Casseroles Stockpots

A casserole, from the French word for "saucepan" is a large, deep dish used both in the oven and as a serving vessel. The word is also used for the food cooked and served in such a vessel, with the cookware itself called a casserole dish or casserole pan. In British English, this type of dish is frequently also called a bake, coinciding with the cooking technique used to cook casseroles. In the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, a casserole is named for its dish, rather than its contents. Casseroles in these countries are very similar to stews. The difference is that once the meat and vegetables are browned on top of the stove, they are then cooked in liquid in the oven, in a closed dish, producing meat that is tender and juicy, from long slow cooking. As the heat is indirect, there is also less chance of it burning. American style casseroles are known in these countries, but on the whole, a casserole there is a stew cooked in the oven.