Care For Le Creuset

Lots of these helpful hints will seem like common sense, but it never hurts to say the basic things in case they are forgotten as they are often fundamental to your enjoyment of your Le Creuset cookware. The hints on this page apply only to the cast iron enamelled cookware made by Le Creuset, unless specifically stated. It is important to remember this as you may damage other equipment if you use these tips and they do not apply to what you have in front of you. That said, let's get on with the first, and most obvious tip. When you first get your saucepan set, especially if it is new, check for adhesive stickers attached to the pots. If you find any, then remove them and if they are prone to tearing, then soak the pot and sticker in warm soapy water until it can be easily removed from your Le Creuset pan. Once you have washed all of the pans in your set and removed all stickers from the exterior and interior of all pots and pans, then towel dry your saucepans. That's it, first step done!

Care for Le Creuset

Do not use your Le Creuset saucepans for dry cooking. Make sure that there is a coating of oil, butter, other fat or liquid on the bottom of the pan before you use it. If you leave it dry you may damage the enamel finish and reduce the easy clean nature of your dish. Of course it isn't likely that you would do this, as most recipes call for some form of fat or liquid to be used. This liquid or fat source should completely cover the bottom of the pan to be used, and should be applied while the pot is cool, prior to being put on any heat source that your Le Creuset saucepans can be put on. If in doubt, consult the instructions that come with the saucepan set.

Care for Le Creuset

Medium or Low heat will produce the best results with your Le Creuset saucepans. High heat is not normally required, unless boiling vegetables and of course this is fine. Most recipes will be improved by slow cooking, with the exception of sealing in the juices of meat as a preliminary step to cooking a stew or casserole. With these dishes low heat must be used for the main cooking of the dish. Allowing the saucepan to heat gradually and thoroughly will enhance the even heat distribution that Le Creuset cast iron is justly so famous for. Preparation is important with these Le Creuset saucepans, and you should always allow yourself time if you can before using them.

Care for Le Creuset

After using your saucepans you should always allow time for them to cool. Do not plunge them straight into cold water, or any water at all. Simply leave them on an unused element or alternatively a heat resistant surface, wooden board, or silicone multimat and allow the saucepan to cool, we usually allow this to happen while we eat. After the meal the saucepan has usually cooled down and can then be left to soak in warm soapy water if that is required. Mostly it isn't. Also make sure that you don't knock steel implements on the side of your dish as this can cause damage, and it is also a good idea to never use a beater in the saucepan. Never store your pans while they are damp, allow plenty of time to dry to ensure that the cast iron does not suffer from damage in any way. This is easy to achieve, but essential none the less.

Care for Le Creuset

The lifetime guarantee that comes with these products is a great back up to have, but there is no substitute for actually caring for your product to extend its lifetime. Another good tip to keep in mind for looking after your pots and pans is to check the handles every now and again to make sure that they remain tightly affixed as if they happen to fall off it can be disastrous. Dropping your saucepans is a sure fire way to ruin them. Also allowing your pans to boil dry will also ruin them very quickly. Keep a close eye on your pans while you are cooking and don't leave them unattended. Aside from obvious safety issues, it is possible that the pans can boil dry and you won't notice.

Care for Le Creuset

Another good tip that we have is to try and match the size of the heat source with the pan, or use a pan that is a little bit bigger than the element or gas hob under your Le Creuset saucepans. The purpose of this is to reduce the chance of damage to the handles of your cookware from heat passing directly from under the saucepan. While this is unlikely to have much of an effect on your pans, there is also the environment to consider as the heat spilling up the side of a saucepan that is too small for the heat source is wasted energy and we don't want that! Always be wary of handles during cooking. There is always the chance that it has become hot and the best way to avoid burning yourself is to exercise caution and use a pot mit or oven mit when handling your Le Creuset Cast Iron saucepans during cooking. A ounce of prevention is better than a cure as they say. Follow these tips and care for your Le Creuset and it will last you a lifetime. Good luck with your cooking!