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Seasoning a Dutch Oven

Seasoning a dutch oven does two things:

  • Prevents rust and corrosion
  • Creates a non-stick cooking surface for easier clean up

Without a good seasoning coat, your food won’t taste as good as it could, your dutch oven will rust, and cleaning up after cooking will be more difficult.
So, are you convinced? Good!
Seasoning is a pretty simple process, but does take an hour or more. It is very importantthat you season your brand new dutch oven or one you have just acquired.
The initial seasoning will remove any undesirable contaminants and get your oven ready for that first meal. After the initial seasoning, every time you use the dutch oven you will be strengthening the coating and improving the look of your cookware.

By the way, aluminum dutch ovens benefit from seasoning even though they don’t rust like iron. Aluminum does oxidize and the seasoning layer will prevent that. Seasoning also makes it easier to clean up due to the non-stick surface.

Initial Seasoning

The first time you season your dutch oven, you are removing a protective waxy coating applied at the factory to prevent rust in shipment as well as starting the non-stick coating process. Some cookware now comes pre-seasoned from the factory so you may not need to perform this initial seasoning.
If you have an outdoor barbeque grill, see if your dutch oven will fit inside with the grill cover closed. It is much better to season your dutch oven outside rather than in your kitchen oven, but you can do it inside. You’ll want to do it on a day when you can open the windows because there will be smoke created.
This is how to season a dutch oven:

  1. Preheat your grill or oven to 350 degrees.
  2. If you are using your kitchen oven, wrap a large cookie sheet with a raised edge in aluminum foil and place it on the lowest possible shelf of the oven. This cookie sheet catchs oil that drips from the dutch oven so make sure it is bigger than the diameter of your dutch oven.
  3. This will beonly time you will ever use soap on your dutch oven! After this, never use soap unless you are stripping your oven to perform a completely new Initial Seasoning. Wash your cookware in soapy hot water. Use a scouring pad or steel wool to scrub away all coatings down to the metal. Remember, after this you don’t use soap to clean up.
  4. Thoroughly dry the dutch oven and lid with a cotton towel or paper towels. Place it in the grill for a minute or two to really dry it and heat it up a bit. Use an oven mitt to remove the dutch oven from the grill and let it cool just enough so you can touch it.
  5. Rub vegetable shortening all over the inside and outside of your dutch oven and its lid. Use plain Crisco or Wesson – do not use butter or butter flavored shortening. Using a paper towel or cotton rag, rub the shortening into all the pockmarks, holes, and dimples in the metal surface.
  6. Place the dutch oven upside down in the grill or kitchen oven and close the door or grill lid. By being upside down, the melted shortening will drain out of the dutch oven leaving an even coating rather than a pool in the bottom.
  7. Place the lid in the grill also so it bakes along with the dutch oven.
  8. Bake the dutch oven for 45 to 60 minutes. Remember to open windows and temporarily disconnect your smoke alarm while doing this.
  9. Turn off the grill and leave the dutch oven inside to cool for 15 minutes.
  10. Using an oven mitt and paper towels, remove the cookware from the grill.
  11. Use paper towels to wipe off excess oil from the inside and outside of the dutch oven and lid.
  12. Repeat steps 5 through 9.
  13. Allow the cookware to cool until you can pick it up.
  14. Wipe off all excess oil with paper or cotton towels and you’re ready to go!

Periodic Seasoning

As you use your dutch oven, the grease, oil, and fat from the food you cook will continue to season the cookware. Some acidic foods such as beans and tomatoes can remove some of the coating. So, frying bacon, deep-frying fish, making doughnuts, or cooking fatty foods will improve the protective layer while acidic foods will harm it.
Once seasoned, your dutch oven will most likely not need to be seasoned again as long as you use it often and clean it correctly. It never hurts to reseason it and some folks like to do that at the start of a cooking season.
It also may be necessary to reseason if food seems to be sticking too much or your cookware has been abused or stored incorrectly. If there is rust or the oven just doesn’t look well coated, it’s a good idea to season it again.

