A Dutch oven is a big cooking pot that has thick walls along with a durable and sturdy lid. You can use a Dutch oven to sauté, shallow fry, braise different food items. Along with this, you can even bake bread in it.
A Dutch oven can hold heat very well. Thus, this property makes it an ideal choice for low and slow cooking that is required while tenderizing meat and vegetables.
A good Dutch oven can be used for years. Hence, before buying one, make sure you check these factors.
Size:
Enameled Dutch ovens are available in varying sizes starting from 0.5 liters to 15 liters.
If you are cooking a single portion meal for one person, 1-liter pot should be good enough. So, if there are four members, you can buy a 4-liter oven. For extra or double helpings, you can buy a 5 or 5.5-liter pan. You can select a size as per your requirement.
Material:
You can get Dutch ovens in different materials such as stainless steel and coated and uncoated cast iron.
Ovens made using cast iron can retain heat very well when compared to those made using stainless steel. Uncoated cast iron ovens are less expensive than the enamel-coated ovens. However, enamel-coated ones are easy to use. Thus, if you have a price constraint, you can buy an uncoated Dutch oven.
Dutch ovens made using stainless steel don’t retain heat very well but they are light and easy to use.
Apart from these factors, there are some other factors like compatibility, weight, and portability that you must check for as well. To learn more about these factors, check the Buying Guide at the end of this article.
We have shortlisted some of the best Dutch Ovens available in the market to make it easier for you. They are as follows:
5 Best Dutch Ovens In India
Dutch Ovens | Coating Layer | Capacity(Liter) | Buy Now |
---|---|---|---|
Amazon Brand - Solimo Dutch Oven | Stainless Steel | 5 | CHECK ON AMAZON |
Lodge L8DO3 Cast Iron Dutch Oven | Iron Cast | 4 | CHECK ON AMAZON |
Rock Tawa Cast Iron Dutch Oven | Cast Iron | 5 | CHECK ON AMAZON |
Uno Casa Cast Iron Casserole | Iron Cast | 4.73 | CHECK ON AMAZON |
Lodge Oven | Cast Iron | 3.78 | CHECK ON AMAZON |
5 Best Dutch Ovens In India Reviews
1. Amazon Brand – Solimo Stainless Steel Dutch Oven
This Solimo dutch oven by Amazon is made of 100% food-grade stainless steel making it a viable choice for your everyday cooking. You can effortlessly prepare popular Indian dishes with this oven.
The bottom of this dutch oven is given heavy-gauge induction with a thickness of 0.6 mm. You can use this oven without any hassle on either an induction cooktop or a gas stove.
Bakelite is a good heat-resistant material that you can find in this Dutch oven. Its ear handles are made of Bakelite for easy handling and safety and the glass lid has a bakelite knob that prevents the transfer of heat when you lift the lid with it.
It comes with a capacity of 5 liters for a family of 5-6 members. It has a depth of 12 cm and a diameter of 24 cm making it ideal for everyday use and special occasion dishes.
The oven weighs 1.651 kg making it a very lightweight appliance. You can easily carry it around and it does not take up much space when you store it away.
Pros
- 100% food-grade stainless steel
- Heavy-gauge induction bottom
- Bakelite ear handles and knob on the lid
- 5-liter capacity
Cons
- Prone to rusting
2. Lodge L8DO3 Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Lodge iron oven is the substitution for all the plastic kitchenware that you in the Oven. Generally, the use of plastic ware in the Oven is not advisable as it causes many harmful effects on health. Then, you should shift to Lodge Cast Iron Oven.
While you cook food, it happens that the food does not cook evenly, but in the iron cast oven, you get proper heat inside the lid, which leads to efficient cooking. The Oven pan has an attractive design wire bail that gives you a traditional look which is popular in rural places and also suitable for camping purpose.
The iron pan is perfect for multi-purpose cooking because it cooks slow recipes as well as fast recipes. The dishes sometimes require more cooking, on a low flame, for better taste and texture of the food. So, that when you eat it, you can taste the spices. The tight lid packs the nutrition of the food and does not allow any of it to escape.
