The Best Dutch Oven
September 23, 2018
Enameled Cast Iron is a little tricky to recommend because it is a very expensive item, and it requires very specific care. You can’t use any metal utensils when stirring this pot, and it has to be cleaned by hand rather than machine washed.
That being said, nothing is better for braising meats, poaching fish, or making a soup.
Cleaning
Enameled cast iron should be cleaned with a gentle sponge. The enameled cast iron makes it so food should not burn or stick to the surface so as long as you aren’t using metal utensils you should be fine.
Removing stains
Over time, the light-enamel interior of the pot may discolor or stain. This is purely cosmetic, but it may affect your ability to monitor the browning of meats in the pan. If it gets to this degree you can fill the pot with a mixture of bleach and water (at a ratio of 1 part bleach to 3 parts water) and let it sit overnight.
Recipes that require a Dutch Oven:
![Burmese Chicken Cauliflower Curry]()
Burmese Chicken Cauliflower Curry
This is an adapted Mark Bittman recipe that reminds me of a Burmese curry that my parents would make. The complex curry flavors are allowed…
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![Farfalle with Smoked Salmon and Cream Sauce]()
Farfalle with Smoked Salmon and Cream Sauce
February 23, 2019
![Okra and Roasted Tomato stew]()
Okra and Roasted Tomato stew
We were excited to attend an event called Cooking as Inheritance: Beyond Soul Food in the African Diaspora a talk by Chefs Carla Hall and…
November 17, 2018
![Poached Fish Curry over Zucchini]()
Poached Fish Curry over Zucchini
This is another of the recipes Mark Bittman published a simple guide to cooking fish in a variety of ways. While I’ve used cod in this…
September 28, 2018
![Poached Cod in a Fennel Tomato Saffron Broth]()
Poached Cod in a Fennel Tomato Saffron Broth
Mark Bittman published a simple guide to cooking fish in a variety of ways. While I’ve used cod in this recipe, he notes specifically that…
September 23, 2018
![Potato Fried Rice]()
Potato Fried Rice
Fried rice is an extremely flexible recipe that can accomodate many different types of meats and leftovers. I made this recipe with ground…
July 11, 2018
![Beef and Broccoli]()
Beef and Broccoli
Beef and Broccoli is a staple “American Chinese” dish, and while it’s not terribly authentic, it is a quick and tasty dish that highlights…
July 07, 2018
![Summer Vegetable Pasta]()
Summer Vegetable Pasta
This is a light pasta dish with no sauce, but flavored through bacon fat, and bright summer vegetables.
July 05, 2018
![Pasta with Peas and Puréed Tomatoes]()
Pasta with Peas and Puréed Tomatoes
Celebrated East Village Italian Chef Frank Prisinzano lovingly describes his “Pasta with Peas” lovingly on his tumblr and Instagram, but he…
March 23, 2018
Written by Will Chiong who lives and works in New York building useful things.