A nice Dutch oven can be found on every wedding registry or in any well-equipped kitchen. These beloved cookware have deep interiors that can handle large cuts of meat and large quantities of liquids. They also have thick walls that retain heat beautifully.
Your fall and winter kitchen stockpile isn’t complete without a Dutch oven — use it for stews, curries, chilis, or braising meat. A high-end Dutch oven can easily cost you a couple hundred dollars, but with proper care, you will be able to use it for decades. Learn how to clean a Dutch oven in a few easy steps.
Dirty Dutch Oven on Stovetop
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The 12 Best Dutch Ovens to Buy in 2022
Cast Iron vs. Enameled Cast Iron
There are two major types of Dutch ovens to be familiar with: cast iron and enameled cast iron. Both are made of cast iron, but an enameled cast iron Dutch oven is coated in a layer of hard, non-stick enamel. Enameled cast iron Dutch ovens are easier to clean, do not require seasoning (more on that below), and come in more colors than cast iron.
However, cast iron Dutch ovens tend to be more durable and affordable. It’s really up to personal preference on which one you choose. We’re going to teach you how to clean both.
Remember: if you’re using a new cast iron Dutch oven for the first time, you must season it before you use it.
To do this, you’ll need to coat the Dutch oven (both interior and exterior) in cooking oil, and place it in the oven for half an hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Reapply the oil, and lower the temperature to about 200 degrees Fahrenheit, and put it in the oven for another hour. After an hour is up, leave it in the oven overnight, and rub it with a final coat of oil in the morning.
Your Dutch oven should have a black, glasslike finish once it’s properly seasoned. Once you’ve seasoned your cast iron Dutch oven and put it to use, you’ll need to know how to clean it.
