Seasoning Your Dutch Oven Cookware
So you finally broke down and joined the ranks of Dutch oven chefs. Dutch oven cookware, unlike most other types, requires some unique preparation and care. Even before it's first use, there are certain things you must do. Since the majority of Dutch ovens are made of cast iron, they are very vulnerable to rust. For this reason, the manufacturer puts a protective coating on all new Dutch oven cookware to prevent this. The first thing you'll need to do is remove this coating by scrubbing the pot thoroughly with soap and water. This will be the first and last time you use soap on your Dutch oven cookware. After you've removed the protective coating, make sure the pot and lid are dried completely.
Seasoning Your Dutch Oven
The next thing you're going to do is a process called seasoning. This can be done in your oven or in a propane gas grill. The latter is recommended due to the mess you're about to make. As you're about to see, you're house will fill with smoke pretty quickly if you attempt this indoors as well. If you are going to use a gas grill, it should be large enough to accommodate your Dutch oven cookware with the cover closed.
Pre-heat your grill to between 350-375 degrees. While you're waiting for the grill to heat up, generously coat the pot and lid with Crisco. Make sure you do the top and bottom of the lid, as well as the inside and outside of the pot. Apply the Crisco as thick as you can, there's no such thing as too much. Once the grill is heated and your Dutch oven cookware is coated, place the lid and the pot upside down inside the grill. Placing them upside down will prevent the melted grease from collecting inside the pot on the cooking surface. Bake the pot and the lid for about an hour. After that, remove the pot and lid and wipe off any excess grease. Then, re-coat and heat for another forty-five minutes to an hour.
After the second baking period, apply a thin layer of cooking oil when the pot is cool enough to handle. If done properly, you have successfully created a baked on protective coating that will prevent your Dutch oven cookware from rusting. It also creates a non-stick cooking surface that rivals anything you can find on the market commercially.
