Damage to enameled cast iron?

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Janet Yang on 16 May 2016 at 09:55

From Bien Cuit by Zachary Golper:

The easiest and most foolproof way to get a good crust
and a predictable rise with a round loaf is to bake it in
the closed environment of a Dutch oven.... Some
home bakers use enameled Dutch Ovens, but if you do,
be prepared for scorch marks on your pretty pot.

Have you found this to be true, and are the marks permanent?
We just bought a dutch oven and replaced the phenolic knob with stainless steel so it can be use in a 500° oven. Was looking forward to baking bread in it, but won't if the pot will be damaged.

Janet

 

for bread has been ruined - looks wise and so I don't use them for that any more.  They still work fine though - but look like hell.  I haven't found a way to restore them either.

Yeah, I love using my enameled pot, but I can't seem to get the dark marks off. But the marks don't hurt the pot. It just looks ugly. I think it has to do with the high heat in the oven. Whatever might be on the surface of the outside of the pot scorches and it's near impossible to remove. The inside of the pot is fine though. I have other pots that I use on the stove and they look fine. So I just only use the one pot for bread.

I baked one loaf in enameled cast iron and it left brown/tan spots that were never removed.Ridiculous, but true.

I've baked quite a few loaves in my enameled iron pots. Yes, there is a bit of staining on them but they certainly aren't 'ruined'. They continue to work just fine. And incidentally, the enameled cast iron Dutch oven that I use for things other than baking bread also has stains and dark marks. It has never been used for bread. I am okay with that, as I tend to buy things that are useful rather than pretty and don't mind if they look like they've been used!

I once looked into this, and learned that Le Creuset would resurface your pot for free.  You have to pay shipping, though.  Not sure if it's still true.  I'd call the manufacturer and look into that.  I've used and abused mine, and it still works very well for a variety of uses, including bread.  But the enamel certainly darkens after baking at 500F.

I remember with great fondness a fellow who taught me that the bumps and scratches on my motorcycle can be looked at as evidence of my being a serious rider.  That changed my way of looking at my bike.  I no longer think I have to have a bike that looks brand new all the time.  It was a revelation!

You could say the same thing about the inside of my DO.  Those dark marks are visual memories of lots of great baking.

If it's within your means, you could buy a second DO for show purposes, of course.  There are DO's at marked down prices all over the place all the time.  They can also be found at garage sales.

Some people don't know how easy it is to take out certain of the stains, though not all.  Here's a way that's served me well over many years:  crumple up several sheets of newspaper, put them into your stained DO, soak the papers with some nonsudsing ammonia, put the DO with its cover in the bag but not on the DO itself into a garbage bag, close and seal the bag and let it sit (preferably away from people) for several days, then remove it, rinse and scrub lightly with the rougher side of a common dishwashing sponge.  The stains that are off baked on food which don't come off with simple scrubbing with hot soapy water dissolve right off.  Unfortunately, the darkening from the 500 degree baking of breads DON'T com off this way.

From Le Creuset: 

As per the instructions in the use and care, we do not recommend heating an empty pan as this can damage the enamel finish. We normally recommend at least placing water in the vessel while heating. 

 For cleaning we recommend making a mixture using one part of an enzyme laundry detergent such as tide, gain or any other enzyme brand to 3 parts of water. Fill the interior of the vessel with this solution and boil for about 10 minutes. Afterwards, allow the vessel to cool to discard solution. Wash with warm soapy water using a nylon or plastic scrubby to assist. Once your item has been cleaned to your satisfaction, rinsed and dried, lightly coat the interior with white vinegar using a soft cloth or paper towel. This step is used to help restore some of the sheen back to the glaze. The longer the vinegar remains on the enamel the more of the sheen it will return. Your item can be stored away with the vinegar until next use. When ready to use, wash and dry.

We have a few but I've never used them for bread making  - however on one, the knob on the lid blew the top off because (I think) water got into it (they unscrew) and turned to steam in the oven....

They're all stained on the inside FWIW... Years of making casseroles, soups, etc. used in the oven and on the stove top.

-Gordon

I've seen the photos of enameled pots used for bread baking and haven't dared to use mine for this, instead I bought a lodge double Dutch oven which is both more durable and better shaped for bread  baking (you can turn it upside down so no need to drop the dough in or lower  it into a very deep and hot pot). 

After several years of use exclusively baking bread in my Le Creuset DO, I can get rid of the specks and stains by simply boiling water and letting it sit with this water overnight, dumping it out then wash normally with soapy water, The few times this did not work completely, I would add a teaspoon of Bon Ami (dish cleaning powder) to the water, swish to dissolve and let to sit overnight, the next day I'd use the scrubby part of a scrubbing sponge and all comes off.

I bought an enamelled pan at a knock-down price, thinking that if it stained it wouldn't matter.  However, it hasn't, because 1. I make sure there are no spillages on its surfaces before it goes in the oven, and 2. I carry out the 2nd prove on a floured sheet of greaseproof paper, which I use to lower the dough into the hot pan.  So no edible matter comes into contact with the pan.