Cooking Using a Dutch Oven

Foods & DrinksCooking Tips & Recipes

  • Author Sa Perillo
  • Published December 22, 2010
  • Word count 512

When it comes to outdoor cooking, Dutch ovens are the way to go. You’ll be surprised at the many types of food you’ll be able to make with one efficient tool. You’ll be able to make everything from crispy fried chicken to heartwarming soups and stews. These cast iron pots are very heavy, and are used for a variety of different cooking styles. Because of their versatility, and because it can take very high temperatures, most people opt to use them for outdoor cooking. Often, they come with a three-legged stand to help it sit on an open flame more steadily and it’s also comes with a heavy lid. This is lifted by using a hook, because it tends to get very hot. Sometimes, when you’re living in the city, there comes a time when it all just becomes too much. The traffic, the crowded streets, the polluted air – most of us just wants a getaway! Because most of us live in the city, camping is a great way to get away from it all and just enjoy nature at its finest. Of course, nothing can complete a camping trip without some Dutch oven cooking.

You’ll also be able to find indoor Dutch ovens. They have a flatter bottom, and come with no legs at all because they are designed to stand on their own. They are ideal for stove-top or oven cooking. However, they can also be used for outdoor cooking because of the high quality material which they are made of. The lid can be used to fry or "bake" food outdoors, while rocks, sticks and stones serve as the base.

These Dutch ovens should be seasoned right before the first usage. This ensures that the pot retains its natural oils which make it non-stick even without the help of other additives like oil. All you have to do is brush or coat the Dutch oven with a very thin layer of oil and bake it for around an hour. Take good care of the seasoning because this is what protects the whole pot from rust and damage.

When cooking with Dutch ovens, it’s best to use hot charcoal briquettes or coals. Open flame are okay, but they are harder to control. You might have a problem with controlling the temperature of your food. You don’t want your oven to be too hot. Usually, you can tell it’s too hot when the oil in the pot starts to smoke. If you want to fry or sear meat with your pot, you can certainly do so. You can use a small amount of oil and fry the meat. You can also put the lid on so that it roasts. Make sure that you use a very low temperature for this. If you want to bake, you can certainly do so by building a pit. You also need to place a few pieces of coal on the top part or lid of the Dutch oven so that the heat can spread very evenly.

Cast iron kettles have a centuries long history of reliability and long service life. Today’s kettles, made with modern technology and advances in metallurgy, are of higher quality than ever before and there is a place for one in every kitchen.

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