How is Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron manufactured?
Cast-iron allows for low heat cooking and provides unsurpassed heat retention. By enameling the cast-iron, Le Creuset products do not require seasoning and will not react with foods (such as acidic tomato sauces). In total, fourteen pairs of hands touch each piece before it earns the Le Creuset name. Step 1: Raw materials are melted at over 2000°F in a large cauldron shaped vessel (called a “creuset” in French). Step 2: The molten iron is poured into a sand casting – this “mold” is destroyed after one use so that each piece has a unique “fingerprint”. The piece is cooled and removed from the mold. Step 3: Each cast-iron pan is scrutinized for imperfections. Rough edges and burrs are removed in a hand process called “fettling.” Then each piece is blasted by tiny metal pellets to prepare a uniform surface for enameling. Step 4: A “ground coat” of enamel is applied to the entire piece and fired in an oven at 1600°F. This grey color is what you see in the lip of the oven. No exposed iron i
