What's the best way to clean a VERY burned bottom of a Le Creuset pot?

I used a lot of water and just a hearty splash of bleach. While it lifted the stain, be warned!!! This will dull the enamel on your pan. I'm heartbroken that I did this after reading the advice on Cook's Illustrated....don't use bleach, y'all! It may remove the stain, but it will dull the finish, too.

The interior of my Le Creuset pot is no longer shiny - on the bottom it’s dull and a little rough to the touch. I emailed Le Creuset Customer Service twice asking if they refinished interiors however no response from them either time. Does anyone have a remedy for this?

Thank you to all who recommended Easy-Off Oven Cleaner.
My husband has used my large blue oval Le Creuset to bake Jim Lahey bread for four years. The bread is heavenly, but my blackened pan was too depressing.
Finally, he switched to old-fashioned cast iron, and I got my once lovely pot back, blackened on the outside, and matte/dull looking. I tried Bar Keeper's Friend first, because I am a fan. It made no headway. I even made a paste of it and left it on, which works great on sinks. No dice, in fact, the pot looked worse.
I tried Blue Dawn and vinegar. Nothing. Then, desperate, scrubbed with Comet, then the soft newer Brillo. These attempts took place over a year.
I was giving up. The pan showed years of use, and I was growing to accept it, but I did miss it.
Finally, in desperation, I googled worst burned Le Creuset, and found good old Food 52 and the recommendation for Easy-Off, which I had under the sink. In just 20 minutes, my pot looks fabulous!! This was dull brown and black, years of high-temp baking on.
It is brilliant blue again, and was so easy. Thank you!!!!!

I scrubbed as much of the burnt portion as much as I could, then used a Mr Clean Magic Eraser on the rest. Came right off.

I read this thread and after really burning rice into a le creuset I did the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide method with a lot of scrubbing (a few times) with BKF, coarse salt and anything else I could try. I finally got it clean as new, but it lost its coating. How can I restore it?

Read most comments with interest. I have to admit the lemon/baking Soda method was not successful. Neither were most of the other suggestions. Then I saw the comment regarding oven cleaner. Have been using it for the past 30 minutes as the bottom of my pan was badly stained. OMG! The oven cleaner works! My pan looks almost brand new again. Wow. I have my. beautiful LC pan back!

Peroxide 1/2 inch baking soda 3 tsp bring to boil, simmer 10 min. Worked.

Hi all, I'm after some pre-purchase advice on a used LC wok here...do you think the stains on the attached image can be cleaned off with ease or does it look like damage to the enamel coating? Would like to know if I'd be getting a dud or a deal! Thanks in advance - greatly appreciate any thoughts!

Try dentures cleaner!

Pour hydrogen peroxide in bottom of pan covering the burned portion. Heat it until just boiling and then put 2 T baking soda in and cover quickly. Take pot off heat. Let sit and all burned pieces will loosen and stains will go away. Works miraculously!

Tis morning a friend asked me to clean a VERY burned Le Creuset cooking pot. Gas fired burned on caramalised. Soaked for a month... no joy. I used a process we use to strip paint of vintage restoration aircraft. Take a new GREEN foam backed scouring pad. Not a white scourer and not a metal scourer. Dry any residual water from the pan as this will dilute the cutting effect of the Jif/Cif domestic cleaner. Get a rotary wire brush approx 1-2 inch diameter. Attach to a drill. Place brush lightly on the foam side of the pad.. not the green side.. DO NOT USE NEAR WATER AS ELECTRICITY AND WATER WILL KILL. Squirt in a liberal amount of cleaner and use as if you were polishing the bottom of the pot. Gently press till cleaner starts of get dirty.. this is the burnt food coming off. Keep going till all burned stuff is away and you have a smooth surface. It will be stained but clean. Dont try to clean the stain. Quit while you are ahead. Job done.

Let sit for a few hours in equal parts, baking soda and water as someone suggested below. Amazing results! Didn't even scrub much and all the burnt-on black film was gone.

And I thought I was the only one who burned stuff as much as I do! Trying Sam's recipe in my poor abused pot now. It already soaked in vinegar & baking soda for several days with no improvement.

DON'T use barkeepers...it is too abrasive, and will ruin the enamel surface!

I make a paste of water and baking soda. It won't bring the interior back to white but will get all of the crusty parts off. Actually did this yesterday after braising short ribs.

