Tips and Recipes for Utah Dutch Oven Cooking

Photo credits: Logan Walker

In honor of Utah’s Pioneer Day this July, we’re focusing on an iconic Utah cooking implement, the Dutch oven. We’ll discuss the interesting history of this unique tool, share three of our favorite Dutch oven recipes, and give you some pro tips on how to use and take care of your Dutch oven.

The Dutch Oven in Utah

Dutch ovens play a special role in Utah’s history, culture, and cuisine.

In the mid-1800s, as Mormon pioneers prepared for the trek across the Great Plains to the Utah area, they were given a list of essential possessions to bring. That list included a “bake kettle,” also known as a Dutch oven. Pioneers relied on their Dutch ovens for everything from baking breads and cakes to roasting meats and vegetables, boiling soups and stews, sterilizing water, and even transporting hot coals from one campsite to the next.

If you visit Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah today, you’ll likely see a monument dedicated to those pioneers. The Handcart Pioneer Monument shows a family of pioneers dragging a wooden handcart carrying their most cherished possessions. Look carefully at that statue, and you’ll see a Dutch oven hanging from the front of the cart.

Considering how crucial this tool was in frontier life, it’s no wonder the Dutch oven became Utah’s official state cooking pot, a designation we share with Texas and Arkansas.

The Dutch Oven: Then and Now

Of course, Dutch ovens aren’t unique to Utah cuisine. These all-purpose cooking tools are popular all throughout the American West, in Australia, South Africa, and elsewhere.

Dutch ovens derive from the braadpans and sudderpans made in the Netherlands in the 1600s. American colonists brought Dutch ovens with them to the New World and began making improvements. Over the years, Dutch oven makers have tried different designs and materials. Paul Revere is generally credited with adding a raised lip along the edge of the lid to hold the hot coals in place. Perhaps the most significant modern innovation has been coating the cast iron in enamel, which looks beautiful, prevents rust, and makes clean-up much easier.

While traditional (i.e. non-enamel) Dutch ovens are superb for campfire cooking and making cowboy-style meals, the versatility of this cooking instrument doesn’t stop there. Today you’ll find Dutch ovens used in home kitchens, professional restaurants and bakeries, and in cookoff competitions.

At the Utah catered events we do here at Culinary Crafts, Dutch ovens figure prominently. We’ve used Dutch ovens for cobblers, breads, au gratin potatoes, baked beans fried Brussels sprouts, and so much more!

Photo credit: Carla Boeklin

Advantages to Cooking with a Dutch Oven

Dutch ovens have a lot of advantages over other forms of cooking and baking, but here are the main ones.

• Heat Retention & Distribution: Thick cast iron walls that hold heat and spread it evenly make Dutch ovens ideal for slow-cooking, baking, frying, and roasting.
• Versatility: Dutch ovens can be used over an open campfire, in your kitchen oven, or on a stovetop.
• Moisture: The tight-fitting lid traps steam, which makes food tender and flavorful.
• Convenience: Dutch ovens allow you to sear, sauté, simmer, bake, or roast in the same pot.
• Oven-Safe: Most Dutch ovens can go straight from stovetop to oven, simplifying recipes.
• Durability: Dutch ovens are rugged and can handle very high temperatures. With proper care, they can last generations.
• Naturally Nonstick: When seasoned properly, Dutch ovens require less oil overall.
• No Harmful Coatings: Enamel-coated and seasoned cast iron are generally chemical-free.
• Reliability: Works perfectly in or out of doors, in the middle of nowhere, or even when the power goes out.

Tips for Taking Care of Your Dutch Oven

A Dutch oven that’s cared for properly can work better and better with age and can last for decades, even generations. So here are our tips for how to show your Dutch oven some lovin’.

How to season your Dutch oven:

The first thing you need to do with your traditional (non-ceramic) Dutch oven is to give it a protective dark coating called a “patina” or “seasoning.” (Today, Dutch ovens often come pre-seasoned, so if yours already has a dark black surface, you’re all set!) This patina layer not only protects the iron from rusting, but it also gives your Dutch oven its non-stick properties. You can season your Dutch oven in your kitchen by following these steps:

