A large cooking pot with thick walls and a sturdy lid is termed a Dutch oven which can be used for shallow frying, braising, and sauteing foods. It is built to retain heat and is great when you want to cook slowly such as while softening the meats and veggies. Let us see some of the best Dutch ovens and a buying guide for them.
Table of Contents
Best Dutch Ovens in India
1. Amazon Brand – Solimo Stainless Steel Induction Bottom Dutch Oven with Glass Lid
Amazon Brand – Solimo Dutch Oven is made using 100% stainless steel of food-grade.
You can cook various types of food such as biriyani, pulao, sambar, curries, and others with it.
Specifications:
- Brand: Amazon Brand – Solimo
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Capacity: 3.25 litres
- Color: Silver
- Shape: Round
- Material Care Instructions: Oven Safe
- Item Weight: 1 kg 590 g
- Package Dimensions: 28.1 x 23.1 x 11.9 cm
2. Rock Tawa Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Rock Tawa Cast Iron Dutch Oven is pre-seasoned using sunflower oil and hence ready to use.
Heavy-duty products can be used to cook a variety of food.
Specifications:
- Brand: Rock Tawa
- Material: Cast Iron
- Capacity: 5 liters
- Color: Black
- Shape: Round
- Material Care Instructions: Oven Safe
- Warranty: 1 Year
- Item Weight: 6 kg 310 g
- Package Dimensions: 28.5 x 27.89 x 20.7 cm
3. Lodge L2SP3 Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Lodge L2SP3 Cast Iron Dutch Oven comes with amazing heat retention that uniformly cooks the food.
It is pre-seasoned, so you can use it directly.
Specifications:
- Brand: Lodge
- Material: Cast Iron
- Capacity: 1.9 liters
- Color: Black
- Material Care Instructions: Not Applicable
- Item Weight: 998 Grams
- Warranty: Lifetime Limited Manufacturer’s Warranty
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 25 x 22 x 9 Centimeters
4. Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast-Iron 7-1/4-Quart Round French (Dutch) Oven
Le Creuset Signature Dutch oven is an enameled cast iron oven that is available in multiple colors.
Better heat distribution and retention help in cooking various food items easily.
Specifications:
- Brand: Le Creuset
- Material: Cast Iron
- Capacity: 6.86 liters
- Color: Oyster
- Shape: Round
- Material Care Instructions: Dishwasher Safe
- Item Weight: 6.9 Kilograms
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 33 x 34.3 x 16 Centimeters
5. Meyer Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Meyer cast iron Dutch oven comes with a lifetime warranty.
It is pre seasoned with vegetable oil, hence can be readily used.
There are no toxins as no enamels or coating on the inner or outer surface
It gets heated up quickly and retains heat for a longer time that saves gas.
Specifications:
- Brand: Meyer
- Color: Black
- Shape: Round
- Warranty: Lifetime
- Item Weight: 4 kg 160 g
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 31.1 x 24.8 x 10.2 Centimeters
6. Lodge L8DO3 Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Lodge L8DO3 Cast Iron Dutch Oven is perfect for camp or hearth cooking.
Even heat distribution maintains efficiency and helps in cooking food efficiently.
Pre-seasoned with vegetable oil, so you can use it directly after purchase.
It has a stylish look that adds to the decor of your kitchen.
Specifications:
- Brand: Lodge
- Material: Cast iron
- Capacity: 4 liters
- Item Weight: 5.9 Kilograms
- Is Dishwasher Safe: Yes
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 30.5 x 30 x 12.5 Centimeters
7. Amazon Brand – Solimo Cast Iron Dutch Oven with Lid
Amazon Brand – Solimo cast iron Dutch oven comes with a beautiful stylish look that complements your kitchen decor.
It is a heavy-duty utensil that retains heat well for even cooking.
A glossy look is imparted through the vitreous enamel finish which does not react with acidic food, hence making it safe to cook curries besides various other dishes.
Specifications:
- Brand: Amazon Brand – Solimo
- Material: Cast Iron
- Color: Red
- Shape: Round
- Material Care Instructions: Microwave Safe
- Item Weight: 7 Kilograms
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 35.6 x 29.7 x 12.9 Centimeters
How Do I Use a Dutch Oven?
Using a Dutch oven is simple but varies depends on the type of cooking you are opting for:
1. Searing the food at low-medium flame:
This involves putting the Dutch oven in medium to high flame, adding cooking oil, and then the other ingredients.
Avoid overcrowding it as this will result in steaming instead of searing.
2. Braising the food in an oven:
You can heat the food gently and indirectly with a Dutch oven. Braising can be best done in an oven rather than the stovetop.
3. Bake your bread easily:
For this, the Dutch oven needs to be preheated. For a better crust, line a parchment paper in its interior before adding the dough. Initially, you may not end up with the best results but after a few trials, this can be possible.
Dutch Oven Vs Slow Cooker
| Dutch Oven | Slow Cooker |
| A flavorful dish can be made on a stovetop using this in just 30minutes. | These are used for cooking ingredients for several hours at low temperatures. |
| It helps in creating different layers of flavor by cooking on the stove. It lets you saute veggies, caramelize onions, and even deglaze the Dutch oven bottom for adding a new dimension to the stews and soups. | With this device, the flavors of different ingredients combine well and they cozy together very well to form one. |
| It is more versatile as you can try various combinations of ingredients to cook a delicious meal. | You can’t use this to fry the onion rings or braise meat. |
| The brilliant colors of these products add beauty to the kitchen cabinets. These are great for small storage space. | These are large and not as pretty as the Dutch ovens so you would rather not want to keep it on display. |
| Expensive | Cheaper |
Dutch Oven Buying Guide & Tips
Here are some points to remember while purchasing a Dutch oven:
1. Type of material:
Dutch ovens are available in form of stainless steel or iron in coated or uncoated form. For heat retention, cast iron is better compared to those made of stainless steel.
