How To Care For Enamel Cast Iron Cookware

While good quality enameled cast iron cookware can be an investment for your kitchen, it is unrivaled when it comes to its durability and versatility. I have pieces that I inherited from my Mum nearly twenty years ago that are still going strong. But to get that kind of lifetime, they require an understanding of the best practices for how to care for your enamel cast iron cookware. It’s not rocket science, but there are simply some do’s (and don’ts) that come with owning enameled cast iron cookware.

Ok, so here we go…

New around here? If you’re just getting started with cast iron, my Start Here guide to cooking in cast iron cookware is the best place to begin.

A woman wearing a black and white check dress holding a black enamel cast iron Dutch oven.

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So first… What is enameled cast iron?

Enameled cast iron is a type of cookware that combines the durability of cast iron with the benefits of an enameled surface, which is essentially a type of glass finish on the interior and exterior of the pot.

Having an enamel layer has several advantages. By adding a protective layer, the pot becomes resistant to rust and therefore does not require seasoning like traditional cast-iron pans. It also doesn’t react to acidity, making it, in some ways, a much more versatile and home-cook-friendly cookware option.

Enamel Cast Iron Care Quick Rules

If you only remember a few things about caring for enamel cast iron cookware, let it be these:

DO
– Use low to medium heat
– Let your cookware heat gradually (always start on low)
– Use silicone, nylon, or wooden utensils
– Handwash when possible
– Always add oil before turning on the heat to cream interior enamel pots.
– Use pot protectors when stacking cookware
– Allow your cookware to cool before washing

DON’T
– Heat an empty Dutch oven on high heat
– Plunge a hot pan into cold water
– Use metal scourers or abrasive cleaners
– Stack cookware without protection
– Leave moisture trapped inside the pot
– Use cooking sprays excessively (they can leave a sticky residue over time)

Good enamel cast-iron cookware is made to last. I’ve got pieces that have seen years of soups, stews, soda bread, and slow Sunday dinners, and they’re still some of my most-used pots. Treat them nicely and they’ll be your bestie for life!

Enameled cast iron vs raw cast iron

One of the biggest points of confusion for beginner cooks is understanding the difference between enameled cast iron and traditional raw cast iron cookware.

While both are made from cast iron, they behave quite differently in the kitchen and require different types of care. Enameled cast iron is lower maintenance, easier to clean, and much more forgiving for everyday cooking, while raw cast iron is known for high-heat cooking and building up a natural seasoning over time.

Here’s a simple side-by-side comparison to help make sense of it all.

Five reasons why it’s so damn good!

Even heat distribution. Hot spots no more!
Heat retention. Quality cast iron cookware retains far more heat than it emits, unlike other cookware types (I’m looking at you, stainless steel!). Basically, what this means is that it doesn’t need to be on a high heat to get the best result. Let it heat up on low heat for a few minutes before adding your food, and you’ll be surprised how well it cooks!
The ability to cook with acidic ingredients- one of the downsides of raw cast iron.
It slow cooks like an absolute dream. Remember that heat retention that I just talked about? With cast iron cookware retaining so much heat, it acts like a little oven (within an oven) and breaks down the meat ingredients in slow-cooked dishes like beef stroganoff or Irish lamb stew so that chewy, casserole-friendly meat cuts become heavenly melt-in-your-mouth bites.
The enamel coating makes cleaning it oh-so-easy. A little warm water, dish soap, and you are good to go!

Need more reasons to justify why you need an enameled cast-iron pot in your life? Check out this post on how to use a French oven all year round.

First Use Care and Seasoning

The best part about enamel cast iron cookware… It doesn’t require seasoning! Woohoo! It does however, need cleaning and a little care before its first use. Here’s how…

Once it’s out of the box, make sure you remove ALL the packaging. Don’t be that person who bakes on the brand sticker (unless you are going for that look!).
Thoroughly wash your pan in hot soapy water to remove any dust, dirt, or debris from the manufacturing process.
Dry with a clean, cloth tea towel.

