# Cast iron pots **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 8, 2007, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-pots/418462 "2007-09-08T14:31:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-pots/418462/1 "2007-09-08T14:31:30Z")
There have been several threads focusing on the care and use of cast iron skillets. But what about cast iron pots/Dutch ovens? I can see them being useful for roasting a small whole chicken or a pot of chili, but I just can’t think of anything I’d make frequently enough that I really ‘need’ one. Ideas? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-pots/418462/2 "2007-09-08T15:06:50Z")
They aren’t essential by any means, and they take up a lot of space. Skip them unless you are feeding a large family, or making chili for work every week. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-pots/418462/3 "2007-09-08T15:09:57Z")
In between uses, they make great fireplace decorations, especially if you have a trammel. Tris ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-pots/418462/4 "2007-09-08T15:10:23Z")
I weep for you. ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-pots/418462/5 "2007-09-08T15:19:35Z")
For something that cost me $15, it’s great to have for making osso bucco, short ribs or other braising stuff. If I didn’t have that ‘top of cabinets hold all the big stuff’ shelf, yeah, it would take up a lot of space. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-pots/418462/6 "2007-09-08T15:34:44Z")
[QUOTE=StarvingButStrong] I weep for you. [/QUOTE] Dad used to make pot roast. I’ve only made it a couple of times, and I just used a baking pan. I normally roast prime rib, which I can just put into a cast-iron skillet in the oven. And space is definitely an issue. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-pots/418462/7 "2007-09-08T19:59:56Z")
I like mine quite a bit. It’s good as a slow cooker; any time you want just a little bit of heat for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-pots/418462/8 "2007-09-08T20:08:04Z")
Tangent: I stopped by a yard sale on the way home and bought a cast iron fajita skillet and a wooden base for a dollar. It’s pretty nasty (dried on egg and stuff) so I’m going to clean it and re-season. ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-pots/418462/9 "2007-09-08T20:44:25Z")
Score! ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-pots/418462/10 "2007-09-08T22:56:18Z")
I use mine constantly. I have a big one and a little one. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-pots/418462/11 "2007-09-08T23:04:21Z")
What do you make in them? ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-pots/418462/12 "2007-09-08T23:41:09Z")
I wasn’t sure if Le Creuset counted, but they seem to think they do. Right now I’ve just got one dutch oven, but the family’s got tons of pieces spread all over. They’re great for pot roasts and things like that. I’m not sure if they still have it, but at one point, my parents had an old painted cast-iron pot that was only used for beans for barbeque. Damned good beans too. -Lil ---
**Author:** ![GythaOgg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@GythaOgg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GythaOgg)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-pots/418462/13 "2007-09-08T23:48:30Z")
I could easily get by with my big cast-iron dutch oven as the only piece of cookware in my kitchen. You can do almost anything with it on the stovetop you could do with a pot or a skillet; you can do anything in the oven with it you could do with a casserole. I’ve made everything in it from pot roast to Tuna Helper to fried chicken to spaghetti. It doesn’t -quite- replace a wok, because the sides are too straight, but it does just about everything else, honestly. It’s my one absolute kitchen necessity. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2007, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-pots/418462/14 "2007-09-09T00:15:52Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] What do you make in them? [/QUOTE] Pretty much everything that’s too sloshy for my cast iron frying pans. Stews, soups, etc. Easy dinner: toss some coarsely chopped carrots, potatoes, onions, etc., into your small iron pot. Throw in a frozen chicken breast, or pork chop, or whatever. Splash half a can of beer. Salt, pepper, sage, etc. I sometimes add those very robust egg noodles that take 20 minutes to cook. Anyway, simmer low for about an hour. Eat. Variation: mix up some biscuit dough, plop a few plops on top for dumplings. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2007, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-pots/418462/15 "2007-09-09T00:17:06Z")
Well, of _course_ **Nanny Ogg** would consider something cauldron-like indispensible! 😉