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People are focusing more and more on eating healthful foods at mealtime. You might not realize it, but pork casseroles include one of the leanest, healthiest cuts of meat available as a main ingredient. These delicious dishes that may be made with dissimilar products, including ham, sausage or pork chops. Whether you’re looking for a dish that’s spicy and savory or sweet and mellow, you’ll be competent to find a recipe for these dishes that will satisfy your taste buds while still being healthful for your heart and waistline.

Just a few of the pork casseroles you may undertake include recipes using potatoes and sausage, ham and cheese, pasta and sausage, or ham with scalloped potatoes and sweet onions. Low calorie pork casserole recipes are also available. At least one of these delicious dishes is sure to appeal to even the pickiest eater.

Pork may be added to a assortment of ingredients to invent a savory main course with a difference. Pork’s mild flavor means it won’t overpower any fruits or vegetables in the recipe. The mildness of pork means peaches, berries, pineapple, apples, potatoes and carrots all serve as delicious ingredients for pork casseroles.

Preparing appetizing, nourishment providing but low fat, low cholesterol meals may at times be a challenge. However, adding recipes including pork and an potpourri of flavorful ingredients to the meal planning procedure may help dieters and those seeking heart healthful meals to prepare delicious, nutritious, healthful casseroles.

For example, a casserole that includes lean meat, fresh tomatoes and chunks of pineapple provides a meal loaded with flavor and it’s idealisti whether it’s summer or winter. People of all ages, both children and adults, will be delighted with it is appetizing blend of flavors, but adults will also be pleased because of it is low calories and low carbohydrates.

Another vantage of pork is it is ease of preparation. Pork recipes are ofttimes easy to prepare and may be cooked and served somewhat quickly. You’ll be competent to find pork casserole recipes designed to be cooked in the oven, on the stove-top, in a microwave or in a crockpot.

If you’ve been thinking with regards to serving this type of dish in the near future, you might want to consider attempting a delicious pork chop or pepper pot casserole. Just a few of your other choices include glazed ham and mixed vegetables, a Mexican-style pork stew, or possibly even plantain pork.

Casseroles quintessentially concede the cook to add, alternate or even omit a good deal of of the recipe’s ingredients without altering the overall flavor of the meal significantly. Casseroles are easy to prepare and they’re delicious and healthy, which is why so a heap of persons are perpetually on the lookout for new and dissimilar recipes. Pork casseroles are versatile, healthful and easy to prepare. Isn’t it time you learned more in regards to their gains and tried a few of these delicious recipes?

Lodge cast-iron cookware has long been admired for it is superior heat retention and even heat distribution, but now the company adds another enticement with it is Lodge Logic line. All Lodge Logic cookware, including this 5-quart Dutch oven, comes preseasoned thru a proprietary “electrostatic” vegetable-oil spray scheme and is ready for cooking right out of the box–unlike traditionalisti Lodge cookware, which needs seasoning in your home oven before use. During the timesaving pre-seasoning process, oil penetrates deeply into the cast-iron surface while a high-temperature gas oven seals it in, sustaining the cookware for generations and creating an beautiful heirloom finish. The Dutch oven measures 10-1/4 inches in diameter and 4 inches deep–an idealisti size for making a huge batch of stew or outdoor casserole. The vessel is likewise suitable for boiling water, making rice, or heating up soup, as it is cast-iron material delivers a smooth, consistent temperature without wasting heat. The unit’s honored heat retention specially enhances slow-cooking recipes that call for tender meats and rich, seasoned flavors. For added versatility, the Dutch oven may be applied without the lid as a casserole, and it is 1-1/2-inch-deep domed lid doubles as a skillet–perfect for silver-dollar pancakes, eggs, and other breakfast fare. Sturdy, integrated side handles on the oven and it is lid help see to it safe, secure transport. With proper care, Lodge Logic cast-iron cookware will last a lifetime. Lodge recommends hand washing the oven, which carries a lifetime warranty, with a stiff brush and hot water.

Oven Casserole Photo

Oven Casserole Picture

Oven Casserole Picture

Most helpful customer reviews

232 of 233 people found the following review helpful.
My favorite Lodge item
By Joe MacBu
I have been cooking with Lodge cast iron for about 7 years and own 8 pieces from their inventory. The Double Dutch Oven is my favorite Lodge cookware due to its versatility.

