Built for Braising

• Both types of cooking equipment are designed for braising, stewing and other types of one-pot cooking. They are heavy, lidded and ovenproof, usually with two side handles. A braising pan is sometimes called a rondeau, buffet casserole or braiser. Dutch ovens are also known as French ovens.

Shape

• Braising pans have short sides and wide bottoms. Dutch ovens are deeper and narrower than braising pans. A braising pan may have straight or sloped sides; Dutch ovens have straight sides.

Cooking Applications

• Braising pans are designed for searing. They have a wider cooking surface than Dutch ovens to maximize the food's contact with the bottom of the pan, like a saute pan. Dutch ovens can sear smaller amounts of food, but their steeper sides can accommodate a greater volume of liquid for boiling or braising.

Commercial Braising Pans

• In a commercial kitchen, a braising pan is also called a tilting skillet. These pans have a capacity of 10 to 40 gallons and are used for frying, braising, warming, boiling and steaming.