You may have come across some recipes that require the use of a Dutch oven; it is a heavy saucepan, made of thick metal and with a lid. Traditionally, it is made with cast iron, but you can also find some in steel. The lid has a raised edge to allow you to place the embers and cook on it. The pan is usually equipped with three support feet so that it can also be used on an outdoor bonfire. You can use a Dutch oven just like any other saucepan, by placing it on the stove or in the oven.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Cooking with the Dutch Oven
Step 1. Bake the food in the oven
You can prepare bread, pizza, cakes and other sweets in this pan by placing embers under it and on the lid; in this case, you need to put more charcoal on the lid than you have under the base. This little forethought prevents the food from burning on the bottom.
Take into account the diameter of the pot. To figure out how many charcoal briquettes you can put on the lid, divide the diameter measurement (expressed in centimeters) by 2, 5 and add the number 3; to know how many to put at the base, proceed with the same calculation, but subtract the number 3. For example, if the Dutch oven has a diameter of 30 cm, put (30/2, 5) +3 = 15 pieces of charcoal above the lid and (30/2, 5) -3 = 9 pieces on the bottom
Step 2. Boil water or boil food in the oven
Since you want to heat water or a liquid, such as a stew, you have to put all the charcoal at the base, so as to concentrate the heat near the bottom of the pan; you should use this technique even in case of frying.
While it is important to put the lid on when you want to bring food or water to a boil, you should not cover it with embers as this creates a dangerous structure, as well as making the lid difficult to remove
Step 3. Use the lid as a griddle or pan
If you want to quickly brown breakfast foods, turn the lid over and place it directly on the embers; monitor the food carefully as it cooks to prevent it from burning. You can use this technique to make eggs, bacon, pancakes, or sausages.
Most Dutch oven lids are shallow, but have a slope towards the center that holds liquid ingredients
Step 4. Cook the beans in a hole
Dig one about 1 m deep and cover it with stones; you should try to light a bonfire inside it. The heat of the wood heats the stones, so you can lower the Dutch oven into the hole and cook the food. Put some charcoal on the lid and shovel some earth to cover the hole; in this way, the heat is trapped. Wait for the cooking to continue for a long time, usually overnight.
- Remember that it takes several hours for the stones in the hole to warm up sufficiently before lowering the pan full of beans.
- It is worth blanching the dry ones for an hour and then letting them soak overnight before cooking them with this technique.
Step 5. Consider stacking several pans
If you have to prepare a meal for many people or you just want to cook different dishes outdoors, put several ovens on top of each other; in this case, you need at least three; fill them with food and place the largest on top of the hot coals. Arrange more embers on its lid and place the second one directly on top of this one; repeat the same procedure and place the third pan, ending with a layer of charcoal on the last lid. Wait for the dishes to be cooked.
You can use ovens of the same size or of progressively smaller diameter; for example, you can place the 35 cm one at the base, the 30 cm one in the center and finally the 25 cm one at the top
Step 6. Use the Dutch oven for roasts
Since it retains heat well, it is a perfect tool for roasting large cuts of meat. Preheat the regular oven to 180 ° C and the Dutch oven on the stove to brown the meat and make it tastier. Add the liquid ingredient of your choice and the vegetables you like; put the lid on and put the hot pan in the conventional oven. Cook the roast for an hour or two (or longer if there is a bone in it).
- Use the lid only if it can withstand the heat of the oven. Most of these do not generally involve any problems, but avoid using it if it has plastic parts; in this case, you have to close the pan with aluminum foil.
- You can use this technique to cook cakes, timbales or cornbread.
Step 7. Simmer the food on the stove
If you want to cook something that needs to simmer for a long time, the Dutch oven is for you; place it on the stove and cook the food directly inside it. Maintain the flame at a slightly lower level than you are used to and let the food simmer gently for several hours; for example, you can use this technique to make chili con carne or a stew with dumplings.
When cooking with this cast iron pan, you do not have to use high temperatures because the material retains heat well; always choose a medium flame
Part 2 of 2: Seasoning and Cleaning the Dutch Oven
Step 1. Check if the pan is enameled or raw
To tell the difference, look at the inside. The cast iron models are black or gray with a slightly wrinkled surface, while the enameled ones are white and smooth. Enamel may be black, but it is definitely smoother than bare metal.
- Raw pans have no protective enamel coating, so they must be cured before use.
- If there is a coating, it means that the porcelain has been bonded to the surface of the cast iron.
Step 2. Clean the enamel oven
In this case, you don't have to season it, but wash it after each use; use soap and water to remove all traces of food. Do not use steel wool, such as steel wool, as this can damage the enamel; also, never put this type of pan in the dishwasher.
If the white enamel starts to stain, prepare a paste with baking soda to rub on the surface; when finished, rinse it off
Step 3. Season the raw cast iron pan
If your Dutch oven does not have an enamel coating, you must treat it before using it. Wash it completely and dry it while you preheat the oven to 160 ° C. Dip a cloth or a sheet of absorbent paper in the vegetable oil or melted vegetable fat and apply a thin layer inside the pan; then turn the latter upside down and "cook" it in the oven for an hour. Turn off the appliance and let the pot cool before touching it.
You can put aluminum foil on the bottom to catch the oil that drips from the pan during the treatment
Step 4. Clean the cast iron Dutch oven
You have to clean it every time you use it for food preparation; do not use soap, but opt for very hot water and a brush to remove food residues. Dry it completely and pour a teaspoon of oil into it, using a cloth or a sheet of kitchen paper to spread it over the entire surface.
You can use your favorite oil or melted vegetable fat
Step 5. Scrub a dirty unglazed pan
If you have neglected cleaning and have not seasoned the pot, you must scrape it with soapy water and steel wool or an abrasive steel wool; in this way, you eliminate traces of food and rust. Rinse it and place it in a hot oven at 150 ° C for 10 minutes to remove any residual moisture. Once cooled, sprinkle the inside of the Dutch oven with oil and a handful of sea salt. Rub the mixture with a cloth to remove the last residues of rust, rinse and dry the metal again; finally, season it as you would on its first use.
- It may be necessary to repeat the procedure several times; continue like this until the pan is clean.
- Dutch oven turns brown and rust over time and needs to be treated again; clean it by rubbing it and season it again.
