COUNTERTOP APPLIANCES

TIPS FOR COOKING AND BAKING WITH A DUTCH OVEN

A Dutch oven is something of a marvel. It can bake rustic bread, sear root vegetables or a delicious cut of pork and help make apple cobblers. Hands down, the Dutch oven is one of the most versatile pots you can have at your disposal.

This guide will help you learn all you need to know about a Dutch oven so you can use yours to create hearty and mouth-watering meals.

On a counter are a Dutch oven with soup, a Dutch oven with chicken and rice with the lid leaning on its edge and a circular grilling plate with three pieces of garlic bread. There's also a black Dutch oven on the counter On a counter are a Dutch oven with soup, a Dutch oven with chicken and rice with the lid leaning on its edge and a circular grilling plate with three pieces of garlic bread. There's also a black Dutch oven on the counter

WHAT ARE DUTCH OVENS?

A Dutch oven is a specific type of pot—wide, relatively shallow and with a tight-fitting lid. It can braise, slow cook, sauteé, simmer and help you make everything from bread to one-pot meals like a savoury, tender brisket cooked low and slow.

Dutch ovens are typically heavy since they are often made of cast iron. One of its distinct benefits is the ability to maintain a steady temperature for a long time on the stove or in the oven.

The two most common types of Dutch ovens include:

  • Traditional cast-iron
  • Enamelled cast-iron

Many people season their traditional cast-iron Dutch ovens prior to use and, because of this, they should only be cleaned with hot water. Similar to their enameled counterparts, traditional cast-iron Dutch ovens are suitable for use in the oven or on the stovetop. This type of Dutch oven is durable and versatile—you can enjoy food cooked in a traditional cast-iron Dutch oven on the campfire or a grill.

Enamelled cast–iron, on the other hand, features a smooth, non-porous surface. You can transfer it from the stovetop to the oven and then right to the table with ease. One drawback is that this type of Dutch oven can not handle extremely high temperatures, so you can’t put it on the grill or over a campfire.

Someone holds the handles of a lidded blue Dutch oven. Nearby are a glass bowl of red potatoes, three whole carrots, butter, fresh herbs and a lidded pot is on a burner of a KitchenAid Induction Cooktop. Someone holds the handles of a lidded blue Dutch oven. Nearby are a glass bowl of red potatoes, three whole carrots, butter, fresh herbs and a lidded pot is on a burner of a KitchenAid Induction Cooktop.

12 WAYS TO USE A DUTCH OVEN

You can experiment with different techniques, recipes and uses for your Dutch oven to make savoury entrées, sweet confections and tons of other delicious meals.

A loaf of bread

1. FRESHLY BAKED BREAD

Most commercial bread ovens often use an injection of steam to maintain moisture inside the bread, keeping it soft, while a crusty and flaky crust forms.

A Dutch oven can produce a similar result thanks to its ability to keep the bread’s shape and contain the steam it releases as it bakes. If you’re a passionate baker and enjoy mixing, kneading and baking bread , a Dutch oven might be the perfect addition to your kitchen.

A charred marshmallow on a pastry.

2. DEEP FRYING

A Dutch oven can deep or shallow fry food so that they’re crispy and golden brown. You can have fun with new recipes such as deep fried cappuccino pastry s’mores .

Add roughly an inch of oil for shallow frying in a Dutch oven or about halfway with oil for deep frying. When the oil reaches roughly 350° F, carefully and slowly lower your food into the oil.

Overcrowding a Dutch oven will lower the oil temperature, causing food to become oily and soggy, not light and crispy. The solution to overcrowding is to fry food in batches.

On a dishcloth is a blue Dutch oven. Next to it are tongs, a bowl of red potatoes and three whole carrots.

3. COOLING

A Dutch oven can retain heat but it can also keep things cold. To cool food with a Dutch oven, fill it with ice water for roughly ten minutes and then empty it. Once the interior is cool, you can keep a dish like Creamy Pasta Salad at the right temperature before your guests arrive for your pool party.

