I have an interesting problem I've never seen before.

[mac56]

I have a cast iron dutch oven that I use a lot. Today, however, I used it in the oven to slow cook a bean casserole. It's out and cool now, but I find I cannot get the lid to come off. It's like it's welded on. The cover fits so well that I can't get anything in between the cover and the pot to pry it off. Anyone ever had anything like this happen? Any suggestions?

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

1. Have you tried a really sharp, thin bladed knife?

[BainsBane]

2. Or boil a tea kettle

And pour that around the rim. Something is making it stick. An oven isn't hot enough to weld cast iron.

[freshwest]

5. Agree. Sounds right. Put it in the sink and pour hot water to dissolve the sugar or

whatever made that seal around the edges. It's very hard to break anything baked on. But possible with a bit of work.

[JayhawkSD]

3. Heat it back up again.

You have a vacuum inside. Put it back in the oven to warm the air inside until you can get the lid off.

Long term, file a few notches in the rim of the pot. The lid of a dutch oven does not need to fit tightly.

[northoftheborder]

4. Yes, I agree.

[mac56]

6. Teakettle worked great!

Thank you all.

By the way, I now have an awesome recipe for Cape Breton baked beans to share.

[Stinky The Clown]

7. Step 1: "Find an ovenproof pot with an ill fitting lid"

[mac56]

8. Yup.

[grasswire]

9. looking forward to hearing about Cape Breton beans! nt