I took the family DutchOven on a car camping trip and as husbands do, I forgot the piece was a wedding present. But you use what you already have so I took it. The wife was clearly upset when it came back black from the coals and being used. My question is, what would the best way to clean this be?
by bhm727
25 Comments
Baking soda paste and elbow grease… For my steel and titanium cookware, I will also use crumpled aluminum foil and baking soda. Sounds strange but aluminum is much softer than steel but much harder than the carbon so it works well.
you burned it, there is no fixing it, these ” painted” or rather enameled cast iron pots aren’t meant for coals, just even stove heat. That should’ve been kept on a propane stove and you would have been fine.
Bar keepers friend and elbow grease. It’s by far the best thing for cleaning the ceramic without damaging it. It may never look new again. The magic eraser may damage the finish fyi. Those things are horrible and just spread microplastics.
My mom uses Scrub Daddy and power paste, comes right off… However, those things are not really meant to be used over coals, if it was just pure cast iron, yeah, but that enamel is finicky…
This why you use basic Lodge cast iron to cook over the fire
*”as husbands do, I forgot the piece was a wedding present”*
Lol no – this is a you issue.
You’re probably screwed, but baking soda is great for scrubbing enameled cast iron. Make a paste with baking soda & water and dish soap (or even just bs & water) and apply it to the surface and let it sit for 30 minutes+ Maybe even a few hours. Make sure it stays damp. Then use the paste to scrub more. Will likely take multiple rounds and may not get it all off.
Next time, slather the outside in washing up liquid BEFORE it goes on the fire.
The blackness, dirt etc, all just washes right off afterwards.
Roses. Apply liberally with bottled wine.
Is this a picture of your wife cleaning it?
Wedding present or not… you misused an expensive enameled dutch oven and fudged it up. Don’t blame it on being forgetful. Blame it on being disrespectful.
That looks enameled. She’s a goner. You can clean it up a lot with abrasives like bar keepers friend or a magic eraser but the microscopic shredding that will do to the surface texture of the enamel will make it look better/ more even but never look new again.
I did this exact same thing to an enameled cast iron skillet back in college. They look rough to this day so lmk if you find a solution lol
Side note, NEVER use that sort of abrasive on an enameled cook surface. The outside is one thing but if you rough up the inner surface it will ruin it. Food will start sticking to it like crazy.
Editing to add that you should check closely for chips and fractures. Enamel is basically glass. While it is really heat tolerant, campfire cooking can cause sharp heat gradients with crazy hot/cold spots. That sort of thing can crack the enamel easily. Once that happens you should stop using it completely before tiny glass particles can start ending up in your food.
Quick swings in temperature are not really great for enameled cast iron and that can damage the finish and make it flake off particles of what is essentially glass into your food. Abrasives are not a great way to clean enameled cast iron, this removes the finish. This may be a goner but the best way to clean it is to get a can of the easy off with the yellow cap (you want the one with the lye in it) spray it on, wrap the dutch oven in a trash bag and let it soak up to overnight. It is best to do this outside as this isn’t the most pleasant process. (the cleaning process is described in far more detail here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/LeCreuset/comments/1pjaquu/how_to_clean_lc_cookware/](https://www.reddit.com/r/LeCreuset/comments/1pjaquu/how_to_clean_lc_cookware/) while your dutch oven does not appear to be the same brand, the cleaning process will be the same). Once you have it clean inspect for crazing on the cooking surface to ensure that it is still safe to use.
Yeah, you can’t put ceramic coated cast iron on a fire!
Better off buying a new one
Now you have a camping Dutch oven
This is wild way of cleaning. Just grab a larger tub, fill it with boiling water and put your Dutch oven in it. throw in 2 dishwasher tabs. Leave it for 30 minutes. Come back to it perfectly cleaned without any scrubbing. Wish I knew about this earlier but it’s been my go to for the last couple years.
You need to get a specific one for putting in the coals, I wouldnt want any of my kitchen pots looking like that
Also, that’s a ladies hand. You better be in a lesbian relationship cause theres no way she’s cleaning your mistake.
Barkeepers friend and elbow grease
Hi! My dad taught me this trick. If you put a light glaze of dish soap on the outside of the pot/pan you’re using over a campfire, it makes it 100% removable. Light glaze, not near the rim (so you don’t contaminate your foods), and it should be soot proof! I’ve done this many times and my stainless steel pots and pans are still shiny and silver 🙂
Bro… you took the coated Dutch oven camping, then used it over a fire?
Looks like you’re buying a new one.
Next time you can just ask her which pot she would like you to use if you don’t remember:-( as for cleaning… You get her a new one as an early anniversary gift
That’s enamel coated cast iron, in other words youre fucked as any cleaning to remove that will destroy the enamel.
Enjoy the doghouse for a while…
Turn it over, spray it with oven cleaner and seal it up in a large garbage can bag. Spray more oven cleaner on it while it’s in the bag and seal the bag . Set it outside in the sun and let sit for a day or so. The grime should come off a lot easier.
Before you put it in the coals the next time coat the bottom in dish soap
I dont have an answer but try r/cleaningtips
Baking soda and copper sponge