# All Clad 7qt Copper Core Dutch Oven



## infiniti757 (Apr 25, 2013)

Recently used a 5.5 qt from all clad. Found it a bit too small for brunswick stews and other things I like. I googled and apparently there is/was a 7qt copper core Dutch oven offered by All Clad. Was this a real product? Was it discontinued? Any ideas where I might find one? Thanks all!


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

All-Clad copper core doesn't do anything better than mundane, stainless/aluminum multi-ply All-Clad.  That's trebly so for a pot like a dutch oven which does nearly all of its work on low heat.  Don't waste too much energy looking for copper core pieces.  If you find it, don't pay extra. 

As a practical matter, your best bang for the buck will probably be some sort of reasonable quality enamel over cast iron.  The famous European brands, Le Cresuet and Staub, are great stuff but too expensive.  If you want a name brand and can live with plain cast iron, Lodge is very good without being outrageous.  

BDL


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## infiniti757 (Apr 25, 2013)

Thanks for that, but I'll keep trying to find the All Clad. My engineer buddy and I used a thermal imaging camera and measured how different materials measure up heat sensitivewise. the copper core was the best after pure copper. (grant you this was based on the crappy ceramic top electric range tht is my only option where I live) I like the shape of the all clad best though. It works for me. So back to the question, is there such a thing as the all clad copper core 7qt Dutch oven? And any ideas how to get hold of one?


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Here's a link to All-Clad's entire copper core line. As you can see, 5.5qt is the largest dutch-oven (aka cocotte) they make.

Whatever it is you think that the thermal imaging shows, as a practical matter good quality multi-ply with an aluminum core will do nearly everything as well as multi-ply cookware with an aluminum/copper/aluminum core. Those areas in which the copper composite performs better are either unimportant or can be worked around by such techniques as adequate and thorough pre-heating.

Let's get a little more specific. Cooking in dutch ovens seldom requires much in the way of thermal efficiency. Heat retention leading to steady and even heat radiation are more important characteristics, and cast iron is _typically_ the preferred material.

We have three enamel over cast La Creuset, a Staub, and a plain cast-iron Lodge cocottes. All different colors, shapes and sizes, and all swell. Another pan I use for long simmering or braising is an All-Clad "Classic" (aluminum core) saute. No one of the six makes a more delicious ox tail than any of the other five.

The core of our cookware though is _Mauviel m'Heritage_ 250 stainless lined copper, but the really large stove top pieces are All-Clad Classic. Don't get me wrong, I really _love_ the copper -- but simply as a matter of cooking good food -- when it comes to damn near anything, the Mauviel doesn't do a _better job_ than the All-clad.

And, even with copper's "materials" property of higher thermal efficiency than aluminum's, in practice our Mauviel doesn't preheat as quickly as the All-Clad because mass matters, and the the 250 m'heritage so much heavier than the All-Clad Classic. Material comparisons are tricky enough with "all things being equal," but forget about when they aren't. That problem, among other things, goes to the value of your friend's thermal imaging for drawing valid conclusions about real world differences.

There are lots of things to mull over when you think about buying a piece of cookware, and overall performance is by no means the only one. In fact, once you've achieved a certain level of adequacy other considerations like price and appearance loom larger. If you want to believe that a $550, 7qt All-Clad copper-core would -- if it existed -- braise short ribs better than a $100, 7qt enamel over cast-iron Lodge, that's certainly your right. You would, however, be wrong.

BDL


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

I'd also checkout ebay for Mauviel as there's a 12 qt hand hammered stockpot going for only $375 and a 6 qt brasier going for only $275, THE lowest prices I've ever seen for Mauviel stuff.


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## infiniti757 (Apr 25, 2013)

Thanks all! But I am still wondering if this is a real product, or was. Where could I possibly find one?


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## infiniti757 (Apr 25, 2013)

Ah ha! Just spoke with all clad! It was discontinued. Does anyone have a used one?


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## dario (Feb 21, 2013)

boar_d_laze said:


> If you want a name brand and can live with plain cast iron, Lodge is very good without being outrageous.
> 
> BDL


Lodge also has enameled cast iron that is fairly inexpensive (relative to the French brands). A month or two ago Sur La Table had a sale on a couple of Staub pieces. I have a large lodge enameled piece that works fine. I got a 5.5 qt. for ~$120. Limed to an unpopular color - mustard I believe. Still not cheap, but a huge discount over the regular price. It's also very nice. I prefer the rougher, black interior of Staub to white enamel. Can't say it cooks any better than the white stuff.


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