Suggestions please. Now that I have a Dutch oven, I need to learn how to use it.

[Paper Roses]

Please see my prior post.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1157122669

I never had an enameled DO so I'm not sure of a few things. I Googled for info, especially about browning meat in the pan, no real answer. Do I do the browning in a Cast Iron skillet first and then add the meat and drippings to the DO before cooking? Would like to make a beef stew tomorrow. Don't want a mess on the bottom of the pan.
I'm anxious to use the pan but want to do it right.
Thanks for any suggestions.

[marble falls]

1. A Dutch oven is just another piece of cast iron. They aren't any more delicate than a skillet.

[cachukis]

2. Brown in the pan. Crunchies get deglazed with a bit of wine. Flavor in those bits.

Pull out meat after browning. Cook veggies with oil until translucent or softer. Add wine and deglaze. Add stock, return meat. Bring to simmer, cover and put in oven at 250 or 300.
Or a reasonable facsimile thereof.
Coq au vin, New England pot roast, any stew recipe.

[stevil]

5. This

You can use any liquid to deglaze but acidic liquids work best to loosen up the crunchy bits and flavor

[samnsara]

3. are you cooking it over a fire pit? we did an entire Tday dinner that way!

..just need the correct amt of coals on the lid as it cooks. Have fun!

[RockRaven]

4. You brown the meat in the dutch oven so all the tasty brown stuff (fond) ends up in the final dish.

Typically after the browning step the recipe will either have you add veggies (which sweat out moisture) or liquid -- depends on the dish/recipe -- and all the fond dissolves off of the cooking surface with stirring or a little gentle scraping.

[Irish_Dem]

6. I brown meat in the DO.

I make a great beef barley soup.

I brown the beef in the DO, add the other ingredients and then bake it in the oven.
Not stovetop. It is really good.

Baking it in the oven gives it more flavor than stove top I think.

But I also use the DO stove top for other recipes.

[GPV]

7. Look up no knead dutch oven bread

[mitch96]

12. +1 for the Dutch Oven bread. I liked it so much I had to stop...I was getting fat!!

I lined my DO with parchment paper so it did not stick.. Good stuff.
My only problem with enameled dutch oven was the enamel started to chip off after a few years. I admit it was an inexpensive one made in Asia..not quality..
m

[packman]

8. Think of it as a oven on the stove-top

Basically a thick-wall heavy pot that holds in the heat. Great for a wide variety of things from stews to soups to one dish meals. Do not, however, think about it as something to boil pasta in, use a regular pot for that. I brown meat in mine all the time, but avoid overcrowding.. A bit of oil, heat to simmering add meat , sear, remove and add more if needed.Pull meats out onto a side plate. Add a deglazer to get all that good stuff off the bottom, throw in veggies, liquid, re-add meat, cover and let simmer till done,

Be aware Dutch Oven retain, keep heat. Be aware of stove setting.

Word of warning, be VERY concerned about chipping that enamel especially when cleaning.

Yes, it probably will pick up some food stains along the way - but nothing to be concerned about. The stains and spots just add character and flavor to things.

[Kali]

9. why dirty two pans?

besides the fond is what makes the stew good anyway.

[JT45242]

10. Check out America test kitchen website

ATK and good eats have good explanation on web site and recipes to use a Dutch oven.

[MissMillie]

11. I am an ATK junkie

And I always see them brown the meat in the Dutch oven and then add ingredients/liquids. They always mention that the browning that occurs in the pan "adds flavor."


FYI... I have their 21-season cookbook and I LOVE IT. So far all of the recipes I have made from it have been delicious. (The lemon cheesecake was an all-day affair--but WORTH IT!!!)

Al ordered it for my birthday last year... around $30, and hundreds of recipes, and also product and equipment tests.