Will I crack the enamel if I put a room temperature dutch oven in a pre-heated oven?
Is it safe to put an enameled cast iron dutch oven in a pre-heated oven, when the dutch oven is starting at room temperature? Or will this cause thermal shock and break the enamel? The Internet says contradictory things.
I have a recipe that says to do this (i.e. put it straight in the oven, without heating it first, with some uncooked vegetables and oil in it).
This is the model I have, if it makes a difference: https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-cast-iron-shallow-casserole-31cm/p4055687
Best Answer
Enamelled casseroles (aka Dutch ovens) are also designed to be able to be used directly on a hob (aka stove top), which are capable of higher temperature than any domestic oven will ever be able to reach. If thermal shock were a consideration, I don't think you'd be able to do that.
Don't just take my advice however. If you are really concerned about it, give the manufacturer a call.
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Can you put a room temp Dutch oven in a hot oven?
Rapidly changing temperatures can cause cracking. Don't put a cold Dutch oven in a hot oven, for example: put it in a cold oven and preheat them together.Can you put a Dutch oven in a preheated oven?
Most no knead bread recipes call for preheating the Dutch oven while the oven heats up. Not only do we not recommend heating an empty Dutch oven, but it can be challenging to wrangle the wet dough carefully into an extremely hot pot. But we found that preheating is really not necessary to achieve a delicious loaf.Can enamel Dutch oven be preheated?
Just like above, preheating a Dutch oven on high heat is as bad as cooking with it on high heat. It can heat up too fast and the surface and food can burn. Also, you never want to preheat it while empty \u2014 this can cause the enamel to crack \u2014 so drizzle your olive oil in first and then switch the stovetop on.Can you ruin an enamel Dutch oven?
Cracks and chips in enamel shouldn't be ignored\u2014they can seriously interfere with your cooking. Many cookware companies\u2014like Staub and Le Creuset\u2014have lifetime warranties, which you should most definitely take advantage of if something goes awry.5 Unexpected Bread Lessons from HALF PREHEATING Your Dutch Oven
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Answer 2
Do not worry about it. Putting something in a preheated oven isn't usually a problem because air is largely a thermal insulator. Thermal shock occurs when you immediately change the temperature of a thing (baking dish, pan, etc.) rapidly, e.g. by putting a fridge-cold glass dish into a tub of hot water or splashing a hot ceramic dish straight out of the oven with a lot of cold water. In both these cases, you need something with a large thermal capacity (water or other liquid). Air, on the other hand, does not have this thermal capacity and will only gently raise your dutch oven's temperature, making thermal shock almost impossible.
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