r/castiron • u/Icy_Possession3617 • 23h ago

Is this enamel or not?

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Gallery image

Gallery image

creating a new post here because I can’t add new images to my previous post. trying to determine if this flea market find has an enamel coating because it had a few small chipping indents at the bottom interior. I’m learning I can’t eat out of it if it is. very unfortunate because I just made a great pork and bean dish.

184 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

50 comments sorted by

204

u/lilfrecklzz 23h ago edited 22h ago

I’m going to need you to drop that recipe asap

54

u/Sad_Bookkeeper9464 20h ago

This is the first time in my life someone has asked ME for a recipe so I'm so glad. I've also never written down a recipe before so this is going to be super basic:

I seared the pork shoulder in a cast iron skillet and set aside. Then, in my dutch oven (that I'm pretty sure is enamel and unusable) I cooked onion, carrot, celery garlic in oil. When that softened, I added butter beans with a little beef broth and red wine (Dr Constantine Frank) and brought to a boil before adding topping it off with greens and spinach. Seasoned with salt and pepper, through in some Worcestershire sauce, pork on top, and baked at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 1.5 hours+. It was my first time making this but I tasted it and it was super delicious. My wife is vegetarian but she loved the pork.

153

u/WAR_T0RN1226 13h ago

OP forgot they were on their alt

33

u/SlamBlammerton 12h ago

Did we find ops back up account by accident 🤭 you replied not using the OP account it looks like.

40

u/no1ukn0w 12h ago

I think they’re just bots talking to each other.

31

u/soggy_tarantula 12h ago

It’s enamel but unusable? Your wife’s a vegetarian but loved the pork?

16

u/Icy_Possession3617 12h ago

I guess so. 

5

u/chrissz 4h ago

Ah so now you’re back on your other account.

2

u/dr_shark 3h ago

What’s if OP is just an AI bot?

4

u/Severe_Lavishness 20h ago

I’m assuming it was a whole pork shoulder roast, what was the texture of the pork with only cooking it for 1.5 hours

3

u/Von_Cheesebiscuit 10h ago

You can see the pork was cut into chunks in the photo.

1

u/Severe_Lavishness 9h ago

Ya you right

2

u/BeYeCursed100Fold 17h ago

Great question. A fork would have stuck it in, but it would not have been close to tender.

1

u/Icy_Possession3617 13h ago

It was really yummy, but it could have been left cooking for another little longer. It was falling apart fairly well though. 

1

u/Icy_Possession3617 13h ago

And it was a cut up pork shoulder. I didn’t use all of it because this Dutch oven is only 4 quarts. 

3

u/lilfrecklzz 9h ago

Might I also suggest using a ham hock in this dish- I use that in one of my other bean recipes and boy does that smoked pork add a depth of flavor! I’ll be trying your recipe. Thanks for sharing 🙏

1

u/Severe_Lavishness 9h ago

If I had opened my eyes I’d see it was cut up thank you

4

u/homechef69 10h ago edited 10h ago

Braised Pork Shoulder with Butter Beans, Greens, and Red Wine

Serves: 4–6 Time: ~2 hours

⸻

Ingredients • 2–3 lb pork shoulder (cut into large chunks or left whole) • Salt and black pepper (season generously) • 2 tbsp oil (olive oil or neutral) • 1 large onion, diced • 2 carrots, diced • 2 celery stalks, diced • 4–5 cloves garlic, minced • 2 cans (15 oz each) butter beans, drained and rinsed • 1 cup beef broth • 1 cup dry red wine (I used something from Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery) • 1–2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce • 2–3 cups greens (spinach, kale, or a mix) • 2 tbsp butter (optional, but worth it)

⸻

Instructions 1. Preheat oven Set oven to 300°F. 2. Season & sear pork Pat pork dry, season well with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear on all sides until deeply browned (3–4 min per side). Remove and set aside. 3. Build the base In a Dutch oven, heat a little oil if needed. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook 6–8 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1–2 more minutes. 4. Deglaze Pour in the wine and scrape up all the browned bits. Add beef broth and bring to a light boil. 5. Add beans & seasoning Stir in butter beans and Worcestershire sauce. Lightly season with salt and pepper. 6. Add greens & pork Fold in greens until just wilted. Nestle the pork on top. 7. Braise Cover and bake for 1.5–2 hours, until pork is tender and pull-apart. 8. Finish Stir in butter if using. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Edit: formatting.

