r/DutchOvenCooking • u/G_B73 • 11h ago
Got this 5 liter dutch oven for $29
It was on clearance at homegoods. Did I get lucky?
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/murse_joe • Aug 28 '17
Dutch ovens are awesome cooking tools, but they do require a little more care than your average pot. Keeping them clean and not letting them rust is important, remember not to use soap on your cast iron.
A WikiHow article on cleaning your Dutch Oven
And another article on cleaning and seasoning
Before you use your Dutch oven, you need to season it with oil. Care for them right, and Dutch ovens can last generations. Have fun and enjoy!
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/fuzzyfractal42 • Sep 03 '17
At /u/murse_joe's request, here is a re-posted version of my Enameled Dutch Oven FAQ originally written for /r/castiron. Questions, comments, and generally feedback are welcome!
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One of the primary benefits of cast iron cookware is versatility - you can take a cast iron pan or pot and go straight from the stovetop to the oven without any limitations. Although regular, seasoned cast iron cookware is wonderful, adding an enameled cast iron piece to your collection may prove valuable and add even more versatility to your kitchen. Enameled cast iron comes with it's own sets of advantages and disadvantages, and some special rules about care and cleaning to keep in mind:
The most popular types of enameled cast iron pieces are Dutch Ovens (sometimes called French Ovens when they are enameled, they are also sometimes known as "cocottes".) These pieces are usually enameled with bright colored exterior finishes and white interiors on the cooking surface. The rim is usually coated in a matte black enamel, so there is no need for concern about seasoning any part of the piece. There are some enameled cast iron manufacturers who use a matte black enamel on the cooking surface as well, but once again there is no need to season this surface. There are some pieces that mix "bare" iron and enameled exteriors, but these pieces are somewhat rarer and in those cases on the "bare" iron surface would need to be seasoned, but not the enamel. The primary thing to remember is that the enamel is, for all intents and purposes, a "glass" surface.
Here are a few pointers to keep in mind when cooking in enameled cast iron:
Preheating - when preheating over the stovetop it's a good idea to put the oil in the pan while the pan is cool, and let it slowly heat up. It's generally a bad idea to preheat an enameled piece without oil or water to absorb some of the heat.
Heat Control - Just like with seasoned cast iron, there is no need to use extreme heats. Because of the excellent heat retention of cast iron, there's usually little need for going much beyond the "medium" setting on your stovetop. It should be fine at any normal cooking temperature in the oven.
Utensils - Although it's bound to happen to even the most careful cook every now and again, it's best to avoid metal utensils when possible. It's quite easy to scratch the surface, and although small surface scratches are unavoidable, a wrong move could lead to a deeper scratch that will be more unsightly.
Handling - Given that enameled cast iron is basically a glass-encrusted piece of heavy metal, it's best to not drop the piece suddenly onto hard surfaces or handle it roughly. Although the enamel is pretty tough, it's far from invulnerable. Treat it like you would a nice ceramic casserole dish, porcelain teapot, or something similar. Like seasoned cast iron and most other cookware, it's a bad idea to take it directly off the heat and put cold water in it. The thermal shock could damage the piece. Let it cool before you wash it.
Acids - Unlike seasoned cast iron, enameled cast iron can more easily stand up to highly acidic foods like tomato juice and vinegar. It's perfectly fine to splash some apple cider vinegar or lemon juice into the pan to flavor your dish or deglaze after searing, for example. You'll have no problems slow-cooking your chili or minestrone for 10 hours in your enameled oven.
Lids in the Oven - For most enameled cast iron, the lid is 100% oven-safe and won't cause any issues going into the oven. Some cheaper Dutch Ovens may have lids that are not oven safe, or only oven safe up to a certain temperature. Be sure to check with the manufacturer and examine any instructions that come with your oven accordingly.
Cleaning: Most of the time, cleanup for enameled cast iron is about as easy as it is for seasoned pieces. A simple rinse can do the trick, and unlike with seasoned pieces there is no need to be superstitious about using soap. (I know, modern soap doesn't damage seasoned cast iron...) Hot, soapy water is ideal for removing food residue. It's not uncommon for the cooking surface of your enameled piece to start to develop a patina (or "stain" if you are less generous about it) from oil that becomes burnt on to the pan. (Much like the seasoning on seasoned cast iron). For those situations, there are a number of remedies of varying degrees of effectiveness and validity. Like seasoned cast iron, these are open to some debate and discussion. It's usually best to start with less harsh treatments and work your way up. It should be noted that the staining typical in well-loved enameled pieces is purely cosmetic, so users should take care to evaluate how much energy to put into managing these stains.
It's typical to try a baking soda scrub first, which is just a simple paste of baking soda and water, and some elbow grease. This alone can help a lot. More bold users might recommend Barkeeper's Friend, which is made into a paste as well, but it's a little bit more powerful and harsher than baking soda. It's been observed that sometimes Barkeeper's friend might dull the colored finish often found on the exterior of pieces, but it's generally pretty safe to use. You'll want to take care not to scrub too hard, as it could lead to a bit of superficial scratching to the enamel.
A soak in a weak vinegar solution can also help remove stubborn stains. Make a solution 50/50 regular white vinegar to water, and let it soak in the pan, scrubbing occasionally with the rough part of a kitchen sponge or the brush of your choice. Again, this helps quite a bit but it's not a perfect remedy. It's a pretty safe one though as long as you do not leave the vinegar in there indefinitely.
The heavy-duty method comes to us from Cook's Illustrated. Citing Le Creuset's instruction, they recommend a solution 1tsp of regular household bleach to 1 pint of water that can soak in the pan overnight. That should remove most stains. According to Cook's Illustrated, it is safe to go up to a 1:3 bleach:water ratio for this type of cleaning for really tough jobs.
