How to see if cast iron cookware is enameled? I have found a cast iron grill manufactured by the French company Le Creuset. This cookware is probably around 20 years old and you can see a picture of the same model below.



I'm wondering if this grill is enameled cast iron or raw cast iron. Indeed, if it's raw cast iron, I will strip of the former seasoning and create a new one. If it's enameled cast iron, I'm not sure how to deeply clean it but I will not put it in my self-cleaning oven.

Today, all cast iron products from Le Creuset are enameled but I don't know if that was the case 20 years ago. The cookware is black and has been used a lot, so I don't know if the (quite) smooth aspect of the top is enameled or not. 

Do you have any tricks to recognize if cast iron cookware is enameled or not?*

Photos (click for full-size)






On this last one, you can see "Le Creuset * Made in France* D2" but I didn't find anything about D2 grill model on the internet.
We're going to do all of our analysis on the back side, so we don't mess up any cooking surface:


if it's rusted : not enameled (or possibly damaged enamel)
if it's greasy, clean w/ hot soapy water and a scrubbing pad, just in the middle of the pan.
if it's any color other than black, brown, bare metal or orange-brown : enameled
look for a model number, then look it up online


... that should get you though 99% 90%  of the cases ...  if that still doesn't help:


run your fingers over the cleaned surface
if it's rough : not enameled (or someone polished the surface ... which is rare, but not impossible; also beware of more recent 'satin enamel', but that's typically an interior treatment)
if there's signs of crazing (tiny cracks all over the place; not sure how obvious it'd be w/ black enamel) : enameled


If you're still not sure after that, I guess post a picture, close up of the cleaned back side, with good lighting.