How to Make the Most out of the Dutch Oven Cooking

The Dutch Oven is a much revered cooking apparatus that has served generations of kitchens with sumptuous and homey foods like no other. Because of such great adulation for food cooked in a Dutch Oven however people are intimidated by this wonderful kitchen tool. But this shouldn’t be, the Dutch Oven is a very versatile tool that can be used by anyone who know how to cook.

There are some things you can do to bring out the best from Dutch Oven cooking that isn’t that complicated. Here are some tips to make the most out of Dutch Oven cooking:

1. Choosing the right Dutch Oven for optimal cooking A good Dutch oven should have legs. The lid shouldn’t have gaps that will let heat escape. The casting should be even, as well as the thickness of the metallic material. The handle, called a bail, should be securely attached to the oven and should be strong enough to carry it even when full.

2. The oven should be cured properly once obtained Curing prevents the oven from unwanted rusting and food from sticking. A rusty Dutch oven may still be scrubbed by sandpaper with a fine grade to expose the metal. The oven can then be washed with hot soap and water. Put the Dutch oven in a 200 degree oven and coat it with some lard or shortening using a clean cloth. Leave it in for about an hour at 350 degrees. Let the oven cool slowly.

3. Use the right tools Dutch ovens are quite hardy but they can get damaged when the wrong tools are used with them. Never use metal utensils when cooking with the Dutch oven. Use wooden spatulas, forks, spoons, and turners to make sure you don’t scrape the metal. Use well-fitting leather gloves when handling the oven. You also need a lid lifter, lid holders, tongs, a shovel and a whisk broom.

4. Position the coals well You will experience uneven cooking if you don’t position the coals properly or if you don’t use the right amount. Normally you’ll need twice as much coals as the diameter of the ovens bottom. For best results use coal briquettes because they burn more evenly and last longer.

Dutch oven cooking shouldn’t be a complicated matter. If you do these tips, you are close to mastering the noble art of Dutch oven cooking.