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Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: I finally got my ""free"" Le Creuset Dutch oven! Now how do I care for it?

On 3/20/2015 lacey1 said:

No pressure! Check out YouTube for videos about no-knead bread recipes. A good series is titled something like, Artisan bread with Steve. When I make bread, I line the pot with parchment paper-EZ cleanup, and it's easier to pull the hot bread out when you're done baking. Oh, if no one else has sad it-Congratulations on saving your points! That must have been a big effort!

Check this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba8aao_Q3As&index=8&list=PLZ5FnYj-j28HPGqJ0V_PlQd7xeOP2w0I_

Thank you, Lacey. I just watched a few of the videos and now I'll have to hustle to be ready for work on time!

I'm a little confused because some of the videos recommended heating the Dutch oven for 30 min at 450 degrees and others didn't heat the pot. Which do you do?

Thank you.

As for the points, it was a joint effort. DH and I don't have a credit card, but when I started caring for my mom and dad I took over their finances. It turns out they had a card they'd been using for years and never redeemed the points. I started putting all my purchases on it, then paying it off at the end of the month and it STILL took two years to save the points! BTW, I got the pot from Wayfair at a great discount because it was "used". I don't know what was used about it. It arrived i the original box, with the paperwork and it shows no signs of use. Now I have to start saving for another one! Yay!

~ house cat ~
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Re: I finally got my ""free"" Le Creuset Dutch oven! Now how do I care for it?

I preheat the pot. I do the final rise on parchment paper, (spray with Pam). Preheat the pot, slash the risen loaf, pick it up in the parchment and plop it into the hot pot. I sprinkle a few drops of water to increase the steam, cover and bake.

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Re: I finally got my ""free"" Le Creuset Dutch oven! Now how do I care for it?

Congratulations. I love le crueset. I have only a couple of suggestions. First, I've never had any trouble with the black handle, and it stays cool to the touch when cooking on the stovetop. The handle will withstand any temperature the enamel will. Replace if you prefer the look, but don't worry about it melting. Second, do not put cold water into a hot pot. I learned this the hard way with an inferior brand, but would never risk it with my le crueset. Say that you have sautéed onions and want to add chicken stock- either add the room temperature stock slowly (never cold) or heat it up first. This will prevent the enamel from cracking (which will ruin your pan). It looks great on your stovetop, and once you start you will use it all time time! It cooks everything so evenly and you never need high heat because it distributes heat really well.
Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: I finally got my ""free"" Le Creuset Dutch oven! Now how do I care for it?

Congrats on the new Dutch Oven, House Cat. My eldest niece has 2 of that brand in the green color. She received them as wedding gifts and cooks in them often. Other than that, I don't know much about them.

Looks pretty on your stove.

There are many elements: wind, fire, water
But none quite like the element of surprise
Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: I finally got my ""free"" Le Creuset Dutch oven! Now how do I care for it?

On 3/20/2015 Bird mama said:

Congrats on the new Dutch Oven, House Cat. My eldest niece has 2 of that brand in the green color. She received them as wedding gifts and cooks in them often. Other than that, I don't know much about them.

Looks pretty on your stove.

That's really all that counts, isn't it? {#emotions_dlg.lol}

Is AMS on tomorrow morning? I'm going to try to make it to the party. I miss you guys.

~ house cat ~
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Registered: ‎10-25-2010

Re: I finally got my ""free"" Le Creuset Dutch oven! Now how do I care for it?

On 3/15/2015 JANinNY said: I have many pieces of Le Crueset, the oldest being about 25 years. Needless to say, the interior is not pristine. If stubborn burned on food, such as fried chicken or burned sauce because the heat was too high, I just add some dish liquid and a couple of tsp of bleach to the water in the pot and let simmer on the stove for 5 or 10 minutes. Works every time and the bleach whitens the interior.


I have 2 pieces and this is exactly what I do. My husband however, used steel wool to clean the interior of 1 pan and he scratched off all of the white interior on the bottom.

The pan is still good to use, but it has an ugly grayish appearance on the bottom of the pan.

I would suggest that everyone not use steel wool to clean their pan and advise hubby (if they have one) not to either.

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Re: I finally got my ""free"" Le Creuset Dutch oven! Now how do I care for it?

Congrats! Very pretty green! I like it a lot!

I got an oval 6¾ qt. LC red Dutch oven from Amazon several years back as a warehouse sale for $166 & it was considered "used", but the pot itself was brand new & in pristine condition, the box it came in was a little taped up & torn, was the only thing I could see that was the reason they sold it as "used", but who cares about the box, plus it shipped inside another box anyway.

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Re: I finally got my ""free"" Le Creuset Dutch oven! Now how do I care for it?

On 3/20/2015 house_cat said:
On 3/20/2015 Bird mama said:

Congrats on the new Dutch Oven, House Cat. My eldest niece has 2 of that brand in the green color. She received them as wedding gifts and cooks in them often. Other than that, I don't know much about them.

Looks pretty on your stove.

That's really all that counts, isn't it? {#emotions_dlg.lol}

Is AMS on tomorrow morning? I'm going to try to make it to the party. I miss you guys.


Aw geez HouseCat, I'm sorry I missed your post back to me. My computer is a desktop in an office, where Presto happens to sleep for the night. I'm pretty much offline at 8pm. Once it starts getting dark, the birds want to go to sleep and are vocal about it. {#emotions_dlg.blushing}

There are many elements: wind, fire, water
But none quite like the element of surprise
Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎01-16-2015

Re: I finally got my ""free"" Le Creuset Dutch oven! Now how do I care for it?

That is beautiful housecat. Great choice on the color - I would have had a tough time choosing between the green or the red or the......
Honored Contributor
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Re: I finally got my ""free"" Le Creuset Dutch oven! Now how do I care for it?

I like how you put the sticker up there! Smiley Happy

Looks great. I'm not a green girl, but mine are all either red, black, or a few in dune (my least fav color). I'd love to have one in the cassis color but it would be so frivolous, since I have so many already.