The Dutch Oven made of cast iron adds up the nutritional value to your food. The Iron is a must to intake in the diet and balance your body. The body of the pan has loop handles, which will help to carry it.
The seasonal vegetables must bake onto the iron pan and not on a non-stick pan because it destroys its naturality. This cookware lasts for 100 years, but the chemical coating does not have a life span. For washing, you can use the mild soapy water as it will keep the seasoning maintenance for a longer duration.
The pan can handle 400-degree F for 4 minutes, and handle any type of high temperature.
Pros
- Cook seasonal food perfectly
- Iron adds essential requirements in the food
- Consistent cooking
- Tight Lid for a better cooking experience
- One single wire for barbeque and two sidebars for easy carrying
- Safe for any type of stoves
- Iron can last for 100 years
Cons
- Only suitable for small families and not for big families.
3. Rock Tawa Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Rock Tawa brand supplies all essential kitchenware most importantly in Indian style. Its Dutch Oven is made to be your best appliance for everyday use or to make special dishes on important occasions.
Extra care was taken while designing this oven. It is very wide and has ample space to prepare a whole chicken in one go.
The sides of the oven are very high like intended so that the food you prepare stays inside the oven rather than all over your cooking area. Its high heat retention and heat distribution features help you in cooking your favorite dishes hassle-free and faster.
With its capacity of 5 liters, the oven is best suited for a medium-sized family of 4-5 members.
The oven comes pre-seasoned with premium quality sunflower oil. It means you can start using it as soon as you take it out of the package.
Rock Tawa strives to provide the best after-sales service. You will be receiving a 1-year manufacturer warranty on the oven.
Pros
- Cast iron
- Stove compatible
- Pre-seasoned
- 1-year warranty
Cons
- Thickness is not uniform
4. Uno Casa Cast Iron Dutch Oven
This double cast iron Dutch oven by the brand Uno Casa is made of heavy-duty material for it to last longer. It can be used on all kinds of cooktops and heat sources. You can use it on stovetops, ovens, and even campfires.
This 5-quart Dutch oven is an easy replacement for all your non-stick pans. It has a premium quality smooth finish that soaks up seasonings resulting in better taste every time you cook in it.
It offers efficient heat distribution and the best heat retention for high efficiency and unparalleled flavor.
This 2-in-1 oven is an absolute space saver designed for modern kitchens. It comes with a lid that can also be used as a skillet with just a flip. This 10.2-inch skillet lid can be used to make delicious items effortlessly and you can store the whole set without any hassle.
The oven comes with two side handles for easy handling and smoothly carrying it around. These handles come in handy when the oven is filled up to its brim and is really heavy.
You can change your cooking chore into a joyful experience with this Dutch oven, You will be receiving two silicone potholders that will let you look stylish while using and more importantly lets you handle the oven safely. You will also receive a silicone mat to protect your table from up to 450°F heat.
Pros
- 2-in-1 reversible lid
- Pre-seasoned
- Sturdy & comfortable handles
- Versatile
- Silicone potholders & trivet
Cons
- Warranty details are not mentioned
5. Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven
We all are aware of how cast iron gives ample amounts of iron content to our bodies. The brand lodge supplies the most prominent cast iron appliances. The Dutch oven by the brand Lodge gives you several health benefits and makes cooking a joyful experience for you.
This oven has a capacity of 4-quart, making it an ideal choice for a small family of four. It is a perfect choice for outdoor cooking, campfire, and fireplace cooking.
You can use the oven as soon as you take it out of the box as it is pre-seasoned and is ready to use. The oven is completely non-stick due to its seasoning.
It comes with a cast-iron lid that can be used as a griddle if you need to cook your food outside the oven or grill your meat.
The oven has a 10-inch diameter that gives you a good amount of space for mixing and handling the dish. It has a thickness of 3.5 inches which is very viable for high heat efficiency.
Pros
- Cast iron
- Pre-seasoned
- Lid that can be used as a griddle
- 10-inch diameter & 3.5-inch deep
Cons
- Products delivered are sometimes defective
Buying Guide For Dutch Ovens
Like any other kitchenware or cookware, you must be very careful and selective while buying a Dutch oven. To ensure that you are buying the best one, we have mentioned all the necessary factors that you should check for. Let’s take a look.