Cook’s tip for maintaining your cookware

Always use utensils suitable for the piece of cookware you are using. As cast iron retains a lot of heat, I generally look for silicon or nylon utensils that can withstand cooking temperatures of 200+ degrees Celsius. Wooden utensils are another great option; however, they are hand-wash only, which doesn’t suit this dishwasher-loving girl!

Everyday Cleaning

The first question 95% of my customers ask when they are looking at cookware in my store is, “Can it go in the dishwasher?” It actually depends on the piece of cookware and the brand. Most enamel French / Dutch ovens can go into the dishwasher; however, enamel skillets normally cannot. That’s not to say that I haven’t tried!

So here’s my take on it. Firstly, ask yourself, how much do you love that piece of cookware? And secondly, is time a factor for you? While I LOVE my cookware, if I didn’t pop it in the dishwasher occasionally, I wouldn’t batch cook. No one wants to handwash all the pots I use on a batch cook Sunday session! For me, it comes down to time and convenience. I also find that my dishwasher can help to remove stubborn stains.

Now obviously there is a downside to using a dishwasher vs handwashing enamel cast iron cookware and that is that dishwashers can be quite abrasive. The exterior enamel color on my Dutch ovens has definitely dulled over the years due to using a dishwasher.

For a more in-depth look at this, check out this post on how to clean enameled cast iron.

7 common mistakes that ruin enamel cast-iron cookware

The good news? Enamel cast iron is incredibly durable. The bad news? A few common mistakes can shorten the life of your cookware pretty quickly.

Here are the biggest culprits I see over and over again.

1. Using high heat

Enamel cast iron cookware performs best on low to medium heat. Cranking the burner to full blast usually isn’t necessary and can damage the enamel over time.

2. Heating an empty pot

Especially with light cream enamel interiors, always add oil, butter, or liquid before heating. Heating an empty pot can lead to thermal shock and damaged enamel.

3. Plunging a hot pan into cold water

I know it’s tempting after dinner cleanup, but sudden temperature changes are one of the quickest ways to crack enamel. Always let your cookware cool before washing.

4. Using metal utensils

Metal utensils can scratch and chip the enamel coating over time. Silicone, nylon, or wooden utensils are a much safer choice.

5. Stacking cookware without protection

Cast iron is heavy. Even a small knock between stacked pots can chip the enamel. Pot protectors are worth their weight in gold.

6. Using abrasive cleaners

Steel wool and harsh scourers can dull or damage the enamel surface. As I tell customers in the store constantly, steel wool is not for cookware. Banish it to the garage. Your cookware deserves better. Warm soapy water and a soft sponge or pot brush is usually all you need to clean up your cookware.

7. Leaving moisture trapped inside

After washing, dry your cookware thoroughly and store it with the lid slightly ajar if possible. Nobody wants a musty (or even worse, mouldy) Dutch oven situation lurking in the cupboard.

A little everyday care really does make all the difference. These pots are built for decades of soups, stews, bread baking, and slow Sunday dinners. Give them a little love, and they’ll last a lifetime.

Storing your enameled cast iron

A little care when storing your cookware helps prevent chips, scratches, and trapped moisture.

Use pot protectors if stacking cookware
Store with the lid slightly ajar where possible
Make sure cookware is completely dry before storing
Avoid storing cookware in the oven long-term

Enamel cast iron is heavy, so even small knocks between stacked pots can chip the enamel over time.

Dealing with Chips and Cracks

With proper care, and if you use your enamel cast iron cookware correctly, chips and cracks will be minimal if not non-existent, and you’ll get years (and years) of use. Over time, with regular use, you may find that you get “spider web” lines in the base of your pan. Normally, this occurs if your pan is heated on high heat or metal utensils are used during cooking. Firstly, check with the cookware brand website to see if they recommend certain specialty cleaning products. If they don’t specify, I find that Le Creuset’s Pots and Pans Cleaner works a treat on cream colored enamel, as does the Barkeeper’s Friend Cookware Cleaner (although this is a bit harsher). Bicarb soda and a little water is another option. Please avoid salt and lemons, people! I’ve seen this all over the web, and it’s false information. All it will do is damage your pot/pan further.