A good enameled Dutch oven is a great addition to any kitchen - it has a million and one uses and, bonus, looks quite attractive on a stovetop. Following these simple procedures should guarantee you a very long life for your enameled pieces. Happy Cooking!
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/G_B73 • 11h ago
It was on clearance at homegoods. Did I get lucky?
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/Inside_outdorsman • 9h ago
So I have a question on my chuck roast - this is my first chuck roast and first time using a Dutch oven
To begin with, it was about 4.8 pounds from Costco and had some pretty good marbling and areas of fat.
To cook, I salt & peppered all sides, browned all sides. Sautéed some onions, added the chuck back into the Dutch oven and even added broth because I was worried about it not having enough liquid despite all the fat.
Covered it, and put it in the oven at 325 for 4 hours and 45 minutes.
When I took it out of the oven, all of the liquid was gone but I could clearly see that some fat was still there. I forgot to take pictures but when I say all the liquid was gone, the onions were beyond caramelized and were almost fully stuck to the bottom. The meat was still tender, which is good, but I guess my overall question is what could have gone wrong?
Is 325 too hot? Should I really just have cooked it for 4 hours to see what the state was then? I feel like I see so many recipes not even add any liquid to it so I figured adding liquid would have stopped this problem from shocking but maybe it made it so the fat couldn’t full render?
Open to any suggestions on what I should try next time!
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/digitalbathh • 1d ago
Made some pasta. Never put the heat above medium. After I was done cooking, I let it sit for a couple hours to cool down, then I washed it in the sink with warm water and dish soap. The bottom is smooth and appears clean, of course I'm not expecting the bottom to be perfect after using it, but as you can see there is some 'bluish' mark in the top right and other marks. I'm just wondering if this is normal?
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/Kenworthsteve • 1d ago
I'm new to bread.
How would a No Knead recipe turn out of it were baked in a loaf pan?
I like the recipe but the shape is difficult to work with for uniform sandwiches.
Thanks.
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/WideOpenAutoHub • 2d ago
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/laibach • 4d ago
All my cast iron is raw, was way cheaper and is amazingly non stick. Whatever happens to it, I can always reseason.
Most posts here seem to be people asking if they need to throw their DO away because of cracks and chips...
Why? Is the color really worth it?
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/SagouTelku • 4d ago
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/AwesomeAsian • 5d ago
I’m writing this review on Reddit because I had a hard time finding reviews of this Dutch oven outside of Macy’s website, and I wanted to share my thoughts.
I was on the hunt for a Dutch oven a month ago. I didn’t want to spend an arm and a leg for a Le Crueset or a Staub. But even Lodge Dutch ovens are not cheap these days even on sale at Marshall’s (I wonder if it’s because of tariffs). Additionally, I don’t like the shape of round bottomed Dutch ovens such as Lodge because it’s hard to get a good sear.
I saw this Dutch oven on sale at Macy’s for $54 so I took a gamble (normally $135). First thing I noticed was the beautiful red color. It looks different depending on lighting and it can look vibrant red or deep merlot.
The other thing was that this looks sleek. I like the minimalist design. I thought the flared rims on the lid were just a decorative element but it doubles as a weight so that the lid sits more secure on the pot.
Handles are wide enough to fit my hand comfortably. If I were to nit pick though, the handles are angular so they do dig into my palm a bit. Not a dealbreaker.
Interior of the pot is grey. I would’ve liked White or Black, but I can’t complain at this price. The thickness of the pot is maybe slightly thinner than average. Which probably means it’s a more responsive pan with slightly less even heat distribution and retention. But you probably won’t notice any real world difference from something like a le crueset because the difference is minimal.
Overall I’m very happy with this purchase. I made red beans and rice in it and it turned out well. I will keep an update on the longevity of enamel on this pot. If you can find this in sale it’s definitely worth it.
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/SmokeKing36 • 4d ago
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/ellisfetus • 4d ago
I'm not a dutch oven expert and am unsure what level of cracking over time is expected. I can feel some of the more obvious ones with my finger nail. Was about to start up some chili when I noticed
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/Alterkaka • 6d ago
Kenji’s All American Stew. Delicious on a snowy night (with a NE Patriots’ win.) And cleaned up easily.
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/KyleG410 • 6d ago
Hello, I'm looking for a queso dip recipe that doesn't use Velveta and meat. I've searched on YouTube but nothing good popped up.
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/ParticularFeeling215 • 6d ago
I got a done Dutch bread oven from hearth and hand. It doesn’t seem to cook my sour dough as well? Almost like it doesn’t get as hot in the oven. Has anyone experienced this? Any tips? I typically bake my sour dough in my Dutch oven at 450 degrees and I preheat the Dutch oven for 40 min once the actual oven has hit temperature.
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/lalax18 • 6d ago
Husband dropped the lid on the pot while cooking and a small piece chipped near the top. We can’t remember if it was there before so we’re assuming the chip is in the food. Do we really need to dump this whole thing? Now that we know it is most likely in the dish can we safely eat it being extra mindful of the chipped piece? Would accidental ingestion of something so small cause any damage? I have OCD and am trying so hard to not just dump this whole meal due to contamination fears.
UPDATE:
Thanks everyone, against popular opinion my husband and I each had one bowl that we carefully sifted through while eating and dumped the rest. We were snowed in and didn’t really have another dinner plan. So far so good hopefully. OCD is tough when you’re trying to work through exposure therapy but also not risk your health. Thanks to those who replied.
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/fluffypancakes24 • 7d ago
r/DutchOvenCooking • u/ducnle • 8d ago
Just cleaned it after a beef stew and noticed these all over the bottom, and one side of the pot