When using a dutch oven cookware, your primary responsibility is to supervise what you cook.
Not that other types of cooking do not require supervision, it's just that dutch oven recipes go through such a slow cooking process.
But what is so special about cooking in dutch ovens anyway? Those who love to use it love to eat stews, casseroles and most especially roasts.
Actually, dutch ovens are best loved for making roasts the way they have been made over many years! Over generations, this cookware has made it's mark in the kitchen and outside cooking.
Mainly though, it is popular for long and slow cooking.
Call it however you may, the casserole dish of Britain, tetsunabe of Japan, the Australian bush stew or cocotte by the French, the dutch oven is ideal for cooking the same meals that it was originally made for back in the 1600s.
If you have just started cooking using this piece of cookware, make sure that you keep in mind some important tips.
It may be basic and quite similar to other cooking advices, but keep in mind that this particular cooking ware has a different structure.
The structure: A modern day dutch oven has three legs but is smooth-bottomed.
Since French people are so fond of this type of cooking ware, they are more familiar with the le crueset dutch oven, one of the French enameled dutch oven manufacturers.
Dutch ovens have a lid and it's meant to be there not only to prevent the steam from escaping.
The trick is to keep the temperature from top to bottom regulated and the best way to achieve this is to stack dutch ovens of the same size.
Modern dutch ovens are usually made of aluminum or ceramics so you had better keep your hands covered at all times when cooking.
In cooking, do pay attention to the way the oven behaves.
Too much steam coming out of it signifies that the temperature is too hot and the food you are trying to cook inside it might get a little too overdone, or worse, burnt.
Keep your dutch oven long-lasting by properly caring for it.
How? Simply wash it using a warm soapy water, rinse after, drain and put away to dry.
The purpose of this is to prevent your oven from accumulating rust while adding extra flavor to any recipe you cook.
After the oven has dried, set it on a stove to ensure that it has dried completely.
Apply a layer of shortening from the inside towards the outside right after.
Put it inside a preheated oven to 350 degrees F and let it stay there for an hour, more or less.
After this process, wipe to remove excess grease and insert a paper towel in between the lid and oven when storing.
Keep in mind though that a newly cleaned dutch oven should not be immediately used for any food recipe that contains vinegar or tomatoes.
But it is recommended using a newly cleaned dutch oven for deep frying bacon, chicken and other similar ingredients.
Your dutch oven will serve you well and cook you many delicious meals if cared for properly.