From the ginger family, turmeric is a flowering plant that is used for medicinal purposes. The deep orange-yellow tint released by turmeric is used for several Asian cuisines, including curry. This plant is known for its warm, earthy tones—with a flavor of black pepper and a mustard-like aroma.
Due to its intense color, turmeric has been bothersome for some cooks. The dark orange tint left behind your cookware is due to curcumin, a chemical produced with a mixture of resin and turmeric oil. Curcumin found on turmeric will stain your cookware—including your precious Dutch oven.
Does Turmeric Stain Dutch Oven?
Dutch oven covered with an enameled coating is made with resin that will produce stains that can affect the output of your next cooking when mixed with turmeric oil. If you cooked your pancakes with turmeric-stained cookware, it would leave a yellowish stain and ginger ale flavor to your perfectly cooked pancake.
Cleaning your stained Dutch oven must be done immediately. Prolonging your cookware’s cleaning time may cause the hard-to-reach stain to penetrate longer than it is supposed to be. Turmeric will leave a stain on any surface, whether you like it or not.
Staining your food due to pigments found in fruits and vegetables is normal. It will come off naturally. However, certain dishes require stain-free cookware since it can affect their flavor and color. Removing turmeric stains can be done by using several cleaning and disinfecting agents available in your kitchen.
To remove turmeric stains, you can use lemon, white vinegar, baking soda, cornstarch, glycerin, and hydrogen peroxide. If you have these ingredients, you can remove this turmeric stain instantly.
How Do You Get Stains Out of a Dutch Oven?
As mentioned earlier, you can remove turmeric stains from your Dutch oven just by using ingredients found inside your kitchen cabinet.
- Lemon juice – The natural acids found in lemon juice can remove turmeric stains effectively, most especially if you want to retain the natural color of your Dutch oven. Mix two cups of hot water and one cup of lime juice and soak your cookware overnight. You can replace lemon juice with vinegar.
- Baking soda – Baking soda is a known agent that can whiten any utensils. To use this, mix baking soda with water until it forms a paste. Apply it generously to the stained area and let it dry. Clean your cookware with warm water mixed with mild soap. Replace your baking soda with cornstarch.
- Glycerin – Glycerin, also known as glycerol, is a non-toxic substance used to create sweeteners and laxatives. The compound found in glycerin can remove excess oils found in turmeric. Mix ¼ cup of glycerin, 2 cups of water, and ¼ cup liquid soap. Allow the mixture to soak for a day, then wash it off with warm water.
- Hydrogen Peroxide – Aside from medical usage, hydrogen peroxide can also be used to remove tough turmeric stains while disinfecting your cookware at the same time. Soak your cookware with hydrogen peroxide overnight and clean it gently.
