Stove Top Steamer Question - Anyone ever had theirs break due to temp change?

[MrKenmore]

This may be a ridiculous question.......

I have the stove top lattice style cast iron steamer on my Jotul Oslo. No the temp on top is about 500 degrees. To refill the steamer I add water of course. Has anyone ever had their steamer or kettle crack from the temp change? My concern is that I don't want the steamer to break and then water cascades down my nice wood stove.

Thanks for entertaining this crazy question.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

simple, take the steamer off the stove and allow it to cool for a few minutes , add hot water if the steamer is still hot , or wait longer until it has cooled down some more (at least until you can touch the sides of it safely) probably will not break open but if caution is wanted follow the above suggestion

 

[BrotherBart]

I have used a cast iron kettle for a steamer for thirty years. It sits on top of the hot stove for days sometimes and then all of a sudden I dump a load of water in it. Never cracked, creaked or groaned. The first bit of water does fog up the glasses though.

 

[tjg911]

i was thinking of asking this too. i use a 4 qt cast iron pot and add the water slowly. the more hot in the pot the more i'll add but if it's low i add the water just 8 -10 oz at a time then a minute later another 8-10 oz.

cast iron is brittle and i suspect the temp difference of a hot pot with 55 degree water hitting it is extreme and could cause it to break.

my pot is very rusty and the water is nasty, i don't rememberthis being this bad a few years back and i've used this pot for over a decade. i doubt there's anything that will stop the rusting. cooking oil would just evaporate off with te boiling water. beside the oil would end up in the air and get on the ceiling and walls i'd think.

any way to stop the rusting? i've run a wire brush on my drill to clean it but that's good for a short fix.

tom

 

[Highbeam]

Could you high temp paint the kettle? I was thinking about seasoning it like a cast iron cooking pot but the temps involved with the stove might be high enough to burn off this natural coating.

 

[jabush]

I have used a cast iron kettle for a steamer for thirty years. It sits on top of the hot stove for days sometimes and then all of a sudden I dump a load of water in it. Never cracked, creaked or groaned. The first bit of water does fog up the glasses though.

Same here...my cast iron kettle boils dry sometimes. I just fill er up. No problems yet.

 

[glassmanjpf]

I to have the lattice type steamer and it has often run dry (the fish tank 65gallon hasn't though. ) I'll just let the faucet run a minute on hot put the water in a seperate container and while the dry steamer is on the stove pour it right into the steamer. No problem over 2 seasons.

BTW my wife is excellent at keeping the stove going during the day but always forgets the steamer.

 

[JotulOslo]

I have the exact same setup and have never had a problem pouring cold tap water into the steamer, even when the top of the stove is at 550 degrees.

JotulOslo

 

[Harley]

my pot is very rusty and the water is nasty, i don't rememberthis being this bad a few years back and i've used this pot for over a decade. i doubt there's anything that will stop the rusting. cooking oil would just evaporate off with te boiling water. beside the oil would end up in the air and get on the ceiling and walls i'd think.

any way to stop the rusting? i've run a wire brush on my drill to clean it but that's good for a short fix.

tom

Once you are at the point of not using it for a little while, maybe give it a good wire brushing and then several coats of a good high temp paint - there's probably something out there that you can get to give it a really good temp. resistant coating, but that would only be if you really want to keep that particular pot. The cast iron, if exposed is likely to continue to rust. My guess is, using oil or trying to "season" like a cast iron pan really wont work too well, unless done very regularly.

As far as the thermal shock of putting the water into a hot pan on the stove and having it crack. So far - I (fortunately) haven't had it happen to me. I've always tried to be good and take the pot off the stove to refill it once its cooled down a bit if its empty... but I certainly have put cold water in it with the stove going and the pot empty and haven't had any issues yet... but I try not to take a chance, because it could happen.