I make a paste of water and baking soda. It won't bring the interior back to white but will get all of the crusty parts off. Actually did this yesterday after braising short ribs.

OMG. This is like magic. Got a quarter inch of burned mushrooms in the first go. Thank you for posting this.

Plum jam. Big burn spot today. I tried the hydrogen peroxide and soda method. After scrubbing on my pot all day(off and on) with a green scrubber- to no avail, this method just lifted off the burn!! I used a flat wooden spoon on a few bits. Easiest burn cleanup ever!!

Instead of dwelling on it, the day i was feeling most listless, i got out the brillo pads, ajax, scouring (sp?) pads, applied elbow grease and patience over a few dys. Small areas at a time. Used the wax on, wax off method alternating hands (lol), built up my upper arms muscles and my beautiful pots and lids are now back to their former selves. Yes i said POTs and LIDs My poor brother was very sick, but still tried to cook. God rest his soul, they're back to normal. They were my Grandmother's and Aunt's pots. A labor of love... ; )...

The exterior of my LC was terribly blackened on sides and bottom from years of neglect.

After reading all of these responses, and having no luck scrubbing with baking soda/water/peroxide I decided to try the spray on oven cleaner.

It took a whole can - 6 or seven applications, with a few hours in between each over the course of two days. A lot came off with the first application, and little came off each subsequent time.

The stuff is expensive. So...I went to a small grocery store which caters to the S.American residents of my town, the shelves are stocked with products not seen in the big ShopRite & Kings stores. The had the EasyOff brand for $6, and right next to it a different brand for $2. I took the cheaper one and am glad for it.

Definitely needs good ventiliation

My heartiest thanks to Sam1148 for his hydrogen peroxide & baking soda method. I had tried all other methods. Baking soda & vinegar lifted the bulk of the burnt encrusted matter, but did not reach the black stains left behind. Sam’s method lifted every last stain from my Cuisinart Dutch Oven. Thank-you from the bottom of my pot & my heart!

Try using baking soda and a blue Scotch Brite non-scratch sponge. That usually works for me.

Oh my goodness, after burning some new England Clam Chowder in my Staub Cocotte, I thought it was finished for good. I had been working on it for two days with the baking soda, and although some stains released, it was still a mess. All I did was add some of the peroxide like Sam suggested and like magic I could see all of the burnt mess lifting up immediately. Thank you so much for this handy tip because eventually a burnt mess will happen to everybody.

I have the Le Creuset pan from Julie & Julia, scored it at a flea market in Santa Cruz for $6 and because of your Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda trick, I am out of the trenches. Thank you Sam!

I have the Le Creuset pan from Julie & Julia, scored it at a flea market in Santa Cruz for $6 and because of your Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda trick, I am out of the trenches. Thank you Sam!

I had to boil water with vinegar and baking soda AND THEN use BKF to get my white Le Creuset clean inside and outside. It's like new now!

I used to work for LeCreuset. We used a coarse salt scrub on a damp but not wet surface. When the salt dissolves, add more. This gets all the crust off, but there may be a brown stain remaining. This will not affect the performance of the piece, although it is hard to accept your beautiful pan is now marked. Think of it as a reminder of all the wonderful things you have cooked in it over the years!

I BADLY burned brown rice in my Le Creuset and I did exactly what sam1148 said to do and it worked perfectly! I used a little metal spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot at the end of the 10 minutes and it got 99% of the stuck on burnt rice off. Afterwards I rinsed it out and used a little baking soda and elbow grease to get the little bit that was left. So glad I know this method now!

Whenever anything sticks to the bottom a pan, I add about a tablespoon or two of red wine. Heat it up just a bit and scrap with a wooden spoon. Anything that is stuck comes off fairly quickly.

I would pour some bleach in there and let it soak.

For me an inch of water, two half lemons, tsp baking soda and few good drops of dishwashing soap to boil and simmer for 20 min did the trick. After that SOS. Done.

I recently talked with Le Creuset about cleaning the enamel on their cast iron cookware:

Enamel is a glaze that is mainly made of ground up glass.

Usually, first a ground-coat is applied and fused onto, which ensures that the basic enamel firmly adheres to the surface of the product (the cast iron, at Le Creuset's).
Then a cover-coat is melted and burned onto, and finally the vibrant color coating.
The temperatures for fusing the coats range from 1470 - 1740 ° F/and 1110 - 1470° F for the color-coat.

