I'm tired of not knowing what a "dutch oven" is. I have a stove with four burners on it. I have an oven too.

Question

Is an oven a "dutch oven"? That's right, I don't cook much

Answer 1

I'm sure by the time I get this typed you will have heard from many other women, but a dutch oven is just a particular type of pot and pan. Comes from the olden days, I guess.

Answer 2

A "Dutch oven" is a large covered cooking pot, traditionally cast iron and typically with a swiveling handle suitable for hanging over an open fire. The name dates back to Colonial days, when there was a large population of Dutch colonists in New York (remembering that it used to be called New Amsterdam). In homes of the 1600s, the kitchen often had only a large open hearth (remembering also that Benjamin Franklin invented the pot-bellied stove in the 1700s).

In addition to being a great way to cook stews and soups, the Dutch oven made it possible to bake things over an open fire, because you could hang the large pot on an iron hook over the fire. To this day many people take a Dutch oven with them when camping, so they can bake biscuits and other breads over the campfire. You can also use a Dutch oven by placing it on one of the burners on top of the stove, as a pot for making spaghetti sauce, chili, stew, or pot roast. It's a very versatile piece of cookware.

I checked for some pictures and found the Wikipedia entry that I included in the Sources field. It'll explain some more about it.

Answer 3

A "dutch oven" is a pot that comes in different capacities. Some have legs, most don't. The lid has a lip. A "dutch oven" is designed to be put under the coals of a fire and have the food cook from the top down.

Answer 4

Just to clarify a few things. . . .

The original "Dutch ovens" were completely cast iron (dark gray) –both pot and lid, and at least in this country were used directly in a fire (or hanging over a fire). Think pioneers on the open range next to their conestoga wagons, or cowboys.

The Dutch ovens came in several sizes so that they could be stacked on top of each other (in the fire (actually the coals of a fire). The way they were built allowed this stacking…the lids each had a lip around them so that more coals could sit on top of the lid of each pot, and the feet on the bottom allowed each smaller one to sit on top of the one underneath but still leave room for the layer of coals on that one's lid.

Since they were made from cast iron and since the lid was tight fitting and also cast iron, they held heat very well and the heat was delivered evenly from all sides… so they were like portable “ovens” as much as pots. In fact, cakes and “baked” things can be cooked quite nicely in them.

Later, a company called Le Crueset (luh crooz-ay) came along and made these cast iron pots prettier by covering them inside and out with baked on “enamel” (usually white-ish color on the inside, and brightly-colored on the outside). The enamel on the inside also kept the cast iron from touching the food directly, so that acidic type foods wouldn’t react with them.
(These newer ones don’t have the rimmed lids or the feet on the bottom, and some of the newer all cast iron ones don’t either.)
The enameled ones are also washed like a regular pot with soap and water, while the all-cast iron ones need only to be well oiled, then cleaned with a brush and a little simmering water (better for the frontier too)… eventually that repeated oiling and heating gives the pot a very black appearance and makes it almost non-stick (one reason why grandma’s old cast iron cookware is worth its weight in gold) … if an old one has rust, it can even be “sanded” off, the pot reconditioned, and voila.

Other companies make enamelled “Dutch” ovens besides Le Crueset (who just call theirs “ovens”), but LeCruset ones are still pretty much the gold standard (and expen$$ive). A good one should have a very heavy bottom, and the enameling should be as unchipable as possible.
The Lodge company (who has made most of the cast iron pots, skillets, and grills in this country since the beginning) has recently come out with a similar version though for less $$.
(I’ve also seen some pots advertised as Dutch ovens which have the decorative enamelling only on the outside but not the inside… not the best idea IMHO.)

Another advantage of a Dutch oven besides its ability to hold heat well and evenly, is that it can be used on the stovetop, and then put into the oven. They never have plastic handles or anything that wouldn’t be safe in higher heat. This means that meats or veggies can be sauted or seared on the stove, other ingredients added, then the whole thing can be put into the oven for the next several hours with the lid on to “stew” slowly at a low heat, which gives a very nice flavor and blending of the ingredients and also can tenderize even tough cuts.

HTH,

Diane B.

Answer 5

A dutch oven is a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid. They have handles on the side and a smooth round bottom which can be used on top of the stove and in the oven.

Answer 6

A "Dutch Oven" is a pot with a lid- usually made of some type of ceramic. It is often used to cook casseroles and stews.

In the winter time, my family uses it a lot. You can use it on top of your stove or in your oven.

Your local public library may have some cookbooks with Dutch Oven recipes. Check 'em out! Start learning to cook! :P

Answer 7

I DO know what a dutch oven is...but I'm still baffled on what a convection oven is....??

A dutch oven is just a heavy pot. You've seen them before, I'm sure. They're usually red or blue on the outside and white on the inside. They're just a pot..they don't plug in or anything.

I hope that helped...and if you figure out what the heck a convection oven is, be sure to let me know! LOL


EDITED: Oh..and a lot of them are cast iron (from the cowboy days). Here's what the normal ones look like: http://cgi.ebay.com/Le-Creuset-5-5-quart-French-Dutch-Oven-Flame_W0QQitemZ150077895819QQihZ005QQcategoryZ46273QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Answer 8

yeah a dutch oven is a cast iron pan that can varry in size from 8 (or smaller) to 18 (or larger) inches in diameter. To cook with these you place the tinfoil inside and then the food on the tinfoil. You then place the lid on and set the "oven" on pieces of lit charcoal and place more pieces on the lid. There you go. A dutch oven!

Answer 9

Funny enough, a "Dutch oven" really isnt an oven its self. It is a cast iron pot usually about six quarts that stores heat really well. You can get them without a finish on them and they will be black and, well, iron looking. You can also get them with sort of an orage glaze on them for on the stove. If you get a black one, rub it down with oil and put it in the oven at 500 degrees to "season" it. What this does is it seals all of the microscopic "pores" that are in iron so that nothing sticks to it.

The orange glazed ovens dont need to be seasoned and can be used directly on a burner but the black ones are generally placed on a hot bed of coals and have hot coals placed on top of them (this is an AWESOME way to make cobbler). the Orange glazed ones are often used to make soups and stews.

Answer 10

A Dutch Oven is usually made from cast iron and comes in 2 standard shapes- oval or round. This type of " pot" is great for braising meats and making roasts - The " oven " keeps a consistant even heat - Great for Beef Burgandy and also Chili !