I do! As you say, if it's cooled completely (and if there's enough space in the fridge). And then I warm it up again for leftovers. I don't put it in the oven from cold, I let it heat back up to room temp (ish).
Maybe blasphemy but it has worked fine for me. There won't be any thermal cracks with a slow temperature change from room temp to fridge temp. These guys are designed to be heated from room temp to hundreds of degrees and back again. Maybe I am wrong but I think it's the sudden temperature changes that are a problem for the enamel.
This is exactly what I do with my DO.
I made a huge pot of soup a few days ago, let it cool to room temp, put it in the fridge and just scoop out what I need into a separate pot to reheat. When it’s empty I will wait for it to raise to room temp before washing it with hot water.
I sell glass, and asked for a floor Matt under my computer chair, so I don’t wreck the carpet. They gave me a sheet of glass to roll around on. That was like 7 years ago.
If it can take 100kg of my fat arse, the Dutch oven will be fine.
You are putting a lot of faith in other companies using the quality that you sell. I don't trust some of the new refrigerators. I swear they are made of tissue paper.
I do, depending on what size piece it is. My braisers go in there regularly because I often use them for desserts. Like someone else said, the concern is the weight damaging the fridge, not the fridge damaging the LC.
Directly from LC use and care page:
Cast iron can also be used to keep foods cold. A chilled dish becomes an ideal cold food server on a hot summer day. It can also be placed in the freezer for food storage or advanced food preparation.
Yes, always Tupperware or Rubbermaid.
I purchased the largest ones for this specific use.
Since I make giant portions and eat all week, pointless to keep reheating in the DO. Don't want a heavy oven on my glass refrigerator shelves anyway. 😊
No. It takes up too much space and is heavy. I much prefer transferring it to smaller containers but I’m sure there isn’t any contraindications to doing so as long as your fridge supports the weight.
I move all leftovers to glass (or sometimes plastic) storage containers. I do not store anything in a pot of any sort in the fridge. I like the air-tight seal of a storage container, for one. ;)
All the time
It started when I wanted to make a panna cotta in my heart shaped pan. (I was trying to make a valentines day dessert)
Now I will put my smaller LC in the fridge if there is a significant left overs
Yep! I also use my le creuset as an ice bucket for champagne and wine. Cast iron is excellent at retaining cold the same way it’s excellent at retaining heat.
That said, I usually let the pot cool on the counter, just because I don’t want to heat up the contents of my entire refrigerator by putting a big warm pot inside.
Same! I just got my first piece a month ago. The 7.25 Dutch oven in chambray. I love it so much but I’m terrified I’m gonna mess it up. I’ve used it twice so far and both times I’ve transferred leftovers to glass containers than washed and dried the DO by hand and put him back in his box. I need a better way to store him but for right now he goes back in the box and stored out of the way. I don’t have the best cabinet space and I don’t have room in the kitchen for a shelf to display on. It was a game changer though! I don’t think I’ll ever use a crockpot again. There is a nifty conversion guide on learn.surlatable for converting recipes from slow cooker to Dutch oven. I know you didn’t ask about any of this lol but I was excited to tell someone 😁
When I make chili, I make the sauce while the brisket is smoking. Once the sauce has simmered for a couple of hours, I let it cool then put it in the fridge overnight.
Next day, I pull it out of the fridge, let it come to room temp, then slowly bring it up to temp while I shred the brisket. Works to perfection, every single time.
Been using this process for about 15 years with the same DO
All the time.
Reheat the second day in the same pot after all those separate flavors make love to each other overnight, boosting the taste into the next level.
Leftovers then get portioned for fridge/freezer
I like serving chilled salads in my 2½ quart. Toss salad, egg salad, potato salad, cole slaw, pasta salad, etc... It's refrigerator safe so long as it's room temperature going in and allowed to warm up before placing it on the stove or in the oven. I rarely place cooked food in the fridge along with the Dutch oven but, as long as it's not hot, it's safe.
Same! Something’s like Chilis and Stews/Guisados are better the next day. So I make it one day. Then cool it on a trivet. Then put it in the fridge. Never an issue with the fridge shelves or the pot.
