A 3.5 quart braiser gives you a wide, shallow cooking surface for meals that
start on the stovetop and finish in the oven. Sear chicken thighs, short ribs or
pork shoulder directly in the pan, add aromatics and liquid, cover, and move the
whole thing to the oven without reaching for a second dish.
Heavy cast iron construction is the reason it works. Thick walls and a thick base
take longer to come up to temperature than thin cookware, but they hold that
temperature when cold food hits the surface, so meat browns instead of steaming
and a sauce stays at a steady simmer. The porcelain enamel interior is fused to
the iron, so there is no seasoning to build or maintain and no bare metal to
react with tomatoes, wine, citrus or vinegar. Clean it with warm water, dish soap
and a soft sponge or nylon brush.
The fitted lid is cast with raised dimples across the underside. Steam rising
from the food collects on those points and falls back onto the surface below
instead of running off to the rim, so roasts, beans and vegetables stay moist
through a long, slow cook. A solid brass knob sits at the center of the lid.
Two wide loop handles give you a full grip with oven mitts on both sides, which
matters once the pan is loaded and hot. The low profile means the braiser goes
from the range straight to the table, so a family style meal can be served from
the pan it was cooked in. The cream colored interior makes it easy to judge how
far a sauce has reduced or how dark a fond has developed.
Use it on gas, electric, ceramic, halogen and induction cooktops, and in the oven
up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 degrees Celsius).