1. Wash your Dutch oven with hot, soapy water. (This may be the one and only time you’ll need to use soap and water to wash your Dutch oven.)
2. Use a towel to dry your Dutch oven completely—don’t ever leave your Dutch oven sitting to air dray, as that can lead to rust. Then apply a very thin, even coating of grapeseed oil or other food-grade oil with a high flashpoint such as rapeseed or linseed oil. Rub or spray the oil all over the Dutch oven, inside and out. Keep the oil layer thin or else it will result in a sticky finish.
3. Place aluminum foil on the bottom rack of your kitchen oven. This will catch any drips of excess oil during the seasoning process.
4. Set oven temperature to 400-500° F. Turn your Dutch oven upside down and place it on the top rack of your kitchen oven, above the foil. Close the kitchen oven door.
5. Bake your Dutch oven for 1-2 hours. If you see a little smoke, turn on your kitchen fan but don’t be alarmed. A little smoke is expected. The polymers in the oil are bonding with the cast iron, which is what you want. When the bake time is done and there’s no more smoke, turn off the heat and leave your Dutch oven to cool in the kitchen oven.
6. When your Dutch oven has cooled, examine its seasoning. If the surface is sticky, you used too much oil. This is an easy fix. Just wipe your Dutch oven with a towel and repeat Steps 4 and 5 above.
7. As long as you don’t damage the patina/seasoning on your Dutch oven, it will improve each time you cook with it, especially when you cook fatty foods.

Tips for Dutch Oven Cooking

Don’t Overheat!

The most common mistake we see with Dutch ovens is probably overheating. Dutch ovens are incredibly good at absorbing and retaining heat, so you don’t need to bury them in the firepit to get them piping hot. Depending on the size of your oven, you’ll generally only need two or three dozen briquettes for cooking, distributed below and on top of the oven according to your recipe.

If you’re using a recipe, follow the instructions to maintain the correct temperature. If you’re using briquettes to heat your Dutch oven, here’s a general guideline to help you hit your target temperature.

Also, be careful and use oven mitts as you work—lids and handles get just as hot as the rest of the oven.
And remember that in a Dutch oven, your food will go on cooking long after the heat source is removed, due to all that residual heat. So plan your cooking and serving times accordingly. (If you think timing the Dutch oven dishes for your camping trip can be tricky, imagine what it’s like when we cater events for 6,000 people!)

Distribute Heat Evenly.

Charcoal briquettes are the best heat source when using your Dutch oven outdoors. Not only do they make it easy to apply the right amount of heat, but you can arrange them to distribute the heat evenly.

Depending on which type of cooking you’re doing, you should alter the number of briquettes that go under the Dutch oven versus how many briquettes should rest on the lid.

• Baking (cakes, biscuits, casseroles, bread): Put most of your briquettes on top, with only a few on bottom.
• Roasting (vegetables, pot roasts, other meats): Place roughly half your briquettes on top and slightly fewer than half on bottom.
• Frying or searing (sausage, bacon, hash, doughnuts, fried chicken): Put all the briquettes under the Dutch oven. (When frying, keep your Dutch oven lid nearby to smother any accidental flare-up.)
• Stewing or simmering (chili, soup, stew): Put almost all your briquettes under the oven.
• Boiling or steaming (pasta, rice, steamed veggies, dumplings, hard-boiled eggs): Place all the briquettes underneath your oven to heat the water.

To distribute heat more evenly, rotate the Dutch oven every 10-15 minutes during your cook. Turn the oven ¼ turn in one direction and the lid ¼ turn in the opposite direction. (If you have no briquettes on top, there’s no need to turn the lid, of course.)

Briquettes placed under your oven should be evenly distributed in a circle, Do not put any briquettes in the center under the Dutch oven, as they will create a hotspot that will burn your food.

Briquettes placed on the lid of your Dutch oven should be spaced evenly around the rim.

Use the Right Equipment.

Your Dutch oven cooking experience will be a whole lot more enjoyable if you start out with the right tools:

• A pair of leather gloves long enough to cover your wrists
• A lid lifter
• Long-handled tongs for briquette placement
• A charcoal chimney starter
• Non-metal utensils. Metal can damage the seasoning or enamel in your Dutch oven. Use wood, plastic, or silicone instead for your spoon, spatula, ladle, etc.
• An outdoors cooking table with adjustable legs will give you a flat, clean, level working surface anywhere.
• A cooking thermometer
• Dutch oven essential supplies (a large bag of charcoal briquettes, matches, cooking oil, knives and can openers, paper towels, etc.)

Build a Wind Shield.

If you cook outside in windy conditions, bear in mind that a strong wind can really mess with your cooking temperature. Shielding your fire on the windy side with a windscreen, log, or pile of rocks can give you a more even cook while also saving you time and fuel. An outdoor cooking table (see previous tip) does a great job of providing convenient wind protection.

