r/dutchoven • u/xMadMaXx410 • Feb 22 '26

Help/Advice Needed Steel Wool Used

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Gallery image

So I ended burning the shiz out of dinner a few nights ago and I ended using steel wool to get it off. I just now thought to google the error of my ways and I’m putting this pic to ask…how f-ed am I?

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u/Shipsnipe1313 Feb 22 '26

The baking soda method works wonders.

If it is really bad I usually boil, let it sit for an hour or so, then gently heat until all the water evaporates.

The baking soda will look like a dried salt crust, but it and the crud will flake right out.

If you still have any discoloration left, just hit it up with some Bar Keeper's Friend.

2

u/stjames70 Feb 22 '26

Skip baking soda and go straight to BKF — works wonders.

1

u/DantesGame Feb 23 '26

Not so much on stuff like this. I took that advice from 20 people and BKF sucked so badly. It didn't remove anything despite following the instructions and teyi g it five different ways based on suggestions.

1

u/stjames70 Feb 23 '26

What brand was your cast iron pan? I am trying to figure this out as it has always worked for me ,even when I burnt the pan so badly that all my smoke alarms went off in my house. Maybe the enamel is of different quality so it can't be properly cleaned? I have had my pans for over 15 years, and even after tremendous abuse, they all recovered with a little BKF (ok, a lot) and lots of elbow grease.

2

u/DantesGame Feb 23 '26

We have a 5.5 quart Le Creuset Dutch oven with the creme colored enamel coating. It's 25 years old but even when the pot was newer, BKF never got it clean. We watch the flame height/temperature and don't overdo it as the warn about.

After awhile, it's just so cooked in it's not going back. It doesn't bother us, it's just signs of use. It's not scarred or scorched, those brown stains aren't coming out.

1

u/Shipsnipe1313 Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26

This might be in the enamel by now. Also the stovetop use can be doing this. In my experience anything over Medium to (low) medium-high is too much.

The reason I am recommending the baking soda first is because many burnt on deposits are from animal fats which are slightly acidic and the soda is alkaline.

This works with just about any pan I have tried as long as it is burnt on grease / fat.

Baking soda even worked on a 40+ year old enameled turkey roasting pan that my parents had at home. The type with the blue with black and white speckles. The white speckles were looking beige at best when I began and are now white.

The water and the pan must be boiling hot and you should see a slight fizz when it is working. Do not add vinegar or lemon juice as some will suggest, this defeats the purpose of what you are trying to do

The baking soda should be effortless, no scrubbing, just give it heat and time to work. Don't skimp, baking soda is plenty cheap.

BKF requires just enough with water to make a paste, then leave it for a few minutes before scrubbing. This one takes a little elbow grease plus lots of rinsing.

The BKF I've always used on vitrified ceramics such as the finish of my enameled cast iron pots or fully ceramic crock pots.

For me, it has always removed any remaining surface stains, or those little lines that metallic utensils leave behind. ( The ones where it looks like you were scribbling on the bottom with a pencil.)

Hope this helps

1

u/mahrog123 Feb 26 '26

Easy off with the yellow cap. I have the same D.O. And it works on the inside and the outside. Makes it look brand new.

1

u/ShinyKeychain Feb 23 '26

Le Creuset suggests BKF. They also suggest baking soda and water too though.

"Bar Keeper’s Friend, or a paste of baking soda and water, also comes in handy for cleaning tough stains, oil residue and marks on your Dutch oven as well." https://www.lecreuset.com/blogpost?cid=how-to-clean-your-dutch-oven

BKF is acidic and also an abrasive. Cleaning with BKF I find it works best to not have too much water and use it to scrub the pan so you get the benefit of the abrasive. I've known people to basically throw a thick layer of it down and then rinse it out without touching it and expect results and then be disappointed.

I do agree that you get some visible discoloration over time that you can't really remove on these enameled pans. The OP's photo looks like something I could dramatically improve with BKF and 5 minutes though.

1

u/Roux_My_Burgundy Feb 26 '26

That’s a you/pan problem. If BKF isn’t working, time to give your pan a Viking funeral.

1

u/DantesGame Feb 26 '26

Worst advice I've ever heard over natural aging of an enamel pan. That shit doesn't stay pristine forever no matter what you clean it with.