Cast iron is great for frying, braising, baking etc. Self-basting lid (that many others do not have) is a must have if braising. Lid also fits my 12” cast iron skillet, so that’s a big plus.

The longer you use this pot the more seasoned it will become. I use parchment paper, cornmeal or nothing on the bottom and all is good. Only bad thing is i wish they had the dd oven in the 7qt.

I would urge caution to anyone who considers purchasing this item. This particular piece is flawed and i had to wait on it for a month? Now wait more.

The seasoning is black and chips off on the food. It cooks the food well but i am already seeing discoloration. If you try to make soup or stew food in water, you end up with a gray, oily scum on top.

Workmanship is nothing like le creuset. Rough areas scrape off in flakes of iron. There are also areas that the pot was * down in the manufacturing.