Brown Your Meat First.

Before you start the rest of your Dutch oven cook, be sure to brown your meats. As we’ve talked about before, the process of browning meat (the Maillard Reaction) creates deep, savory layers of flavor. Plus, it also makes your meat look so much better!

For stews or small chunks, cut the meat into uniform pieces. Bring your Dutch oven to a medium high temperature. If the meat isn’t already naturally fatty, add a tablespoon or two of fat or oil before you put it in. Pat it dry first so it will brown rather than steam. You can add some seasoning to the meat if you want, but you’ll have a chance to season more later during your full cook. Carefully add meat to the Dutch oven in a single layer, not overcrowding. Let it sit undisturbed for a couple of minutes until it gets a nice, brown crust. Flip and repeat on all sides. (Pro tip: if your meat is sticking to the oven, it probably hasn’t finished its crust. Give it a little longer and it will come off easily once it is fully browned.)

After you’re finished browning your meat, don’t clean the Dutch oven! All that delicious left-over stuff at the bottom of the oven (called the fond) packs a ton of flavor. Add a little water, broth, or wine to deglaze that goodness. That will be the base for your sauce or whatever you’re cooking next!

Simplify Your Cleanup.

If you’re making anything sticky or messy in your Dutch oven, you can simplify your life by adding a liner first. Disposable parchment oven liners and aluminum liners are relatively inexpensive and work great. Alternatively, you can also line the inside of your oven with aluminum foil.

Photo Credit: Logan Walker

Favorite Dutch Oven Recipes

Dutch oven cooking figures into many of the Utah outdoor catered events we do. Follow the links below to three of our favorite Dutch oven recipes:

Mixed Berry Cobbler Recipe

Photo credit: Logan Walker

Artisan Bread Recipe

Photo credit: Makenzie Jamias

Chili Recipe

PRO TIP: The ingredients for this chili recipe work great, but if you’re making it all in a Dutch oven, you’ll need to change up the order of operations a little. Fry your bacon first, then brown your ground beef. Sauté your onion and garlic, then add your other ingredients. Bring it to a light boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer for an hour or more, stirring occasionally.

How to clean your Dutch oven:

If you maintain a healthy patina in your Dutch oven, you’ll be amazed how easy it is to clean because practically nothing sticks—provided you don’t burn your food.

• Be sure to clean your Dutch oven after each use.
• Never use steel wool or citrus-based cleaners in your Dutch oven. These will seriously damage the seasoning/patina. Also, never place your Dutch oven in a dishwasher.
• Never pour cold or cool water into a piping hot Dutch oven. You can make it crack.
• As soon as your Dutch oven has cooled to a safe temperature, use a wood or plastic scraper to remove any stuck-on food.
• For stubborn remnants, you can wash with warm, soapy water and a cloth, but don’t leave the Dutch oven to soak for an extended time. Water and soap can gradually wear away that precious patina. Alternatively, you can scrub the oven gently with a paste of salt crystals and food-grade oil, then wipe it out with a towel.
• Dry your Dutch oven immediately and thoroughly after cleaning.
• If you don’t already have a thick patina on your Dutch oven, rub it with a thin layer of oil before storing it.

How to store your Dutch oven:

• Moisture is the natural enemy of your Dutch oven, so make sure it is completely dry inside and out before storing it.
• Give your Dutch oven a very light coating of Crisco after each use. Warm the Crisco slightly so that it will spread evenly, then give your whole Dutch oven a thin coating. This is especially important on the outside, lid and legs, since the inside of your oven probably is already well-seasoned.
• Store your oven with the lid on. It’s a good idea to fold a paper towel and fold it over the lip between the oven and the lid. This allows a tiny bit of airflow in and out of the oven, wicking away any remaining moisture.
• If you can, enclose your Dutch oven in a towel or put it in a carboard box before placing it into storage.
• Keep your Dutch oven in a dry place where spiders and bugs can’t get to it and nothing heavy will be stacked on it.

Happy Pioneer Day to our fellow Utahns! If you get a chance to enjoy our beautiful outdoors this holiday, we hope you put your Dutch oven knowledge to good use.

Of course, the only thing better than enjoying Dutch oven cooking in Utah’s great outdoors this summer is to hire Utah’s premier caterer to come and make it for you.

Happy adventuring, and eat well!