02
Sep
Dutch ovens are an evolution from the ancient cooking pots kettles and cauldrons that people used to cook with prior to the invention of wood ovens and more recently gas or electric ovens. Turn heat onto 350F 17667 C.
Place in the oven face down.
How to cure a dutch oven. Rinse the cast iron dutch oven and dry it off in the oven. Edward Nickens Next I gave it a good rinse then placed in the oven for a 10-minute drying session. Scrub with Oil and Salt Combine.
After cooking a tasty meal in your cast iron and properly cleaning it its a good idea to rub a small amount of cooking oil crisco or cast iron conditioner into the piece and briefly heat it back up. This will help protect your patina and protect your cast iron. This is the easiest method of cleaning cast iron cookware that Ive found.
Once properly seasoned cast iron skillets dutch ovens and other cookware will. Scrub the Dutch oven with soapy water and a stiff brush. Thoroughly dry it with a towel.
Apply a layer of vegetable oil with a paper towel to the entire oven and lid. Place Dutch Oven in oven. Turn heat onto 350F 17667 C.
Place the Dutch oven upside down. You want the oil to fall out of the pot which will create an even coating on the surface rather than collecting at the bottom of the pot. Turn off the grill and leave the dutch oven inside to cool for 30 minutes.
Using an oven mitt remove the cookware from the grill. Allow the cookware to cool until you can pick it up. Repeat steps 4 through 11 until you are happy with the color and sheen.
Rinse the Dutch oven and place it in an oven thats heated to 300 F 148 C for 10 minutes so that it completely dries. Drizzle oil and a handful of kosher salt in the bottom of the cooled Dutch oven. Rub the mixture with a cloth to completely remove the rust.
Rinse the Dutch oven and dry it in the oven again. Once the dutch oven is hot remove it from the heat to apply the oil. It should go without saying but your dutch oven will be very hot.
So be careful when handling and use an oven glove. Now you need to apply oil to the entire surface of the oven - not just the inside cooking area but all. An aluminum Dutch oven is really just a pot with a lid.
So stick with cast iron. An enameled cast-iron Dutch oven made by Lodge or Le Crueset will last for the rest of your life and beyond. The enamel coating makes it easier to clean although it will become discolored over time.
By storing your dutch oven carefully you are just saving yourself a bunch of work next year. If you decide to just toss it in a corner of the basement it will be just fine the next time you want to use it but youll just need to put in some effort seasoning it before cooking in it. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases Patreon.
If your Dutch oven needs a little more love than soap and water try soaking it in a baking soda bath. Bring four cups of water to a boil and mix in two heaping tablespoons of baking soda. Simmer the mixture for a minute or two before turning off the heat.
Cover it with a lid and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Saturate a clean lint free rag with extra virgin olive oil and thoroughly coat all surfaces of the cast iron.
Place in the oven face down. As with removing the manufacturers shipping wax the seasoning of the cast iron might produce a little smoke. Put the Dutch oven and lid on the top shelf upside down.
Simply flip the Dutch oven and lid and slide them into the oven. Its important to keep the oven and lid upside down so the oil drips out and doesnt burn on the enamel. You might have to move your oven racks around a bit if the Dutch oven doesnt fit on the top shelf.
Dutch ovens are an evolution from the ancient cooking pots kettles and cauldrons that people used to cook with prior to the invention of wood ovens and more recently gas or electric ovens. If you know about the classic witch stereotype with an old hag chanting over a bit cast iron pot or cauldron saying Boil Boil Toil and Trouble you have an idea of what dutch ovens came from.