Cleaning and Storing your Dutch Oven

There are many opinions on cleaning a Dutch Oven. Not all Dutch Oven cooks believe you can use soap in your Dutch Oven. Some cooks suggest never to wash them, others wash them, but not with detergent. We have found that a well-seasoned oven will not be damaged by using a few drops of dishwashing soap if you have been cooking something really greasy. Just be sure to rinse several times to make sure there is no soap residue. If your oven is not well-seasoned, whatever you put in the oven will be absorbed into the pot and become part of your next meal.

Dutch Oven care begins with seasoning, but it's important to clean them properly after each use. Cleaning cast iron is easier than scrubbing pots and pans. As soon as possible after using your Dutch Oven, scrape out as much food as possible with a plastic scraper. Put 1 - 2 quarts of hot water in your oven and scrub with a plastic scrubbing pad or a vegetable brush. Immediately after washing, dry the oven thoroughly by putting it in your kitchen oven at 150 to 200 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Cast Iron can only be dried by heating. Heat dries out the moisture in the pores. If a pot is not completely dried after it is used, it will rust. The pores must be opened by heating up, and the moisture dried out of it. Don't let the oven set around after washing, go straight from draining the rinse water into the kitchen oven if possible. If you are camping and don't have a kitchen oven to dry a Dutch Oven, dry it the best you can and try and store it away from moisture.

Dutch Ovens when cared for, will last for generations. Be sure your oven has been cleaned and lightly oiled before putting it away. Try to keep your ovens in a dry, warm place. Remember, moisture with cause cast iron to rust. Leave your lids slightly ajar, allowing the air to circulate. I like to store with a paper towel rolled up and sticking out from under the lid. The towel inside the oven acts as a wick and will help absorb moisture.

Tip: Here's another idea. If you need to store an oven for long periods of time, use a light-weight food-grade Mineral Oil and coat the oven, inside and out. It's cheap and effective. Once you have sealed the oven with mineral oil, no oxygen can reach the seasoning and it will last many months.

With correct use and proper care, a well seasoned oven produces a unique flavor unequaled by any other cooking utensil.

Seasoning an Oven

Untreated cast iron rusts, especially around water. To prevent metal from oxidizing in the presence of moisture, cast iron requires a process called "seasoning". Seasoning is simply the procedure of baking oil into the oven's pores, and on top of the iron pores. This baked on coating will darken and eventually turn black with age. Darkening is the sign of a well kept oven, and of it's use. This coating forms a barrier between moisture in the air and the surface of the metal. It also provides a non-stick coating on the inside of the oven that is easy to clean.

Here are some tips when it comes time to season your oven.

Scrub lid and oven in hot water with a mild soap to take off the coating the manufacture puts on the oven before shipping. Use a stiff brush, 3M scrub pad, or plastic scrubbing pad to scrub the waxy coating off of your new Dutch oven, and rinse in clear, hot water. Dry your oven by putting it in the kitchen oven at 150 to 200 degrees for 15 or 20 minutes.

While it is warm, coat the inner and outer surfaces with a thin layer of cooking oil. Use a good grade of olive or vegetable oil. Peanut oil is a choice of many, and tallow or lard can also be used, but they tend to break down over time and become rancid if the oven is not used often enough.

Place the oven and lid in a conventional oven, or a gas BBQ grill, with the pot upside down and the lid on the Dutch oven legs. Heat oven at 450 to 500 degrees and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the oil turns very dark, nearly black. This process bakes a grease coating into the pot and virtually gives it a no scrub surface.
Remove the oven and apply another light coat of oil, and. bake at 450 to 500 degrees for another 30 minutes. By using high temperatures, the oil will bake harder and darker, leaving your oven shinier. You should oil and bake at least once, I like to go through this process two, or even three times to get a beautiful dark color, and rock hard finish.

Turn off the heat and let the Dutch oven sit until cool. If the surface is sticky, bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes. When seasoning your oven it will create a smell that may be unpleasant. For this reason some like to season their ovens in a BBQ outside, however I have done all mine indoors with the doors and windows open.

The first thing you cook in your oven after seasoning should be things like roasts, potatoes or chicken. Stay away from tomatoes and tomato products with high acid content, or a lot of sugar such as cobblers. Acids and sugars can break down the protective covering before it seasons or hardens properly.

A well seasoned oven produces a unique flavor unequaled by any other cooking utensil.

