Taking Care of Your Dutch Oven

 

Curing and Caring of Cast Iron

Curing your cast iron Dutch Oven or skillet will give it that beautiful rich black patina you have probably seen on well cared for cast iron cooking utensils. When first cured your cast iron will have a golden brown color which will develop into a rich black with time. To cure a new cast iron utensil:

1. Wash with hot, soapy water and a stiff brush. Rinse and dry completely.
2. Oil the cookware (inside and out) with MELTED solid vegetable shortening.
3. Turn upside down on the top rack of a 375°F pre-heated oven.
4. Put aluminum foil on the bottom rack to catch any excess drippings.
5. Bake the cookware for one and one half hour at 375°F.
6. Let the cookware cool slowly in the oven.
7. Store, uncovered, in a dry place when cooled.

To aid in curing the cast iron it is best to cook high fat foods in it the first several times you use it. As it cures and darkens with these foods it will more easily prevent sticking. To clean your cast iron use hot water and a soft sponge. Some purists refuse to use soap to clean cast iron , insisting that it will break down the cure. The Ugly Brothers use cast iron on a daily basis and have found that under such conditions small amounts of hot soapy water do not harm these utensils. One thing all cast iron aficionado do agree on though is to NEVER, NEVER, NEVER use steel wool or other abrasives on your cast iron! To do so will certainly scour off the fine cure you have worked so hard to achieve and will require you to scrape it all off and start curing aging from scratch! After washing you utensil dry it immediately by wiping it out and heating it up on the stove to drive out any moisture remaining in the metal, then, give it a thin coat of oil while it is still hot and allow it to cool down slowly.

Cooking Basics

When your patrol has looked through this book and made your selections for the camp out, it is recommended that you try these at home first under camp conditions. (Dutch oven and charcoal outside) If you do this it will improve your chances for success. (The Quartermaster will sign out a Dutch oven kit to take home and practice with).

The care of the Dutch oven is very important to its long life and cooking properties.

Never allow cast iron to sit in water or allow water to stand in or on it. This will cause it to rust even if it has a good coating on it

Never use soap on cast iron. The soap will get into the pores of the oven and taint the next meal.

Do not place an empty oven on a hot fire, as it is likely to crack or warp.

If you get in a hurry to heat a Dutch oven or cast iron pan it will likely burn your food or damage the oven or pan.

Never put cold liquid in a very hot oven or cast iron pan, as they are likely to crack.

Cleaning cast iron:

Remove any food with a paper towel or plastic scraper (only if it is not hot)

Place some clean warm water in the oven and heat it up to a light boil this should remove any stuck food.

Wipe the oven out with a paper towel

Heat the oven up to dry it completely (it will be just hot to the touch).

Then lightly coat the cast iron with vegetable oil.

Let the oven cool and put it back into the kit place a piece of folded paper towel between the lid and pot for storage.

Basic Tips:

Roasting: the heat should come evenly from the top and bottom. 1 to 1 ratio.

Baking: you need more heat on the top so you should have a 3 (top) to 1(bottom) ratio.

Frying, Boiling: you only want heat under the oven.

Stewing, Simmering: Almost all the heat should come from the bottom.

4(bottom) to 1 (top) ratio.