The exact composition of an enamel coating varies slightly -- every company has their very own formulation. But it is always made from glass, and contains glass-forming oxides like natrium oxide/kalium oxide/silicon dioxide.

All surfaces that are made of natrium oxide/kalium oxide/calcium oxide (as for instance also marble and granite) are sensitive to acids: they are not acid-resistant.

I was assured however by the Le Creuset customer care that the enamel that is used to glace their cookware DOES tolerate vinegar and also citric acid, as these are natural acids, and are kind of 'moderate' in their acidity.

???? ???? ???? As one friend on Food52 (Sam) has reported that his Le Creuset pot got ruined after he ran it through the dishwasher together with a citric-acid decalcifying agent: I would not add more than 1 or 2 tablespoons of citric acid to 1 - 1½ inches of water for enameled cookware. (It works like absolute magic on stainless steel pots -- bring the water and the citric acid to a boil, let boil for one minute with the lid on, and check.)


???? ???? ???? This is what the Le Creuset customer care said advising me how to clean their enameled cast iron cookware (burnt-on, protein-containing or caramelised deposits, soot, oil are alkali-soluble):

1. Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda into the pot with about 1 inch of water (baking powder works also, he told me, but his preference is baking soda).

2. Bring to a boil.

3. Take the Le Creuset pot off the heat, cover with a lid, and let sit overnight.

4. On the following day, scrub with a NYLON brush if the deposits didn't come off yet.



???? ???? ???? There are videos on YouTube that also show how to clean the Le Creuset cookware (put in browser address bar: how to clean enamel cookware Le Creuset YouTube -- or paste the links below into your browser address bar):

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0eEFrQZ0sA
(hydrogen peroxide & baking soda)

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tA66pywOobY
(this is in Japanese, but the pictures show exactly how to do it)

Kind greetings, and a Happy Thanksgiving and Blessings to all -
Ursula.

I recently talked with Le Creuset about cleaning the enamel on their cast iron cookware:

Enamel is a glaze that is mainly made of ground up glass.

Usually, first a ground-coat is applied and fused onto, which ensures that the basic enamel firmly adheres to the surface of the product (the cast iron, at Le Creuset's).
Then a cover-coat is melted and burned onto, and finally the vibrant color coating.
The temperatures for fusing the coats range from 1470 - 1740 ° F/and 1110 - 1470° F for the color-coat.

The exact composition of an enamel coating varies slightly -- every company has their very own formulation. But it is always made from glass, and contains glass-forming oxides like natrium oxide/kalium oxide/silicon dioxide.

All surfaces that are made of natrium oxide/kalium oxide/calcium oxide (as for instance also marble and granite) are sensitive to acids: they are not acid-resistant.

I was assured however by the Le Creuset customer care that the enamel that is used to glace their cookware DOES tolerate vinegar and also citric acid, as these are natural acids, and are kind of 'moderate' in their acidity.

???? ???? ???? As one friend on Food52 (Sam) has reported that his Le Creuset pot got ruined after he ran it through the dishwasher together with a citric-acid decalcifying agent: I would not add more than 1 or 2 tablespoons of citric acid to 1 - 1½ inches of water for enameled cookware. (It works like absolute magic on stainless steel pots -- bring the water and the citric acid to a boil, let boil for one minute with the lid on, and check.)

???? ???? ???? This is what the Le Creuset customer care said advising me how to clean their enameled cast iron cookware (burnt-on, protein-containing or caramelised deposits, soot, oil are alkali-soluble):

1. Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda into the pot with about 1 inch of water (baking powder works also, he told me, but his preference is baking soda).

2. Bring to a boil.

3. Take off the heat, cover with a lid, and let sit overnight.

4. On the following day, scrub with a NYLON brush if the deposits didn't come off yet.

???? These are videos on YouTube that also show how to clean the Le Creuset cookware (put in browser address bar: how to clean enamel cookware Le Creuset YouTube -- or paste the links below into your browser address bar):

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0eEFrQZ0sA
(hydrogen peroxide & baking soda)

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tA66pywOobY
(this is in Japanese, but the pictures show exactly how to do it)

Kind greetings, and a Happy Thanksgiving and Blessings to all -
Ursula

Can anyone advise of the concentration of hydrogen peroxide required? Some of the higher concentrations come with danger warning due to flammability and potential to harm if consumed at certain dosages (much less harmful at lower concentrations but is it at all effective?)