Large interior chips and cracks in the enamel are a sign that you may have damaged your cookware beyond repair. We’ve all been there! All I can say is better luck next time, and it may be time to bid farewell!

Commonly asked questions

Will my enamel cast-iron cookware rust?
No. Given that 99.9% of each pan is covered with the enamel, it won’t rust. Should your enamel chip or crack, there is the possibility that rust will occur, and steps should be taken to stop the rust from forming, e.g., seasoning with oil.

Is cooking in a Dutch oven easy?
Yes!!!! As long as you follow a few simple steps to make sure you are using your cookware correctly, cast iron cooking is a breeze. Like anything, new cookware can take some getting used to, so it may take a few tries to perfect slow cooking.

Help! I have stuck on food. What do I do?
To remove stuck-on food, firstly soak overnight with some warm soapy water. If it still won’t come off, pop the pan with a few cups of water onto the stovetop. Turn the heat on to a low heat and, using a wooden spoon, gently try to remove the stubborn bits once the water gets hot. For best results, a gentle simmer should do it!

Can enamel cast iron go on high heat?

This is probably the biggest mistake people make with enamel cast-iron cookware.

Unlike stainless steel cookware, enamel cast iron loves a slower, gentler approach to cooking. The biggest thing to remember is that cast iron retains heat incredibly well, so once the pot is hot, it stays hot. For everyday cooking, low to medium heat is usually all you need.

Cooking on excessively high heat can damage the enamel coating over time and may lead to discoloration, hairline cracks, or, in more severe cases, chipped enamel. It can also cause food to burn long before the actual cookware needs more heat. A lot of sticking issues actually come down to heat control and preheating. I cover that more deeply in my post on why food sticks to enameled cast iron cookware.

Below is the first Le Creuset I ever owned. I had no idea how to use it, and I did all the wrong things. It’s a great example of a well-worn enamel cast-iron Dutch oven where all three of those problems are visible. Quite simply, I wasn’t kind. Although, to be fair, I still got 20 years out of it, and she was a real trooper, right til the end!

A pot with a lid showing an aged Le Creuset interior.

Now, this is where things can get a little confusing because not all enamel interiors are the same.

For example, many Dutch ovens with a light cream enamel interior should always have oil or liquid added before heating. On the other hand, black satin enamel skillets (like some Le Creuset skillets and grill pans) are designed to tolerate slightly higher cooking temperatures and are better suited to searing without oil directly added to the pan.

One of the biggest mindset shifts with enamel cast iron cooking is learning that you don’t need screaming high heat to get a beautiful result. Give the pan a few minutes to warm up properly and let the cookware do the heavy lifting.

Your pot will thank you for it.

ENAMEL CAST IRON FAN?

If your idea of a good time involves a Dutch oven and a rainy afternoon…
I think we’re going to get along just fine. Start with my Cast Iron Field Guide.

What is “thermal shock” and why should we avoid it

The biggest risk to damaging your enamel cast-iron cookware is what’s called thermal shock. It’s when
your cookware is heated on high heat, or there is a rapid change of temperature, which causes the enamel to crack or chip. In really severe cases, the enamel will pop off like a blister. Enameled cast-iron pots and pans are for low to medium heat only.

There are different types of enameled surfaces (for example, Le Creuset has two), which should both be treated differently to each other. For example…

Le Creuset has a different type of enamel on their cast iron French/Dutch ovens and its skillets. One is cream in color, the other black. The cream-enameled cookware should always have oil in it before popping on/into any heat source. While neither enameled pot is suitable for direct high temperatures, the black enamel can go to higher heat, making it a perfect choice for steaks and grilling. Instead of oiling the pan, you’ll get a better result if you oil the foods you are cooking instead. For example, oil your steak before placing it in the pan; don’t oil the pan.

You can also damage your pot by plunging a hot pan into cold water or a cold pan into hot water. Always let your enamel cookware cool down before cleaning to reduce the possibility of damage.

When it comes to cooking in enamel cast iron cookware, I truly believe that by knowing know to use it correctly will make you a better cook. For more, check out my complete guide to cooking with cast iron. It will arm you with everything you need to know to cook like a pro in cast iron.

As always, if you have any questions, drop them in the comments!