Le Creuset vs Staub Casserole

Let me start off by saying, I’ve done quite a few of these comparisons now. I'm usually surprised at the outcome or at least learned and discovered plenty of new and interesting things about the cookware products. This time, the comparison took many twists and turns. I was going back and forth between the brands I liked best. It’s been as exciting as a Danish crime drama! (ok not really) I must say, I went into this being slightly biased due to being an avid Le Creuset user as well as a major brand admirer for years. I just love the classic look and feel of the sturdy, enamel-coated cast iron and everything the brand represents (think: cozy French farmhouse kitchen). In fact, I almost turned up my nose at the Staub Oval Cocotte I received as I could only ever imagine cooking a casserole in a Le Creuset. However, I've opened up to other cast iron casseroles and I’ve been using my French-made Staub Cocotte more over the years. For one, the oval shape is a great feature - pure genius for braising meat joints such as leg or shoulder of lamb, bread, or cooking anything in large quantities. Due to the high sides, it can hold a very large volume at 5.5L. See our Duck Leg Confit and Pomegranate Braised Lamb recipe) To be fair, I really tried to keep shape out of this comparison. My deep, oval Staub is so different from my shallow Le Creuset casserole. Both Le Creuset and Staub have pieces in different shapes and sizes that are available to buy. So for this comparison, I will only look at the cooking process and the results. I will be testing by making Boeuf Bourguignon in both casseroles.

Stovetop Cooking Test

Rating- Le Creuset: 6/10 | Staub: 9/10

The recipe starts by browning meat. I found that Staub takes longer to brown, however, the heat seemed more evenly distributed than in the Le Creuset. In fact, I noticed before, that there are hot spots with stovetop cooking in my Le Creuset (hot spots are areas that brown faster which can result in burning). When I added the vegetables, I took my eyes off of the pans for a few minutes to deal with screaming children, and oops! – the onions in the Le Creuset burned quite badly, especially in one particular spot.

Everything in the Staub casserole stayed evenly browned – which is rather impressive considering that the pot I have is oval and the stove burner is round. The sauce reduced beautifully in the Staub on the stovetop and didn’t stick or catch in the slightest – I say it performed like a non-stick.

Oven Cooking Test

Rating- Le Creuset: 8/10 | Staub: 8/10

For this recipe, I tested the Le Creuset in the oven and the Staub on the stovetop, so for the comparison, I will be referring back to other times where I’ve used the Staub in the oven. It is worth noting that the Staub has special bumps on the inside of the lid – allowing steam to drip back down to the inside, keeping the meat joints moist, such as in our Pomegranate Braised Lamb recipe. This feature is perfect when cooking anything where you want to retain moisture. For reducing the thickness and intensifying juices or sauces in a recipe, this process may take a little longer due to the extra moisture retention with the Staub lid.

I found the sauce from the Le Creuset Beouf Bourguignon perfectly reduced into thick, rich and glossy perfection in about 1/3 less time. When baking both casseroles, I found the Staub pot produced better baking results thanks to it's specially made lid allowing steam to circulate inside for even baking.

Note: This was tricky to judge as it depends on what you are cooking, ie saucy casseroles you would like to reduce vs joints of meat you want to keep moist.

Look, Feel & Presentation

Rating - Le Creuset: 9/10 | Staub: 7/10

Both casseroles have that beautiful glossy enamel finish that just looks so smooth and vibrant in bright colours, just like a big lolly ( I have the Cherry Red Staub Cocotte and the Marseille Blue Le Creuset). I love the raised writing on both, keeping with the enamelled cast iron cookware style that I love so much. The inside coating does differ between the two – the interior of my Le Creuset is almost as identical in texture and smooth feel to the gloss outside, only in a beige colour. The Staub has a slightly granular, matte texture resembling a similar feel to raw cast iron and is said to bring out the natural flavours of food. This Staub cocotte also has a non-stick feel as per my comments in stovetop cooking above. It is worth noting that the Le Creuset shallow casserole is designed to go straight from oven to table. I know I promised that shape wouldn’t come into this comparison but I love how the shallow Le Creuset looks great as a serving dish on your table, whereas the Staub is a little too deep and clunky to be a serving dish. The Le Creuset also fits nicely into a small oven with its shallow depth.

Cleaning and Care

Rating - Le Creuset: 8/10 | Staub: 9/10

The Staub casserole literally almost wipes clean. As I’ve mentioned before, it performs like a non-stick! The Le Creuset casserole, however, can be a little stubborn to clean at times due to those disappointing hot spots. Le Creuset cast iron is heat safe up to 250C, freezer safe and energy-efficient. Often the products come with a lifetime guarantee. Staub on the other hand never mention these details, other than being oven safe.

The Winner Is…

Overall rating - Le Creuset: 32/40 | Staub: 33/40

Hmmm…. It’s a very tight race and even though Staub slightly passes Le Creuset in the actual point scores, I’ve decided to override this and still vote Le Creuset the winner. Staub somehow manages to rank high on professional chef's radar whereas Le Creuset, is a home cook's favourite choice. While I LOVE the performance of the Staub on a stovetop and for being excellent at keeping moisture trapped inside the pot, there is just something about the convenience of it being a versatile oven-to-table pot too. Le Creuset, on the other hand, screams luxury and how perfectly it can soften my Boeuf Bourguignon effortlessly when coming out from the oven. Despite that, the hot spots and performance on the stove are rather disappointing. In conclusion, I find that the size and shape of a pot play such a big part in casserole cooking. I've decided that in the future I shall use my Staub Oval Cocotte for baking bread, braising or roasting large joints of meat in the oven and making soups on the stovetop with its whopping 5.5L capacity. For family casseroles or any other dish, I will be serving them straight from the oven to the table and for that, the Shallow Le Creuset Casserole will be my go-to casserole cookware.

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Next Read: What's the difference between Staub, Le Creuset and Chasseur French Ovens

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