Casserole Dishes and Cookware

Casserole dishes, often called Dutch Ovens, are made out of glass, cast iron, stainless steel, enamel, ceramics or even clay and they come in a variety of sizes. The shape is either round or oval. A good casserole dish should also have a well fitting lid.

Stainless steel, cast iron and enamel cookware have the advantage that you can use them on the stovetop. This makes it possible to sauté onions and vegetables or brown the meat before it all goes into the oven. The heavier these are, the better it will be for your casserole, as the heat will be distributed evenly. These heavy duty pots are available for less than 50 dollars with prices reaching several hundred dollars.

On the lighter and also more affordable side are the glass and ceramic casserole dishes. Those cannot be used on the stovetop, but are often microwaveable. Pyrex dishes are not only cheap, but also very versatile and transparent. Who does not love to see what is happening inside when your casserole bubbles away in the oven? Ceramics look great as a serving dish and they assure even baking with always good results.

A very old method of baking and making casseroles is using clay pots. They are currently experiencing a huge comeback and several companies offer great products. Clay pots have to be treated with special care. Unglazed pots like the German Roemertopf, have to be soaked in water before use, but they produce amazingly tender and juicy results in a short amount of time.

Shop around for your perfect casserole dish and perhaps get two different sizes! With all the available types it will be easy to find the one that matches your style.