In step 5 it states, "In a 2 quart pot or large frying pan"...
My question, the only thing I have on hand (for when I try this recipe), is a 5 quart cast iron dutch oven, will this be an issue? I have heard tales of cast iron and tomatoes not being the best of friends.
Cooking tomato sauce for long periods might affect the seasoning on CI. I don't think I would do it, but there are others here with more knowledge on CI than I. They will be along shortly. Oh Spinaker !
Seasoned cast iron might give a metallic flavor to the sauce, and possibly leach off your seasoning of the pot. If it is not seasoned, it will give you a very pronounced metallic flavor.
I use my CI for tomato based cooks like shakshuka and beef bolognese all of the time with no problems or off flavors. Just like Mom and Grandma before me. I clean them with the dreaded soap and hot water (I will even scrub with, gasp, Scotchbrite if needed), immediately dry, then re-season on the stovetop with a high smoke point oil. Like all of my other tools, I maintain, sharpen, and don't misuse or abuse them, but to me they are still just tools.
Last edited by CaptainMike; June 12, 2019, 10:13 AM.
I am with CaptainMike Heck SS wasn't even invented until the early 2000's me think's and it was expensive then. I remember many a time my granny pulling out her CI pot doing an extra seasoning run and making tomato sauce in it.
I've cooked tomato-based dishes in my cast iron pots and skillet without any noticeable problem. Just transfer it to something else after it's done cooking and you should be fine if your pot is properly seasoned. If you have an enamel dutch oven you shouldn't have any problems at all.
This is perfect advice, and a useful discussion. Thank you to all who offered guidance. I have a fairly well season CI 5 GT dutch over. I will go ahead and ensure a better season on it. Once the food has completed the cook in the CI, I will xfer over to a more favorable storage environment. I am pretty excited to try this recipe. Man, I flipping love this forum. Money well spent. Thanks, gang.
Enameled CI is good to 500* in an oven environment so as long as you don't exceed that you’re fine. The problem you run into is the soot buildup which can be difficult to get off. Enameled cookware has been used in chuck wagon cooking for a long time. Ever notice that big pot of coffee that cooky always seems to have hot and ready?
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