We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
My grandma was a braiser, my mom is a notorious braiser, and so it only seems fitting that I too have inherited the same enthusiasm and confess to being an unapologetic braiser. I’m Chinese and grew up eating lots of braised dishes — soy-braised chicken and mushrooms, beef shins and tripe, and, my mom’s absolute favorite, soy-braised pork belly with whole-boiled eggs. My mom’s weekly cooking repertoire consisted mainly of braises; it was her go-to technique in the kitchen.
What’s So Great About the Emile Henry Delight Round Dutch Oven
My family didn’t have a Dutch oven because, as mentioned, we braise regularly and traditional Dutch ovens are heavy. Our pot for braising was a simple and humble earthenware or stoneware version, which you can easily pick up at a Chinese grocery store for a few bucks. However, being a serial braiser, I have to admit that the cheap and cheerful grocery-store find was just not good enough for me — so that’s why I initially turned to the Emile Henry Delight Round Dutch Oven, and I’ve never turned back.
Although Emile Henry has a dedicated braiser, I prefer its Delight Dutch Oven because it has all the same features for braising and can also be used on an induction stove. The basic hallmarks of a good braising pot is that the pot should be able to conduct and transfer heat evenly — and Emile Henry’s Dutch oven does just that.
The Dutch oven was based on the brand’s original fondue pot. If you’re a fondue-lover like me, you know that preparing an excellent Swiss-approved fondue relies on evenly melting the cheese so that you don’t burn it and end up with a gooey mess. The even heat distribution translates very well to executing a great French-inspired braised beef bourguignon, where no matter how much caramelization you get on the beef shins, you can easily wash it off the pot. The Emile Henry Dutch oven is very easy to clean, as the ceramic material is scratch-resistant and any crusty bits can be easily washed off with an sponge or, more conveniently, popped into a dishwasher.
The pot is also incredibly light for a Dutch oven, which makes cooking and cleaning so much easier. We’re talking dramatically lighter when compared to other competitive Dutch ovens, which can weigh closer to 10 pounds (whereas the same 4.2-quart Emile Henry version comes in at just under 6 pounds).
The final feature that I think goes unnoticed is the lid itself — it has a large, flat knob on top, which makes it easy to grab without slipping (especially out of the oven) and also offers a nifty little place to put your wooden spoon, which comes in handy because a good braise needs a decent jiggle and stir once in a while. Ingenious.
Happy braising, from one dedicated braiser to another!
Buy: Emile Henry Delight Round Dutch Oven, $290
Michelle Tchea
Source link