A Dutch oven of pasta with cheese, basil and tomato sauce.

4. SLOW COOKING

Dutch ovens are adept at heat retention due to their cast-iron construction, making them ideal for slow cooking.

The lid is tight-fitting, designed to trap moisture and flavours inside and cook meats slowly all day until it's fall-apart tender. To many, Dutch ovens are the only way to cook low and slow on the stovetop or in the oven.

A whole roasted chicken on a bed of potatoes and sweet potatoes and garnished with lemon and parsley.

5. MEAT AND VEGETABLE STOCKS

A Dutch oven can roast an entire chicken to perfection but it doesn’t stop there. You can take all those leftover juices and make an aromatic and flavourful chicken stock.

Once the chicken is done roasting in your Dutch oven, remove it and then add some aromatic herbs and spices to the remaining juices, fill with water and simmer. The result will be a homemade stock with an impressive depth of flavour that can be used for a variety of recipes. You can use this same method to make beef or vegetable stocks.

Two bowls of soup garnished with cream and herbs. Nearby are three lime wedges.

6. STEWS AND SOUPS

A popular use for a Dutch oven is to make a comforting winter stew or soup. A Dutch oven can do everything from sautéeing onions and garlic to searing the meat before adding liquid. Once you’ve taken the necessary steps, simply add a liquid of your choice, maybe even that homemade stock you have in your refrigerator.

Once everything is cooked to your liking, use a KitchenAid® Immersion Blender to combine all of the ingredients and then allow the stew or soup to simmer.

On a cake stand is a strawberry shortcake with a slice missing.

7. DESSERTS

A Dutch oven is a great pot for baking desserts like cobblers or pineapple upside-down cakes. It might not seem like the first choice but once you’ve tried Dutch oven brownies you will be a believer.

Beef shorts ribs, a slice of bread and a vegetable medley in a bowl with a spoon.

8. BRAISED MEAT

Dutch ovens can braise meat thanks to their heavy, thick walls that can help hold a steady temperature and provide the proper environment for meat to become tender and flavourful. You simply need to sear a cut of meat in a Dutch oven and then add the vegetables followed by the liquids.

A Dutch oven's ability to keep low temperatures and allow for longer cooking times will fill your kitchen with delightful aromas and ensure your food is chock-full of flavour.

A shepherd's pie with a corner slice that's been removed and placed in a bowl next to it.

9. COOKING OUTDOORS

If you love to cook outdoors, a Dutch oven is perfect for your next camping adventure. This versatile pot lets you prepare, cook and even serve while outdoors.

Nestle a Dutch oven over the hot coals of a campfire to prepare comfort foods such as Shepherd’s Pie. Cast iron Dutch ovens are great for cooking over an open fire or on a grill and enameled Dutch ovens can maintain a desired temperature for a long time. Even on a cold evening, you don’t have to worry about your food losing warmth.

A spoon covered in gravy hovers over a small jar of gravy.

10. SAUCES AND GRAVIES

It doesn’t matter if you’re making a baked goat cheese marinara or a tasty gravy to smother homemade biscuits, a Dutch oven can slowly simmer a variety of sauces and gravies.

The key for many sauce and gravy recipes is to cook low and slow, so the flavours have time to develop. Since a Dutch oven is designed to do just that, it’s ideal for cooking whatever sauce or gravy you desire.

On a counter are a small bowl of green olives, a cutting board with crostini, a plate with a fork on it and a Dutch oven with a casserole made of marinara sauce and cheese.

11. MARINATING

Enameled Dutch ovens are durable and do not feature a porous surface. This makes them a good choice for marinating foods. One advantage of marinating in the Dutch oven is that you can prepare, cook and serve all in the same pot, saving time, and space and reducing the post-meal clean-up. However, you should never marinate in a cast iron Dutch oven.

In a KitchenAid Oven is a Dutch oven with artichokes.

