4 qt, Round, Dutch Oven, Matte Black

The ideal Dutch oven size depends on what you're cooking and who you're serving. For everyday meals, we generally recommend 1 quart per person for entrées and ¼ quart per person for side dishes or single-serve desserts. This allows ingredients to braise, simmer, and develop flavor with ample cooking space.

Dutch oven, French oven, and cocotte are often used interchangeably, with "cocotte" being the French term for a Dutch oven. At STAUB, La Cocotte refers to our original 1974 design, an enduring icon of French craftsmanship featuring a heavyweight self-basting lid and classic straight-sided shape. Our French ovens offer a more rounded silhouette and domed, Chistera lid that encourages continuous moisture circulation and is especially well suited for recipes that require frequent stirring or room to expand. While each design serves slightly different cooking styles, both are crafted in France and deliver the exceptional performance, beauty, and heirloom quality for which STAUB is renowned.

All Staub products comply with rigorous EU/U.S. regulations and safety standards. As a company we complete regular third-party certified lab testing for all of our products for harmful materials. We can assure you that our products meet all legal regulations including FDA guidelines and California Proposition 65 limits, and are safe when used correctly. Staub is Cadmium Free, Lead-Free, PFOA Free, PTFE Free, and PFAS Free.

No. The black interior is our signature black matte enamel, not exposed cast iron. Enhanced with quartz particles, the slightly textured enamel is designed to deliver exceptional browning and searing while providing the benefits of a fully enameled cooking surface. That means there's no need to season your cookware, and it's perfectly safe to cook acidic ingredients and clean with soap and water.

STAUB cast iron is designed to withstand high cooking temperatures and is compatible with all cooktops, including induction, as well as ovens up to 500°F. However, because cast iron retains and distributes heat exceptionally well, high burner settings are rarely necessary for everyday cooking.

For best results, begin by preheating your cookware over low heat for several minutes before gradually increasing to medium-low or medium heat. Once the vessel is evenly heated, add oil or butter and allow it to warm before adding ingredients. Proper preheating promotes more even cooking, exceptional browning and searing, improved food release, and helps protect the enamel from unnecessary stress.

STAUB cookware may be gently preheated while empty for a short period, but it should never be rapidly heated over high heat or left empty on a burner for an extended time. To preserve the enamel over years of use, always avoid sudden temperature changes, such as moving cookware directly from the refrigerator to a hot burner or exposing a cold pan to high heat.