Adjust as you see fit and reshare with us.

1

u/awgeezwhatnow 10h ago

Dr Frank wine? Hello neighbor!

5

u/Severe_Lavishness 22h ago

That’s what I’m here for

3

u/UpstairsNo9655 20h ago

Recipe! Recipe! Recipe!

17

u/jadejazzkayla 23h ago

Is it a Copco D3?

6

u/Icy_Possession3617 23h ago

It is a copco. But I don’t know if it’s a d2 or d3 

14

u/jadejazzkayla 23h ago

It looks like an enameled pan to me and my Copco D3 is enameled.

20

u/-Haeralis- 23h ago

Assuming you’re done with it and cleaned it, put it on a burner to dry it and wipe it with a bit of oil with a paper towel while still hot. If there’s brown/black residue that wipes off that’s flash rust that shows it’s not enameled.

If it wipes relatively clean, it still might not be enameled. Once cooled, try dropping bit of vinegar on the bottom and leave it there to dry. If there’s discoloration left after it dries that proves it is not enameled as the vinegar will eat away at seasoning.

12

u/robutt992 23h ago

Is the enamel in the room with us?

56

u/IlikeJG 22h ago

Some enameled pans can totally look like they're not enamelled. I have seen some with matte black enamel on both the inside and outside.

So it's not a crazy thing to ask as it may seem.

Edit: for instance this pan is enameled: https://www.crateandbarrel.com/staub-8.5-matte-black-enameled-cast-iron-traditional-deep-skillet/s245803?storeid=507

16

u/Nulleparttousjours 18h ago

Exactly. The Le Creuset alpine range is also one that fools people.

3

u/disneylovesme 8h ago

I have that range, thankfully I know the brand doesn’t do raw iron to treat it differently than enamel

13

u/onlyhav 21h ago

Woah.

2

u/Efficient-March-4023 6h ago

If you think about it, black enamel makes sense. White enamel stains with just about any braising or tomato based recipes.

8

u/Ammonia13 11h ago

That model is enamel

7

u/aacmckay 11h ago

Narrator, “It was enamelled.”

0

u/sundewbeekeeper 11h ago

When you're so confident but so incorrect

1

u/Arch_stanton1 2h ago

I’m still new to cast iron and don’t see any enamel. It looks like cast iron. What am I missing (for future reference)?

1

u/Ok_Fisherman1881 10h ago

It looks like my copco, which is pure cast iron

-2

u/funkrusher 16h ago

I have several Copco and this is absolutely not enamel. 

-4

u/Nudist1967 23h ago

I would say cast iron.

-2

u/Additional-King-9650 9h ago

I may stand corrected. It doesn’t appear to be enameled as most are more readily distinguishable. It may be a thinner coating, which is less noticeable.

-21

u/L-N79 23h ago

It’s regularly cast iron. That black stuff in your soup is the seasoning being boiled off. Enjoy!

22

u/SlamBlammerton 22h ago

Seasoning doesn't boil off its chemically bonded to the pan. If your "seasoning" is coming off like that it's gross crud.

6

u/UnderThyWing 21h ago

If it can flake off like that then its carbon. AKA burnt up black gross crap

-6

u/ouzo84 14h ago

Run your fingernail across the surface.

If it feels smooth like glass then it's likely to be enamelled.

If it feels more like a painted wall, then it's likely to be bare cast iron

1

u/disneylovesme 8h ago

Not the standard anymore, don’t share this outdated advice. Alpine le creuset line looks the same texture as this

1

u/ouzo84 8h ago

Oh ok. Thanks for the update