12. STEAMING

A Dutch oven can nicely steam vegetables and other foods if you use a steamer basket, colander or rack. You can even cook two things at once; one item in the Dutch oven as you steam something else in the above steamer basket.

9 TIPS & TRICKS FOR USING A DUTCH OVEN

Use a Dutch oven to braise pork or beef, slow-cook stews, bake bread or even deep-fry vegetables for that new tempura recipe you want to try.

These tips and tricks can help you utilize your Dutch oven to its fullest capabilities as you experiment with your culinary creations.

On a KitchenAid Cooktop are a Dutch oven with rice and a grilling plate with vegetables. In the background are a container of rice and a red Dutch oven.

1. BROWNING MEAT

Brown large pieces of meat in batches to avoid overcrowding. A crowded pot can build up steam, causing the meat to toughen and undermine the flavour you’re trying to develop.

Browning meat can also be the first step to making a pan sauce to complement your entrée.

In a microwave is a black Dutch oven.

2. OVEN COOKING

A Dutch oven can go from stovetop to oven and then right to the tabletop. Dutch ovens make fun and show-stopping serving dishes, but you need to use the trivet underneath to protect your table’s surface.

In most cases, the entire Dutch oven, including the lid, can be inserted into the oven to help trap heat and moisture. Keep in mind that some Dutch oven lids have a plastic knob, often making them durable but only up to a certain temperature. You can remove the lid by twisting off the knob if you are concerned about it melting or being damaged in some way.

Please consult your owner’s manual to confirm if your Dutch oven is oven-safe.

On a counter are an avocado split in half, a small bowl of seasoning, a KitchenAid Blender with minced ingredients, garlic, cherry tomatoes and a cutting board with more cherry tomatoes, chopped herbs, jalapenos and two halves of a red onion.

3. CHOPPING MEAT AND VEGETABLES

Uniformity is important when chopping, dicing or mincing vegetables or meat. Cooking meats and vegetables of different sizes may result in uneven cooking and you could end up with some that are overcooked and others that are underdone.

On a KitchenAid Cooktop with the burner activated is a grilling plate with two chicken breasts cooking. Next to it is a pan filled with ingredients.

4. SLOW COOKING

If you want to sear meat and vegetables, start by searing the meat and then set it aside on a plate. Next, lower the heat and add the vegetables to the pan. By using the same pan, vegetables can take on some of the meat’s flavour while cooking at their own pace and temperature.

A hand hovers above a Dutch oven with rice and green beans.

5. DEVELOPING FLAVOURS

Try to resist the temptation to add everything to the pot all at once. A Dutch oven lets you layer the flavours, giving you the control to decide what goes in the pot and when.

It’s recommended to first sear your meat in hot oil to create a flavourful base for your meal.

Someone places the parts of a Dutch oven in the bottom rack of a KitchenAid Dishwasher. Also in the dishwasher is a cutlery tray with forks and spoons.

6. CARING FOR AND MAINTAINING YOUR DUTCH OVEN

Caring for your Dutch oven can help ensure that it looks great and you can use it as intended for years. Always hand-wash it and for a traditional cast-iron Dutch oven, properly season it before the next use.

Avoid scouring stains and never use harsh cleaners to clean your Dutch oven. Opt instead for natural cleaners like a mixture made of water and baking soda.

Using tongs, someone places roasted vegetables on a plate with a whole roasted chicken. Behind it is a green Dutch oven.

7. LOW AND SLOW COOKING

Slow cooking is an amazing cooking method, making fall-off-the-bone meats and flavourful and succulent meals.

A Dutch oven can maintain a steady temperature for as long as needed. This lets you use your Dutch oven the same way you would a slow cooker to properly cook large, tough cuts of meat or stews and soups.

A Dutch oven with green beans covered in parmesan cheese. Next to it is a green and white dish cloth.

8. HEATING A DUTCH OVEN

When you quickly heat a dry cast-iron pot, the enamel can crack. Always add a small amount of oil or butter to the pan before heating. Other liquids like water or broth can also add a layer of protection for the enamel.

