Choosing between a Braising Pan and a Dutch oven is quite difficult if you understand the difference between two similar cooking utensils. Both pieces of cookware are similar in terms of versatility and function.
Furthermore, they both belong to the enamelled cast-iron material family as they are made from enamel coated cast iron.But, the question is which is better, a Braising Pan or a Dutch Overcast iron pan?
When it comes to the functionality of the Dutch oven, it is perfect for preparing stews, soups, casseroles, but can also be used for baking, roasting and frying. Braiser Pans, on the other hand, are used for roasting, shallow frying, and other dishes that do not require large amounts of liquid.
Well, both have their advantages and disadvantages so choose the right one for your cooking style.In this article, we are going to break down the difference between braiser and Dutch oven pan to help you make your choice in a well-informed manner.
About Braising Pan
Braising is the specific form used to prepare a finished dish like any other dish, but it can also be prepared in a Dutch oven other than in a braising pan.
Braising Pan is significantly made from the enamelled iron pan like Dutch oven pan, the difference is, it comes in various types of shapes. This pan is also known as a frying pan, tilting skillet, or braising pan. It has a shallow side and longer topsides about 2.5 inches in height, which are essential for cooking entire pieces of meat. The pan is also campfire-safe, stovetop-safe, and oven safe. The material used is a beast that can tolerate high temperatures.
The pan has small handles on either side, allowing for great ease of transfer from oven to table, and has a tight-fitting lid that helps keep food moist during cooking.Its extensive base enables food ingredients to be exposed to the most heat resulting in perfectly browned pieces of meat.Braising pans is that they are perfect for cooking or browning your food as opposed to a traditional Dutch oven.
Uses of Braising Pan
Braising pans are an amalgamation between an enamelled Dutch oven and cast iron pans. The pan is compatible with many cooking methods, such as braising meat in the microwave, frying on the stovetop, baking casseroles, and other dishes that require a tight-fitting lid.
One thing you need to know about the pan is that it has a wide opening which makes it ideal for frying or searing, especially for cooking tough pieces of meat and is similar to a Dutch oven. Both of these pans require less heat to keep the food moist.
What you’ll love the most is its round lid that gives you extra cooking space for the braising process. As the meat boils in the liquid, the lid collects the steam, and the lid pulls it back to drip down, leaving your dish perfectly soft and moist.
To get an even temperature, you need to preheat your braising pan before you start working with it.You can put it in the oven or on top of the stove, but make sure they’re going to preheat.It is also advisable not to use your braising pan at higher temperatures like traditional pots.
A braising pan is ideally designed to prepare dishes like beef bourguignon, risotto, lamb shanks, bean dishes, stir fry, paella, coq au bin, etc.
The Perfect Uses for a Braising Pan
- Roasting and Shallow Frying
- From large pieces of meat to small pieces, you can use this pan without turning the meat.
- Simmering or Braising with a minimal to the maximal amount of liquid
- Frying like a Skillet
- Paella and Risotto
- Baking Casseroles, etc.
About Dutch Oven Pan
Dutch ovens, on the other hand, are deep cooking skillets made of thick cast iron with high sides and a thick base. Plus, it features two small handles and a tight-fitted lid. Like a braiser skillet, this pan is stovetop safe, oven-safe, and fire-safe. They are ideally designed for making casseroles and stews and for slow cooking. It completely looks like a larger pot with straight, taller sides with a flat lid.
The lid is a bit tight-fitting and heavy and the sides are thinner. Plus, their base is thick and narrow. Even though a seasoned cast iron pan is non-stick, if you buy something less than a good quality enamel-coated iron, it won’t stay non-stick as long.Thus, buying a skillet with a porous and non-stick surface is recommended by brands or some other less expensive manufacturers.
The biggest difference between a Dutch oven and other pans is the material used; most pans are only suitable for the stovetop, whereas Dutch ovens can be used on the stovetop and in the oven as well.
Uses of Dutch oven
A Dutch oven is perfect cookware when it comes to working with the maximum amount of liquid, as the high side enables you to work with extra cooking space.Use a Dutch oven pan on top of the braising pan to cook the tough cuts of meat participation making sure the food is completely submerged in the liquid. You need to cook on low flame for a long period till the meat becomes moist.
It is advisable to use a hefty self-basing liquid to ensure that steam doesn’t leak out of the skillet and soak back into the recipe of the strengthened. Due to the high level of compression, these pans are popular.
They have incredible heat retention capabilities, making them versatile for any heat source. You can use it to prepare a host of dishes such as soups, beans, roasts, and chilli. These pans can braise and simmer vegetables and tougher cuts of meat but are not suitable for pan and shallow frying due to their small base. Due to the fact, the pan is versatile, you can use it to prepare delicious soups and stews.
Note: Before getting started cooking with this skillet, you need to preheat it for at least 10 minutes for uniform cooking. Ensure the stove or oven has set at the lower flame as the high temperature can damage the enamel coating of the Dutch oven.
The Perfect Uses for a Dutch Oven Pan
- Stew, Chilli, Soup, or any other dishes that require a lot of liquid
- Braising and Simmering tougher pieces of meat that require a medium to a large amount of liquid
- Boiling food, such as rice, pasta, or other grains
- Baking food, such as bread, sourdough
- Deep-frying and Roasting
Difference between Braising Pan and Dutch oven
After reading about these pans separately, you are well acquainted with them.It is time to know about the similarities and differences between these two which can help you to know which one is better.
Braising Pan Vs Dutch Oven – Similarities
- Material
Both the braising pan and Dutch oven are made from the same materials, so they are versatile, highly durable, and compatible with stovetop and oven use.
- Tight-fitting Lids
A Dutch oven and braising pan come with tight-fitting lids, so you’ll have a more inclusive heating option for boiling, frying, braising, searing, and more. Lids help retain liquid during cooking and keep foods moist and soft.
- Care & Maintenance
The cast iron material that includes both Braising Pan and Dutch oven is durable and sturdy. The glaze coating over them makes them more versatile and strong, so you don’t need to worry about seasoning the base. However, the glaze produces a non-stick base that is extremely toughened to damage than uncoated cast iron pots and pans.
Braising Pan Vs Dutch Oven – Differences
They both belong to the same type of material but differ in terms of overall performance. Braising Pans are designed for the objective of cooking meats. They are wide & short, have a heavy base & thick sides, and come with a heavy lid. Unlike Dutch ovens, they are usually separate from straight ones.
However, Dutch Ovens are taller, feature heavy bottom, thick sides and a heavy lid. They are typically used to prepare crisp, brown meat, but can be used to cook the food. Unlike Dutch ovens for steaming, braising is a more ideal option because it is more efficient than the previous one. These pans can be perfect for different types of cooking methods & styles, such as deep-frying, baking, roasting, and more.
Since the meat is completely submerged in liquid, Dutch ovens help you to achieve the fall from bone rawness that you might naturally expect from slow-cooked meat dishes.On the other hand, the broad surface of braising pan enables ingredients to be spread over the base, and they are inclined to an even distribution of heat. You can also use a Dutch oven to prepare delicious braised dishes in small batches as their boundary is comparatively smaller
Final Words
Investing in a cast iron pan, whether, a Dutch oven or a braising pan is considered one of the best decisions as they are beautiful, durable, and last for usability.
Other Pans Comparison:
Hi, my name is Ashley Robinson. I’m a food blogger and a part time chef in Food & Drink Junction, Denver. With my blog I’m sharing information & tutorials about different kinds of cooking pans.