Periodic Seasoning is just like the Initial Seasoning except that you don’t wash with soapy water. If there is rust present then you may want to strip down everything and do a complete Initial Seasoning. Otherwise, clean your cookware normally and follow the steps above except for using soap.

The finish on your dutch oven should be dark brown or black, the darker the better. It should be glossy, but not sticky. If it is sticky, you left too much oil on and you’ll need to heat it more. Over time, with proper cleaning, this glossy coating will become thicker and stronger. You should notice that foods are easy to remove and clean up is simple.

Now you know how to season a dutch oven!

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Dutch Oven Lasagna

1-1/2 lb. lean ground beef
23 oz spaghetti sauce
9 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
3 eggs
2-1/4 c cottage or ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 lasagna noodles
1-1/2 tsp. oregano
3/4 c hot water

Preheat the Dutch oven. Brown the ground beef. When done remove the beef to a large mixing bowl.  Add the spaghetti sauce to the beef and mix well. In another bowl, add the cottage or ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese (reserve a few ounces for later), eggs, and oregano, and mix well. Place the layers in the oven in the following order: Break up four lasagna noodles into the bottom of the oven. Spread about 1/3 of the meat mixture over the noodles. Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture over the meat mixture. Break up five noodles and place over the top of the preceding mixtures. Spread 1/2 of the remaining meat mixture over the noodles. Spread the remaining cheese mixture over the meat mixture. Break up the remaining noodles and place over the cheese mixture. Spread the remaining meat mixture over the noodles. Pour the hot water all around the edges of the oven. Place the lid on the oven and bake one hour or until done. Check frequently.

This recipe works well with charcoal (12 briquettes on bottom and 12 on top). Cooking time can be
reduced by pre-cooking and draining the lasagna noodles.

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Double Chocolate Stuffed Peppermint Cookies

  • 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, cold
  • ½ c. sugar
  • ½ c. brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • ⅓ c. half and half
  • 1 t. vanilla
  • 2 ¾ c. flour
  • ½ c. cocoa
  • 1 t. baking powder
  • 1 t. baking soda
  • 1 T. cinnamon or Wise Women of the East
  • 2 c. dark chocolate chips (60% cocoa or half semi sweet and half milk chocolate chips)
  • 12 small York Peppermint Patties (dark chocolate covered)

Method:

 

Mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Stir until combined. Cut your cold butter into tablespoon pieces. Then using a pastry cutter, work the cold butter into your flour until it becomes “pea” sized.

Whisk together vanilla, eggs, and half and half. Pour into flour and butter mixture and combine, until all ingredients are formed together. (Dough will be thicker and sticky. Shape dough with medium cookie scoop and flatten dough with your hand into a thick disc. Place your mint patty in the center and shape the dough, sealing the patty. Then shape your stuffed dough into a round ball and place on a cookie sheet. Repeat until all the dough is used. Freeze for 20 minutes to allow butter to chill.

Remove frozen cookie dough and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

 

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Devil’s Food Layered Cheesecake

Ingredients:

  • box chocolate devil’s food cake mix
  • water (amount per cake mix)
  • oil (amount per cake mix) or bean puree (in the same amount as the oil-to learn how to use the bean puree for oil clickHERE)
  • eggs (amount per cake mix) or 1 T dry egg powder + 2 T water for each egg
  • 1 (11 oz.) jar caramel sundae topping
  • 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk*
  • 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk*
  • 1/2 c.. fresh milk*
  • 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
  • 1 t. vanilla
  • 5 eggs(powdered eggs can be used but it will change the texture a little-use a heaving 1/2 c. egg powder + 1/2 c. water)
  • * or omit the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and fresh milk and use:
  • 1 2/3 c. water
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 1 2/3 c. dry non-instant powdered milk or 3 1/3 c. dry instant powdered milk
  • 1 Tbutter

Method:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick coating. Pour caramel into prepared pan. Prepare cake mix according to package directions and pour cake batter into the Bundt pan over the caramel topping.

