What’s Dutch Oven? Why is it called Dutch Oven? What’s the history, What’s the specific usage, how many common variants, what kind of dishes can be made.

Dutch Oven, a kind of translation is “Dutch pot”, it is said that this kind of kitchenware was invented in the Netherlands (especially the sand-casting molding method led to a new level of kitchenware manufacturing), and then was brought to the UK and then brought to various Colonies. However, I personally think that Dutch means faking here. When Dutch is an adjective, it is generally not good in American slang. It is often related to counterfeiting, alcoholism, and fraud. Whatever, it is indeed one of the main uses that use Dutch oven as an oven during the colonial period. During the colonial period, when the infrastructure was not built to the European level, the Dutch oven was quite expensive and useful. Most of times it was the most valuable item in the family. It should be listed separately when making the will, unlike your good luck now, when you go to Goodwill, you could search and find the one which like the new one. It’s a bit similar to the big pot on the stove in the rural areas of the country in local China. Even if the fight is fierce, it can’t smash the pot at the others home. But now no one can fully explain how Dutch Oven came about, so I won’t go into details here.

The common shape of the Dutch Oven is very similar to the casserole, When you do the Chinese food, then you purchase it back to home is basically stewed and boiled. However, the early Dutch Oven was basically cast iron, the lid was also concave inward, and there were three feet under the pot. The reason for this is that it can be used to toast and toast other things. The inward cover can put the burning red carbon, and the built-in bracket below is also to facilitate the placement of carbon underneath so that the pot body can be heated evenly, and then the heating air becomes the real oven.

In addition, the combination of a concave flat lid and a bracket can also allow the Dutch oven to be stacked several layers, thereby reducing fuel waste and improving efficiency. This method is very useful when cooking in large quantities.

So why not just use the oven? First, the earthen oven, which is commonly used in households in the past, is first used to burn wood or carbon in the oven. When the oven temperature is about the same, the fuel is swept out, and then the residual heat on the inner wall and bottom of the oven is used to roast food. Of course, the temperature will continue to decrease. At the end, the temperature is quite low and it is no longer possible to roast things. It is generally used to bake various herbs. Even if this extremely intuitive oven, wood or carbon can’t be added at any time, it is unconditional to build one at home for many people and families. And, during the colonial period and even the early 20th century, many people were accustomed to relocating. If you have a cast iron dutch oven, it’ll be more easier to move, just throw it on the carriage. Secondly, the cast iron stove oven that wood or carbon can be added to the fire at any time was popular only very late (in the late American Civil War). This type of stove is very convenient. Basically, it is the technological upper limit of wood burning stoves, Although this stove can be moved and convenient, it is still very heavy. It is far inferior to the Dutch oven which is suitable for the life of often moving on the caravan and cooking outdoors.

Therefore, a huge cast iron Dutch Oven (15 inches or 38cm) is extremely popular, because it is easy to use and easy to carry, it can be roasted, cooked, stewed, fried, and the lid can be turned up and use it like a pan. If there is only one kitchenware It must be a Dutch oven, because it is basically almighty.

Common usages of Dutch oven are roasting, stewing and braise. Roasting has been said above, the principle is to evenly heat the air so that the food is heated evenly. The dutch oven can bake bread, bake cakes and bake pizza, if you can accurately control the temperature (skilled or use a thermometer), the dutch oven can be made the dishes like the normal oven do. Stew is very simple, put food + water in the Dutch oven and then put it on the fire and cover with stew. Braise’s way is not to allow the flame to contact the dutch oven directly, so that the pot is evenly heated and the food is heated evenly, and the food will not paste, which is about the same as the concept of purple casserole cooking. Nowadays, you can put the dutch oven in the oven. In the past, it was not too much trouble. You need to put the pot up and put a circle of red carbon around it.

There are many types of dutch ovens on the market today. Common ones include traditional cast iron, enameled cast iron, cast aluminum, and stainless steel. There are some kitchen appliances that do not look like Dutch Oven but one of the features is the Dutch oven.

The last is the dish that can be made in the Dutch oven. The classic is cornbread baked with bacon oil, or toasted bread, and chilli bean soup, and various onions + bell pepper + meat + lard / butter Local dishes. In contrast, stew and braise dishes are much more ways to do, both Chinese and Western food can be prepared.