How to Cook with a Dutch Oven!

The Dutch oven is a versatile piece of cooking equipment that dates back to the early frontier days. It was used by Lewis and Clark during their expeditions and was proclaimed by them to be one of their most valuable tools in their long journeys across the unsettled America. The actual inventor of the Dutch oven, according to some sources, is thought to have been Paul Revere!

Just what does the Dutch oven look like? This handy, thick-walled cooking device resembles a large frying pan made of cast iron. The modern versions of the Dutch oven generally have two handles, one on each side. The may have four legs, three legs or no legs, depending on the model. It's a great tool for cooking a hot meal on an outdoor trip. But you shouldn't feel restricted to using it outdoors exclusively. It's fun to use in your own kitchen! You'll feel like one of the one of the original pioneers as you prepare your delicious meals in this stylish kitchen contraption! It also gives your kitchen such character and can be used as an interesting display piece if you have a kitchen with a country motif.

The Dutch oven can be used to roast, fry, stew, steam, or bake over an open fire.They're fantastic for slow cooking such foods as roasted meat, soups, and stews. Here are some general guidelines for applying heat to your Dutch oven to get best results. Stewing

To stew food in your Dutch oven, you want to apply the majority of the heat from the bottom of the kettle. Coals should be placed in an approximate 4 to 1 ratio favoring the underneath layer relative to the lid.

Frying

Coals are placed under the oven only.

Baking

Use a 3 to 1 ratio of coals favoring the lid relative to the underneath layer.

Roasting

Coals are placed under the oven and over the lid in an equal ratio.

If you'd like to use your Dutch oven on your home stove, set the burner to medium or medium-high to get best faster with the goal of maintaining temperatures of between 300 and 330 degrees.