Dutch ovens are essentially deep, round or oval pots with lids, that can be used on the hob and/or in the oven. They are incredibly versatile and are best suited for making things like soups, stews and casseroles. You can start the dish on the hob by searing or sauteing the ingredients before moving them into the oven for long, slow cooking.

They are also common for baking bread in lieu of a baking tin and for braising and frying as well.

The materials they are made from can vary from cast iron, cast aluminium or ceramic. Traditional Dutch ovens have no enamel coating, which means they can be used for outdoor cooking over an open fire as well, but modern versions for home use come with enamel coating.

What’s the difference between French ovens, casserole dishes or Dutch ovens?

When shopping for Dutch ovens, you’ll probably see some very similar pots with names such as French ovens and casserole dishes, and even though they might look similar, there are some differences between them.

Casserole dishes are similar in shape to Dutch ovens, but they are often shallower, which means water evaporates quicker. Some come with lids and some don’t. Casserole dishes tend to be made from a range of different materials including ceramic, enamelled cast iron, glass, aluminium and hard-anodized aluminium.

French ovens, on the other hand, are a variation of Dutch ovens made of cast iron but the difference with their counterparts is that they have an enamel coating on the inside and sometimes the outside too.

SQ Professional Ceres Dutch Pot Sets

Our Dutch Pots are made with a strong aluminium body that allows supreme heat conductivity and distribution, meaning they will heat up quickly and evenly, allowing exceptional cooking results.

SQ Pro range of Dutch Pot Sets come in sets of 3pc, 4pc and 5pc in small, medium and large sizes. They can be used on gas, electric, ceramic and halogen hobs and are dishwasher safe.