9 Mistakes You Might Be Making with Your Dutch Oven (2024)

FAQs

9 Mistakes You Might Be Making with Your Dutch Oven? ›

Using it on very high heat.

Because Dutch ovens do such a great job of retaining heat, using them on medium-high or high heat is actually too hot. The pot can scorch if it's this hot and food can burn and actually stick to the surface. Cooking at medium heat is more than sufficient for the pot.

Using it on very high heat.

Because Dutch ovens do such a great job of retaining heat, using them on medium-high or high heat is actually too hot. The pot can scorch if it's this hot and food can burn and actually stick to the surface. Cooking at medium heat is more than sufficient for the pot.

Some dutch oven cooks use the "three up, three down rule." For 325 degrees in a 12-inch diameter iron oven you need 12 briquettes + 3 = 15 briquettes for the top and 12 briquettes - 3 = 9 briquettes for the bottom. To get 350° F, add one more coal on both the top and bottom.

"Avoid using strong chemicals, such as bleach, on your [Dutch oven]," Cruz says. The enamel on Le Creusets and other similar Dutch ovens is delicate, and bleach that isn't properly diluted or is left on the pot for too long can wear at the enamel and dull its shine.

Applying heat to a dry enamel-coated Dutch oven can cause permanent damage. Whether you're preheating or cooking with a Dutch oven, always start with a liquid or fat—ensuring it coats or covers the entire bottom of the pan—before you turn on the heat.

These pots are ovenproof, so you can start cooking your meal on the stovetop and move it straight to the oven to finish. And because they're so attractive, some cooks move the pot right to the table—on a trivet, of course—to serve. In CR's Dutch oven tests, we braise brisket, simmer sauces, and bake loaves of bread.

The second step to clean enamel cookware is a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Extra Power. Just empty the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda mixture out of the pan and rinse with water. Wet the Magic Eraser and scrub the bottom and sides.

Ther is very little risk of thermal shock to your Dutch oven by dropping a loaf of sourdough into a preheated Dutch oven (especially if you are using parchment paper under the loaf).

As to be expected, though, using a Dutch oven often can result in some light dings and scratches, but often the dish is still safe to use. However, if the damage is severe enough that there is actual chipped or peeling enamel on the bottom, then continuing to use the dish is not recommended.

Why is the GreenPan Dutch Oven being recalled? There have been four consumer reports that when the GreenPan Dutch oven is used in the oven over 450 degrees the lid can explode, posing potential injury and burn hazards to the consumer.

What is a Dutch oven trick? ›

The Dutch Oven is a prank where someone farts while in a bed and pulls the covers over the head of someone else sleeping with them, trapping them in an enclosed space with the nasty smell of the fart.

Two words: heat & oil.

The most common reason food sticks to cast iron is because the pan is simply too hot. Because cast iron retains heat much better than other types of cookware, you generally don't need to use as high of a heat setting as you normally would with stainless steel or aluminum cookware.

Versatile Cooking Methods: Whether you're searing meat at high heat, slow-cooking a stew, or even baking bread, the Dutch Oven does it all. Its ability to transition from stovetop to oven seamlessly opens up a world of culinary possibilities.

As to be expected, though, using a Dutch oven often can result in some light dings and scratches, but often the dish is still safe to use. However, if the damage is severe enough that there is actual chipped or peeling enamel on the bottom, then continuing to use the dish is not recommended.

**Heat It Gradually: **In general, it's a good idea to avoid exposing any of your cookware to dramatic temperature changes. And the Dutch Oven is no exception. We would avoid heating it too quickly—especially if it's empty. We would also avoid dousing it in cold water immediately after high heat exposure.