Dutch Oven Buying Guide
The Dutch Oven has been in existence for many centuries. And, it's always been a very handy and durable kitchen appliance. A Dutch oven is virtually durable and can be utilized to cook over very high heat sources. It is usually used for roasting, frying, and baking, which is just about every type of cooking!
As with other cookware, the Dutch Oven needs to be carefully selected. There are various sizes, models, brands, types, so trying to find the most fitting one for your kitchen might be a little bit challenging. But we have outlined the essential things you need to consider when buying one. Therefore, you can easily choose the best Dutch Oven for your personal needs. Read on!
Tips For Using the Dutch Oven
Here are a few tips and tricks to get the best experience out of your Dutch oven:
- Prevent using it on very high heat;
- Always keep an eye on your ovens;
- Use enough amount of oil or butter to coat the bottom of the pan;
- Regularly clean and dry your dutch oven after use;
- Don't place the lid on the ground;
- Avoid preheating it empty on high heat.
What Are The Things You Need To Consider Before Buying a Dutch Oven?
Material:
When it comes to materials, you have two main choices:
Bare cast Dutch oven
This is a bare cast iron design that requires special preparation before you can use them. Cast iron heats evenly and retains heat. Some people feel the bare cast iron ovens give a richer flavor to food over time, but these types of Dutch ovens are mainly used for the outdoors and barbecues.
Enameled Dutch oven
Most of the users prefer enameled Dutch ovens because they are a lot easier to clean and take care of. Also, they are obtainable in various colors and sizes. But you need to be pretty careful not to scratch the enamel, particularly around the edge.
Size:
When picking the size, you also need to consider that the dutch oven will need to fit in the oven. Aside from the width, you also need to take into account the height with the top on. If you have a small oven, you might have difficulty fitting a covered Dutch oven inside.
Of course, the volume of food that you cook will also help you determine the ideal size. The common ones are around 5 to 7-quart, which would serve roughly seven people.
Shape
The two common shapes for Dutch ovens are round and oval. Round is the most popular shape: it sits adequately on a single burner and heats evenly. It is usually deeper, and stirring is performed smoothly and easily. An oval-shaped oven is usually lighter and wider than round versions; it's ideal for preparing longer pieces of meat in the oven. The oval shape doesn't distribute heat evenly on the stovetop, but you'll hardly notice a difference if you preheat it in the oven.
What is the Price Range of a Dutch Oven?
The Dutch ovens' price can vary from $30 to $500 depending on the material, size, shape, and brand. A 6-quart enameled Dutch oven can usually cost you around $30 to $50, and the cast iron model can be at a $100 mark. Both of these Dutch ovens will still cook perfectly and get the job done. But if you're looking for a more luxurious one, then you are looking to pay a price of $400 and maybe even higher.
What Are The Most Important Features?
Lids
A Dutch oven's lid is really important. Choosing a well-fitting lid will help prevent meats from drying out and stop sauces from evaporating quickly. Most of the ovens will come with a lid made out of the same material as the oven. But some of the Dutch ovens might come with a tempered glass lid that will help you visually inspect your food while cooking.
Temperature
The highest temperature setting depends on various reasons. Still, most of the bare cast iron can typically handle over 500 degrees, while the enameled cast iron can only handle around 400 degrees before it starts burning. Always read the manufacturer's guide for your Dutch oven's specific maximum heat limit.
Knobs
Most of the lid's knobs tend to be pretty hot, and you might have difficulty in removing them. You can purchase an oven-proof replacement knob in stainless steel and replace them out yourself, or just select a model that already has a metal knob that can resist higher temperatures.
Handles
Another thing that doesn't resist higher temperature are the handles, and it's pretty important that you would be able to hold the Dutch oven without worrying about getting burned. So loop handles on the sides would be more than enough to be able to hold the dutch oven and secure enough so it won't bend.
How Did We Pick The Best Dutch Ovens?
When picking the best Dutch ovens, we have put into consideration a lot of factors, including material, price, reviews, brand, durability, etc. After deeply researching all the Dutch ovens, we have managed to pick the top ones available on the market.
We have manually tested out each Dutch oven on our top pick to see how well each oven distributed heat, how easy each was to pick up and move around, how easy each one was to clean, and whether the lid allowed enough evaporation. As we were cooking with each oven, we also estimated how cumbersome they were to lift when full.
And at the end, after testing, we took note of every single dutch oven and managed to rank them properly.
Dutch Oven FAQ
Q:
Is the enameled Dutch oven safe
A:
Yes, the enameled dutch oven is completely safe to use. It is designed to resist high temperatures in the oven without any problems. And it doesn't have any toxic materials as other materials.
Q:
How long do Dutch ovens last?
A:
Most of the quality Dutch ovens will be a long-term investment. If you take care of it and wash it regularly, the Dutch oven should last for a couple of years and even decades.
Q:
How do you clean an enameled Dutch oven?
A:
You can clean some of the enameled cast-iron Dutch ovens with the dishwasher, but you should wash them by hand. Cleaning by hand helps you prevent any unwanted damages to the coating.