Casserole recipes and how to buy the right dish

Material choices

Casserole dishes can be made of a variety of materials, however, the three most popular are:

Enamelled cast iron
Ceramic
Stainless steel

Of these, the best material is enamelled cast iron, which is best known by the Le Creuset and Le Chasseur brands. Not only can these dishes be used in the oven, but they can also be started off on the stove top, and look perfect as oven-to-table ware. Cast iron is an even distributor of heat and the enamel coating means it won't rust if left wet. This is the most expensive, and weightiest, of all the cookware types though and is a long-term investment for any cook.

The heavier the better

As a general rule, the heavier the casserole dish is the better. This will let you quickly brown the meat on the stove top, before putting it in the oven for long slow cooking. A heavy pan with a thick base will also trap all the delicious juices inside the pot, allowing them to circulate and produce a tastier final product. This will also lead to even distribution of heat so that the food at the top of the pot is cooked just as thoroughly as the food at the bottom.

Consider size and shape

Before buying a casserole consider the best size for what you want to cook. Round casseroles are great for stews and soups, but oval pans are better for pot-roasts and cooking whole legs of lamb or pieces of pork.

Also consider the size, as generally the larger it is the better. Stews and pot roasts need space for the air to circulate around the ingredients, so make sure the size you buy will suit what you like to cook.