Are there certain dishes/ingredients that should not go into a newly seasoned cast iron Dutch oven? My concern is stripping or damaging it.

I would not cook tomato based dishes or other high acid foods in it. If you seasoned it the way Sheryl Canter recommends http://sherylcanter.com... then you are probably OK for most dishes.

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If it has been seasoned properly, but not yet used your biggest concern should be the temperature at which you cook. Try starting out on the lower end first. When you have completed cooking; you should clean and dry the pan, then swab with a little oil before storing in a warm dry spot

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Cheese/milk sauces turn a gross color in cast iron also.

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Mr_Vittles added over 1 year ago

Nothing high in acidity. That means no tomatoes, no vinegar. Also no cabbage.

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pierino is a trusted source on General Cooking and Tough Love.

added over 1 year ago

While I agree mostly (but not totally) on no tomatoes, it's not that difficult to re-season a cast iron pot that is already well seasoned. Tomatoes would definitely not be the first thing I would cook in it---bacon would be. But that said, there are plenty of stews that cook up great in cast iron even using tomatoes or vinegar. However if you do it on the first or second use it will pull out a very ferrous metal and unpleasant flavor.

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Sam1148 added over 1 year ago

I agree with this. The "no tomatoes" rule, is more a guideline. Chili in a castiron dutch oven is very traditional. But of course those castiron cowboy 'chili pots' used over camp fire are very well seasoned.

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