136 of 139 people found the following review helpful.
If I can do it – you certainly can!!
By Kiki
To preface, I’m trying really hard to be a “good cook” but don’t have a lot of experience, and I can’t justify spending thousands of dollars on a budding hobby. So, when it came to replacing my flaking non-stick cookware, I researched for months before deciding on a hybrid set of copper-core stainless and Lodge cast iron. I read dozens of reviews and was intimidated by the extra care required by cast iron (I’m a wash-and-wear type). But, Lodge is so cheap comparatively and still really respected as an industry standard, that it’s hard to overlook.

I initially purchased the combo cooker, a 5qt dutch oven, and a variety of skillets. The cookers arrived in their Lodge packaging and were quite secure, but the skillets definitely were shipped loose. Fortunately they survived the jumbled journey fine, but I can see what other reviewers suffered with regards to skillets scraping each other or breaking out of their boxes – they are only a few steps shy of being insufficiently packaged. Free shipping is a great offer though.

The pieces were just what I expected after having read the reviews – heavy, uneven in color/preseasoning application, and rough like sandpaper. Several reviewers I read were upset by sticking of initial cooking attempts, specifically because of the cat’s tongue-like feel of the basin surface (which Lodge’s website says is a normal condition). Responders suggested a few home seasonings prior to cooking, but I was impatient and followed one piece of advice spefically: go to my local bulk goods store, buy ten pounds of ground beef, and cook it in my new cast iron. I ended up also getting four pounds of bacon for good measure, and spent three hours cooking batch after batch of ground beef and bacon in every piece I’d purchased.

The plan worked perfectly – by the time I had finished cooking, drained the oil and scraps, rinsed the pieces with hot water, and towel dried, the insides of the skillets were smooth as satin. The beef fat had left a gray film that made the skillets look instantly “used”, which is a benefit I’ll have to get used to (not being able to polish them back to a “new” looking state). The bacon stained the cooking surface a bit worse – in bacon-shaped shaddows, but I saved the bacon grease and used it for weeks to brush on the pans prior to use. I’ve cooked on the cast iron many times since (just dislodged a perfect batch of cornbread this morning), without any sticking during or after cooking. The several weeks of bacon grease was unhealthy, sure, but a great patina starter – I now use a spray or a light brush with butter with no problems.

More Pros:
- The skillets keep food hot for more than an hour, but yet are not dangerously hot to handle from the oven or stove. I’m going to purchase the handle pads now, but so far I’ve been using those old loom-woven potholders I made at summer camp with no added discomfort relative to other pans.
- The skillets are so versatile! I heat them on the stove to melt butter, toss in some whole garlic cloves, pop in the oven to roast, and bring right to the table for a hot appetizer on toast. They have a vintage-y, industrial charm that allows them to mix and match smartly with existing serveware, and I love the stove-to-oven/broiler convenience.
- Food cooked on cast iron really does taste better. I was skeptical because all food tastes good to me, but a few friends and I conducted a “Test Kitchen” on Aebleskiver pans, pitting a teflon against a cast iron. My friends’ husbands consistently chose the cast iron-cooked pancake balls citing their crust and flavor to be preferable.
- Lodge designed their lines efficiently. The 10.25″ lid fits the 3qt Combo Cooker base, for example, allowing me to purchase one lid for several skillets.

Cons:
- Duh, they’re heavy. I’m talking two-hands-heavy. It’s a drawback for sure, but nothing’s perfect and I know the heaviness is directly related to all the reasons I really like my cast iron.
- They’re quirky – cast iron doesn’t like soap, doesn’t like sudden temperature changes, and likes to stay very dry. But, like good table silver, the more the cast iron is put to use, the more forgiving and less tempermental it becomes.

I’m back to purchase more pieces, because Lodge cast iron has exceeded my expectations and caused me to take a sentimental approach to cooking – how many Thanksgivings will I reach for this dutch oven?, I wonder. A cook with cast iron in his or her hand is at once an intimidating force to be reckoned with, and a comforting vision of timeless domesticity. Thanks to Lodge (and Amazon!), I can live up to that image with few qualifications and little effort.

111 of 113 people found the following review helpful.
My first cast iron piece won’t be my last!
By Locavore181
The use of the Dutch oven has recently been reborn with just about every Food Network Chef/star touting their very own product version. During the holidays a good friend purchased a beautiful royal blue Le Crueset from William Sonoma and recently served us a wonderful roast beef and veggie dinner. The meat was flavorful and rich, cooked to perfection and had complexity in flavor, much more so that the same recipe cooked in a crock pot (which often leaves everything in the pot tasting the same).

