https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_oven
A
Dutch oven is a thick-walled (usually
cast iron but also ceramic and clay)
cooking pot with a tight-fitting lid. Dutch ovens have been used as cooking vessels for hundreds of years. They are called
casserole dishes in English speaking countries other than the United States ("casserole" means "pot" in French), and
cocottes in French. They are similar to both the
Japanese tetsunabeand the
Sač, a traditional Balkan cast-iron oven, and are related to the
South African Potjie and the
Australian Bedourie oven.
Contents
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History[edit]
Early European history[edit]
During the late 17th century, the Dutch system of producing these cast metal cooking vessels was more advanced than the English system. The Dutch used dry sand to make their
molds, giving their pots a smoother surface. Consequently, metal cooking vessels produced in the Netherlands were imported into Britain. In 1704, an Englishman named
Abraham Darby decided to go to the Netherlands[
citation needed] to observe the Dutch system for making these cooking vessels. Four years later, back in England, Darby patented a casting procedure similar to the Dutch process and began to produce cast-metal cooking vessels for Britain and her new
American colonies. Thus the term “Dutch oven” has endured for over 300 years, since at least 1710.
[1]
American history[edit]
American Dutch ovens changed over time during the colonial era. These changes included a shallower pot, legs to hold the oven above the coals, and a lid
flangeto keep the coals on the lid and out of the food.
[2] Paul Revere is credited with the design of the flat lid with a ridge for holding coals as well as the addition of legs to the pots.
Colonists and settlers valued cast-iron cookware because of its versatility and durability. Cooks used them to boil, bake, stew, fry, and roast. The ovens were so valuable that wills in the 18th and 19th centuries frequently spelled out the desired inheritor. For example,
Mary Ball Washington (mother of President
George Washington) specified in her will, dated 20 May 1788, that one-half of her "iron kitchen furniture" should go to her grandson,
Fielding Lewis, and the other half to Betty Carter, a granddaughter. This bequest included several Dutch ovens.
[3]
Westward bound settlers took Dutch ovens with them. A Dutch oven was among the gear
Lewis and Clark carried when they explored the great
American Northwestin 1804–1806. Mormon pioneers who settled the
American West also took along their Dutch ovens. In fact, a statue raised to honor the
Mormon handcart companies who entered Utah’s
Salt Lake Valley in the 1850s proudly displays a Dutch oven hanging from the front of the handcart. The Dutch oven is also the official state cooking pot of Texas,
[4] Utah and Arkansas.
[5][6]
Mountain men exploring the great American frontier used Dutch ovens into the late 19th century.
Chuck wagons accompanying
western cattle drives also carried Dutch ovens from the mid-19th century into the early 20th century.
[7]
Dutch history[edit]
A Dutch oven, or braadpan, as it is used in the Netherlands today.
In the
Netherlands, a Dutch oven is called a
braadpan, which literally translates to frying pan or roasting pan. The design most used today is a black (with blue inside)
enameled steel pan, that is suitable for
gas and
induction heating. The model was introduced in 1891 by BK, a well known Dutch manufacturer of cookware. Cheaper and lighter in weight than cast iron, it proved to be a revolution in the kitchen.
[8] A braadpan is mainly used for frying meat only, but it can also be used for making traditional
stews such as
hachée. Cast iron models exist, but are used less frequently.
Types of Dutch ovens[edit]
Camping[edit]
A
camping,
cowboy, or
chuckwagon Dutch oven has three legs, a wire
bail handle, and a slightly concave, rimmed lid so that coals from the
cooking fire can be placed on top as well as below. This provides more uniform internal heat and lets the inside act as an
oven. These ovens are typically made of bare
cast iron, although some are
aluminum. Dutch ovens are often used in
Scouting outdoor activities.
Cookware descended from Dutch ovens[edit]
Bedourie oven[edit]
Main article:
Bedourie oven
In
Australia, a
bedourie camp oven is a steel cookpot shaped and used like a Dutch oven. Named after
Bedourie, Queensland, the Bedourie ovens were developed as a more robust (non-breakable) alternative to the more fragile
cast iron Dutch ovens.
[9][10]
Potjie[edit]
Main article:
Potjiekos
A cast iron
potjie on a fire
In
South Africa, a
potjie /pˈɔɪkiː/, directly translated "pottle or little pot"
[11] from
Afrikaans or
Dutch, is unlike most other Dutch ovens, in that it is round bottomed. Traditionally, it is a single cast,
cast iron pot, reinforced with external double or triple circumscribing ribs, a wire handle for suspending the pot, and three short legs for resting the pot. It is similar in appearance to a
cauldron. It has a cast iron lid with a recessed convex contour to allow for hot coals to lay on top, so that the pot may also be heated from above, and a handle. When the vessel is to be stored long term, care must be taken to avoid rust forming, this is accomplished by coating it in a non-toxic oil, such as cooking oil. This act ensures that the vessel remains in a
seasoned state. "Potjie" can also refer to the technique of cooking
potjiekos. Among the recipes which require a potjie, there is one for a type of bread called "
potbrood", which literally means "pot bread".
Among the South African indigenous peoples (specifically
Zulus) these pots also became known as
phutu pots, after a popular food prepared in it. The larger pots are normally used for large gatherings e.g. Funerals or weddings to prepare large quanties of food. Wooden spoons referred to as Kombe in the Tsonga language are used for mixing and stirring.