If it's hard like concrete don't mess about with baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar etc. Soak it with some hot water for a while and then give it a good talking to with oven cleaner! If you are cleaning a glass or ceramic casserole dish DO NOT SCRUB IT WITH SOMETHING THAT WILL SCRATCH IT.

Dawn Power Dissolver

I boiled some water and add in some citric acid and leave overnight. Next day the whole piece of burnt is removed.

Don't use Citric Acid with Enamel cookware.

I normally use it to clean the dishwasher. One time a load had soap scum leftover..and I put in abut 1/4 cup of Citric Acid. Without removing the pans that the soap residue.

Well, it got off the soap residue...but it also etched a La Creuset pan...the shine is dull, and it feels 'powdery/rough' to touch. The non-stick surface inside the pan is similarly damaged.

Granted it was big dose of Citric Acid...but I'd stay away from it when it comes to Enamel.

Hi Peter -
I tried to warm up some cooked canned red cabbage in my little stainless steel travel percolator.
I realized immediately that this is not possible, and removed the cabbage - but I couldn't get rid of the burnt-on, caramelized sugars.

Two days ago, I wanted to remove the calcium deposits, and added 2 heaping tablespoons of pure citric acid to the pint of cold water in the travel percolator- brought the water to the boiling point - turned it off - and after a few moments, not only the calcium deposits were gone, but also the terribly burnt-on sugars had completely disappeared!!
I am absolutely thrilled!!
This is an absolutely amacing discovery!

I don't know if that would work for enamel, too - but it might!

Kind greetings -Ursula.

(I think we need Alton Brown to explain that all logically...)

Use a razor blade like the one used on a glass top stove. The stains will come off easily.

Start with some non-harmful methods first like soaking the Dutch oven in soap water overnight. If that doesn't work, add some cleaning agents like baking soda, the Le Creuset cleaner, etc. This site lists some very useful cleaning options to clean LC ovens. http://www.cookwareinsider.com/resources/clean-burnt-le-creuset/

When that happens to me I put vinegar in it and let it stay like that. For a couple of hours.
Hope this helped!

Bar keepers Friend

Soaking in bleach and water removes any discoloration. I have LC dutch ovens I have been using for over 30 years. But the roughness will remain, I have not found anything else that will bring back that smooth finish. For just burned on food I boil the pot with baking soda and let sit, that takes out any burned food particles. The discoloration comes out with bleach and absolutely no scrubbing. Good luck.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. The hydrogen peroxide/bicarbonate of soda treatment saved my pot. Had tried everything else without success. Thought I'd give it one last shot with this treatment, though I didn't have much hope. Was amazed to see it lift the carbon when nothing else had shifted it. A bottle of hydrogen peroxide is so much cheaper than a new pot. Try this!

Wet the bottom of pan (no standing water, just wet) then pour salt all over surface liberally. Let sit overnight, then add about an inch of water, bring to boil & simmer for a while. Let cool till handle-able, and scrub. May need to be repeated several times. I'd be careful of harsh cleansers, may damage finish further. Good luck!

I just used vinegar and baking soda, soaked it for 15 minutes, then scraped the burned-on food with a wooden spatula to clean as much as possible; then used a green scrubbie to clean up the rest. It WORKED!

Hmmm...years ago I put some Caphalon in my self cleaning oven and yes, indeed, it came out looking like new. But...I had actually annealed the metal and it became very pitted and ugly with use.

This solution isn't open to everyone, but.... If you have a pyrolytic self-cleaning oven (heats itself up to around 500 degrees....) then put the encrusted Le Crueset cookware in before running the cleaning cycle. The burnt on crud will be reduced to ash and the pan will be left gleaming. Ask around to see if you know someone who has one.

I love it when people recommend using vinegar and baking soda. Vinegar is an acid, and baking soda is a base, but the bubbles, ooh the bubbles! are so impressive when you mix the two, you forget that you are trying to clean a product with salt water.

I would suggest using industrial-strength lye. Reacts with carbon in a lovely way. Keep out of the reach of children. And when you're done, you can neutralize it with some vinegar -- see the pretty bubbles!

a friend told me to try soft scrub and it works really well on dark stains on he enameled cookware. I don't know how it will do on a tough burn. (the squeeze bottle soft scrub works better than the spray.). my Le Crueset is now creamy white again. good luck! the magic eraser suggestion is a good one, but it may take off some of the enamel so be careful.