As a wanna-be homesteader, in-training, I immediately decided I must have a Dutch Oven… I went straight to William Sonoma’s site, credit card in hand, and stopped dead when I saw the price tag of the Le Creuset of $250.00+. As a bargain shopper who aims for product knowledge then sensible purchases, I set out to research my options to determine if a good dutch oven warranted such a heft price tag. I explored the Kitchen Aid, Le Creuset, Mario Batali, Calphalon, Lodge, Rachel Ray, Paula Dean and many others. All have varying price points and gorgeous enamel finish colors and sizes. What to do? Should I spend the $250 for the Le Creuset. Would my food taste that much better than the more economically priced Rachel Ray oven? 100+ product reviews later and I was on product information overload and still totally undecided.

So here do you go when you need to know? The social networking sites, of course! I posted the question “Considering purchasing a Dutch oven, reviews, recommendations and feedback please!” Within the hour I began to receive a live stream of reviews from friends, family and associates. I asked questions like Enamel or Cast Iron? Which size oven works best for your family? Are they easy to care for? How often do you use it? Is it hard too season cast iron and maintain it?

The verdict is the beautifully colored enamel Le Crueset and Lodge products are the most popular choice from the average reviewer. However, it was my “foodie” friends who had opted for cast iron, sans enamel. Why? For several reasons, they explained, including preferring a natural product rather than one with dies but mostly for flavor. The cast iron absorbs the flavor of your meats, etc and releases them through the cooking process. The seasoning process, which after watching multiple YouTube videos, I learned takes time but is not difficult, enhances the flavors of your meals. Over time, if properly season and cared for, the pot will develop a rich black, smooth, non-stick surface. Cast iron was also the way of the original homesteader back in the 1700′s which gave me the feeling of nostalgia.

I chose the Lodge Double Dutch for several reasons; Lodge has an excellent name and reputation behind it’s brand and it was the choice of all of my “foodie” friends and flexibility of product by using the lid as a second cooking piece. Often when browning the meats it is recommended to do it in batches. The Double Dutch allows you to do all the meat at one time by using the lid as a cooking pan. This saves time! The size is perfect for a 2-4 person family meal. I also purchased the optional lid and trivet. This allows me to use the optional lid on the oven and continue to use the original lid as a second cooking pan, much like a 10″ fry pan.

Seasoning was relatively easy. The Double Dutch comes pre-seasoned however it was recommended by those “in the know” to add a few seasoning processes of my own. This would give me that rich and glossy black non-stick finish. After watching videos online it was strongly recommended to begin with a saturated fat. I chose to use a few pieces of pastured and non-curred bacon from a local farmer. Hands down I have never had bacon taste this good. It cooked to perfection on the cast iron. Using a paper towel and tongs I gently wiped the bacon grease to coat the pan, and applied organic vegetable shortening to the lids and outer areas and placed in the oven at 275 degrees for 2.5 hours. The pans are beautiful. I plan to repeat this process several times until I obtain the finish that satisfies me.

Last night, snowed in under 16″ of freshly fallen snow, I cooked my first meal in my Double Dutch. I browned ground beef in the oven, added onions and garlic, chicken stock red wine, tomato vinegar, salt, pepper, and marjoram and cooked on the stove to a boil. On top of the meat mixture I placed sliced carrots and then topped with sliced potatoes. I splashed a bit more tomato vinegar (FYI it’s not recommended to use tomato products in cast iron so the tomato vinegar is great for adding the tomato flavor), added some seasoning and then placed large red cabbage leaves over the entire dish, one more splash of tomato vinegar and some sea salt, placed the lid on the dutch oven and popped it in the oven at 375 for about 40 minutes. When finished cooking I removed the cabbage and potatoes, placed the oven back on the stove, added corn starch to thicken the juices and brought to a boil. This all happens quickly because the oven is still piping hot. I served this over a small amount of egg pasta with the cabbage and potatoes on the side. All was excellent but cabbage was the best. It has steamed in the pot and absorbed some of the flavors meat and veggies. My husband and I have been together for almost 12 years and his comment on dinner was “this is one of the best meals you have ever made”.

Clean up was easy. Allow the oven to cool a bit so you can safely handle it and wash with warm water and a sponge. A special scrub brush can be purchased for tougher jobs. Be sure you completely dry your cast iron and use a small amount of shortening to wipe down the oven before storing.

I am completely happy with my purchase and very pleased I opted for the cast iron product. I’m certain this oven will bring us many years of delicious meals and imagine passing the oven down to the next generation. It makes my heart happy to imagine a family member one day cooking with my oven and telling stories of warm and deliciously rich dishes from the past. At a savings of hundreds over the brightly colored enamel coated designer ovens, it has even left room in my budget to purchase additional Lodge cast iron pieces. I’m currently investigating the frying pan. Stay tuned and happy cooking!

See all 108 customer reviews…