1. Material:
The material that is used to make the Dutch oven plays a big role in determining its quality and efficiency. One of the reasons behind this is we usually use a Dutch oven for slow cooking for a longer time. Some of the common options available are: ceramic, stainless steel, bare cast iron, and enameled cast iron.
Stainless Steel:
Dutch ovens made using stainless steel are easy to clean and maintain. However, they don’t have a tight-fitting and heavy lid. Also, the heat-retaining property of stainless steel is not as great as that of other materials.
Even though you can cook all the Dutch oven recipes in these stainless steel ovens, the quality of the food will be better if you cook in a container that has better heat retention properties.
Cast Iron (or Bare Cast Iron):
Cast iron is a great material for making Dutch oven as it can retain heat for a very long time. Hence, it is a good option to be used as a slow-cooker pot. It also maintains a consistent oil temperature and hence, it is suitable for deep frying too.
You can use this cast iron Dutch oven for a campfire as well as outdoor cooking. However, one point that you must remember is cast iron utensils require special cleaning and maintenance. You will have to season the utensil regularly to get the most out of it.
Bare cast iron can even transfer flavors to the dishes. This can be a good as well as a bad thing. Some food items like tomatoes or other acidic foods don’t react well with bare cast iron interior and they can sometimes spoil the flavor of the dish.
Even though bare cast iron Dutch ovens are heavier, they can be used for years if you maintain them properly.
Enameled Cast Iron:
Enameled cast iron Dutch ovens offer you the benefits of cooking the food in a cast iron pan and avoid the hassle of seasoning and cleaning it regularly. The bare cast iron pan is coated with enamel. This provides a smooth and easy-to-clean surface to a utensil that does not transfer the flavors.
You can get a number of color options in enamel cast iron pans. You must select a color that will go well with your remaining cookware.
Similar to bare cast iron, enameled cast iron pans are heavy too. Also, the price tag of these pans is pretty high when compared to the utensils made using other materials. But the price is totally worth it as you can use the cast iron pans for years and can even pass it on to the next generation too.
Ceramic Dutch Ovens:
Ceramic Dutch ovens are lightest amongst all the other materials. These pans are suitable for stews or for baking bread. You can use them either on the stovetop or in the oven.
Since these utensils are made using ceramic stoneware, the chances of breaking or cracking are high if they are dropped from a certain height or if there is an extreme change in the temperature.
2. Shape:
Standard Dutch ovens are available in either round or oval shapes. You can select a shape that you are comfortable with.
Round-shaped Dutch ovens are more comfortable than the oval-shaped ones. They fit properly on the gas burner and are in even contact with the round-shaped burners. Hence, they offer better heat distribution properties when used on the stove.
In oval-shaped Dutch ovens, the contact with the stovetop or the burner is reduced that leads to uneven heat distribution.
However, if you are using them in an oven, heat distribution is not an issue at all.
3. Size:
Dutch ovens (especially enameled cast iron ones) are available in different sizes ranging from 0.5 liters to 15 liters. You can select the size as per your requirements.
For a single person, a 1-liter pot is sufficient enough. Hence, if there are 4 or more members in your house, you can buy a 4-liter pan. If you want to cook food in an extra amount, you can even buy a 5 or 5.5-liter cooking pot.
4. Lid Design:
The lid is the most important part of a Dutch oven. The lid should be heavy, and it should sit evenly and tightly over the pan. However, it should not be airtight.
Good quality Dutch ovens often have either dimples, nubs, or tears on the bottom side of the lid. These nubs help in redistributing the heat and moisture evenly.
Some manufacturers offer lids that are designed especially for the pots. They can even improve the taste of the dishes sometimes.
A few models of Dutch ovens are available with spiked lid designs. The underside of these lids is covered with rounded metal spikes. The spikes are designed in such a way that they help the condensation in dripping back in the food evenly and keep it moist.
Some lids also have raised rings that help condensation baste the food properly. In other models without these rings, the condensation drips back to the food via the inside wall of the cooking pot.