RECIPES

Camp Fire Breakfast   Ingredients 1/2 lb bacon (or pre-cooked sausage) 1 medium onion 2 lb. bag of frozen hash brown potatoes (can be defrosted first) 1/2 lb. grated cheddar 1 doz eggs Small jar of salsa-about 1 cup (optional) This recipe requires 6-9 bottom coals and 12 -15 top coals. Pre-heat 12" Dutch Oven. Slice bacon and onion into small pieces and brown until onions are clear. Stir in the hash brown potatoes and cover. Remove cover and stir occasionally to brown and heat potatoes (15-20 minutes). Scramble the eggs in a separate container and pour the mixture over the hash browns. Cover and cook until eggs start to set. (10 - 15 minutes)   Sprinkle grated cheese over egg mixture, cover and continue heating until eggs are completely set and cheese is melted.   Optional: Pour small jar of salsa over  cheese/egg mixture.  Cover and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.  Slice and serve.

Chicken Pot Pie   Ingredients 2 large chicken breasts, cooked and cubed 2 large cans mixed vegetables 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 10-pack refrigerated biscuits   Mix chicken, vegetables including liquid, and both cans of soup. Put in a Dutch oven and warm over coals. Do not boil. When warm, place biscuits on top of chicken mixture and cover with lid. Place coals on lid. Check after 15 minutes. Cook until biscuits are done. Usually takes about 30 minutes. Serves four.

