Lodge 5 Quart Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven with Lid - Dual Handles - Lid Doubles as 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Grill Pan - Use in the Oven, on the Stove, on the Grill or over the Campfire - Black

The Little Pot That Could Do It AllI've always been a bit intimidated by cast iron. It seemed like something only seasoned chefs or rugged outdoorsmen used, requiring special care and a level of culinary expertise I wasn't sure I possessed. But I kept hearing about the magic of cast iron – the incredible heat retention, the way it can go from stovetop to oven, the promise of food cooked to perfection. I finally decided to dip my toes in the cast iron waters, and this Lodge 2 Quart Dutch Oven was my entry point. Let me tell you, it's completely won me over.This little pot is a powerhouse. Don't let the 2-quart size fool you; it's perfect for cooking for one or two people, or for making smaller batches of sauces, sides, or desserts. The pre-seasoning was a huge plus for a cast iron beginner like me. It meant I could start using it right away after a quick rinse. And they weren't kidding – the more I use it, the better that natural, easy-release surface gets. It's incredibly satisfying to see it develop.The heat distribution and retention are truly impressive. It heats up evenly and stays hot, which is fantastic for searing meats or simmering stews. I've used it on my gas stovetop, in the oven for baking small loaves of bread and cobblers, and I even took it camping once to cook beans over a fire (it handled it like a champ!). The tight-fitting lid is a game-changer for keeping moisture in, resulting in incredibly tender pot roasts and flavorful stews.Taking care of it is much simpler than I anticipated. A quick hand wash with hot water and a stiff brush (no soap needed most of the time!), a thorough drying, and a thin coat of oil keeps it happy. It's a small ritual that feels like caring for a valued tool.Knowing that Lodge is a family-owned company that's been making cast iron in the USA since 1896 also adds to the appeal. There's a sense of history and quality craftsmanship that you can feel when you use it.If you've been curious about cast iron but felt intimidated, or if you're looking for a versatile and durable small pot that can handle everything from searing to baking, this Lodge 2 Quart Dutch Oven is an excellent choice. It's a little pot that truly can do it all, and it's made me a cast iron convert.

I bought this to bake my sourdough bread it and it worked great but I definitely want to use this for other things now. I didn’t have to season it which was great. This should last forever.I love cast iron and use my skillets constantly. So glad to add to my collection. Be aware that this is very heavy, especially when the lid is on! My mom would struggle with the weight so didn’t like it. However since I use cast iron often and saw a similar one in a store I knew what to expect.

Arrived missing pre-seasoning on a couple spots by the handle. Looked like it had chipped away revealing a brownish/rust color underneath. I was initially super disappointed but found on the Lodge website that this may be normal due to seasoning on a hanging conveyor. Whatever the case, I followed instructions online to season it (rub with a small bit of high smoke point oil then bake for an hour) and the spots were mostly fixed in that they no longer left a black marks when I rubbed my finger against them and looked better sealed. I’m a beginner to cast iron, but the issue seemed to not be a big deal and I’ll continue to season it regularly. Overall, quite happy with this purchase.

****EDITED BELOW****I am so very happy with this Dutch Oven. Just so you know where I'm coming from, my mom used a cast iron skillet when I was growing up. When I started on my own I also used a cast iron skillet and was very happy with it. Years ago I was in an accident which forced me to close up my apartment and move back home. I gave away all my cookware and focused on physical rehab. When I was patched up and ready to get back in the rat race I bought all T-Fal cookware which I've used for years. My reasons for going with Teflon was because the Teflon was ready to use right away so I could hit the ground running. It didn't require seasoning which was something I didn't want to be bothered with at that time. Using it has been okay but I truly missed my cast iron pan. You could do anything to that pan and it would still love you the next day. I've read people talking on here about the arduous task of having to re season cast iron regularly. I don't know what those people are talking about. All you have to do is keep using it, it seasons itself. You could even get one bland in the mail and not season it at all. Just start cooking on it and deal with strangely burnt food for a while till eventually it becomes seasoned with regular use. Even my Teflon pans became seasoned after years of using it on a regular basis. Seriously, cast iron is ridiculously low maintenance and that is one of my strongest reasons for upgrading to it. And now they come pre seasoned! BONUS! This wasn't the case when I bought one years ago.All I've used in the past were skillets. This time around I decided to convert ALL of my cookware to cast iron. I went with this Dutch oven because it was eligible for the 4 for 3 deal here at Amazon and the other model I looked at wasn't. I was afraid of how heavy it would be. The Dutch oven really isn't all that bad weight wise. My electric slow cooker seems heavier by comparison. This is my first time using a cast iron Dutch oven and when I finally got it I was so excited I decided to start cooking on it right away. The fact that it comes pre seasoned bothered me a little because I didn't get to choose the kind of oil I wanted since it was already predetermined. Nobody is really selling unseasoned cast iron these days though so I decided to go with the Lodge brand made right here in America. I was really distracted by the concept of pre seasoning but now that the Dutch oven is here my misgivings about it are completely gone. The pre seasoning is not sticky or gross, it wasn't thick like it could chip off and there was no funny smell to it at all - all things I was paranoid about. Compared to the worries about Teflon and the fumes from it though, the pre seasoning of cast iron is the least of my concerns. They were clean, ready to use and I loved being able to dig it right out of the box and start using it as soon as it arrived.It was only received yesterday and so far I've used it twice to cook vegetables and once I've used the lid to fry bacon as suggested by another reviewer. FABULOUS! I will add that I didn't stir anything in these pots. I just set the food in and let it cook in there. Nothing stuck to the Dutch. When everything was done and the pot cooled I simply hosed it off with water and a soapy sponge, then dried it up. Splendid! Paper towels shed in this pot however. It might be better to use a cloth or a rag of some sort that wont leave lint behind.The lid does not have a knob on the top like most lids you see on a Dutch oven. When I put this lid on the Dutch oven I'm sure not to line up the side handles to the handles on the Dutch so that it's easier to remove the lid for stirring, adding ingredients and peeking in to see how things are coming. The lid seems to fit the same way on the pot no matter which direction you put it on so there's no qualitative reason to line up the handles. Just make sure you protect your hands with oven mitts because this thing does get very hot. I just ordered another lid for it. It's not something I really *need* to do, the present lid works just fine. I just thought it might be nice to have one of those lids with the spiky interior for even distribution of condensation back in to the food as it cooks. The lid that comes with it is smooth inside which is handy for using it as a skillet. In all honesty I'm purchasing this other lid simply because I know it exists, the present lid is perfectly fine so far. I just like having other options and I'm hoping the spike lid I just bought will also fit on the Dutch oven lid. Wouldn't that be cool?Don't be afraid of this Dutch oven. It's a keeper! I'm really pleased with my purchase.EDIT:I finally got the other lid and it fits perfectly with no problems. I'm glad I bought this particular Dutch however and not the other. The lid that comes with this Dutch is ideal for the way I use it. I make short ribs but instead of braising them beforehand I put them in the hot liquid straight from the freezer. The ribs pile up high in the Dutch. The new lid would not fit on top of the meat but the depth of the original lid makes it fit right over it with no problems. I've searched and you can't buy this lid separately, it only comes with this particular Dutch. I'm thrilled with the other lid too but I'm REALLY glad I have this one. Options are A+ in my book. Purchase a steel brush with this pot. I've bought a couple of Lodge cast iron products and they do tend to develope rust. I scrubbed them with a Quickie steel brush and reseasoned them a few times which solved the rust problem. You DO need to season these yourself though. The preseasoning is just a quick dressing to get you started.