Cleaning Le Creuset

[Ed Fontleroy]

I made some pot roast in my Le Crueset caserole the other day -- brisket, red wine, tomato sauce, onion, carrot, and seasoning -- and burn the stuff at the bottom of the pot. Normally it cleans so easily, but now I have this charred black stuff at the bottom that isn't coming off. I soaked it overnight and put some elbow grease into sponging it, but to no avail. Does anyone have any tricks, tips, or suggestions? Should I (not) use a steal or copper wire pad? Any solvents?

[sally from LA]

Don't use an abrasive pad. Soak overnight with dishwasher powder dissolved in a few inches of water, and next day you'll easily be able to remove the burnt-on food

[KRS]

And if that doesn't work, use spray-on oven cleaner.

[Will Owen]

And if the enamel is stained after all this, sprinkle in lots of Bar Keeper's Friend and enough water to make a thin paste, and let it soak for an hour or two.

[gulfcoastgal]

4 things make a huge difference:
Etsy has several types of tawashis made by hand with nylon tule which will not scratch but helps with the occasional tough residual food that soaking did not remove-use infrequently
Oxiclean makes it just look clean as new
baking soda paste left on
I use the special enamel cleaner
I do love my LC but I can see how the heavier enamel on my Chantal is effortless to clean and after 20 years looks brand new without effort

[Soop]

I used the rough side of a scouring pad for the first time which I normally avoid using - am I being a bit too soft?
Used that with some baking powder and water, and it got everything off apart from some minor discoloration which I think is there to stay.

[gloryah]

I've had 3 Le Creuset pots for at least 4 years that I use regularly, and even though I've burned things in them on more than once occasion, they still look brand new.

First of all, I never cook over more than medium heat with my LC. Cast iron retains heat so well, that there is no need to, and high heat can damage cast iron and enameled cast iron. When I'm done cooking and the pan is still warm, I fill the cookware with water and a couple drops of dish soap, heat it till the water is hot, and then clean the big stuff out with a soft kitchen sponge, (don't use the scrubber side). If there is any discoloration or stains, they wipe out easily with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. The magic eraser also easily removes scorch marks from the outside of the cookware if you cook over gas heat.

I never use a scrubber on my Le Creuset because it can scratch the clear coating over the enamel, and once that is gone the cookware looks all dull and stains easily. Because I don't want to scratch the clear coat, I also make sure to only use silcone utensils.

Another factor in keeping LC looking new is properly preparing the surface before you cook, it makes cleanup a lot easier. Before adding any food to my LC cookware, I heat the cookware over no more than medium heat until the pan is hot (if a drop of water dances on the surface, it is ready), then I put some oil on a paper towel and wipe down the interior of the pan with it. I've never had a problem with food sticking to the cookware, and like I said, my cookware looks shiny and brand new even though it gets used regularly.