Ham Casserole   For a big Dutch oven use more ham/cheese/corn and double the topping. You can also add in anything you like such as black olives, onions, mushrooms, etc. I Ingredients cubed ham corn niblets shredded cheese Italian seasoning   Topping 1/2 cup baking mix (Bisquik) 1 cup milk 2 eggs   Line the Dutch oven with foil all the way up the sides and grease or use non-stick spray. Put a 1/2 inch layer of ham on the bottom, then a layer of corn and a layer of cheese, and then sprinkle on some Italian seasoning. Mix the milk, eggs, and Bisquik until well blended. Pour on top of ham/corn/cheese layers making sure the liquid is evenly distributed. Cook for about 1/2 hour (about 350 degrees) until casserole sets up. To serve pull the foil out of the Dutch oven and peel it away from the casserole and cut into wedges. Serves 6-8.   Hunters' Dumplings   Ingredients 2 cups diced chicken or leftover turkey 1/2 stick butter 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 large cans chicken broth or 2 quarts water with 8 bouillon cubes 8 flour tortillas Bring broth and seasonings to boil. Meanwhile slice tortillas into thin strips. Place in the boiling broth and cook for about 15 minutes. Add chicken pieces and cook for 15 more minutes uncovered. Serves 4-6.   Dutch Oven Biscuits   Ingredients 1/4 cup lard or shortening 1/2 cup warm water 2 cups flour 1/2 cup dry milk powder 2 Tb sugar 1 Tb plus 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt Build a charcoal fire with 36 briquets, and let them burn until they are covered with ash. Place 12 of the coals in a circle. Place a 12 inch Dutch oven over the circle of coals. Add the shortening to the Dutch oven and heat until melted. Using pot holders, tilt the Dutch oven to lightly coat the interior with the melted shortening. Pour the melted shortening into the warm water, and combine with the dry ingredients, which have been mixed together well. Stir just to make a soft dough. Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough into the Dutch oven. Place the lid on top and use a spade to place the remaining coals on the lid. Cook the biscuits until lightly browned, 15-20 minutes. Serve hot with wild honey.   Monkey Bread Ingredients 2 c. water (real warm) 1/2 c. sugar 1 T. salt 1 T. yeast 6 c. flour 1/4 c. oil 2 large eggs (beaten) 1/4 lb. butter Mix 2 cups real warm water, ½ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon yeast. Let set until bubbly.  Add 2 large beaten eggs and 3 cups flour, stir-do not beat.  Add ¼ cup oil and 3 cups more flour. Dough will be sticky; cover and let raise until double in bulk. Roll dough out on a floured surface to ½ inch thickness. Cut into 2 ½ inch circles. Melt 1/4 pound of butter in a deep 14" Dutch oven. Do not let butter get too hot. Dip circles of dough in butter, coating both sides. Lay circles of dough on inside edge of Dutch oven, overlapping approximately one third. Place the second layer of dough circles like shingles inside the first ring. Cook with 11 briquets on the bottom of each oven and 15-20 briquets placed around the outer rim of each lid. Bake for about 25 minutes. Remove the ovens from the bottom briquets and finish cooking with top heat only for approximately 10-15 minutes more. When finished remove from Dutch oven and serve warm. Variations Garlic Parmesan Monkey -- Bread Follow above recipe adding ½ teaspoon garlic power to the melted butter in the Dutch oven. After circles of dough are placed in the Dutch oven sprinkle the top with ¾ cup Parmesan cheese. Sesame Seed Monkey -- Bread Follow the above recipe adding 1 tablespoon sesame seeds to the melted butter in the Dutch Oven. After circles of dough are placed in the Dutch oven sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon sesame seeds.   Dutch Oven Potatoes Ingredients 1 lb. bacon, diced 2 onions, diced 2 green peppers, diced 12 med potatoes, red pontiac, peeled and sliced dollar size 1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese 1/4 lb. swiss cheese salt and pepper mushrooms, optional Fry bacon in Dutch Oven. Add onions, peppers (and mushrooms) and saute. Pour part of the bacon grease off and add potatos. Add salt, pepper and seasoning to taste. Mix together, but don't stir while cooking. Put 8 briquettes under the oven and 14 on the lid. This will allow all the potatoes to cook uniformly without stirring. Cook approx. 45 minutes. Check with fork - when done, grate the cheese together and sprinkle evenly over the top of the potatoes and replace the hot lid. The cheese will melt down through the potatoes and they are ready to eat.   Hot & Spicy Chicken   Ingredients 2 @ chickens, quartered and skinned Sesame seeds 2 T. soy sauce 2 T. red wine vinegar with garlic 1/8 tsp. cloves 1 tsp. ginger 2 T. cornstarch 3/4 c. brown sugar 1 T. cooking sherry 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/8 tsp. nutmeg 3/4 c. water Bake chicken in dutch oven for 40-50 minutes or until done at about 350 degrees. Use 4-6 Briquettes on bottom and 12-16 on top. Meanwhile, mix together everything except water and starch. Bring to a boil. Mix water and starch and add to boiling mixture. Stir until thickened. Spoon over chicken the last 20 minutes of cooking. Sauce may be made ahead.   