Actually, I have a secret weapon for cleaning the most burned on food...my Portuguese Water Dog, Floozy(named by my husband) who has some kind of talent for scraping pots clean. She diligently works until it looks like new. Just a little follow up soap and water and the enamel sparkles once again!

Mick - She was commenting on her own post that she wrote previously. No need to be so harsh. Please review all the information before spouting off on a soap box. We are all supposed to be here to help each other, not berate them.

Loved re-reading this and remembering similar adventures with my own Le Creuset. I like to put a lot of hot water, really hot, even boiling, into the pot to cover the stain, then a tablespoon or two of chlorine bleach. Let it sit for an hour or two. The blackened areas just float away and stains disappear. Be sure to rinse well and let others know that there is BLEACH in the pot and not just water during the soak!

By the popularity of this question and answers it sounds like a lot of us have forgotten a pot on the stove and burned a really bad. When all else fails, I spray a little oven cleaner on the spot and that usually works. Be careful and use it where there is really good ventilation and be sure and wear rubber gloves.

Ugh, lots of typos above...next I'll coat with vinegar as suggested by frausimon , and move on to my dutch oven. Yes, I did the same thing to that one as well. ;-)

I just tried the laundry detergent method offered up here and Voila! It's taking all the cooked on, stuck and yucky and burnt sweet potato casserole off the bottom of my gorgeous red casserole! Used about 3 tablespoons (heaping) of Gain powdered detergent, boiled for about 5 minutes. Tested it by scraping with a wooden spatula...bits on hard, black cooked on disgusting mess are boiling to the surface or the little bit of water I added to cover the bottom completely. I scraped a bit more now letting it soak. Looks like success at last! And just in time for Thanksgiving, which is the last time I used this particular dish

I work at a kitchen store, and asked our Le Creuset rep the same question last week to help with my burnt pot:

"Use a laundry detergent (like Tide or another brand with enzymes) mixed as one part detergent to three parts water in order to fill the vessel. Boil for 5-7 minutes. Allow the vessel to cool, then use a nylon or plastic scrubby as needed.

After cleaning, coat the interior lightly with white vinegar on a soft cloth or paper towel. This helps return some of the sheen back to the glaze. The longer the vinegar stays on the enamel, the more of the sheen it will return. Your vessel can be stored with the vinegar on it until next time. Wash and dry before using."

I agree with the dishwasher detergent suggestions, but I do it differently, with excellent results: Put a generous scoop of detergent into pot, along with a squirt of dishwashing liquid. Fill pot with water, and boil for 15 minutes. Cover and leave overnight. Next morning, if not all gone, and it often is, use BKF as a touch up. If super-bad, repeat. This works on any kind of burned pan or casserole dish.

I found this thread when searching google for help with the exact same problem. I'm a newlywed with my brand new beautiful mustard yellow Le Creuset stockpot. I went apple picking and just couldn't wait to make applesauce for the first time in my new kitchen with all my new stuff. Same big black scary char. I have made applesauce so many times in my moms old pot but this demon char, mine eyes had never beheld.

Before doing any reading on the matter, I just let it soak in plain h2o overnight. Then in the morning I did my research and found this. So after haring all your responses and a couple from my mom too, first I dumped the water out of my soaked pot, then poured about a cup of baking soda on it and let it sit for a couple minutes. Then I put in some water filled about a third of the pot, and put it on the stove to boil for about an hour and a half. Mad myself some French toast, found out there is tons of other fun stuff to read on this website, and then drained the water. Most of the char had bubbled off the bottom. I used the little brown square that comes with pampered chef baking stones to scrape off the parts that didn't pop off and they came up with no elbow grease to speak of. I'm glad your pot is okay now, and so is mine, thanks to your research! New readers try my method. No damage and very little effort!

thank you thank you! I just tried the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda and it worked like a charm. I can't believe it worked so well! I just used a wooden spoon to 'scrub' the gook out and it's stained, but as good as ever.

Thanks for the update peter! The H2O2 method, only removes high carbon crusts. As a first line 'save' . It doesn't to anything for stains on enamel.

