The Le Creuset Doufeu

[TheSwede]

I remember an old TV snippet with Paul Bocuse making a pot-a-feu with a similar thing. His explanation was that the aromas stayed in the pot rather than evaporating. He used only water, no ice.

[CaliPoutine]

I don't know if that's true. In this video you can see that the Staub name and Nomar are both shown on top of their factory. They also show a cocotte in the video that looks just like the Staub one, but the name 'Nomar' is on it, instead of Staub.

Here's a link to the video that shows the factory and how they are made.

One detail: Nomar is not made by Staub but commercialized by Staub. Nomar is a small company located in Saint-Etienne while Staub, which acquired it, is in Alsace.

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Not to change the subject, but I have a fabulous Nomar pot that I bought at TJ Maxx years ago. It was on clearance for $16.00 and it came w/ a free trivett. Its cast iron, but its not enamaled.

[Nawlins]

I inherited a Doufeu from my mother a few years ago. I start off with ice on the top and find that it evaporates after a couple of hours. It can then be replaced without removing the lid, which I believe would let moisture escape....defeating the purpose of the Doufeu.

I personally prefer the metal handles on each side. This makes a very heavy pot easier to handle.

[AmbrosiaFood]

Doufeu cocottes were first created in the 1930s by Cousances and remained in the company until at least the 1980s, after that I am not sure what happened since Le Creuset commmercializes the Doufeu with little or no modification of the original model, but Cousances still exists as a company.

Cousances cocottes (of the Doufeu type or not) may still be found new, or at flea markets and on eBay, and they are outstanding material. I still have one in black cast iron from the early 80s, very slightly enamelled, and it is the best cast iron cooking vessel I ever had. Much better than today's Le Creuset.

It is my understanding that Le Creuset bought out Cousances, but still makes some items under the Cousances label.

I have a bunch of good used Cousances and I like them, but I still think Copco is better.

[LindaK]

I have one, received as a gift some years ago. It didn't come with any instructions but it wasn't hard to figure out with the name "doufeu." I've never played with the water/ice and have just used it as a large dutch oven for either stove top or oven.

I like the integrated iron handles on the lid, no need to worry whether they're oven proof. Plus, mine is a nice bright blue color, definitely looks great on the stove or table. It does weigh a ton, though. No complaints, I love LC.

[Recoil Rob]

I live nearby JA Henckells US headquarters and every year around Xmas they have a warehouseeverything at least 50% off. They must be the importers for Staub because this year there were racks of the stuff there. I found a Staub "Chicken Roaster" in red which I gave to my girlfriend for Valentines Day. It has the small "computer designed" spikes on the underside of the lid for basting. That weekend we used it to braise a pheasant in the oven at about 250˚. I pulled the cover off it a few time while braising to check on it, at no time was there any condensed liquid on the lid. I suspect that in the oven the lid heats up to the same temperature as the rest of the pot keeping liquid from condensing.

We're going to try it again this weekend but this time will use the stoveto.

[dougal]

... I suspect that in the oven the lid heats up to the same temperature as the rest of the pot keeping liquid from condensing. ...

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Yes.

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...dpost&p=1647483

As with Tagine and Doufeu, its the coolness of the lid that promotes condensation.

Which is why a Tagine (or your pot), inside the oven, is just like an ordinary pot.

Edited March 3, 2009 by dougal (log)