Our Place Cast Iron Dutch Oven Review: A Cast Iron Dutch Oven Worth Buying

I’m in love.

Kristin Montemarano is a commerce food writer focusing on news and deals for Food & Wine and Allrecipes. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 2017 with an associates degree in baking and pastry arts and working in professional kitchens, Kristin went on to acquire a bachelor's degree in communication arts with a journalism concentration at Ramapo College of New Jersey in 2021. With professional experience and a continuous passion for cooking and baking at home, she has a clear understanding of products and tools that are not only essential, but also effective and high-quality.

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Food & Wine / Our Place

I think everyone needs a Dutch oven, no matter how much they cook. Dutch ovens were my gateway into cooking. I made my first meals in them, and realized just how fun it was to build and layer flavors in anything from soups to sauces. So when I saw that Our Place, the brand famous for the Always Pan that I love, was coming out with a cast iron version of its own, I knew I had to test it out.

After trying it for a few months, I can say that the Cast Iron Perfect Pot fits into the brand's lineup perfectly. Like any Dutch oven, it is perfect for deep frying, bread-baking, searing, sauteing, simmering, braising, making soups, and more in, but has the Our Place aesthetic I love. And although the brand is known for its nonstick pieces, this pot is designed with enameled cast iron, which is the ideal material in my opinion. It came out in March as a limited-edition launch, but it's finally back in stock.

Food & Wine / Kristin Montemarano

To buy: Our Place Large Cast Iron Perfect Pot, $175 at fromourplace.com

The brand was kind enough to send me one to try out, and when it arrived, I was so glad to see that the piece included accessories. This is another major hallmark of the brand, as they’ve often included accessories with other cookware pieces, like the birchwood spatula and steamer with the Always Pan 2.0. But with this pot, it came with two silicone hot grips potholders for the handles, plus the brand's classic beachwood spoon for stirring.

Food & Wine / Kristin Montemarano

Beyond the accessories, the first thing that caught my eye was its appearance. The sage green color is the perfect depth and hue for me, and matches the other pan I own from the brand. It has a shiny exterior, with a deep matte black interior. It looks like traditional cast iron, but does include an enameled coating for lowkey maintenance. It comes in a few other colors as well, including sage, lavender, char, spice, to name a few.

Food & Wine / Kristin Montemarano

I also noticed that the lid is well-crafted with an extra perk. There are bead-like dots that go all across the inside, which are designed to help redistribute moisture and help baste whatever's inside. They do this by holding on to steam as the liquid evaporates, letting it fall back down into the contents of the pot. Not every Dutch oven has this, so I was super excited to see Our Place include it in its model.

I did notice that the Dutch oven is quite tall at nearly 8-inches, since the lid has a dome. I wasn't sure how it’d fare with cooking and baking, but it's not a huge issue. I do have to make sure my oven rack is further down, but otherwise it still fits.

Food & Wine / Kristin Montemarano

It has a versatile 5.5-quart capacity, which is the sweet spot for me. It's big enough to handle large batches of everything, but not so big that it completely overwhelms my stovetop. I’ve started to use it for classic applications — my favorite noodle soup, chili, and both simmered tomato sauces and roasted tomato sauces. Everything came out just as I liked them to. The sauces were reduced down, garlic and spices fried up beautifully in oil, plus it maintained the right amount of moisture thanks to the beads on the lid.

Food & Wine / Kristin Montemarano

Upon the first few uses, I found that it really drank up oil. I noticed it most when sauteing onions and vegetables, where oil depleted by a teaspoon or so a bit faster than usual. A quick season before cooking I have found helps with this, and overtime it’ll improve as you keep using it. But, the heat retention and distribution was just as good as expensive versions I own, plus it was so nonstick that cooking with it (and cleaning up afterwards) was a complete breeze. The whole thing it's oven safe up to 500℉, and it works with all cooktops.

Food & Wine / Kristin Montemarano

At $175, this piece is surely an investment. However, when you compare it to the price of other options, which can run you over double the price, this is a slightly more approachable pick. You’ll also get the spatula for cooking, and matching hot grips, which I love, since all cast iron pieces (including handles) get super hot. I love that the spatula has divots along the back of it, which helps it rest onto the handle of the Dutch oven for a neater cook. Best of all though, you’ll get the exceptional cooking abilities that a cast iron Dutch oven offers you, with none of the frustrating maintenance.

Whether you have an Always Pan or not, this new Dutch oven from Our Place is the perfect addition to any kitchen. I love how it cooks my favorite foods, plus the less-expensive price tag and addition of accessories make it well worth grabbing. I can't wait to keep using it for all of my tomato sauce batches, fried fish for tacos, my summer and fall preserves, and some cold-weather staples too.

Score one for yourself while it's back in stock. They might just go quickly.

At the time of publishing, the price was $175.