As for your Pot. Don't worry too much. I have a LC that's 20, (probably closer to 25 years old now). The bottom is stained and a bit brown. I would think scrubbing more with more harsh things might cause more harm to the finish than good..just to remove stains. Only for surface 'bumps' of burned on carbon.

Oh, it looks pretty when new. But with use, even the most diligent cook will have some stains after years of use. For the LC it, IMHO, it's just visual. Doesn't effect the performance. (unless there's something bumpy in there). Stains are just visual problems. You should see my 25 year old wok.

But for the LC. You do run the risk of removing the stain..and removing the coating with harsh scrubbing chemicals etc. The stain is a 'character mark' of used and love pan.

You should still try Barkeepers Friend... It has removed all my stubborn stains, plus it's great for removing those annoying grey scuff marks that appear on your sink!

All, so sorry for the lack of updates on the state of my pot -- I've been BUSY for the last 2 weeks wrapping up the Whole Foods site we launched yesterday. (In case you missed it, here's the announcement: http://bit.ly/eowFxx and here's the site: http://bit.ly/fhVW3c )

Anyway, the pot is doing a lot better. Not perfect -- and my impatience may have damaged the pot to some degree -- but better.

First I tried simmering vinegar and baking soda. No real help. Then I tried simmering hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Not much better. Then I went soaking it overnight with an inch of water and a pile of powdered cascade covering the spot. I'd then scrub it with a green nylon scrubbing pad. (The white mesh covered, yellow Dobie-brand sponge that's so good on my stainless steel was useless.)

After two successive 24 hour long rounds of this Cascade treatment the spot is 95% better. No black. No raised areas. Just some light brown.

Unfortunately I think the green nylon scrubber did a number on the enamel. While the walls of the pot are glossy smooth to the touch, the affected area feel... not rough, but not glossy. More like running your finger over a piece of paper instead of a piece of glass. :-/

Let's hope that the newly "rough" area doesn't become a regular trouble spot and I'll try the oven cleaner next to see if I can return it to a shiny white.

Finally, thanks for all the suggestions and the patience in waiting for the round-up.

Peter - did you try commercial spray on oven cleaner? The inside of ovens is often enameled, and that stuff is designed to break down carbon. Spray it, cover it, and let it rest overnight.

I'll keep watching. Sometimes it takes another treatment as the H202 gives up it's power pretty quickly, and it needs heat to start the reaction and keep it going. Otherwise it just sits there doing nothing.
Hope everything works fine you.

Well the beet chips look fabulous! We are all keeping your poor pot in our thoughts :-)

For those looking for a Le Creuset update... I tried Sam1148's hydrogen peroxide method and... not sure yet. I simmered it a good while, added the baking soda, it foamed plenty. Didn't try to scrub it clean yet as I got distracted by cooking the beet chips shown below.

I'll scrub tonight. Stay tuned!

so...Is it clean yet?

BTW: When I say "BOIL" it's not really boiling in the traditional sense. Just heat until you see bubbles reacting with the carbon bits. It should only bubble on the parts that are crusted. Hope this helps!

Good luck! I've used the green scrubbies but then again my LC is about 20 years old..and has it's share of ware, the enamel is still fine. Just stained a bit from use. However with the Hydrogen Peroxide you shouldn't have to scrub much and the yellow net sponge should work fine. You might have to repeat the HP method as once it reacts with the carbon, it'll give it's all and you reload with fresh. Only takes about a half hour or less. A few mins boil and a few mins simmer. You'll see it start working and lifting off the crust.
It really only works well on "Crusty" carbon that's bonded to the pan. Rinse and repeat.

Are you leaving it to soak overnight? Also, have you tried putting it in the oven with water and an agent such as baking soda? It might release easier if hot. I think the key is to keep letting it soak without interruption. And, maybe instead of trying any other remedies, you should contact Le Creuset: http://www.lecreuset.com/en-us/About-Us/Contact-Us1/.

Thank you everyone for the wide array of ideas. Last night I tried the boiling vinegar and baking soda and... no dice. Absolutely no easier to remove what's burnt on.

Tonight I'll try to make time to try the dishwasher soap ('cause I have it handy) and if that fails, next I'll try the hydrogen peroxide (which will require a quick trip to the drug store).

One question though. I've banned the green nylon scrubby sponges from our kitchen as it wreaks havoc on the stainless steel. I use the yellow sponges with the with nylon nets -- Dobies.

