Staub | Behind the Cocotte

Since 1974 Staub has become the benchmark for the very best in enamelled cast iron cookware. Gracing the kitchens and tables of both professional chefs and passionate home cooks for over 40 years, Staub ensures that each and every enamelled cast iron Cocotte is produced using time honoured techniques in Alsace, eastern France. A French region famous worldwide for its culinary tradition and most importantly, good food.

Many elements of Staub cookware sets it apart from other companies. The first is that during the manufacturing process no less than 100 visual or technical inspections take place to ensure that the individual casserole style pot is of uncompromising quality which we think is what makes them the best.

Staub pots are created in the shape of a cocotte with a single-use sand mould. Blast cleaning then removes all traces of sand, the pot is then precision dimension checked to guarantee a tight seal with the lid so all moisture, flavour and seasoning remains inside. Throughout the process, craftsmen inspect and remove any irregularities by hand using state of the art machinery, then every lid is put through rigorous resistance testing with metal ball bearings dropped on it from a height. For the exterior you’ll notice each colour has a real depth to it and the high shine we love so much is due to a special enamelling technique where the top layer is almost 100% glass.

One thing we particularly love about the Staub cocotte is a very unique feature – the design of the lid. We know this is something you may not notice at first but the lids are particularly heavy to ensure a tight seal. This means all the moisture, flavours and seasoning remain trapped inside the pot whilst cooking. The steam then rises, it condenses to form ‘aroma rain’ which then drops back down into the dish thanks to the ‘picots’ (little spikes) that are evenly distributed across the underside of the flat lid. To prove this is not just a placebo effect, the lid has been laboratory tested to retain more moisture and redistributes it more evenly than other leading brands.

Another key feature that sets the cookware apart from other companies is the multi-layered, black matte enamelled interior. This interior is fired at 800°c for 30 minutes, after each coat, the result is a rough surface texture which acts like a micro-grill. This surface ensures even cooking and caramelisation with little to no burning or sticking. The juices that collect in the tiny gaps of the black surface are highly concentrated in flavour and aroma, perfectly forming the base for exquisite sauces. The matte enamel is also exceptionally scratch resistant and easy to clean after use, which also means easy to maintain – perfect for busy households!

“Always heat cast iron slowly. Once the Cocotte is up to temperature you can turn down the gas or power, if using induction as the cast iron construction holds heat, helping to save energy. When you have finished cooking, wash and rinse the Cocotte by hand, then apply a little vegetable oil to the interior. This helps keep the matte enamel perfect black as well as helping to build flavour.”

– top tips from Staub Chef Paul Bough

We do particularly love Staub’s cast iron Cocotte (you can view the range here) as it allows joints of meat and poultry to be cooked to perfection, as well as providing the perfect way to present slow cooked and one pot dishes at the table (if that’s your thing), or whip up a delicious pasta dish in no time at all – which is definitely our favourite thing to make at the moment!

The multi-layered, black matte enamelled interior has that all important rough texture to ensure even cooking and caramelisation, while the juices that collect in the tiny gaps are highly concentrated in flavour to form the perfect base for exquisite stocks and sauces. It’s not all about the larger cocotte though, the Staub range includes pans, crepe pans, woks, roasters, terrines, fondue sets, a tagine, baking dishes and a wide range of mini-sized versions perfect for individual servings. Every piece of cookware is available in Staub’s range of colours, so whatever your preferred cooking style and colour coordination, there’s Staub cookware to fit perfectly with your kitchen.

To find our more about Staub cookware including other products, visit the website here.

Images: HM, Staub