Some lid knobs even come off if you are using them in the oven at very high temperatures – mostly above 350°F. Hence, you must check the product description properly before buying it. Good quality knobs can even go up to 450°F.
5. Interior Color:
You should also check the interior color of the Dutch oven that you are planning to buy. You will mostly find either dark (i.e. black) or light (white) interiors.
Choosing a light interior can be a good choice as it will allow you to see and monitor the cooking process properly. In pans with the lighter interior, you can easily understand when the color of the butter has turned brown so that you can add seasoning. It is also helpful in monitoring the color of the food. However, this is not the case in the Dutch ovens with dark-colored interiors. Monitoring the color of the food can be a bit difficult.
Light-colored interiors don’t stay like that forever. Due to cooking, the color of the interior changes over time. If used in high heat or temperature, you might also notice several lines or cracks in the pan. It is also referred to as crazing.
The interior of the pan can also get scratches due to cooking tools, especially with metal spatulas. These scratches don’t look good too.
In Dutch ovens with dark interiors, the visibility of scratches, scuffs, or crazing is low when compared to the lighter interiors over time. With the help of a dark interior, your pan will look new and shiny even after multiple uses and stirring.
6. Compatibility:
While some models of Dutch ovens are compatible with stovetops, others are suitable for use in the oven.
While checking the compatibility, you must also check the maximum heat-resistance so that you can even use it to bake food items.
7. Weight and Portability:
Dutch ovens are heavy, especially the bigger units. Many people tend to forget that the weight of the cooking pot increases even more after you add food to it and then cover it with a lid.
Hence, before buying a Dutch oven, make sure you check the weight and see if you can handle it. The weight should not be an issue in gas cooktops, but you should be a bit careful before using it on induction stovetops that are made using glass.
8. Handles:
Since Dutch ovens are heavy in weight, the handles should be designed in such a way that they can handle the weight of both pans as well as the food inside it. Out of all the models, looped handles that look similar to half-circles are considered the best as they offer a better and secured grip.
You should avoid buying pots with flat and tab-style handles.
The bigger the loop of the handle is, the better it is as you are more likely to hold the pan with oven mitts. Hence, you will require more space eventually to hold it securely.
9. Dutch Oven Color Choices:
Since you are going to use Dutch ovens for a long time, you must buy it in a color that you think will go well with your stove as well as your kitchen. This is totally your personal choice.
How Do I Use a Dutch Oven?
It is very easy to use a Dutch oven. However, it also depends on the type of cooking that you want to do. Here is how you can use the Dutch oven easily.
1. Searing:
You can use a Dutch oven in a very similar way as you use any cast iron skillet or cookware. While searing, place the Dutch oven on medium-high to high flame. Add cooking oil and make sure that it does not scorch.
You must remember to not over-crowd the pan. Since Dutch ovens are designed to trap the moisture inside, overcrowding it can lead to steaming rather than searing the food.
2. Braising:
Dutch ovens are beneficial while providing gentle and indirect heat to the food. Hence, for the best results for braising the food, it is suggested to use the Dutch oven in an oven rather than using it on a stovetop.
3. Baking Bread:
If you are planning to bake bread in the Dutch oven, you must always preheat the Dutch oven before adding the dough and lining the interior using parchment paper. This will help in baking the bread evenly with a better crust.
Since most of the recipes are not actually designed to bake bread in the Dutch oven, you might have to experiment with the recipe for few times until you get the best results.
How Do I Season an Uncoated Cast Iron Dutch Oven?
It is very important to perform a proper seasoning of a bare cast iron pan to prevent the formation of rust. Seasoning it also provides you with a safe and non-stick cooking surface.
Here’s how you can season an uncoated cast iron Dutch oven:
- Rinse the new pot with plain water and dry it properly using a cloth.
- Bake the pot at 400°F to 500°F for about an hour.
- If you are baking it at 350°F (as mentioned most of the time), the chances are high that the oil won’t polymerize properly. Thus, rather than creating a non-stick surface, it will create a sticky surface.
- After some time, the coating on the pot will start becoming dark and smooth. It can also impart a unique flavor to the food.
