Best Oval Cast Iron Dutch Oven has comfortable handles, ample room and looks fantastic. The problem with the oval dutch oven is that most don’t even know whats its used for. They are best for braising and stewing long cuts of meat. Things like shanks or even a whole chicken works best. Traditional dutch oven are round and more versatile but they have issues fitting more oblong food. This article compiles a list of some of the Best Oval Cast Iron Dutch Oven. We will discuss what makes them great and what you should look for.

What to Look for in a Oval Dutch Oven

Handle

Cast iron is heavy. Big cast iron dutch oven is even heavier. Fill that with food, you can easily reach 20 plus lbs. For that reason, a good wide handle is important. The last thing that you want to do is drop your hard worked food. A good handle is nice and wide. You can easily fit your finger in. And you should be able to use a glove. Since these are cast iron model, most if not all the handle will get hot.

Shape

The oval dutch oven is supposed to be oval. The oval dutch oven offers a few advantage. Namely it can fit oblong food like shanks or femur. The other benefit is that it saves space. While round dutch oven are more wide, oval can fit more side to side. These are perfect if your oven just happens to be packed. The downside to these dutch oven is that the heat is not as even. Since the round heating element matches perfectly, they are more suited for traditional cooking. However, you can get around this by just heating it up at low temperature.

Size

Bigger is better. These long shanks are usually too long. If you have one that is too small, you are going to have to cut it. Which kinda defeats the purpose of having a oval dutch oven. Do not short change yourself by getting a smaller version.

Appearance and Enamel Durability

While appearance may seem a little vain, the reason we get enamel dutch oven is for the looks. We can bring it to the table and serve people. Guest always love the bright colors of the dutch oven. While taste maybe subjective, luckily, most of these dutch oven are beautiful.

With that being said. Only two manufacturer make really durable enamel coating. They are both french and both expensive. Unfortunately the Chinese made one are all prone to chipping and wont last as long. That is not to say that will flake right away, you just have to be very careful with them.

Le Creuset Oval Dutch Oven

Categories	Le Creuset 6.75 qt Oval Dutch Oven
Performance	Excellent
Country of Manufacturer	France
Oven Safe Temperature	500 Degree Fahrenheit
Compatibility	Gas, Electric, Halogen, Glass Top, Induction
Capacity	6.75 qt
Material	Enamel Cast Iron
Handle	The handle is nice and wide. It gives you ample room to hold even with gloves on. This is something that le creuset does well that other manufacturer seems to fail at.
Appearances	One of the most iconic dutch oven in the world. Bring this out and everyone will recognize the Le Creuset name. They have the widest range of color out of all manufacturer. You should be able to get one that suits your taste.
Thoughts	Le Creuset Oval dutch oven is one of the best around. It has the largest handle and the widest range of color. From usability to design, you cant beat le creuset.
Reviewed Cookware	Le Creuset LS2532-3267 Signature Enameled Cast-Iron Round Round Braiser, 5-Quart

Staub Oval Dutch Oven

Categories	Staub 7 qt Oval Dutch Oven
Performance	Excellent
Country of Manufacturer	France
Oven Safe Temperature	500 Degree Fahrenheit
Compatibility	Gas, Electric, Halogen, Glass Top, Induction
Capacity	7 qt
Material	Enamel Cast Iron
Handle	Beautiful handle design. However, they are not as large as Le Creuset. It is wide enough to use with gloves on though. The design also flows a little better.
Appearances	I personally find that Staub Dutch oven to be more beautiful than Le Creuset. Their colors are simply stunning. The finish on them are nicer as well. The interior enamel coating is black so that might cause some problems. It is more difficult to see inside than a white one.
Thoughts	Staub Oval Dutch oven is beautiful. Even more beautiful than Le Creuset. While the handle is not as comfortable as Le Creuset. I say the appearance more than makes up for it. Both dutch oven should perform similarly.
Reviewed Cookware	Staub Cast Iron 7-qt Oval Cocotte

Staub Oval Dutch Oven

Categories	Lodge 7 qt Oval Dutch Oven
Performance	Excellent
Country of Manufacturer	China
Oven Safe Temperature	500 Degree Fahrenheit
Compatibility	Gas, Electric, Halogen, Glass Top, Induction
Capacity	7 qt
Material	Enamel Cast Iron
Handle	One of the widest handle of the bunch. This should let you grip it with ease. Although if only it protruded outward a little more. It does get in the way just a bit.
Appearances	I think the French counterparts look a little better. They are more limited in the range of color as well. I only see blue and red for now. They might come out with more later.
Thoughts	The price of Lodge dutch oven is a fraction of what Le Creuset and Staub charge. They are more limited in color choice and their enamel durability is weaker. However, in terms of functionality, it should perform just as well.
Reviewed Cookware	Lodge 7 Quart Oval Enameled Dutch Oven. Classic Red Enamel Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Best Oval Cast Iron Dutch Oven Thoughts

Overall, the Best Oval Cast Iron Dutch Oven is really dependent on apperance and durability. While the French models are the best, they are also the most expensive. Lodge makes a good alternative. However, their range of color is more limited and the enamel durability is not as great. Having said that, you cannot go wrong with either of these oval dutch oven.

I hope you like this Best Oval Cast Iron Dutch Oven article, If you would like to see more, please visit our Pots and Pans Review page.