Cowboy Beans   Ingredients 2 cups dried red beans 2 cups dried pinto beans 1 large yellow onion, chopped 3 tablespoons garlic, chopped 3 green chile peppers, grilled and diced 3 vine-ripened tomatoes, grilled, seeded and chopped 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 7 quarts water or vegetable stock 1 smoked ham hock 1 teaspoon toasted coriander seed 1 bay leaf 2 whole dried red chile peppers Salt and pepper, to taste Soak beans overnight in water to cover, changing water once; drain. When beans are ready, saute onion, garlic, green chiles and tomatoes in oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add water or stock and ham hock; bring to a boil. Add beans, coriander seed, bay leaf and dried chiles. Continue to boil for 30 minutes, then lower heat, cover and simmer for three to four hours, until beans are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Makes 16 servings.   Baked Salmon Ingredients 1 Salmon Filet (determine size according to number of people to be served.) Black Pepper Garlic Powers 1 Fresh Lemon 4-6 Fresh Mushrooms 4-6 Green Onions 4 oz Creamed Cheese Leave skin on the salmon filet. Slice filet into wide strips.  Place salmon strips, skin side down, into bottom of 12" Dutch Oven. Sprinkle on black pepper to your taste. Sprinkle on garlic powder to your taste. Cut fresh lemon into quarters and squeeze over salmon strips. Slice fresh mushrooms into thin slices and spread over salmon strips and onto bottom of oven.  Slice fresh green onions into thin slices and spread over salmon and onto bottom of oven.  Drop small chunks of creamed cheese onto salmon strips. Top with lemon slices for color and presentation.  Cover Dutch Oven and cook for 15-20 minutes.   Dutch Oven Pot Roast Ingredients 1/2 lb. roast beef per person 3 teaspoons bacon grease or vegetable oil 1 beef bouillon cube 1 cup boiling water 4 teaspoons catsup 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 small onion 1/2 clove garlic (minced) 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon celery salt 1 small can mushrooms 4 teaspoons flour 1 cup sour cream Steps: Heat bacon grease or vegetable oil in Dutch oven (don't let the fire get too hot) Add roast and brown on all sides Dissolve the bouillon cube in boiling water Add catsup, Worchestershire sauce, chopped onion, salt, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper. Stir and pour over roast. Put the lid on and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours over low heat (in oven, 250 degrees) until the meat is tender Remove Dutch oven from heat and take out roast Blend flour into cooled liquid to make gravy Return to heat and add mushrooms and sour cream (stir until gravy is smooth and hot) Slice beef and serve with gravy. Prairie Steamer Ingredients 3 young chickens, cut into eighths 18 small potatoes 12 small onions 12 sausages One dozen ears of corn. Scrub the potatoes, peel onions and husk corn. Save the husks, but discard the silk. Spread a layer of corn husks on the bottom of a boiler or large kettle. Pour in 1 quart water. Spread a layer of potatoes and onions on the husks. Add a layer of chicken pieces and sausages. Add another layer of husks, then a layer of corn and another layer of husks. Top with one potato. When that potato is done, everything is done. Cover the pot and steam over fire for 1 1/2 hours or until done. Barbecue Meatroll Ingredients 4 pounds ground beef 2 cups oatmeal 4 eggs 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 large sweet onion 1 small green pepper 8 oz. mushrooms 1 garlic clove (crushed) Barbecue Sauce Mix together:   2-8 oz cans tomato sauce 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1/2 teaspoon cloves 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon allspice 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce   Pat meat out on Saran wrap, aluminum foil or a cookie sheet. Use the rolling pin to roll it out to a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Place diced vegetables on top of rectangle. Remove Saran wrap or foil if you used it. Roll meat and vegetables as you would a cinnamon roll. Place in an aluminum foil lined 12 inch Dutch oven, if you had to make a seam in the foil, make sure the seam is down. Bend the meal roll to fit the Dutch oven if necessary. Bake for 15-20 minutes and baste with 1/2 of the barbecue sauce. Bake another 15 minutes. Add the remaining sauce. Bake for approximately 1 hour with coals on top and bottom.   Giant Pecan Ring   Ingredients 2 1lb loaves frozen bread dough, or homemade bread dough 1/2 c butter, melted 1/2 c sugar 1/2 c packed brown sugar 2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 c chopped pecans 1-1/4 c sufted powdered sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla Milk (about 4 tsp) Cinnamon sticks (optional) Pecan Halves (Optional) Lightly grease inside of dutch oven. On a lightly floured surface, flatten thawed dough slightly. Cut each loaf into 4 pieces (total of 8). Form each piece into a rope about 18" long. Brush each rope on all sides with melted butter. Stir together sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Place mixture on sheet of foil. Roll rope in sugar mixture to coat evenly. Shape rope into a coil in the center of the dutch oven. Roll another rope in sugar. Attach securely to end of first rope and continue coil. Continue coating ropes and attaching to form a 10-11" circle. Sprinkle any remaining sugar over coil. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 30-40 min. Bake at 350 for 30 to 3 min or till done. Cover with foil last 15 minutes to prevent over browning if necessary. Cool about 15 min. Stir together powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to make a thick glaze. Spoon over top of cake. Decorate with cinnamon sticks and pecan halves, if desired. Serves 16.       