My friends Jeff and Dee Holbrook have now started a Facebook group, Enameled Cast Iron Cooking, and I’m getting lots of good ideas there. The other day, Dee shared some information on enamelware, including a short video of how they remove stuck-on food, and I asked her to share it here with us. Enjoy!
Many people have watched prepping, homesteading and a variety of other types of videos on YouTube touting the collecting and everyday use of cast iron. For those new to the concept, the task of seasoning and correctly caring for this cookware can be pretty daunting. Many barely have time to cook at all, much less spend the time these people on the videos seem to have getting just the right amount of seasoning to have an egg to slide off the pan.
Good news! You can have the benefits of cast iron with the ease of conventional pots and pans. It’s time to get enameled cast iron cookware!
The really cool thing about the enameled pieces is that they NEVER need to be seasoned like raw cast iron. The enameled coating is its own seasoning if you will. There are still some ‘rules’ for using enameled cast iron, but they are simple to follow.
1 – Never use metal utensils in your enameled cast iron! Choose wooden and plastic to make sure you aren’t scratching the surface.
2 – Gradually heat the cookware to the desired cooking temperature. Just like seasoned cast iron, this means using medium heat for most dishes.
3 – When cleaning baked- or cooked-on food residue, fill the pot or pan with boiling water, cover and place the cookware on low heat to allow the water to simmer. This will cause the residue to lift from the cookware. Once the residue has lifted and has been removed, clean any remaining debris with a plastic scrubber and soap & water. Once you are finished the cookware will be shiny and the inside should feel smooth. Here’s a short video of this process from our YouTube channel.
You will begin to see some staining as you continue to use the cookware, but do not despair, those stains are proof you are giving your enameled cast iron cookware lots and lots of love. ❤
4 – Always dry your cookware immediately after washing, leaving lids and pots separate until both have completely dried. This will prevent the ‘raw’ cast iron rim from rusting.
5 – Carefully store your enameled cast iron in cabinets or on shelves. Try not to stack your pieces as the weight could cause chipping or cracking of the enameled coating.
We hope this information helps everyone enjoy using their enameled cast iron cookware. Another quick tip: if you wish to add to your collection, scour your nearby TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Home Goods stores, as well as amazon.com and Ebay.com (just make sure your eBay purchases are the NEW product). Most of our pieces (23) have been found this way and we have never spent more than $140.00 on a piece of cookware.
So, happy cooking with and happy shopping for any and all enameled cast iron cookware!!
If you want the cooking advantages of cast iron but don't want to worry with the seasoning, try enamelware! Jeff and Dee of FiredCastIron.com share their quick tips. #enamelware Click To Tweet
Jeff and Dee Holbrook were raised in Christian homes in rural West Virginia. They ministered in music and teaching over the years, but are now retired. After 37 years of marriage, they find it wonderful to finally have time to do more things together, like traveling and collecting cast iron cookware to create meals for their YouTube channel. After they make a dish, they get to eat it. What could be better? You can find them at FiredCastIron.com and EnameledCastIronCooking.com.
Does your enamelware look like this? Walter Klamp shared this photo in the Enamelware Cast Iron Cooking group this week. He had just purchased this enameled Dutch oven from Tramontina and then, following the directions, he seasoned the pot. And this is what it looked like afterwards.
What Walter didn’t realize is that the enameled surface doesn’t require seasoning. In fact, the oil just bakes on like it did here. What the directions failed to clarify is that the exposed rim of the pot is bare cast iron, and that may need seasoning if it begins to rust (which only happens if the pot isn’t dried thoroughly after use).
If you have burnt-on stains — even scary stains like this — try a bit of baking soda. You can make a simple paste of baking soda and water and lightly scrub the pot with it using a soft cloth or sponge. Or you can boil water in the pot, add a couple tablespoons of baking soda, let it boil for a bit, and then turn the heat off. Once the pot is cool, gently scrub the enamel with the baking soda.
I’m happy to report that Walter’s new Dutch oven is now pristine and ready for its next meal. How does your enamelware look?
See related posts:
A Cast Iron Couple (Guest Post)
If I Can Cook with Cast Iron, You Can Too (Guest Post)
Want to know more about cast-iron cooking, including cooking with enamelware? Check out my book, Modern Cast Iron.
