A colorful Dutch oven is an essential part of any well-equipped kitchen. It is used for delicious stews, soups and even baking and with proper care it can last for years. Learn how to clean your quality Dutch oven by following the simple steps.
How do you clean a Dutch oven?
As with any other cookware, your Dutch oven may become burned or stained. Just make sure you never use abrasive cleaners to avoid scratching its beautiful surface, especially inside.
Before you begin cleaning, it is important to determine what type of Dutch oven you have. Your Dutch oven can be made of cast iron or enameled cast iron. While enameled cast iron Dutch ovens are easier to maintain, those made from raw cast iron are more durable. Some enameled Dutch ovens are dishwasher safe, but we recommend that you hand wash them to extend their lifespan. Choose one of the following methods to cook your Dutch ovenreally cleanto keep.
How to Clean a Cast Iron Dutch Oven
To make cleaning easier, wait until your Dutch oven is not warm to the touch, but do not allow it to cool completely. Also make sure that raw cast iron comes into contact with water for as little time as possible to avoid possible rust formation.
What do you need for cleaning:
- Mild dishwashing liquid
- Cleaning cloth or sponge
- Warm water
- vegetable oil
- Clean cloth or paper towel
Directions:
- Add a small amount of dish soap to the pot.
- Wash the inside and outside of the Dutch oven with a sponge. Repeat this process for the lid.
- Rinse the pot and lid thoroughly with warm water and dry with a clean cloth.
- Now you're supposed to season the Dutch oven by first heating it and adding a few drops of vegetable oil to the pot. Spread the oil evenly over the entire surface using a paper towel.
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
- Place the pot upside down in the oven for one hour.
- Then let it cool completely and wipe off the excess oil with a paper towel.
Can you remove rust from Dutch oven?
Rust can be removed with a non-metallic scrubber and mild dish soap. Scrub the rusty areas in a circular motion, then rinse the pot and allow it to dry completely.
If all of the rust is removed and no repeat of this process is necessary, you should season the pot again to prevent new rust from forming.
Clean Dutch Oven: Made of enameled cast iron
When cleaning an enameled Dutch oven, you should be careful not to damage the enamel.
You need:
- Hot water
- Dishwashing liquid
- 2 THE Backpulver
- Silicone scourer
- tea towel
This is how it is cleaned:
- After using your Dutch oven, allow it to cool, then fill it with hot water, dish soap, and baking soda. Cover and let rest for about 15 minutes.
- Pour out the water and remove any residue with the scourer and some dishwashing liquid.
- If there are stubborn stains on the surface, make a paste using three parts baking soda and one part water. Cover the stains with the paste and leave it overnight. The next day, scrub them with the silicone scourer (do not use steel wool).
- Wash your pot one last time with warm water and dish soap and dry it with a clean tea towel.
Clean a burnt Dutch oven
Occasionally you may find yourself faced with the challenge of removing burnt food from your Dutch oven. Since soaking and scrubbing can damage the enameled surface or cause rust to form on the raw cast iron, we recommend that you avoid this method.
Luckily you can with a simple oneHome remedies for the burnt potthe court.
All you need is sea salt that is hard enough to remove burnt food and stains, but not so hard that it damages the surface of your Dutch oven.
Add two tablespoons of coarse salt and two tablespoons of water to the pot and gently rub the stained areas with a soft tea towel until they loosen.
Remove stubborn stains
The first option is to boil warm water and a few tablespoons of baking soda in the pot for 8 to 10 minutes. Or bring a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water to a boil.
Then let the Dutch oven cool completely and rinse it with water and detergent.
And how to properly clean and care for your cast iron pan,find out here.