Best Dutch Oven: The Indispensable Cookware in Your Kitchen

Tramontina 6.5 Qt Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven Red

Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Deep Camp Dutch Oven - 12 Inch / 8 Quart

Staub 5.75-Quart Coq Au Vin Cocotte, Grenadine

Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel 8-Quart Dutch Oven with Cover

Conclusion:

What are the qualifications of a good Dutch oven?

A tight and fitted lid is a key feature of a high-quality Dutch oven as it is an essential to keep the heat inside. Besides, for some safety reasons, the handle on the pot’s top should withstand high temperatures whenever you pick up.

What can we use a Dutch oven for?

I can say that you can use a Dutch oven for anything! Baking, braising and cooking are acceptable cooking methods, which need lots of heat to soften vegetables or meat. Simply, it is not only a Dutch oven a piece of cookware for occasional uses, but also a piece of cookware that lasts for a very long period.

Now, let’s begin!

Braising

Braising is a cooking method that your foods (anything, from vegetables to roast beef) are seared at a high temperature in a Dutch oven. After that, a certain amount of liquid is added to finish the dish at a lower heat.

Therefore, the ability to handle both low and high heat in a Dutch oven is perfect for braising.

Roasting

This method works perfectly with a Dutch oven as well, thanks to its ability to conduct the heat evenly when it surrounds the foods.

Generally, roasting is a kind of cooking vessel that is appropriate for tough meat cuts, which require being cooked for a long period of time to break down their connective tissue.

Baking

With a Dutch oven, baking food can also be done successfully. Cakes, bread or even pot pies turn out beautifully when prepared in Dutch oven. Sometimes, many campers use it to bake over the hot coals.

In addition, whether you believe or not, these Dutch ovens are perfect for frying and sautéing. Thanks to their abilities to maintain constant heat, deep-fried food or French fries made in this pot always taste great.

SOME USEFUL GUIDES WHEN BUYING DUTCH OVEN

What should we consider when purchasing a Dutch oven? First of all, let’s think about the kind of the oven that you want to buy:

Type

Copper – High quality, however, it needs to be sealed and seasoned (as acidic foods can react with copper as with the cast iron).
Stainless steel – This material is perfect for conducting the heat. Moreover, it does not need to be sealed or seasoned.
Porcelain – You will have to pay a lot to get a high-quality one. However, its durability will be worth your while.
Cast iron – Long lasting and durable, however, acidic foods can react inside, which means that it should be coated and seasoned first.

Size

The Dutch ovens are often measured by the capacity. A small one can hold 2 quarts while a large one can hold up to 12 quarts.

Most of the cooks base their sizes choice on the number of people that they will cook for.

Shape

Most of the Dutch ovens are oval or round in shape. For similar dishes, soups, and stews, a round one is optimal.

For spare ribs, fish, poultry and other kinds of foods, an oval one is an ideal choice.

Handles and lid

To avoid your foods drying out when you are cooking, the top handle must be riveted securely, and the lid must fit tightly on your Dutch oven.

Ideally, the top handle should be made of metal, which can withstand the high heat, or silicone. Many cheap lid handles made of composite material or plastic may crack easily.

The side handles are also a useful addition to your Dutch oven. Besides, this piece of cookware should own 1 or 2 strong wire handles (also called a bail) so that you can grab to lower or raise the pot easily.

Feet

The bottom feet of a Dutch oven allows for its sitting evenly over the source of heat is known as the best nonstick cookware.

On the stovetop and in the oven, they allow the Dutch oven to sit flat.
For outdoor cooking, those feet help you situate your pot over the hot coals.

Price

The price always plays an important role in your decision when purchasing a good Dutch oven. Just as other purchases, if you are able to spend more money, then you have more chances to pay for a high-quality product.

Generally, size wise six quarts is often the most versatile Dutch oven as it can be used for whatever you want to cook. Besides, you can look for smaller sizes if you need to save your money.

The top 5 Best Dutch Ovens Reviews:

Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast-Iron 5-1/2-Quart Round French (Dutch) Oven, Marseille

This Dutch oven is such an all-round winner. Le Crueset Dutch oven is large enough to help you prepare most of the dishes. However, it is not too big to make it difficult to move.

This pot features an enamel coating. Thus, you can cook everything in it. And just as most of the Dutch ovens, Le Crueset Dutch oven can also be used in the oven or on the stovetop.

The pot’s knob is made of both composite material and metal, which are oven-safe up to 500°F. To offer the product more versatility, its knob is also removable, therefore, if you want to cook at a higher temperature, you can purchase another metal knob for replacement.

Besides, this pot comes with a wide range of colors to suit your style of kitchen décor. Just as other cast iron Dutch ovens, Le Crueset Dutch oven is quite heavy – its weight is 11 pounds and may raise up to 20 pounds or more whenever it is filled with the food.

