Once you’ve seasoned and prepped your Dutch oven, it’s time to explore everything it can do. From deep-frying to baking pies, this pot is your all-in-one outdoor kitchen.

Frying in a Dutch Oven

• Oil Placement: Add oil to the bottom of the oven.
• Heat Control: Use the same number of briquets as inches (e.g., 10″ = 10 briquets).
• Lid Use: Leave it off while frying.
• Lid as a Pan: Turn it upside down and cook on bricks or oven base.

Deep-Frying

Fill with enough oil for immersion.

• Ideal Temperature: 350°F
• Great for: doughnuts, fritters, and fish

Boiling & Stewing

• Boiling: Suspend over fire using a tripod or bricks.
• Stewing: Brown meat first, then add liquids and veggies. Follow briquet ratios for lid and base.

Roasting

• Sear meat with oil.
• Add 1/2 to 1 cup water.
• Let it self-baste under a closed lid.

Baking

• Direct: Place mix in the Dutch oven (line with foil if sugary).
• Indirect: Set baking pan on rocks inside oven for airflow.
• Two-in-One Trick: Create foil divider inside the oven to bake two items at once.

Backyard Setup Ideas

• Barbecue Base: Use foil-wrapped pizza pan on grill rack.
• Wheelbarrow Pit: Fill with dirt, top with bricks.
• Brick Pad: Simple, customizable heat-safe surface.

Mastering Dutch oven cooking will open a new world of outdoor meal possibilities. Once you get the hang of it, you may never want to cook inside again!