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Dutch Oven Cooking Tips
How to season a Dutch oven
Dutch ovens are available in cast iron or aluminum; cast iron requires seasoning to prevent rusting, aluminum does not. Aluminum weighs much less, but does not distribute heat as evenly as cast iron. Size typically ranges from 8 to 16 inches in diameter. 
 
Seasoning is a simple process of baking oil onto the oven’s surfaces, which prevents rusting and makes clean-up much easier. For a new oven, scrub the pot and lid in hot water with a mild soap, then dry completely. Do not use abrasive detergents! Coat the inner and outer surfaces with a thin layer of cooking oil; place in a conventional oven with the pot upside down and bake at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Remove from oven and repeat at least twice more.  Use a soft cloth to spread the oil as the cookware will be hot from the oven and you could easily burn your hands. After the last treatment, turn the oven off and leave the cookware in the oven to cool.  The cookware will darken with each successive seasoning.
How many briquettes
A simple method to reach 325 degrees is the “3 up, 3 down” formula. It is based on the oven’s diameter and the use of full-size charcoal briquettes. The diameter of the oven plus 3 equals the number of briquettes to place on the lid for top heat. The diameter of the oven minus 3 equals the number of briquettes to place underneath the pot for bottom heat. For example, to heat a 12-inch diameter oven to 325 degrees, you would place 15 briquettes on the lid and 9 briquettes underneath the pot. Be sure to place the briquettes in a consistent pattern to allow for even distribution of the heat. 
 
One exception to the above formula is when cooking baked goods. Too many briquettes underneath the pot will quickly burn the bottom of your biscuits, cake, etc so experiment with fewer briquettes, as few as 4 or 5. Also, if you are cooking a roast or other food needing a longer cooking time, you may need to add new briquettes to maintain the cooking temperature.  Most briquettes will yield one hour of cooking time.  
 

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Page updated: November 05, 2007

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