What makes a casserole dish

Thanks to Tupperware, casserole blew up in America during the 50s and 60s. While it slowed a little since then, they're recently experiencing a revival, as convenient one-pot meals are needed more than ever in our sometimes insanity-filled households. The definition of a casserole leaves a lot to be desired, as you could potentially cook almost anything in a classic casserole dish.

Let's take it a step further - when people use the term casserole today, they're referring to a one-dish meal that's baked in the oven. It can contain a massively wide variety of ingredients that all get cooked at once, making the meal uniquely easy to make sign us up.

Generally, most casseroles contain a protein of beef, chicken, fish, or beans, plus a mix of vegetables and some starch - usually, you'll find pasta, potatoes, rice, or flour to bind the dish together, making it moist and sliceable.

Cooks often add liquids like water, stock, wine, or milk to prevent the dish from drying out as it cooks uncovered in the oven. So, a casserole is still a little vague, but you can consider every dish that follows these guidelines to be different types of casseroles, technically. Casseroles can range from ridiculously simple to intricate and complex depending on the ingredients you choose and any preparations required before assembling the casserole.

Because the ingredients vary greatly, some casseroles may be pretty healthy, while others become fat and calorie bombs with a few high-fat ingredients. Ceramic, porcelain, and stoneware casserole dishes are among the most common choices for many homeowners. These products look great, feel sturdy, and hold up well to regular use.

Additionally, this kind of baking dish withstands thermal shock, so you can place it in the freezer too. A french dish. It is a mix of sliced potatoes, sliced onions, cubed mutton, beef, and pork which have been marinated overnight in white wine and juniper berries and slow-cooked in a bread-dough sealed ceramic casserole dish. The enamelled finish makes the casserole dish look extra attractive , while the iron underneath is perfect for stability and durability.

Although this material is also good for resisting thermal shock, you may need to leave the pan to cool before putting it in cold water. These products are thinner and more lightweight than their counterparts, and they might be one of the best options for use both in the oven and freezer.

However, uncoated aluminium can often react with various acidic foods, which means your pot may discolour faster. Before you can enjoy a delicious meat pie or a beautiful casserole, you need to find the right casserole dish. Every home should have at least one of these pan options for cooking all kinds of casserole-style food.

Choosing the right casserole dish will often be a matter of considering your unique needs carefully. For instance, what kind of recipes are you going to cook? Every casserole recipe has its own distinctive ingredients and flavours but, for each, the basic cooking process is the same. Here are the four key steps for a perfectly cooked and flavoursome meat casserole. Place flour on a plate. Season with salt and pepper. Add the meat and toss to coat. Shake off excess. Alternatively, place seasoned flour in a sealable plastic bag.

Add the meat and shake to coat. By coating the meat in this way, the flour thickens the liquid in the casserole. Heat oil in a flameproof, ovenproof casserole dish or large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add one batch of meat and cook for minutes or until brown. Transfer to a plate. The thick base of a casserole dish means you can caramelise onions evenly without burning, perfect for this easy caponata stew, where aubergine and onions are cooked until golden, then simmered in a tomato sauce with plenty of basil and punchy capers.

A casserole is great for caramelising and searing chunks of meat. Slow-cooked beef is perfect for a casserole dish — this recipe uses lemongrass, chillies, five spice and soy to flavour the beef, which is cooked with the lid on for over an hour on a low heat until fall-apart-tender. Lemongrass beef stew recipe. Stew and dumplings are great in a casserole dish as you can transfer them from hob to oven without having to swap dishes.

Try this spiced veggie stew with cheesy dumplings. One-pot dinners are made so easy with a casserole, as you can fry, then slow-cook, or simmer. Try this spring chicken stew with carrots, mustard and plenty of herbs. One-pot chicken casserole recipe. The chicken thighs are simmered in the sauce before being shredded. Mexican chicken stew recipe. Rice dishes are great in casseroles as the even heat and sturdy lid help the rice cooks perfectly, and evenly, with no risk of the grains on the bottom of the pan burning or catching.

Try this Cajun-inspired recipe or a pilaf , instead. Simple seafood chowder recipe. We reviewed a representative range of casserole pots and scored them against the following critera:. Durability: a casserole that could stand a certain amount of wear and tear.

Surface area: when it comes to browning ingredients like chicken thighs, a large surface area enables you to do so evenly. Good heat distribution: the key to teasing out a richness of flavour from ingredients. Well-sealed: we wanted all the flavours and moisture to remain firmly intact. Heat: the hotter the dish can handle, the better. Best hand blenders Best kettles Best pestle and mortars Best toasters Best mixing bowls Best dishwashers 9 of the best paella pans.

Our best ever casserole recipes Vegetarian casserole recipes One-pot recipes Tagine recipes. This review was last updated in June If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite immediate.