Apple Crisp Ingredients 5 pounds baking apples 2 Tbsp. flour 1 cup sugar 2 sticks margarine pinch of salt 2 cups sifted flour 2 Tbsp. cinnamon 2 cups brown sugar 2 Tbsp. nutmeg Peel apples and cut in slices. Mix apples, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and 2 tbsp. flour in Dutch oven. Combine margarine, flour and brown sugar mashing until crumbly. Sprinkle this mixture over apple mixture. Bake 35-45 minutes with coals in Dutch oven, or bake 30-40 minutes in 350 F oven. Dewberry Cobbler Ingredients Filling: 2 cans (approx 4 cups) frozen dewberries 2 packages fresh Sugar to taste (1-2cups). You may substitute with fresh or frozen blackberries.Mix dewberries and sugar. This mixture should be enough to cover a 12-inch Dutch oven 2 inches deep. Cook this mixture until syrupy. Crust:  1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup Crisco 2 cups flour Cut butter and Crisco into flour. Add ice water. Mix until crust is crumbly. You may need to add more flour. Don't roll out!  Sprinkle or crumble over dewberry and sugar mixture. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over top.  Cover Dutch oven and put coals on lid. Cook 10-12 minutes or until crust is brown. Bake in 375 F oven for 20-25 minutes.  Serves 10 Dutch Oven Cobbler Ingredients 6-10 refrigerated pie crusts 1 gallon of sliced peaches, drained - save syrup dried prunes, raisons or apricots (optional) brown sugar cinammon butter or margarine Grease your Dutch oven and add a pie crust or two. Put in a layer of sliced peaches then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon and add plenty of butter. Add another pie crust and repeat until you are out of peaches and pie crusts. You can add the dried fruit to the peaches if you like. Add the last pie crust. Takes about 3 hours and not much fire under the oven.   Mexican Casserole Ingredients 1 lb breakfast sausage hot or regular 1 lb ground beef 1 medium onion chopped well 2 eggs 1 can Rotel diced tomatoes drained well bread crumbs as needed Mix well adding bread crumbs to produce a dense meatloaf.  Place in a #10 Dutch oven that has been sprayed well with a non stick spray.  Cover and cook for about 30 min or until almost done. While that is cooking, mix 2 boxes of cornbread mix according to the instructions given and add the following: 1 small onion finely chopped 2 medium jalapenos finely chopped 1 can of creamed corn Mix well. Remove meat from oven and carefully drain off any liquid. Pour cornbread mixture over the top of the meat and return to oven for approximately 20 min.  Watch this carefully.  Check for doneness with a toothpick.   Barbecue Ribs 1/2 Rack of spare ribs Salt and Pepper ribs according to taste Your favorite barbecue sauce Braise in a hot Dutch Oven for 30 to 40 minutes at approximately 450 degrees.  Cover lid completely with coals, same with bottom.  Check for browning, turn if necessary.   Separate ribs and cover with your favorite barbecue sauce.  Bake for approx. 2 hours with 14 coals on top and bottom.       Bratwurst Stroganoff Ingredients 2 lbs stadium style bratwurst 1 lb package of Portabella mushrooms, sliced thin 1 large, flat Vidalia onion sliced very thin 1 quart sour cream 1 quart white wine 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour 2 tablespoons of high heat oil (peanut or olive) 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder salt and pepper to taste 2 large packages (24 oz to 32 oz total weight) extra wide egg noodles Set sufficient water to boil in accordance with the package directions of the noodles. A large pinch of course salt may be added to speed boiling and help flavor the noodles. Heat a large skillet (12 to 14 inch) and add the oil. Immediately place the brats into the oil and begin to move them around to completely brown them. This should take about ten minutes. Remove the brats from the pan and allow to rest at least five minutes. Check the water and when appropriate add the noodles. After the brats have rested, slice them into 1/2 inch pieces and set aside for later use. Add the onions to the skillet and reduce the heat slightly to a medium high. Allow the onions to just begin to turn clear then add the mushrooms. Raise the heat slightly closer to high. The vegetables should begin to absorb the drippings from the pan. When this happens return the sliced brats to the pan and allow them to cook for about 5 minutes while continually stirring. If the pan appears to be dry additional cooking oil may be added a half tablespoon at a time. Add no more than one additional full tablespoon. Sprinkle one half the flour over the contents of the pan and add the garlic. Stir to combine well and to absorb the flour. Add the sour cream and combine well. Add the wine a little at a time to achieve a consistency about like a sausage gravy or a bit thinner. This should take about half of the wine.  When the noodles are finished drain them well, add them to the sauce and combine well. Check the sauce. If it is too thick add a little more wine and combine. If too thin (doesn't coat the noodles) sprinkle a little of the remaining flour over the dish and combine well. Do not use more flour than what was left over from the original recipe measure because too much raw flour will ruin the dish. One Pot Tortilla Breakfast Ingredients 2 tsp. vegetable oil 2 medium green, red, and/or yellow peppers thin sliced 1 small red onion thin sliced 1 (1.25 oz.) package taco seasoning mix 1 can evaporated milk 6 large eggs, lightly beaten 12 (6 in.) fajita- size flour tortillas, warmed 1 jar of salsa 1 tub of sour cream 1 lb. shredded cheddar cheese Heat oil in Dutch oven. Add pepper, onion and seasoning mix, stir well. Cook well for 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp- tender. Transfer to bowl, cover. Combine evaporated milk and eggs in bowl. Pour into oven and scramble until soft curds form. Move eggs to center of oven. Arrange vegetables around eggs. Sprinkle cheese over eggs and vegetables. Serve with tortillas. Garnish as desired.