Enameled cast iron cookware is an amazing edition to any kitchen. Do you know the 4 Steps to Clean Enameled Cast Iron Cookware? Enameled cast iron cookware is easy to cook with, due to the non stick coating. Cast iron also has great heat retention capabilities. Do you know the process to properly clean enameled cast iron cookware?
That’s due to the enamel coating gives this version of cast iron cookware it’s nonstick capabilities. If you take care if it, this type of cast iron cookware will last for years.
The enameled coating on cast iron cookware generally makes food easy to clean, as compared to bare cast iron skillets. For the most part food does not stick to the cooking surface, and can be cleaned with minimal effort. Sometimes food still gets baked on, which can make cleaning problematic.
The good news is that there are simple tips you can use to remove even tough burnt on food, without scrubbing and scratching the beautiful white enameled coating.
4 Simple Steps to Clean Enameled Cast Iron Cookware
The first thing you need to do to clean enameled cast iron cookware is let your cast iron pot cool down. Cast iron gets very hot, and touching a hot cast iron pot with your bare hands, can result in a nasty burn.
You should never put cold water in a hot cast iron pot, or you can risk damaging it. Then, your next trip will be to the store for a replacement.
You should always use a soft scrub pad and warm water when cleaning enameled cast iron cookware. This will prevent scratches to the enameled coating.
Enameled Cast Iron is Dishwasher Safe
The cookware may get damaged by moving parts in the dishwasher. It may be too hot to touch from the hot water.
You should never use steel wool or a brillo pad when you clean enameled cast iron cookware. This will scratch the enameled coating on your cookware.
4 Easy Steps to Clean Enameled Cast Iron Cookware
1)Use liquid Detergent
Once the cast iron skillet or pot has cooled down, put liquid detergent in the bottom of the pot and fill it with warm to hot water. Swoosh the detergent around to make it sudsy. Let it sit overnight to see if this step removes the burnt on food. You can try to remove the baked on food with a kitchen sponge that has a soft side and scrubbing side.
This process is desired if the food is lightly baked on. Do not use a Brillo pad or steel wool on enameled cast iron, or you may scratch it, which will ruin the enamel coating.
This is the preferred cleaning method for mild stains. This may or may not work for baked on food.
2) Coat the stain or burnt on Food with baking soda
If letting the cast iron pan sit overnight in soapy water doesn’t solve your problem, then you should liberally coat the bottom with baking soda. Let the baking soda sit for several minutes.
Make sure you use enough baking soda to to completely cover the stain when you remove baked on food stuff. Let the baking soda sit on the stain for several minutes. Nest, you should add a tablespoon of water to make a paste. If you don’t have baking soda, you can use powder laundry detergent to clan enameled cast iron cookware.
Using baking soda or laundry detergent will make scrubbing out the burnt on food quite easy. If you use powder laundry detergent, you still need to add a bit of water to activate the enzymes.
The enzymes in baking soda or laundry detergent are very similar, and therefore it will eat through even the toughest baked on stains.
Using a soft sponge, and work the baking soda into the stain in a circular manner. This will begin to remove the stain.
This generally works much better than soap and water.
3) Repeat sprinkling baking soda or laundry detergent
Depending on how burnt the food is on the bottom of your cast iron skillet, you may need to repeat sprinkling baking soda or laundry detergent a few times to fully work out the stain.
Even with tough burnt on food, if you use baking soda or laundry detergent, the enzymes do most of the work for you, so you won’t have scrub hard to clean the pot, thankfully.
After just a few minutes, with light scrubbing, you can see that the stain is almost removed.
4)
You may need to add a bit more baking soda and water to remove the stain, especially from a burnt cast iron skillet.
From start to finish, sprinkling baking soda on the enameled cast iron pot, until the stain was completely removed and the pot looked like brand new will take about 10-15 minutes total.
In Conclusion
Cleaning enameled cast iron cookware doesn’t need to be a complicated or time consuming process! By following these four steps, it is easy to keep your favorite cast iron cookware shiny and clean.
Baking soda or powder laundry detergent can be the magic potion to clean burnt on food without scrubbing and scratching your enameled cast iron cookware.
Following these steps will give you several years of use from your favorite cast iron cookware, and you may even be able to hand it down to the next generation.
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I love Baking soda. Thanks!
Clair Wayman recently posted…How To Clean Glass Without Glass Cleaner Effectively
I knew better. Don’t leave the pot on the burner after the food is done cooking. But, I did anyway. The bottom was coated in thick blackness that I couldn’t get off. So I thought if I add some water and boiled it a little bit, it should be soft enough to clean. HAHA! Joke’s on me. Didn’t help at all. I worked on that stupid pot for two days. Nothing helped… until I found this article. Within about ten minutes it was clean. Thank you!! I was worried I would have to throw it out.
I recently bought an enamel coated cast iron pot. The instructions said to season the pot with 2-3 Tbsp. oil then leave in a 350 oven for 1 hour. I accidentally left it in for 2 hours after I thought I turned the oven off but didn’t. When I took the pot out, it was entirely coated with burned on brown oil. I tried the above method using baking soda. After leaving it to soak overnight, I found that the burned on oil came off very easily with a plastic scrubber. Some residue was left at the bottom so I made a paste of the baking soda and after a quick scrub, the pot was completely clean. Thank you for this!!!
I’m glad it worked out for you.
I tried scrubbing, baking soda, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar and none of these worked. What did work was ordinary bleach in the enameled pan overnight. I recommend trying the bleach first; it won’t abrade the enamel.
I have done this but my pot still smells like burnt food
Great article Ken! Great tips! What restaurant has your favorite dishes? Remember to add it to your Besty List! http://www.thebesty.com/thecookingpot
Very interesting post!
This was a great blog post, thank you very much for the information.
So pleased to find this post, I’ve done a very similar thing to my pot!
Hi Lucie,
Thanks for coming to my blog. I checked out your blog, and it is really cool. Love the recipes. You should add an About Page. People identify with a blog more when they can identify with the blog owner.
Ken