This cast iron Dutch oven is manufactured in France. In addition, if you’re seeking for a bigger size or if you prefer oval shapes, then Le Crueset Dutch has these as well.

Pros

Can be flexibly used on any cooktops, including grills
Can keep heated dishes hot and chilled dishes cool
Is coated out and inside with a promoted enamel, which resists stains, chips, and cracks.
Is designed with the built-in stabilizers for more secure
Comes with slide-proof lids
Offer ergonomic, easy-to-grasp handles.

Cons

Although it features a composite knob on its lid, which is oven-safe, however, this knob only resists to 500°F.

Tramontina 6.5 Qt Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven Red

With this product, you are offered superior heat retention that produces more flavorful and tender cobblers, bread, stews, soups, meats and other dishes.

Tramontina 6.5 Qt Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven comes with two layers of enamel. The first one is black matte while the second one consists of colorfully enameled exteriors along with high contrasting.

Thanks to the nonporous enamel lining, you can use this pot to marinate raw meats with wine. In addition, Tramontina 6.5 Qt Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven can also be used for cooking and storing your pre-prepared foods in the freezer or refrigerator.

Besides, its lid includes a stainless steel knob. This lid fits the pot tightly so that it can trap moisture, nutrients, and heat, thus, allowing the meats to self-basted.

Although hand washing is highly recommended, you can sometimes put the Tramontina 6.5 Qt Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven in your dishwasher. However, due to the core made of cast iron, you can’t use this pot in your microwave.

Pros

The vessel’s sloped sides make it more convenient and easier to serve, stir or baste
Long-lasting finish
Superior heat distribution and retention
Versatile for all of your cooking techniques

Cons

Can scratch a ceramic or glass cooktop
It can only resist up to 500°F.

Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Deep Camp Dutch Oven - 12 Inch / 8 Quart

This product is such a multifunctional cookware, which can work wonderfully with many slow-cooking recipes. It features a tightly fitted lid to help lock in flavor and nutrition.

A great seasoning makes a big difference. Lodge offers pre-seasoned cookware without any synthetic chemicals as what you need is just vegetable oil. The seasoning becomes much better when you use your cast iron Dutch oven.

On the other hand, this product comes with integrated molded legs made of cast iron, which will undoubtedly come in handy whenever you place the pot over the campfire.

Moreover, it can bear up to 400°F as long as you put a baking sheet beneath. Besides, the built-in heavy gauge wire handles allow for easy transport and hanging over hot coals.

Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Deep Camp Dutch Oven features a handy a cookbook including 101 different recipes for outdoor camping Dutch oven. Thanks to this, you are offered a great amount of inspiration and ideas for your outdoor get-together. It’s perfect for stove use and oven use as well as over an open flame outdoor or on the grill.

Pros

Very tough, especially, if you take care of it well, it can last for generations
Comes with double griddle lid, which makes your cooking outdoor a breeze
Near non-stick surface to allow for easy maintenance, cleanup, and cooking
Is pre-seasoned from the factories, as most of the modern cookware made of cast iron

Cons

Some customers reported that the lid included on their Dutch oven didn’t correctly fit. Therefore, they have to replace these lids.
This product has to be hand washed without any soap and must be scrubbed with soft sponges or nylon scrubbers

Staub 5.75-Quart Coq Au Vin Cocotte, Grenadine

This piece of cookware is perfect for making many one-pot dishes like stew, roasts, casseroles, soups and more.

It comes with a tightly fitted lid to help lock in the moisture and make sure that the juice is distributed evenly throughout the meals. Moreover, this lid sits flat as well.

Staub 5.75-Quart Coq Au Vin Cocotte features a nickel plated or brass knobs, which are oven-safe up to 500°F.

In addition, its smooth bottom can work well on all cooking surfaces, even induction. The interior of this Dutch oven is made of black matte enamel. This natural non-stick surface helps the pot more resistant to chips and scratches. It will not rust or discolor and never requires seasoning as well.

Pros

Beautiful color
Made in France
Smooth bottom, which is appropriate for using on all cooking surfaces, including induction
Heat resistant is up to 500°F
Enhances your tenderness and flavors
Keeps a good circulation inside the pot

Cons

This Dutch oven is quite heavy. However, this is a typical feature of all cast iron ovens

Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel 8-Quart Dutch Oven with Cover

Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel 8-Quart Dutch Oven is made of hard anodized aluminum. This material is 80% tougher and stronger than the stainless steel but has better or equal heat transference properties.

Its lid is composed of tempered glass with deep lip to prevent flavor and moisture from escaping. There are purposeful and chunky rivets to hold the pot’s handle in place, thus adding more durability.