Right from those first chilly days, the desire for a good stew, braise or warming spaghetti sauce is tangible. Is it worth dusting off the good old enamel cast iron casserole from the cupboard? Oh, yes! This tool is essential for preparing these types of dishes. Here we explain the many advantages of the casserole dish and give you recipe ideas on how to use it more often.

How to use a casserole dish

An enamel cast iron casserole dish is a versatile cooking tool. You can put it in a hot oven as well as on the stove burners—use it in the same way you would use a pot, pan or baking dish.

The casserole dish is a multi-use kitchen essential. Braise, simmer, brown, sauté or boil all types of ingredients and dishes. However, avoid using it if you want to roast meats, such as chicken, for example, since the limited space of the casserole dish does not allow enough air to circulate and roast the meat properly.

With the casserole, you can prepare comforting dishes based on meat or legumes, pasta, sauces, or even homemade bread.

4 advantages of the casserole

Here’s why you should use your casserole dish more often.

• This enamel cast iron cooking tool has a thick bottom and rim, making it an excellent conductor of heat.

• It creates a closed and moist cooking environment. As the lid is very heavy, the inside is completely airtight and prevents evaporation. This allows the food to break down and be infused with flavours, cooking slowly.

• It is a must for covered cooking, such as beans, stews or braises, for example.

• The casserole withstands oven temperatures of up to 500°F (260°C), which is why you can bake bread or finish baking under the grill.

The difference between the casserole and the slow cooker

The casserole and the slow cooker are, in a way, part of the same family. Some recipes are even interchangeable with either item. So which one to choose? It depends on what you want to make!

The casserole dish:

• The heat rises to a very high temperature. This allows the sauces to reduce, thus concentrating the flavours of a dish.
• You can brown the food or pre-cook it on the stove and put it directly into the oven without changing the cooking tool.
• Since the temperature is high, a dish can be prepared in less time. Braised meat, for example, may be ready to serve in about 2 to 2 ½ hours.
• It requires more attention during cooking to ensure that the liquid does not completely evaporate—and that more is added as needed.

The slow cooker:

• Food cooks at low temperatures, for more time, sometimes up to 8 hours.
• No attention is required. You can even leave the house while cooking and a stove mode activates (for some appliances) once it is finished.
• The liquid remains in the slow cooker, but does not reduce.

To use the slow cooker well, see our article Slow cooker 101.

Choosing a casserole dish

If you don’t have a casserole dish, you must first choose the shape you want since there are round and oval ones on the market. If you plan to cook large pieces of meat, an oval-shaped model would probably suit you better. If you normally cook smaller portions, a round model will do. And then there are the colours—we’ll let you choose!

Casseroles vary in price and quality. They are usually very durable. A high-quality casserole can last a lifetime, provided you pay the price. But more affordable casseroles will also allow you to accomplish your recipes.