Use and Care Manual

GENERAL COOKING GUIDELINES
SAFETY FIRST! - HAND PROTECTION - HOT POT HANDLING
Lava Enameled Cast Iron Cookware will transfer heat evenly throughout the vessel,
including any handles or lids. ALWAYS USE HAND PROTECTION – A POTHOLDER
OR INSULATED GLOVE WHEN HANDLING CAST IRON COOKWARE. Remember
that Lava Cookware performs extremely well with only Low to Medium heat settings.
However, Low to Medium heat settings still generates significant internal AND external
heat in cast iron pots and pans. Further, cast Iron pots and pans will hold their heat
long after the heat has been turned off. Always take care when working near or moving
cast iron cookware. Assume any cast iron pot is hot and protect yourself accordingly.
NEVER LEAVE A HOT POT UNATTENDED AROUND CHILDREN OR THE
ELDERLY.
STOVETOP COOKING - HEATING TEMPERATURES
Use low to medium heat when cooking most items. For best results, preheat your Lava
cookware on Medium heat for a minimum of 2-5 minutes prior to cooking food. This will
contribute to a more consistent temperature during the cooking cycle. Use High heat
settings only for boiling water or cooking vegetables, reducing sauces. It is important to
use Lava cookware on a burner of corresponding size (same diameter or slightly
smaller than pot/pan) and at no time should a gas flame be allowed to extend up the
sides of the cookware as this may cause overheating and staining of the finish. It may
also cause the handles to absorb heat from the excess flame creating a dangerous burn
risk. Never use High Heat settings to Pre-heat Lava enameled cookware.
To avoid spillage and the risk of boiling over, Lava cookware should not be filled
to more than 2/3 capacity. As soon as the boiling point is reached, the
temperature should be lowered to achieve desired recipe results.
When using Griddles, pre-heat pan on Low to Medium Low settings only. Test
griddle surface with a drop of batter first and if air bubbles appear after 5 and
before first 30 seconds then pan is ready to use. Pancakes and Crepes will
require trial and error process as stovetops, burner size and heat output vary.
Test multiple settings and find the ones that work best for your individual
situation. Bon Appétit!
NEVER pre-heat enameled cast iron cookware on HIGH heat settings. You may
damage your pot and/or it’s enamel finish.
GRILLING, SEARING AND OVEN FINISHING
When grilling or searing and oven finishing, never overheat your grill or fry pan before
placing food inside the pan/pot. Excessive pre-heating may “smoke” the cooking oils or
flash-burn your meats or vegetables and may also damage your enameled finish. Pre-
heat pan slowly (5-15 minutes) with no more than Medium heat and then sear meat as
desired. Move meats to unused areas of pan to assure perfect char marks when searing