Editorial: Kockums JernverkPublished: 2026-11-07

Enamel oven dishes – from oven to table to fridge

Time: about 15 min

An enamel oven dish makes the whole journey: into the oven, onto the table and into the fridge with the leftovers. The enamel takes on no taste or smell, and the dish is easy to keep clean.

Short answer

Enamel oven dishes can go straight from the oven to the table, and leftovers can be kept in the same dish in the fridge, because the enamel transfers neither taste nor colour. Never heat the dish empty, take it out with oven gloves and serve with wooden or silicone utensils rather than a knife. Let the dish cool gradually before washing it or putting it in the fridge.

Enamel oven dish from Kockums with roast potatoes, onion rings and thyme, on a chopping board with a handle

What you need

Enamel oven dish, e.g. 30 cm or round ø24 cm
Oven gloves or pot holders
Trivet
Wooden or silicone spoon or spatula
Something to cover the dish

How to do it

Wash before first useWash the dish in hot water with mild washing-up liquid, rinse and dry thoroughly.
Fill the dish before heatingPut the food in before the dish goes into the oven, and don't preheat it empty. Kockums advises never heating an empty enamel pot, and the same caution makes sense for the dish.
Take it out with oven glovesThe dish and its rim get hot. Always use oven gloves or pot holders when taking it out of the oven.
Set it on a trivet and servePlace the hot dish on a trivet and serve straight from it. Use a spoon or spatula made of wood, silicone or heat-resistant plastic.
Do not cut with a knife in the dishKnives and other metal utensils can scratch the enamel. Lift out portions with a spatula instead and cut them on a chopping board.
Let it cool, then refrigerateLet the dish with the leftovers cool for a while on the worktop – never under cold water. Cover it and put it in the fridge; the food keeps its pure taste in the enamel.
Soak and wash gentlyIf something has burnt on, fill the dish with water and leave for 10–15 minutes, pour it out and let a little lemon juice or linseed oil soap work for a few minutes. Wash with a soft sponge – the dishwasher is fine, but hand washing preserves the lustre of the colour.

Common mistakes

Preheating the dish empty in the oven.
Cutting lasagne or pie with a knife directly in the dish.
Rinsing the hot dish under cold water.
Scrubbing with steel wool or hard scourers.

Why enamel works from oven to fridge

Enamelled steel is odourless and transfers neither taste nor colour, so food keeps its pure flavour both while cooking and in storage. The base and sides of the dish store heat well and pass it on to the food. The smooth enamel surface resists dirt and stains and is easy to wash.