You'll Ruin Your Enameled Cast Iron Cookware By Making This Common Mistake

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Enameled cast iron cookware items, such as a Le Creuset Dutch oven, are generally easier to use than traditional cast iron, making it fabulous for everything from easy at-home deep frying to baking your own bread. However, quality Dutch ovens aren't cheap, which means it's especially important to avoid accidentally ruining your enameled cast-iron pots and pans. One all-too-common mistake that can rapidly wreck the versatile and rust-resistant cookware is preheating it while empty.

Heating an enameled cast-iron pot with nothing in it can absolutely damage the enamel surface, Jordan Burdey, founder of Cookware Care, a business focusing on cast iron and carbon steel seasoning and maintenance, told The Takeout. "Enamel is basically a glass, and by heating when empty, the glass and cast iron will expand at different rates — risking thermal shock to occur," Burdey explained. This thermal shock results in a high probability of cracking and damaging the enamel coating.

It's usually best to preheat enameled cast iron cookware for even cooking and the best results. So how can you safely preheat your Dutch oven without risking ruining the enamel coating? "I would add a couple of cups of water to the cookware first, or I would add in a few tablespoons of oil, something that can help absorb the heat," Jordan Burdey recommended. This will help prevent thermal shock. As for the heat level, Burdey advises starting with medium to medium-high for the initial heating.

This naturally begs the question: what happens if your cookware does crack (or is already cracked)? Sadly, the answer is probably not what you want to hear. "I would absolutely not recommend cooking with a chipped or cracked enamel," Burdey emphasized. "Because enamel is basically glass, the risk of particles ending up in your food is too high, and ingesting this is very dangerous." So, if you want to avoid the tragedy of having to toss an exorbitantly priced Le Creuset Dutch oven, always preheat it with a little oil or water. If you're looking for more ways to up your cookware game, check out this clever Dutch oven storage tip.