A dutch oven is a cooking pot that is very similar to a convection oven. Dutch oven cooking is usually done slowly and intensely. In the old days, dutch oven cooking entailed covering even the lid of the pot with coals to ensure that the heat is all around. These days, only the concept of dutch oven cooking is maintained but the heat mainly comes from the bottom of the pot.

Roasts

Roasts are a popular way of using the dutch oven to cook food. Since a dutch oven is usually thick and well insulated, the heat circulates around the pot and cooks the meat evenly. Dutch oven cooking with roasts can be delicious because the juices of the meat are the ones that usually steam up to be absorbed by the meat. This means the flavors of the vegetables and spices that have been added enter the meat and add to the taste.

Dutch oven cooking is ideal for roasting because of its slow cooking. The meat is cooked evenly inside and out with little chance of being overcooked due to the juices being trapped inside.

Stews

A stew is a food item that is a combination of liquid and solid foods. It usually has some vegetables and some meats or seafoods in it. Spices are also added to the mix and these are all simmered in water to bring out the flavors of both the vegetables and the meats or seafoods.  Dutch oven cooking is ideal for stews because of the slow cooking. Since a stew is supposed to simmer then slow cooking is good for it and the tight, heavy lid of the dutch oven ensures that the stew does not dry up.

Casseroles

Casseroles are pretty much similar to stews except that the pieces of vegetables and meats in it are cut smaller than those of the stew. Casseroles are usually cooked in the same dish that will be used to serve it. Dutch oven cooking and its slow cooking is ideal for this. The dutch oven acts as a standard oven where the casserole is placed in.

Baking

Since the dutch oven can be used as a standard convection oven, it also follows that one can bake using a dutch oven. Cookies and other baked goods can be cooked here.

Dutch oven cooking is very convenient and is typically used during camp outs and other camping activities. The way that dutch oven cooking has impacted outdoor cooking is tangible when you see the newer dutch oven that has been designed to be more convenient yet have the same function.

Tags: Baking, Roasts

Trackback URI | Comments RSS