What You Need To Know
- It Prefers Medium Heat:
Enameled cast iron should be used mostly over medium heat, which is not ideal for searing. When I make my Ultimate Pot Roast, I sear in my 13.25” Lodge cast-iron skillet, and then transfer the roast to my enameled Dutch oven. While you definitely can sear large cuts of meat in enameled cast iron, it will eventually lead to surface staining, which is difficult to remove.
- The Finish Can Be Fragile:
The great thing about regular cast iron is that even if you beat it up a little, it comes back for more. With enameled cast iron, not so much. Bang it on the grate of your stove, and there’s a good chance you will chip it. Slide it across your stove, and you could scratch it. My rule of thumb is this—handle them all very carefully, regardless of the brand. A chip won’t harm your cooking much, but it sure does hurt your feelings when you see a chip in your beautiful colored finish!
- It’s Not Nonstick:
While one of the advantages of enameled cast iron is that it doesn’t need to (and can’t) be seasoned, this is also somewhat of a disadvantage. With regular cast iron, the better a piece is seasoned, the better it performs. With enameled cast iron, since it can’t be seasoned, you need to be careful to avoid sticking. Do this by cooking over moderate temperatures, and using adequate amounts of oil or fats. I don’t reach for enameled cast iron for scrambled eggs or bacon. For these things I want a regular, well-seasoned cast-iron skillet.
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10 COMMENTS
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Wow. I appreciate the tip regarding temperature when cooking with enameled cast iron. I’ve always cranked up the heat and couldn’t figure out how not to burn the food. That’s why I am reading this website. Thank you!
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So you would not recommend cooking a steak in the oven?
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It depends on the cut, but we typically suggest cooking steaks in a cast-iron skillet!
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What and how oven or top of stove for cooking with cast iron Dutch oven what temp to use , does it take longer or shorter cooking times ?
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We suggest using medium heat when cooking with Dutch ovens. They work great on the stove top for making soups and jams, and are also wonderful for braising roasts and other meats in the oven!
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This is a great post. I love enameled cast iron for cooking. It’s very helpful. Thanks for sharing this.
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This info really helped me..I’ve used cast iron pans all my life. But now that I have health problems, keeping them seasoned is a challenge..love my enamel pans..
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This is a great post. great information it’s very helpful for me thanks for sharing keep posting.
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What a wonderful informative post! I have used a French enameled dutch oven for years with great success – but the results with my new enameled skillet were a bit disappointing. Thanks to your great tips and comments I now know where I made mistakes. Your information should accompany all enameled cookware.
Thank you!
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