainless steel cabinet pulls for about $3 to replace their plastic handles.

I don't know how I made it to middle age before discovering these. Unbelievably good pot roast. I'm going to start all over again with the No Knead Bread.

March 30, 2012	#1
camochef Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Posts: 707	Bargain! was in Wal-mart yesterday and found a Better Homes and Gardening enameled cast iron 6 qt dutch oven for only thirty dollars. Now I have plenty of enameled cast iron, especially dutch ovens and doufeu's but thirty dollars...well, I got it in green. They also had yellow, red, blue and quite a few other items on the sale rack. From paula deen cast iron to 22 qt stainless steel stockpots. If you get a chance, check it out! Enjoy! Camo

March 30, 2012	#2
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	Good deal! I bought mine on Amazon for $34 with free shipping about 6 months ago. Mine is the lodge brand. I then replaced the handle with a Le Creuset handle so that it can handle high heats for bread baking. Makes a very nice, crusty loaf of bread without having to bother with steaming.

March 31, 2012	#4
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	Hi Camo. That is an excellent buy...half off! http://www.walmart.com/ip/Better-Hom...-Oven/14915165

April 5, 2012	#5
camochef Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Posts: 707	Was back at Wal-Mart, and picked up another one, this one in yellow...the only color they had left. Enjoy! Camo

April 27, 2012	#7
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	I cook my bread in the lodge cast iron Dutch oven. Just plop it in the preheated pot with some parchment paper and put the lid on. Bake at 450 until done. Perfect oven spring, crackly crust. I did change out the handle for a Le Creuset because it wasn't rated for high oven heat.

April 27, 2012	#9
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I'll have my butler talk to my kitchen staff to see if they need one. Worth

April 27, 2012	#10
stonysoilseeds Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: cincinnatus, new york Posts: 341	my 2 favorite pots are my carbon steel wok and my cast iron pot which i bought probably 25 years ago probably only 10 dollars at the time but it improves with age i was once looking at the creuset enamelled cast iron pots but they were priced too high for me i think i will make a trip to walmart tommorrow there are 4 each about 25 miles from me in 4 directions and pick up one of the pots you suggested... my favorite thing to cook are stuffed vegetables in the summer stuffed zuchinni peppers tomatoes all in one pot from my mom and late grandmas recipe from turkey.... mmmmmmmmmm my mouth is watering already although we have snow today so i might have to wait a bit for harvest lol

April 28, 2012	#11
camochef Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Posts: 707	Stonysoilseeds, Good Luck! our wal-marts have been sold out for about two weeks or more. These were an item that went fast. Enjoy! Camo

April 30, 2012	#12
happydog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Appalachian Mountains NC Posts: 151	Thanks camochef. I'm going to try that. I found a couple of le crueset pots at TJ Max for about half price. They were still too much but I happened to go back the day they were put on clearance so I took that as a sign I should get them, lol. I went to Lowes and bought some stainless steel cabinet pulls for about $3 to replace their plastic handles. I don't know how I made it to middle age before discovering these. Unbelievably good pot roast. I'm going to start all over again with the No Knead Bread.