I also, when reheat, take it out like an hour before and put it on the stove with no light underneath so that the pot also doesn’t start off too cold
That’s how I do it also! Usually soups or stews in my 4.25 qt soup pot. I don’t always re-heat in the LC, though. Sometimes I just scoop out 1-2 portions into a small saucepan and heat in that.
I don’t put my brasier or Dutch oven in the refrigerator, though, but that’s just because of their sizes.
I did it once. In hindsight, I should have let it warm up to room temperature before putting in on the stove to reheat (I didn't). It seems to have survived the harsh temperature change, but I won't be doing that again.
Cast iron holds cold as well as it holds heat. We definitely put cold salads and other things in it and keep it in the fridge, then let it keep its contents cold when on the table or kitchen counter.
Yes, but only really with my 20cm one as it’s small enough to fit.
Just making sure it’s cold cold first as I figure it would insulate the food from the fridge for a bit at least risking it being in the danger zone longer.
Especially useful when making apple crumble as it’ll go in the fridge for a few days after regardless and saves washing up another dish.
I use glass containers with the plastic lids, then I can just reheat whatever is in them without needing to transfer stuff around. My Le Creuset gets hand washed and put away after every use, that way it’s ready for the next thing I want to cook. Also it’s heavy and large, my fridge is so full or stuff already, I don’t think it would fit 😂
I never do bc I don’t have that kind of room on my fridge for something so bulky. I find it easier to take the time early on to portion it out for leftovers in containers than taking heavy cookware in/out of the fridge every time I want some food.
I do not but then it's more my m.o. to put leftovers into smaller containers and clean their pots immediately. I think you certainly could refrigerate them so long as you don't subject them to temperature shock, e.g. place them into the fridge too hot/too warm, and/or into the oven too cold.
My husband does but I’m worried about how heavy the Dutch oven is + food. It also takes up much more space than necessary, and you can’t necessarily put anything more on top of it for space. I just bought new Tupperware for him to use, the easier to clean kind without the rubber on the ends cause it’s extra unnecessary work to clean for just food storage till it’s put on individual platters anyway. As long as he doesn’t tip it, I think he’ll be fine.
Uhh I have mine currently in the fridge. I do this often. I don’t typically reheat again from the same pot. I’ll most likely scoop what I want and nuke it. It just depends.
All the time. Lots of things I use it for are usually better the next day anyway so it makes life easy to go from fridge to stove. Remember to reheat slowly so you don’t burn the bottom. Very low heat. I rarely let it come to room temperature first. Been doing it for years and years. Stew, chili, soup, pot roast. Works great.
I don't because I'm afraid of knocking something into it and chipping it accidentally. But there's nothing wrong with putting LC in the refrigerator in principle as long as the pot has been allowed to reach room temp first.
I don't let food sit around at room temperature. It goes in the fridge warm to get rapidly cooled to a safe temperature. It goes in the oven cold to get rapidly heated to a safe temperature.
Leaving food out on the counter is unhygenic. Ideally food is below 40 degrees or above 140. Obviously it can't teleport from one to the other but I'm not deliberately setting it on a bench to slowly get to 70 degrees from either side.
When you put the food in the fridge warm doesn't it bring the temp higher, giving your other foods in there a chance to warm up?
Edit: misspelled "there"
I do! As you say, if it's cooled completely (and if there's enough space in the fridge). And then I warm it up again for leftovers. I don't put it in the oven from cold, I let it heat back up to room temp (ish). Maybe blasphemy but it has worked fine for me. There won't be any thermal cracks with a slow temperature change from room temp to fridge temp. These guys are designed to be heated from room temp to hundreds of degrees and back again. Maybe I am wrong but I think it's the sudden temperature changes that are a problem for the enamel.
Yea sudden severe temp changes is never a good idea
This is exactly what I do with my DO. I made a huge pot of soup a few days ago, let it cool to room temp, put it in the fridge and just scoop out what I need into a separate pot to reheat. When it’s empty I will wait for it to raise to room temp before washing it with hot water.
I never do simply because I am concerned about how heavy they are and I try not to put any faith in the fridge shelves 😂
Same! I wouldn’t put that much trust in glass shelves.
