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Untreated cast iron rusts,
especially around water. To prevent metal from
oxidizing in the presence of moisture, cast iron requires
a process called ?seasoning?. Seasoning is simply
the procedure of baking oil into the oven's pores, and on
top of the iron pores. This baked on coating will
darken and eventually turn black with age. Darkening
is the sign of a well kept oven, and of it's use.
This coating forms a barrier between moisture in the air
and the surface of the metal. It also provides a
non-stick coating on the inside of the oven that is
easy to clean.
Here are some tips when it
comes time to season your oven.
Scrub lid and oven in hot
water with a mild soap to take off the coating the
manufacture puts on the oven before shipping. Use a
stiff brush, 3M scrub pad, or plastic scrubbing pad
to scrub the waxy coating off of your new Dutch oven, and
rinse in clear, hot water. Dry your oven by putting it in
the kitchen oven at 150 to 200 degrees for 15 or 20
minutes.
While it is warm, coat the
inner and outer surfaces with a thin layer of cooking oil.
Use a good grade of olive or vegetable oil.
Peanut oil is a choice of many, and tallow or lard can
also be used, but they tend to break down over time and
become rancid if the oven is not used often enough.
Place the oven and lid in a
conventional oven, or a gas BBQ grill, with the pot upside
down and the lid on the Dutch oven legs. Heat oven
at 450 to 500 degrees and bake for 30 to 40 minutes
until the oil turns very dark, nearly black. This process
bakes a grease coating into the pot and virtually gives it
a no scrub surface.
Remove the oven and apply
another light coat of oil, and. bake at 450 to 500
degrees for another 30 minutes. By using high
temperatures, the oil will bake harder and darker, leaving
your oven shinier. You should oil and bake at least
once, I like to go through this process two, or even three
times to get a beautiful dark color, and rock hard finish.
Turn off the heat and let
the Dutch oven sit until cool. If the surface is
sticky, bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes. When
seasoning your oven it will create a smell that may be
unpleasant. For this reason some like to season
their ovens in a BBQ outside, however I have done all mine
indoors with the doors and windows open.
The first thing you cook in
your oven after seasoning should be things like roasts,
potatoes or chicken. Stay away from tomatoes and
tomato products with high acid content, or a lot of sugar
such as cobblers. Acids and sugars can break
down the protective covering before it seasons or hardens
properly.
A well seasoned oven
produces a unique flavor unequaled by any other cooking
utensil. This is the Magic of Dutch Oven cooking.
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About
The Author
Glea
Reno and Dennis Reno are the owners of Dutchovenmagic.com.
They are based at Billings, Montana and
have taught Youth Groups, Scout Troops,
Church Organisation and friends what they
have learned over years in Dutch oven
cooking. They also do cooking
demonstration at various retail outlets.
They can be contacted at help@dutchovenmagic.com.
dutch_oven2000@yahoo.com |
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