**Now you can also find in-depth post where I share my ipressions about using le creuset enamel cast iron for more than a year and results of many tests I did with this pan

If you are one of the people who enjoy using tomato sauce, vine, or fruit sauces and you want to replace your conventional non-stick cookware with something safer and long-lasting, enameled cast iron is an awesome option. Unlike other bare metal cookware pieces like cast iron or carbon steel, enameled cast iron is compatible with a variety of food ingredients. It allows you to cook your favorite juicy sauces without any problems.

Additionally, unlike carbon steel and cast iron utensils which require seasoning and hand wash, with enameled cast iron you skip these maintaining steps. It is not perfectly nonstick as seasoned cast iron or stainless steel, however, easy maintenance and dishwasher compatibility of enameled cast iron makes things much easier.

There are certainly a lot of brands out there from which you can choose enameled cookware pieces. But, does it really matter which brand or make you go with? After all, they are all made of the same enamel right? Wrong.

Enamel is a special type of glass (most commonly a borosilicate glass) formulated to incorporate desired properties like chemical resistance, heat resistance, color, and cleanability. However, enamel formulations include different minerals like magnesium, silica, or zinc oxides. Depending on the formulation these enamels can have different properties and performances.

A masterpiece in enamel coating production is something that really makes famous Le Creuset standing out. This French company has started producing enamel since 1925, and through generations of work, they have mastered the enamel formulation with amazing performance.

One of the main features of Lecreset enamel is non-stickiness and temperature resistance. Unlike cast iron which doesn’t have any temperature limitations enameled, pans are a little more gentile and they mostly require using of lower temperatures. However, this is not the case when it comes to le Creuset enabled cast iron. You can use it up to max temperature limitation for conventional ovens (250C).

In the tests done by America“s test kitchen, Le Creuset’s enameled cast-iron skillet clearly showed better non-stick performance compared to the other 4 well-established brands.

So, if you are a lover of sauces and different juicy flavors, and you want to find a good alternative for your non-stick pans, Le Creuset will make you feel proud of your decision to get one piece for your kitchen. Unlike the non-stick pans, you won’t need to think about scratching or high temperatures, and you will be able to enjoy healthy dishes.

Finally, to secure your good experience with this product Le Creuset guarantees its enameled cast iron cookware, for the lifetime of the original owner, whether a self-purchase or received as a gift. This is something that you won’t find with non-stick cookware.

Finally, as I mentioned, Le Creuset is France based company which sells its products all over the world. This includes EU countries like, of course, France where this cast iron is produced, and neighboring Germany which has strict cookware safety regulations. Selling on the product of these markets makes this cookware piece comply with Safetouseit safety criteria.

Before the first use

Unlike some methal cookware enameled cast iron require any kind of *seasoning. It is enough to pass your cookware with a quick wash prior to first use.

Washing

 Enameled surface of this pan is not as non-stick as seasoned carbon steel or cast iron. However, it is fully safe for washing with different detergents and in a dishwasher which can reduce the need for hand maintenance.

Using a rough sponge, and simmering a little water and soap in the pan, can help with removing any hardly attached food pieces. (If something gets burn for instance)

This piece of cookware is suitable for Gas, Electric, Halogen, Induction, and Ceramic stovetop. And yes using the grass stovetop is fully compatible with gas stovetops.

Cooking temperatures

Unlike other enameled cookware Le Creuset enameled cast iron is quite resilient to temperature changes; can be used on the stovetop or in the oven, fridge, or freezer. And one huge advantage about it is there are no temperature limitations for using it in conventional ovens(heating up to 250C).

*seasoning- Cookware seasoning is the process of coating the by using oil and heat in order to prevent food sticking and to protect the cookware.

The one great advantage of enameled cast iron is its great compatibility with different food ingredients. So, if you planned to make e.g. Beef Bourguignon or some other flavourful dishes that require longer cooking and acidic ingredients you can rely on your Le Creuset casserole. This is something gnthat you shoudl not do with bare methal like cast iron or carbon steel. 

When it comes to frying this casserole is perfectly suitable for all of the dishes that include frying the meat or veggies as a first step, followed addition of sauce or liquid.

The fairly good non-stickiness and its resistance allow you to follow all the long-hour recipes without any problems with methal leaching, lie in the case of bare metal cookware.

Finally, if you are passionate about baking, Le Creuset skillet is a great option since it doesn’t set any temperature limitations when it comes to conventional ovens(heating up to 250C). Unlike other enameled cast iron pans which are usually limited to around 200C, this could be a great advantage. You can prepare everything from everyday specialties like crispy crust cornbread to delicate fruit tarts.

One thing is for sure, you will enjoy the versatility of recipes and dishes that you can prepare in this skillet.