This tradition originated in the
Netherlands during the
Siege of Leiden and was brought to South Africa by Dutch immigrants.
[12] It persisted over the years with the
Voortrekkers and survives today as a traditional
Afrikaner method of cooking.
[11] It is still in common use by South African campers, both domestic and international.
Chugun[edit]
Chugun with a long handled tool and lifting roller
Chugun holding tool
In
Eastern Europe and
Central Asia, a
chugun is a
cast iron pot used in a modern
oven or in a traditional
Russian oven,
hearth, or a
campfire. A chugun is used in a variety of cooking methods including high temperature cooking,
low-temperature cooking,
thermal cooking,
slow cooking,
smothering,
roasting,
baking,
braising, and
stewing.
The shape of a chugun is similar to a traditional
crock with a narrow top and bottom and wider in the middle. When used inside a traditional oven, a long handled holding tool is used with a roller that serves as a
lever to lift a heavy chugun in and out of the oven. Since there are no handles, it's inconvenient to use a chugun on a
stovetop.
A variety of chuguns are used to prepare an entire
meal
Often several chuguns of different sizes are used in the oven at the same time to prepare the entire meal. Dishes usually cooked in a chugun are roast meat with vegetables called "zharkoye,"
holubtsi,
potato babka,
stuffed peppers, and
baked milk.
Use in cooking[edit]
Dutch ovens are well suited for long, slow cooking, such as in making roasts, stews, and
casseroles. Virtually any recipe
[13] that can be cooked in a conventional oven can be cooked in a Dutch Oven.
When cooking over a campfire, it is possible to use old-style lipped cast iron Dutch ovens as true baking ovens, to prepare
biscuits,
cakes,
breads,
pizzas, and even
pies. A smaller baking pan can be placed inside the ovens, used and replaced with another as the first batch is completed. It is also possible to stack Dutch ovens on top of each other, conserving the heat that would normally rise from the hot coals on the top. These stacks can be as high as 5 or 6 pots.
Seasoning and care[edit]
Bare cast iron[edit]
Americans traditionally
season their iron Dutch ovens like other
cast-iron cookware.
After use Dutch ovens are typically cleaned like other cast iron cookware: with boiling water and a brush, and no or minimal soap. After the oven has been dried, it should be given a thin coating of cooking oil to prevent rusting. Whether that should be a vegetable fat or an animal fat (such as lard) is hotly contested[
citation needed]. Saturated fats are more stable than polyunsaturated fats, which tend to go rancid more quickly.
Where possible, a cleaned and freshly oiled Dutch oven should be stored in a clean, dry location with the lid ajar or off to promote air circulation and to avoid the smell and taste of rancid oil. If the Dutch oven must be stored with the lid on, a paper towel or piece of newspaper should be placed inside the oven to absorb any moisture.
With care, after much use the surfaces of the Dutch oven will become dark black, very smooth, shiny and non-stick. With proper care, a Dutch oven will provide long service.
[14]
Enameled ovens[edit]
Enameled ovens do not need to be seasoned before use. However, they lose some of the other advantages of bare cast iron. For example,
deep frying is usually not recommended in enameled ovens; the enamel coating is not able to withstand high heat, and is best suited for water-based cooking.
Enameled ovens can usually be cleaned like ordinary cookware, and some brands can be put in the dishwasher.
See also[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Dutch ovens.
References[edit]
- Jump up^ Dutch Ovens Chronicled 3-4
- Jump up^ Dutch Ovens Chronicled 11-14
- Jump up^ Dutch Ovens Chronicled 28
- Jump up^ http://www.npr.org/2005/04/22/4616266/texas-pays-tribute-to-the-dutch-oven
- Jump up^ "Utah Symbols — Dutch Oven". Pioneer.utah.gov. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- Jump up^ "Where Can I Find a List of Official State Cooking Vessels?". Retrieved 2012-08-16.
- Jump up^ Dutch Ovens Chronicled 33-54
- Jump up^ (Dutch) A History of BK (De geschiedenis van BK), Retrieved 15 September 2013
- Jump up^ Redden Illustration. "Camping and outdoor cookware, fish smoker, cookers and frypans". Southern Metal Spinners. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- Jump up^ "Camp Oven Cooking In Australia (Cocia) - Camp Oven Cooking". Aussiecampovencook.com. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- ^ Jump up to:a b Stan Engelbrecht, Tamsen de Beer, Ree Treweek (2005). African salad: A portrait of South Africans at Home. Day One Publishing. ISBN 0-620-35451-8.
- Jump up^ "Potjiekos". food24.com. Retrieved 2008-08-15. External link in |publisher= (help)
- Jump up^ "Dutch Oven Recipes". The Iron Flame. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- Jump up^ "Lodge Cast Iron Cookware". Lodgemfg.com. Retrieved 2013-09-13.
Further reading[edit]
Look up
dutch oven in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
The Wikibook
Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Recreation has a page on the topic of:
Dutch Oven Cooking
- Ragsdale, John (2006). Dutch Oven Cooking (4th edition) (paperback). Taylor Trade Publishing. ISBN 978-1-58979-352-1.
- Stucki, Dick (2006). Dutch Oven Cookin'. Bonnevile Publishing Co. ISBN 978-0-925838-00-1.
- Mills, Sheila (2008). The Outdoor Dutch Oven Cookbook. McGraw-Hill Professional. ISBN 978-0-07-154660-7.
- Joan S.Larsen. Lovin' Dutch Ovens. 1991 LFS Publications.
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