From the price point of view, those which are enameled are expensive compared to the uncoated ones but it is easy to use the enameled ones.
Stainless steel material is lightweight, unlike the cast iron Dutch oven. Also, the cast-iron Dutch oven has to be seasoned regularly.
You can also find ceramic Dutch ovens which are the lightest and perfect for stews of baking bread on stovetop or oven. These need to be handled carefully to prevent chipping or cracking.
2. Shape and size of the Dutch oven:
The size of the Dutch ovens varies from 0.5-15 lt, so based on the number of family members, you can purchase the right size. They are available in round or oval shape so depending on the type of burner shape, you can purchase it.
3. Design of the lid:
The lids of Dutch ovens are made in such a way that they evenly sit on the pot but do not make it air-tight. Those lids of good quality are known to have nubs, dimples, or tears at the bottom which are responsible for even redistribution of heat and moisture.
In certain models, there are metal spikes in the inner sides of the lid where the condensed water falls back evenly on the food that is being cooked to keep it moist.
In other models, raised rings can be found which helps the condensation drip back to the food through the inner walls of the cooking pot.
4. Color of the Dutch oven interior:
Generally, Dutch oven interiors are black or white, i.e mostly lighter or darker shade. For better monitoring of the cooking process and food color, a lighter interior is better as this becomes difficult in the case of a Dutch oven with darker interior color.
On the other hand, the color of the lighter interiors will not remain the same forever after exposure to heat. Crazing will occur which is the appearance of cracks in the pan. Cooking tools can also result in scratches in the interior part which are not visible in case of darker interiors.
5. Compatibility of the Dutch oven:
Some Dutch ovens can be used on gas or induction stovetops. The ceramic models can be used in gas cooktop and ovens. Some are built to resist high heat and hence can be used for baking.
6. Weight of the cookware:
Dutch ovens made of cast iron are the heaviest compared to ceramic or stainless steel material.
7. Type of handles:
Looped handles that have a semi-circular shape are the most comfortable for lifting heavy-weight Dutch ovens. Those with flat or tab-style handles are not very comfortable and hence should be avoided.
8. Color options of Dutch ovens:
The Dutch ovens are available in a range of colors so you can get the one that perfectly matches your kitchen interior.
What is the process of seasoning an uncoated Cast Iron Dutch Oven?
Rust can be avoided only when you season a cast-iron Dutch oven that is uncoated. This will also make it non sticky while cooking. For this, first, rinse it with plain water and pat dry with a clean cloth. Then this needs to be heated FOR 1 hour at 400°F to 500°F. Avoid doing this at lower temperatures as the oil won’t polymerize well which will make its surface sticky.
How to Clean a Dutch Oven?
Once cooking is done, first let it cool and then soak it for some time with warm water before cleaning to make the process faster. Use a soft dish scrubber for cleaning the Dutch oven because a coarse scrubber will result in scratching or chipping it. Avoid any extreme temperature changes in the oven as this will cause the enamel to crackdown just like glass. Make sure to season it again in case you have used some soap water for cleaning it.
Advantages of a Dutch Oven
Here are the benefits of owning a Dutch oven:
- It adds to the aesthetic beauty of your kitchen.
- Use it for braising to get a flavorful outcome.
- It evenly cooks the food and hence can be used for browning chicken or fish, keeping it crisp.
- Sauce can be simmered evenly with it.
- Those made of cast iron can enhance the iron content in food,
- You can use them at home for baking bread, sourdough and others.
- It has better heat retention compared to other materials.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Why is cooking in a Dutch oven better?
Ans: A Dutch oven is heavy that helps in heat retention and distribution in an even manner. You can even sear meat at high temperatures and maintain a low temperature for a long time with this.
Q. Is the Dutch oven and casserole the same?
Ans: A casserole is a deep pan used for cooking food in the oven but a Dutch oven is a large pot that can be used on the stovetop as well as in the oven.
Q. What can you not cook in a Dutch oven?
Ans: It can be used to cook everything but make sure to avoid certain things. This includes very high heat, preheating empty on high heat, not using an oil coat on the pan bottom, and drying it completely.
Q. Why does everything stick to my Dutch oven?
Ans: This happens because of poor maintenance, lack of using enough oil, and high heat.
Q. Can you put a Dutch oven in the oven?
Ans: Yes, but make sure to check if it is safe for use at high temperature in the oven to avoid any damage later.
Q. What is the most useful size Dutch oven?
Ans: A Dutch oven that is 5-7 quarts is the best for home cooking for 4 members.
Q. Why are Dutch ovens so expensive?
Ans: This is because of the thicker and high-quality material used for making them, which lasts for years when maintained well.
Q. Is it safe to preheat a Dutch oven?
Ans: No, you must avoid preheating to high temperatures because the surface will become very hot and the food will burn.
Q. Can you refrigerate food in a Dutch oven?
Ans: Yes, because they will retain the cold just like it retains heat, hence it will serve the purpose of keeping in a refrigerator.
Final Words:
Now when you know all aspects of a Dutch oven, you can easily purchase the one that suits all your needs, maintain it well to make it last longer, and ensure that the investment is worth it.
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