- If you want to get rid of uneven or old seasoning, you will have to place the pot over a furnace or a fireplace. You can even put it the self-clean cycle of the oven where it can reach about 800°F or 425°C.
How Can I Clean the Dutch Oven?
If used and maintained properly, a Dutch oven can be used for several years. Here are some of the cleaning tips that will help you to maintain the pot properly:
- Never clean it using a coarse scrubber. Make sure that you don’t scratch or chip the coating of the enameled Dutch oven.
- After you are done with cooking, empty the pot and let it cool down for some time. Now let it soak in lukewarm water and then start cleaning it. Due to extreme changes in temperature, enamel can crack like glass.
- For tough stains or burns, you can add a bit of baking soda while you have left the pan for soaking. You can then clean the stain using a sponge and soap.
- Never soak a bare cast iron pan. After the pan cools down, wipe out the excess food materials using a paper towel and wash it right away using lukewarm water. Never use soap while cleaning otherwise the seasoning can get damages.
- Always remember to dry out the pot right after washing it. For bare cast iron, you can dry it in the oven and then layer it with any cooking oil lightly.
- Store the bare cast iron pan in a place or cupboard that is free from humidity. If you are using enameled pots, make sure that you are not stacking other pots on its top. While resting or storing the lid, put a large towel around the rim.
Benefits Of The Dutch Oven
- The Dutch Oven is best for braising. The braising is a process when the vegetable is partly submerging in water, and the lid covers the pot. It slowly cooks the food and enhances the taste.
- You can use it for the Browning of the fish or the chicken. It allows you to cook the food evenly with crisp.
- Simmer the sauce evenly.
- As it is Oven friendly, you can use it for baking your favorite cake.
- Iron is an essential mineral that adds up in your food to improve the nutritional value of the food.
- Prepare the sourdough from the wheat bread.
- Retain the heat better than other materials
- It has a lifetime warranty with proper care.
- Color choice adds the beauty of the kitchen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Modern Dutch ovens are often coated using high-grade enamel. Most of them are FDA-approved and hence, are safe to use. You will not have to worry about iron leaching as well.
However, some users are skeptical about the safety and efficiency while cooking in bare cast iron cookware. The reason behind this is according to a few studies, some amount of iron can leach in the food. This is true in cases when the pots are not seasoned properly or when you are using acidic ingredients like tomatoes.
For people with iron deficiency or for kids or menstruating women, it should not be an issue. However, iron accumulation can be problematic for men as well as women going through menopause. To avoid this, you can use enameled cast iron pots.
Any utensil with a hollow cavern or chamber to which heat is applied can be termed as an oven. Since Dutch oven pots are very versatile, you can do any type of cooking that you usually expect from a regular oven.
No, it is not. The Dutch Oven gives you the proper cooking of the food. And, you can use other utensils for cooking purpose
It only improves your cooking experience. If Cooking is your hobby, then the taste of the food made from this will sound you different.
The Dutch Oven gives you seasonal cooking experience. The seasonal vegetables do not require any non-stick cookware as it reduces the additional nutritional values. And, if you are using a Dutch Oven, it gives you more benefits.
You don’t need to require a specific type of stove as any regular stove will work. The general stove burner choice is better than of electric induction.
Dutch Oven is strong as you can take it to the campfire and cook food just like in the old time’s people use to do.
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The iron cast is prone to rust, but for prevention, you have to do some extra care on it. You must use soft soapy water and light scrub to remove any mark on the Dutch Oven. It will prevent it from rusting, also use warm water only.
The purpose of elevation is to continue the dropping process. While you are cooking, the water droplets condense above the lid. And, when you close, it collects the vapor outside and gives you the best taste of the food.
Conclusion
We hope you must have read the article and got an insight into the Dutch Oven. The Dutch Oven replaces the cookware in your house that does not make tasty food as compare to the Dutch Oven.
As per our recommendation, we select AmazonBrand Dutch Oven because it gives you all-rounder performance with optimum cooking. Other products are also great. We hope this article must have helped you to buy the Dutch Oven that suits you.