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Question from Arien

Dear Debra,

Thank you for sharing the amazing information on a variety of cookwares. After reading your My New Cookware section, I was very interested in the soapstone pots so I went on to greenfeet.com and bought two. However, I do have a simple question that I am sure you can answer because you have been cooking in them for a while now.

When the pots first came, there was a litte note inside the pots saying that NEVER to heat the pot when it’s empty, always make sure to have food or water in it. I am a bit confused by this message. Does that mean I cannot preheat the pot before I do my stir-frys or scramble eggs? How do you use yours? I cannot imagine putting cold oil in the cold pot and then put the food contents. I have always preheat my pots or pans to medium before I add oil. Can you please give me some advice on this? and can you tell me more on how to use these pots? I love cooking rice in cast iron pots but the rusting some times drives me nuts, I would love to cook in clay too but they are porus….

Thank you so much for your time and your great work!

Debra’s Answer

Well…I thought I had read all the instructions, but I didn’t see that little slip of paper, so I have been preheating my soapstone pots with no ill effect. Especially since one of the characteristics of these pots is that they are slow to heat, so I always preheat them before I put in the food.

One of the best things to use these pots for is scrambled eggs. They just taste better and have better texture than in metal skillets. I heat the pot, then add the butter, let it melt, then add the beaten eggs.

I also love to use my soapstone pots to make soups and stews, and they would be great for things like rice.

I just went and looked at the actual printed instructions brochure from the manufacturer and not only does it not say anything about not preheating, it says, “A pre-heated griddle or pan make even tabletop cooking possible, turning out sizzling steaks and seafood.”

So I have no idea why yours came with a slip of paper saying never heat without food. Call greenfeet and ask them and let us know.

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