If you don't have le creuset what do you casserole with?

[Flickoffboris]

Please stop me going down a rabbit hole here and remortgaging the house for the le creuset (which looks far too heavy, I'd break a bloody toe I expect).

I was tempted by an aluminium casserole dish like this one maybe
www.marksandspencer.com/cast-aluminium-5l-casserole-dish/p/hbp60108495?color=IVORY#intid=prodColourId-60187306

Or a cast iron one like this
www.vonhaus.com/vh_en/4-5l-cast-iron-casserole-dish

I've an induction hob. I've realised that my slow cooker just churns out joyless gruel and I want to slow cook properly.

Any tips gratefully received.

I’ve got a stellar stainless steel Casserole dish, it's lasted me many, many years. Not lightweight but nowhere near as heavy as le creuset.

Pyrex, in the oven.

Pyrex with a lid. Cleans easily. Lasts forever.

I have a Le Creuset, two Chasseurs and a Sainsbury's version, and tbh I don't really think I can tell the difference!

A John Lewis cast iron version.

Having said that, I don't actually casserole (love that as a verb 😂) that often, i.e. in the oven - I use them on the stovetop (also induction) constantly though.

What slow cooker recipes are you using? We get good Bolognese, curry and chilli from our slow cooker, but I don't branch our much beyond that. We also use the Instant Pot as a slow cooker, which works well.

Ikea do the same thing. Cast iron and huge.

Pyrex with a lid or falcon enamel roaster with a lid.

I buy a lot of my kitchen items from ProCook. They sell professional quality cookware and the prices are really reasonable for the quality. I recently got a cast iron casserole dish for a third of the price of Le Creuset (I also have a Le Creuset, and can't tell the difference).

Pyrex

Pyrex. I gave away all my le crueset because the feel of them made my teeth hurt.

We've got a Sainsburys cast iron casserole dish - I think they're between £30 and £40 but we picked one up in a sale for £20. I went for cast iron because anything thinner/lighter can end up heating unevenly and you can get burned patches in whatever you're cooking. If the bottom of whatever you're slow cooking ends up catching it taints the whole thing.

It is heavy, but it's also hob-proof which makes it so much easier to be able to sling things like chicken thighs or diced beef into the pan, start it on the hob to brown the meat, chuck in some veg and then shove the whole thing in the oven.

I only have cast iron enamel cookware

I do everything in them

So versatile

Pyrex

A Pyrex with lid. It is old.

I have Aldi versions; £25 for a large one and it is brilliant. I have a Sainsbury's coloured cast iron griddle pan as well and it is excellent.

This is the most MN thread title ever

Sainsbury’s one. It’s great, we use it all the time.

We’ve also got an old one that came from DHs Nans house when she died, must be 40 years old. Bloody brilliant!

@sadpapercourtesan

This is the most MN thread title ever

Pyrex.

How come your slow cooker is so shit??

@sadpapercourtesan it really is 😂

Pyrex generally although I do have a Le creuset one. But it’s usually a Pyrex one as the Le creuset one is too large for 2 of us.

Another vote for pro cook. Same as Le creuset and third of the price.

Thanks so much for all the replies!

@laquila my MIL gave me a bowl of her oven slow cooked stew yesterday and it just blew spots off anything I produce in a slow cooker. I'd sort of known the stews of my youth were much better too, but denied it to myself because of the ease of the slow cooker. But it has to go.

For those saying Pyrex thank you, but I was looking for something that can do hob as well as oven, I should have specified. I've got all these lovely recipes for 10 minutes faff on the top, the an hour in the oven, and food heaven is promised at the end.

@sadpapercourtesan it really is, I should have a word with myself

I prefer pyrex as I can see if the fluid needs topping up. I have a le cruset and find it bloody heavy.