And it's not hard to clean. You just want to be sure you do it properly so it lasts a long time. While you can just throw your enameled cast iron in the dishwasher, most manufacturers recommend the ole' hand washing method. This helps to keep your enamel from chipping and ensures everything stays nice and clean.
Both Blank and Collier recommend washing enameled cast-iron cookware by hand rather than in the dishwasher — even if the piece is dishwasher-safe. "The enameling makes it safe to use common mild dishwashing liquids," Blank says, but "you want to avoid abrasive cleaners."
Lower-quality porcelain enamel has a thinner coating that can crack and chip easily, which significantly affects the cooking experience. Dropping porcelain enamel cookware can also crack or chip the surface. Some porcelain enamel cookware has non-stick coatings, including Teflon, so be sure to check labels.
Our favorite way to clean our enameled cast iron is simply with warm soapy water. Allow your enameled piece to cool, then use a gentle dish soap and reach for a scrub brush, scrub cloth, or pan scraper to easily remove food from the cooking surface.
Wipe down countertops.
While you're cleaning up your kitchen appliances with glass cleaner, wipe down your countertops with it, too. It's safe to use on sealed granite, tile, laminate, sealed marble, and other countertop surfaces, in addition to stainless steel and enamel.
Yes, although enameled cast iron is durable, it can scratch. You can use metal utensils without scratching your cast iron. But avoid digging into the surface of the cookware. You can repair light scratches with a powerful cleaner like Bar Keeper's Friend or Le Creuset's special cleaning solution from Amazon.
Enamel can also be an environmentally friendly alternative to many other non-stick options such as Teflon or silicone. Teflon's coating can flake off over time, due to wear and damage, leading to ingestion or to it being washed down the plughole.
Stainless steel skillets are a better purchase than enameled cast iron skillets as they are more affordable, require little to no maintenance, and are built to last a lifetime. Stainless steel skillets are known for great distribution of heat, something enameled cast iron skillets don't offer.
In essence, enamel is a form of glass. Enameled cookware is most often cast iron with an enamel coating. This type of cookware is completely non-toxic and wonderful to cook with.
Never use abrasive metal scouring pads or steel wool on the enameled surface, as it can easily scratch and chip your enameled cast iron.
In a small bowl, mix baking soda with water to form a thick paste. Apply the paste to the pan with a soft sponge and rub in a circular motion. This mild abrasive removes stains without harming the enamel. Once the stains disappear, rinse the pan and dry thoroughly.
Enamel forms a stable coating, and even at high temperatures, the protective layer won't break down and cause any harm. Enamel also won't react with the food you're cooking in any hazardous ways, making it a safe choice for your family kitchen.
Pour two tablespoons of baking soda into the burnt enamel pot. Add two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide, two drops of dish soap and one cup of water. Place the pot onto the stove and turn on to low. Gently boil the solution for 15 to 20 minutes.
The least toxic cookware are non-stick pans and pots, like cast iron, stainless steel, ceramic, glass, and enamel-coated cast iron. These options don't have any Teflon coating on them, making them safe to use.
There's a reason almost all restaurants and chefs cook exclusively with stainless steel – it distributes heat evenly, prevents food from sticking, won't leech into the food, and is virtually indestructible.
Explaining enamel
It's a great heat conductor, washes easily, won't rust, can cook anything a standard cast iron pan can and more (ahem, tomato sauce). And—bonus—it comes in a variety of stylish colours (cult favourite Le Creuset has many colourful options).
Enamel is also really easy to clean. It's dishwasher safe, so there are no hours of scrubbing or soaking required, although sometimes soaking can help! Just pop your items in the dishwasher and let the machine take care of the work.
Acid is the main cause of the loss of tooth enamel. It eats away at the enamel over time, leaving the tooth without protection. Food and drinks are the most common causes of tooth enamel loss, but there are other issues that can contribute to high acid production, including: Dry mouth.
Enamelware should not be put in the microwave because the high temperatures can cause the enamel to break down, which releases harmful chemicals that can get into your food. Additionally, microwaves can cause the metal underneath the enamel to heat up and potentially cause a fire since heat reflects off the metal.
While Le Creuset's enamel is designed to be durable in most conditions, says Nate Collier, spokesperson for Le Creuset, "Thermal shock may still occur," which could cause the enamel to crack or flake off. In general, subjecting your Dutch oven to extreme temperature fluctuations can be damaging.
Even though enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, it can still become worn and chipped away, a process called enamel erosion. Unlike a broken bone that can heal itself, enamel has no living cells, meaning once the damage is done, it's permanent.
As for cleaners, our Le Creuset Cast Iron Cookware Cleaner will help keep your Dutch oven looking great, and is ideal for removing metal marks caused by metal tools. Bar Keeper's Friend, or a paste of baking soda and water, also comes in handy for cleaning tough stains, oil residue and marks on your Dutch oven as well.