Beef that's been confit on a plate. There is also a small bowl of salt and another with green beans.

9. CONFIT COOKING

Did you know you could also use a Dutch oven to confit meat? Confit foods are typically cured with salt and then slowly cooked in fat at a low temperature, often lower than 300° F.

SHOP KITCHENAID® FOOD PREP TOOLS

KitchenAid® food prep tools, such as hand blenders and food processors, expand your culinary talents and ambitions, letting you explore your creativity in new and exciting ways. KitchenAid® food prep tools are versatile, offering the freedom to move around the kitchen while saving space and reducing the amount of prep time. .

A kitchen with a KitchenAid Range with a Cooktop and a KitchenAid Side-by-Side Refrigerator. On the cooktop are a pot and pan. On the counters, a cutting board leans on a wall and there are a potted plant, fresh herbs in water, a container of rice, a cutting board with a knife and produce and oil containers. A kitchen with a KitchenAid Range with a Cooktop and a KitchenAid Side-by-Side Refrigerator. On the cooktop are a pot and pan. On the counters, a cutting board leans on a wall and there are a potted plant, fresh herbs in water, a container of rice, a cutting board with a knife and produce and oil containers.

CAN YOU PUT A DUTCH OVEN IN A CONVECTION OVEN?

Generally speaking, it is safe to put a Dutch oven in a convection oven. Select Dutch ovens have a temperature threshold, so make sure you know your model’s threshold in addition to the temperature your convection oven will reach.

You should also give thought to whether convection is the correct method for the food you are cooking. Consult your owner’s manual for more information about your Dutch oven.

In a kitchen, a Dutch oven simmers a soup and two pans with various ingredients are on a KitchenAid Induction Cooktop. On the island near the cooktop are a margarita, a plastic spoon, two stacked bowls and a spoon on a cutting board, a plate of tortilla chips, a small bowl with a green item and the corner of a cutting board with produce. In the background are a bowl of fruit, a cutting board with food, an opened book, a KitchenAid Stand Mixer and salt and pepper shakers. In a kitchen, a Dutch oven simmers a soup and two pans with various ingredients are on a KitchenAid Induction Cooktop. On the island near the cooktop are a margarita, a plastic spoon, two stacked bowls and a spoon on a cutting board, a plate of tortilla chips, a small bowl with a green item and the corner of a cutting board with produce. In the background are a bowl of fruit, a cutting board with food, an opened book, a KitchenAid Stand Mixer and salt and pepper shakers.

IS A DUTCH OVEN COMPATIBLE WITH AN INDUCTION COOKTOP?

A Dutch oven can be used on any kind of cooktop, including induction. You have to confirm that your Dutch oven is made with induction-compatible material like cast-iron. When using a Dutch oven on direct heat, you risk scorching it if the temperature gets too hot.

IS IT SAFE TO PUT A COLD DUTCH OVEN IN A OVEN?

Putting a cold Dutch oven in a hot oven can crack it. A safer method is to place it in the oven as it preheats. This way, the oven and the Dutch oven can heat up in sync.

A red Dutch oven A red Dutch oven

HOW DO YOU CLEAN A DUTCH OVEN?

Clean an enameled Dutch oven with warm, soapy water and scrub with a silicone pan scraper or a nylon brush. Only use hot water to clean a traditional cast iron Dutch oven.

Both types of Dutch ovens must be thoroughly dried before being stored to avoid rust forming. For stains and burnt-on messes, use baking soda to help loosen them. Always avoid using harsh materials and cleaners.

Some enameled Dutch ovens are dishwasher safe but it is still recommended to only wash in a dishwasher, if necessary, to avoid the enamel dulling or scratching.

SHOP KITCHENAID® COOKTOPS

KitchenAid® Cooktops can elevate your everyday cooking with versatility, performance and craftsmanship. Enjoy innovative features like Sensor Induction Technology and Assisted Cooking Modes to expand your culinary ambitions and tackle exciting new recipes.