6 Reasons to Buy an Oval Dutch Oven
It's hard to resist the allure of really great cookware. Perhaps it's their utility (you can’t beat a set of good knives or a sturdy cutting board when you want to churn out quality prep work), or maybe it’s the fact that they just look good. (We wouldn’t blame you for buying multiple apron colors just because you wanted to channel a certain vibe, for instance). The point is, when it comes to HexClad’s new Oval Dutch Oven, you’re spoiled for choice.
1. THEY’RE PEAK NOSTALGIA
Picture this: It’s Sunday at Grandma’s house and there’s a delightfully savory aroma wafting through the air. Something delicious is en route. She pulls open the oven door. Her glasses steam up, and after an “Oh, sugar!” she reaches in to retrieve an oval Dutch oven. Inside? Perhaps a tender pot roast or a crispy Tahchin filled with shredded chicken. An oval Dutch oven is a dose of nostalgia in the best way. Plus, it goes straight from oven to table for a classy-yet-retro dinner party.
2. IT’S GREAT FOR BRAISES
The oval-shaped braiser was an iconic staple of '70s and '80s kitchens, and for good reason: It's ideal for braises and other long-cooked meat dishes. We’re talking meltingly tender Osso Buco that rivals the old country or a Rosemary-Dijon Leg of Lamb Roast that impresses even your picky mother-in-law.
3. IT MAKES FOR MORE EVEN COOKING
When cooking a signature one-pot dish, it's a major bummer to have burnt bits of mirepoix in one area of the pot and undercooked pieces in another. Not an issue here: HexClad Food Director Laura Rege explains the Oval Dutch Oven's shape and tri-ply construction helps with even heat distribution and more uniform cooking. Think: fried chicken that comes out beautifully golden brown and evenly cooked.
4. AT 6.5 QUARTS, IT’S GREAT FOR BIGGER BATCHES
When it comes to getting the most from your meal prep, a bigger pot helps. Thanks to its 1.5-quart increase in size over our 5-quart Dutch Oven, this bad boy makes a few more servings of Kimchi and Tofu Soup or Lentil, Mushroom and Butternut Squash Bolognese. Divide any extra portions into single-serving containers and freeze for nights when you don’t feel like cooking. Your future self thanks you.
5. ITS OBLONG SHAPE IS A DREAM
If you’re struggling to choose between a round Dutch oven and an oval one, consider what you’re most likely to cook: Sizeable roasts for holidays and beautiful bakery-style loaves? Go with the oval oven. The oblong shape makes it easier to nestle in pork tenderloin and loaves of No-Knead Seeded Bread. And while we’re not not saying that a pot of steamed mussels tastes better in the Oval Dutch Oven, we are definitely saying that the way the mussels' shape mirrors the cooking vessel does look good on Instagram.
6. IT'S THE SWISS ARMY KNIFE OF PANS
When you invest in a pot, you want it to do a lot of things. We get it. Luckily, the Oval Dutch Oven does more than braises and big cuts of meat. It can stand in for your roasting pan for veg, roasted chicken or even a weeknight casserole. Anything you want to start on the stovetop and finish in the oven is great in the Oval Dutch Oven, including off-the-cuff one-pan dinners.
The Oval Dutch Oven basically does everything short of making dinner for you.