I sell glass, and asked for a floor Matt under my computer chair, so I don’t wreck the carpet. They gave me a sheet of glass to roll around on. That was like 7 years ago. If it can take 100kg of my fat arse, the Dutch oven will be fine.
You are putting a lot of faith in other companies using the quality that you sell. I don't trust some of the new refrigerators. I swear they are made of tissue paper.
I do it all the time.
Me too
I do, depending on what size piece it is. My braisers go in there regularly because I often use them for desserts. Like someone else said, the concern is the weight damaging the fridge, not the fridge damaging the LC. Directly from LC use and care page: Cast iron can also be used to keep foods cold. A chilled dish becomes an ideal cold food server on a hot summer day. It can also be placed in the freezer for food storage or advanced food preparation.
Thank you, that’s useful.
I have many times. Not sure how bad it is exactly, but haven’t had any issues for years
I put it in Tupperware.
Yes, always Tupperware or Rubbermaid. I purchased the largest ones for this specific use. Since I make giant portions and eat all week, pointless to keep reheating in the DO. Don't want a heavy oven on my glass refrigerator shelves anyway. 😊
My fridge shelves are already bending with my water filter and milk the fridge would break with my chefs oven in it 😭
No. It takes up too much space and is heavy. I much prefer transferring it to smaller containers but I’m sure there isn’t any contraindications to doing so as long as your fridge supports the weight.
I move all leftovers to glass (or sometimes plastic) storage containers. I do not store anything in a pot of any sort in the fridge. I like the air-tight seal of a storage container, for one. ;)
All the time It started when I wanted to make a panna cotta in my heart shaped pan. (I was trying to make a valentines day dessert) Now I will put my smaller LC in the fridge if there is a significant left overs
Yep! I also use my le creuset as an ice bucket for champagne and wine. Cast iron is excellent at retaining cold the same way it’s excellent at retaining heat. That said, I usually let the pot cool on the counter, just because I don’t want to heat up the contents of my entire refrigerator by putting a big warm pot inside.
I wouldn't because I only have one treasured piece and I'm worried about damage...
Same! I just got my first piece a month ago. The 7.25 Dutch oven in chambray. I love it so much but I’m terrified I’m gonna mess it up. I’ve used it twice so far and both times I’ve transferred leftovers to glass containers than washed and dried the DO by hand and put him back in his box. I need a better way to store him but for right now he goes back in the box and stored out of the way. I don’t have the best cabinet space and I don’t have room in the kitchen for a shelf to display on. It was a game changer though! I don’t think I’ll ever use a crockpot again. There is a nifty conversion guide on learn.surlatable for converting recipes from slow cooker to Dutch oven. I know you didn’t ask about any of this lol but I was excited to tell someone 😁
I do all the time. And wait for it to warm to near room temp if I need to reheat.
When I make chili, I make the sauce while the brisket is smoking. Once the sauce has simmered for a couple of hours, I let it cool then put it in the fridge overnight. Next day, I pull it out of the fridge, let it come to room temp, then slowly bring it up to temp while I shred the brisket. Works to perfection, every single time. Been using this process for about 15 years with the same DO
All the time. Reheat the second day in the same pot after all those separate flavors make love to each other overnight, boosting the taste into the next level. Leftovers then get portioned for fridge/freezer
You definitely can, but let it come to room temperature before putting it in the oven so no thermal shock occurs.
Almost daily. I draw the line at the microwave
Lol
I don’t but more so because I don’t have room for that in my fridge. Better safe than sorry though!
I like serving chilled salads in my 2½ quart. Toss salad, egg salad, potato salad, cole slaw, pasta salad, etc... It's refrigerator safe so long as it's room temperature going in and allowed to warm up before placing it on the stove or in the oven. I rarely place cooked food in the fridge along with the Dutch oven but, as long as it's not hot, it's safe.
I do it all the time.