Are those green scrubbies ok to use on Le Creuset? Or will they scratch it up?

dmbaer's method always works for me. It softens the burnt on crud and makes it much easier to scrub off - whether LC or stainless cookware.

Barkeeper's Friend always works for me!

For my Creuset, I use dishwasher detergent. Make sure you buy a brand that contains enzymes (you have to read the ingredients on the label). Dissolve the detergent in hot water and let the pan soak overnight. It always works for me.

With you Betteirene ...That's right, I'd scold the apples too!

aargersi, you cracked me up. "Stupid apples." Sounds like something I'd say.

I'm glad to be in such great company.

This is what I'm referring to, I've had it erase years of hard greasy build up just washed away.. It used to be available in grocery stores, but this was bought from soap.com.

Use Dawn Power dissolver (it comes in a blue opaque bottle). Just spray on , leave in a place inaccessible to lil kids for ~ 1 hr & then just practically wipe it off

What a lot of stories in this thread. Peter, I think that most everyone at Food52 has had a similar disaster and felt we've ruined out Le Creuset, only to finally recover it. Burnt Offerings really brought it home to me--my mother had a huge collection of Revere Ware. Over the past almost 60 years, I've seen it destroyed, piece by piece, often with those rice grains seared into it. I still have a couple pieces, but they could never survive an applesauce adventure. Be happy that your pot is of thicker stock and will recover! Let us know what finally worked.

Burnt Offerings, I've got one of those too.

If it makes you feel even a little less bad, one of my favorite pans is one my Mom gave me, that still has the ghost of many individual rice grains seared into it. Pan performs fine, but nothing will make the ghosts go away. I've learned to live with them, and would miss them in the bottom of my pot now. It has character.

You've gotten all the suggestions I could offer, so please accept my sympathies. After you've done your best, call it seasoning and keep using it?

I agree with everyone who says to keep trying. I over-baked a batch of onions into a miserable black crust in a brand new dutch oven and was sure I'd ruined it. But after a few days (!) of rounds of boiling with vinegar and water and working at it gently but in a determined way, the muck eventually began to give way. The pot is now a little seasoned-looking and works just fine. I think the answer is that it takes endless, zen-like patience but it will work eventually.

Peter, try this work like magic on sugar high carbon crusts.
Add about 1/2 inch of Hydrogen Peroxide to the pot. Add about 1-2 tsp of baking soda.
Heat until it starts to bubble up. It needs the heat to start the reaction. Simmer about 10 mins..and brush with a green scrub brush. Repeat as needed.
It gets into the bond of the carbon and lifts it of the pan. It will bubble and stink, so turn on your vent. But it won't harm the enamel.

I've tried all the above for high sugar crusts/carbon burned on stuff. This is the ONLY thing that works 100 percent of the time without scratching your pan.

The best thing I've found is soaking the pan overnight with baking soda and hot water. Scrub the pan in the morning with a dish brush and repeat if necessary.

I am in a hotel and not my kitchen so excuse me for not having the exact names. Mr. Clean has a plain white sponge called Magic Erasure (something like that). When you use it, the material kind of disappears. The point being it cleans without scratching. I have used it with success on my broiler pan and other stained things.
Cost about $2.50 for 2 (I think).

i just took some BKF to my le Creuset pot yesterday and made major headway. not perfect, but helped a lot. it does require some SERIOUS elbow grease, however.

Barkeeper's Friend ALWAYS does the trick with a Dobie sponge on my All-Clad stainless steel. Alas, not on the enameled cast iron Le Creuset. I'm excited to try all these other solutions though!

I'm nodding my head in agreement with both of you, and rolling my eyes. haven't we all been there at one time or another? ;)

Barkeeper's Friend didn't work? Oh no! I had high hopes for this product which has worked fine for us so far......I'm going to follow this to see if you find a solution, good luck!

Maybe some of these suggestions will help you...

http://www.food52.com/foodpickle/3575-i-browned-ribs-without-oil-in-a-large-le-creuset-pot-and-now-the-bottom-of-the-pot-is-covered-in-bla

And add some baking soda to the white vinegar. Be patient, this is going to take a while. And how do you think I know that?

Try simmering some white vinegar in there and give it a little wooden sppon scrub now and again. Then when that doesn't work try salt / lemon / ice and swish it around (waitress trick for burned coffee pots) and when I say swish I mean put your back into it!

Good luck! Stupid apples.