To make the flan: Pour condensed, evaporated and fresh milks into a blender with the cream cheese, vanilla and eggs. (If using powdered milk, just add all ingredients to the blender.) Mix well.

Pour flan mixture very slowly over the cake batter. (You will see pieces of cake batter floating to the top-this is normal). Spray a piece of aluminum foil with non-stick spray and cover the pan TIGHTLY with aluminum foil. (This step is VERY important.)

Set the Bundt pan into a large pan and set on the oven rack and slide into the oven. Carefully pour hot water into the larger pan to a depth of 2 inches (The Bundt pan will be sitting in two inches of water).

Bake for 2 hours (Yes, I mean it TWO hours-don’t worry, nothing will burn, I promise!). After the two hours, remove cake from water and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Peel off the aluminum foil. Invert cake onto a large plat with rim (or you’ll have a caramel mess everywhere). Cool completely then refrigerate. Refrigerate leftovers.

NOTE: Even though the flan is poured on top of the cake batter, it will sink to the bottom of the pan.

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Orange Creamsicle Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons orange zest (for me that was the zest of 2 oranges)
2 cups white chocolate chips

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture until combined. Stir in orange zest and white chocolate chips.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Do not flatten cookies; it will make them dry. Bake 8 – 10 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Do not overcook! Cookies will be plump. Cool for several minutes on cookie sheets before transferring to rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

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Chocolate Orange Cake Mix Cookies with Ganache Topping

Cookie:
1 milk chocolate cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Mix all ingredients together. Roll into 1-1.5″ balls. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and let them cool.

Orange Buttercream Filling:

1/2 c. butter, softened

2 T. milk

2-3 c. powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp. orange extract

red and yellow food coloring (optional- I just added a little bit to give it an orange color)

Mix all ingredients together and spread a generous amount on each chocolate cake mix cookie.

 

Ganache Chocolate Layer:

2 1/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 c. butter

Melt chocolate chips and butter in a double boiler or in the microwave (I just microwaved it for 60 seconds and stirred, then microwaved for another 30 seconds and stirred again until it was smooth). Spread over the orange frosted cookies.

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Rolo Cookies

1 pkg. Rolo’s
1 box Devils Food Cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 c. oil

Mix cake mix, oil, and eggs. Take a small ball of dough and form a ball around the rolo. (Only use enough dough to cover the rolo so it can spread through the cookie.)

Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 7-8 minutes. Yields about 3 dozen.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

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Andes Mint Cookies

This is my go-to cookie whenever I need to bring cookies to something or take cookies to a neighbor. They are AMAZING! (And very rich . . . warning- you WILL need a glass a milk to go with them!)

1 Devil’s Food Cake Mix
1/2 cup oil (maybe less oil)
2 eggs
1 package of Andes Mints

Mix cake mix, oil, and eggs together. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-9 minutes. Don’t cook any longer than that! You don’t want them to be overdone!
Take sheet out of oven and while the cookies are still very hot, place an Andes Mint on top of eachcookie. In about 5 minutes, the mint will be melted. Take a spoon and smooth out each mint like frosting.
These are so yummy when they are warm and gooey!! They are also delicious when they set-up for a little while . . . who am I kidding? They are divine no matter their temperature . . .

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Coconut Bread

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

mix well

add 1 teaspoon coconut flavoring

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda mixed in flour

1 cup butter milk ( or just milk with little vinegar added)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup coconut

Add all ingredients to mixing bowl. Mix till all combined. Grease and flour 2 bread pans. Pour batter into pans.

Bake 350 for 50-60 minutes (Becky said you can top with foil last 30 minutes to keep from getting too brown, but I haven’t found that to be a problem)

Glaze (heat but do not boil, just until all dissolves)

1 1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup water

3 Tablespoons margarine

2 teaspoons coconut flavoring

Can top with toasted coconut

I think it is overall easier to put glaze on when in bread pans then remove when 100% cool.  but will need to loosen from pan sides, etc.

Becky