All two of my cooking experiences with cast iron have been disasters. I am going to make a pot roast in a my new porcelain coated cast iron dutch oven. After browning the meat do I need to pre-heat the water I add to the pot? I don't want to crack the pot. Thanks for any info.

I have a cast iron skillet but both times I fried chicken and tried to make gravy the flour for the gravy burned as soon as I add it to the grease. I even let the skillet cool for a while and put my heat relatively low. I have an electric range which could be part of my problem. My grandmother always cooked with cast iron but on a gas range. She never burned anything that I can recall.

I have been using non-stick cookware since I started cooking in 1970 but I am determined to stop using teflon.