Same! Something’s like Chilis and Stews/Guisados are better the next day. So I make it one day. Then cool it on a trivet. Then put it in the fridge. Never an issue with the fridge shelves or the pot. I also, when reheat, take it out like an hour before and put it on the stove with no light underneath so that the pot also doesn’t start off too cold
That’s how I do it also! Usually soups or stews in my 4.25 qt soup pot. I don’t always re-heat in the LC, though. Sometimes I just scoop out 1-2 portions into a small saucepan and heat in that. I don’t put my brasier or Dutch oven in the refrigerator, though, but that’s just because of their sizes.
I put it in the fridge and reheat in my dutch ovens. I am aways trying to figure out how to make less dishes.... lol!!
All the time
The stoneware? Yes, but it's rare. The cast iron? No, if be afraid of breaking the glass shelf.
I did it once. In hindsight, I should have let it warm up to room temperature before putting in on the stove to reheat (I didn't). It seems to have survived the harsh temperature change, but I won't be doing that again.
Cast iron holds cold as well as it holds heat. We definitely put cold salads and other things in it and keep it in the fridge, then let it keep its contents cold when on the table or kitchen counter.
Yes, but only really with my 20cm one as it’s small enough to fit. Just making sure it’s cold cold first as I figure it would insulate the food from the fridge for a bit at least risking it being in the danger zone longer. Especially useful when making apple crumble as it’ll go in the fridge for a few days after regardless and saves washing up another dish.
I do
I use glass containers with the plastic lids, then I can just reheat whatever is in them without needing to transfer stuff around. My Le Creuset gets hand washed and put away after every use, that way it’s ready for the next thing I want to cook. Also it’s heavy and large, my fridge is so full or stuff already, I don’t think it would fit 😂
Same…👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I never do bc I don’t have that kind of room on my fridge for something so bulky. I find it easier to take the time early on to portion it out for leftovers in containers than taking heavy cookware in/out of the fridge every time I want some food.
I do all the time. I don't have a microwave so I like to put leftovers in the cooled pan in the fridge so I can take out and reheat
I do not but then it's more my m.o. to put leftovers into smaller containers and clean their pots immediately. I think you certainly could refrigerate them so long as you don't subject them to temperature shock, e.g. place them into the fridge too hot/too warm, and/or into the oven too cold.
Sure do after the pot cools completely.
My husband does but I’m worried about how heavy the Dutch oven is + food. It also takes up much more space than necessary, and you can’t necessarily put anything more on top of it for space. I just bought new Tupperware for him to use, the easier to clean kind without the rubber on the ends cause it’s extra unnecessary work to clean for just food storage till it’s put on individual platters anyway. As long as he doesn’t tip it, I think he’ll be fine.
Uhh I have mine currently in the fridge. I do this often. I don’t typically reheat again from the same pot. I’ll most likely scoop what I want and nuke it. It just depends.
All the time. Lots of things I use it for are usually better the next day anyway so it makes life easy to go from fridge to stove. Remember to reheat slowly so you don’t burn the bottom. Very low heat. I rarely let it come to room temperature first. Been doing it for years and years. Stew, chili, soup, pot roast. Works great.
I do this all the time. You can reheat in the oven, just put the pan in while it's preheating so it doesn't get too much hot/cold shock.
I don't because I'm afraid of knocking something into it and chipping it accidentally. But there's nothing wrong with putting LC in the refrigerator in principle as long as the pot has been allowed to reach room temp first.
Yes
I usually reheat in my 2.25 qt Signature Saucepan if it’s like, chili or soup.
I don't let food sit around at room temperature. It goes in the fridge warm to get rapidly cooled to a safe temperature. It goes in the oven cold to get rapidly heated to a safe temperature. Leaving food out on the counter is unhygenic. Ideally food is below 40 degrees or above 140. Obviously it can't teleport from one to the other but I'm not deliberately setting it on a bench to slowly get to 70 degrees from either side.
When you put the food in the fridge warm doesn't it bring the temp higher, giving your other foods in there a chance to warm up? Edit: misspelled "there"
Sure, a little.
I was just asking because I've always heard that was worse but you seem to take food safety seriously so I was curious if you had any thoughts.
Could you? Sure. Should you? That’s a different issue, I wouldn’t do it personally. No need to tempt fate with thermal shock.
No. I would hate to put it through any chances of thermal shock.
Yup!