Exploding Dutch Ovens?

I  use the old style pot without the enamel coating.  So use at your own risk of destroying  a high dollar pot.

I preheat my enameled cast iron dutch oven regularly... hasn't exploded yet at 475-500 degrees.... hmmm.

Diane

unless it has in it any nasty thing, I don't see why it will explode. Simply iron heated by convection heat.... I've pre-heated mine on 500 for more than an hour. Just be careful when placing the bread. That's all.

This is Le Creuset, but I presume it applies to Lodge as well:

"Don't heat an empty pan or allow a pan to boil dry."

http://www.lecreuset.ie/Help--Advice/Care--Use/Care--Use-Cast-Iron/

While heating it up on the cabin stove top in Eagle Lake, Canada.  It was late May, but it was snowing outside and the inside of the cabin was freezing when we thought to heat up the skillet and have some fresh caught walleye.  After about 5-10 minutes we heard a loud cracking sound and sure enough, the skillet had cracked right down middle.  We might have poured cold canola oil on the pan  when it was hot and that's when it cracked... don't exactly recall.  Apparently a huge temperature difference, say it could have been 45 degrees all day in the cabin or maybe we pulled the skillet out of the car before heating.. don't remember exactly but our fine cast iron skillet was toast.  When we got back, we ordered another one on Amazon.  Had to pan bake the walleye which was still quite tasty.

Not sure if this matters to most, but it does to me.  I prefer cast iron because it can double as a camp fire cooker and is the best for frying fish, which I do on occasion.  I also am aware of possible leakage of chemicals (iron or aluminum) into the foods so I would rather minimize my use of the cast iron cooker.  I use parchment paper underneath my breads when using to bake breads.  No sure, but I feel it might stop iron particles from absorbing into the dough. 

In the summer time, we've sat out on my deck while cooking chicken, potatoes, and veggies in the cast iron cooker on the grill.  Once it all gets good and hot, I just turn it down to 300F, grab a beer and sit out while I wait for dinner. The smell of food cooking outside is just fantastic.  And there's something about bringing out the cast iron to cook on that reminds me of camping and the outdoors, like a little slice of heaven in one's backyard.

Gotta toss in my two-cents worth.....

As the name applies, "Cast" iron, "cast" is the operable word.  

This cast process is not to be confused with "Forged", "Cold-rolled", type Steel or other Alloy which is then machined, pressed, stamped, or die cast into a shape.  (There is much more to it than my lame explanation, but that's the idea.)

It is a mixture of molten ore which becomes a form of "pig-iron" and when melted it is to poured into a mold of some type forming a shape.  Easiest molds are made of sand, i.e. "sand cast".

Trouble with casting molten pig-iron is contaminates in the base ore used and/or poor quality control.  Good quality cast iron has very little contaminates and strict temperatures are maintained during smelting.  If not it will cause 'voids' or air pockets in the product when cooled.  (A very general broad-brush attempt explaining.)

These voids can lead to failures under certain conditions such as "shock heating or cooling".  Also some outside coatings may lead to failures due to a differential in expansion/contraction rates or not being properly bonded to the cast iron.

I use several cast iron vessels and have for a long time.  Some were my Mom's from her Mom.

My suggestions are:

Only purchase from an established manufacture that has a good reputation.  (You get what you pay for.)

Never heat or cold shock the item.

Always place it in a "Cold" oven and let it slowly come up to temp along with your oven.  Never would I suggest tossing it into a 400 to 500 degree oven.

Allow to completely cool before cleaning.  (My cornbread skillet never gets washed..... just pre-heated with some oil in it.)

Try not to drop it.... you might hurt a toe, but it is handy to have in your hand when having a "heated" discussion with someone you love.

Have fun and keep on baking.......!

For No-Knead Bread, I believe baking at 475-F or 500-F is responsible for a thick, dark or burned bottom crust. 450-F works fine. Use a parchment paper sling to prevent sticking and to easily add risen dough to dutch oven.
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I made a loaf of Bittman's No-Knead bread  yesterday that turned out perfectly. Here's how I did it.
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I prepared the recipe by weights instead of volume. Those are listed below. I used half AP flour and half bread flour. I also added 1/2 teaspoon of diastatic malt powder.
After a 12 hour rise, I emptied the dough onto a 12 x 16 inch sheet of parchment paper, dusted with flour. An oiled plastic dough scraper helps with this.
Did 2 stretch and folds, formed the dough into a ball, placed it back on the parchment paper.
Placed the parchment and dough ball in a mixing bowl to rise and covered it for 2 hours.
Pre-heated the oven to 450-F with a 5-qt Lodge Black Cast Iron Dutch Oven (not enamaled)** on the shelf, with the lid off, beside it.
I pre-heated the dutch oven for 1/2 hour then added the parchment paper sling with the risen dough to the dutch oven and covered it.
Baked covered for 1/2 hour. Removed lid and baked 10 more minutes. Center of loaf reached 205-F. Removed from oven. Removed loaf from dutch oven immediately. The loaf was a perfect golden brown top and bottom.
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No-Knead Bread (original recipe)
By MARK BITTMAN
Published: November 8, 2006
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http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html?_r=0
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No Kneading, but Some Fine-Tuning (updated info)
By MARK BITTMAN
Published: December 6, 2006
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http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/06/dining/06mini.html
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No Knead Bread Ingredient weights
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3 cups (430g) all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
1 1/2 cups (345g or 12oz) water
1/4 teaspoon (1g) yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons (8g) salt
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Baker's Percentage (I calculated for above recipe)
100% all-purpose or bread flour
80% water
0.23% instant yeast
1.86% salt

** I used a Lodge L8DO3 5-qt black cast iron (non-enameled) Dutch Oven

http://www.lodgemfg.com/seasoned-cast-iron/dutch-oven-with-spiral-handle-bail-and-iron-cover-L8DO3

Here is a link to pictures showing the use of a parchment sling for final proof and moving the dough to the dutch oven. However, at 450-F the parchment doesn't scorch as much as in these photos (scroll down to the 3rd, 4th & 5th picture):

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/25228/tartine-country-bread-dutch-oven-%E2%80%93-without-getting-burned

(scroll down to the 2nd, 3rd, 4th picture):

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/21945/tartine-basic-country-bread

Hey Mark,

Sometimes when I use a cast iron dutch oven with certain doughs I will place an insulated cookie sheet under the dutch oven.  I use the smallest sheet I could find at one of the cooking stores.  

Not meaning to insult your intelligence, the cookie sheet when baking cookies keep their bottoms from burning before the tops brown.....  i think that's the logic.

Anyway, it seems to help keep my bottoms from getting scorched....

Have fun,,,,,,,,,,,,,

It always brings to mind the scifi book and movie, "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury. 451-F, the temperature at which paper starts to burn. ;-). Or at least it starts to scorch.

and used one layer of parchment paper for high hydration dough in a dutch oven. I've had no problem with the bottom of the loaf being too dark with 80% hydration dough at that temperature.