Dutch oven care starts with the seasoning of the metal, but the
second step is to make sure you clean your ovens properly after each
use. More often than not, cleaning cast iron Dutch ovens is much easier
than scrubbing pots and pans. For cast iron, the cleaning process is in
two steps. First, food is removed and second, maintenance of the
protective coating. To remove stuck on food, place some warm clean
water into the oven and heat until almost boiling. Using a plastic mesh
scrubber or coarse sponge and No Soap, gently break loose the food and wipe away. After all traces have
been removed, rinse with clean warm water. Soap
is not recommended because it will break down the protective covering
and will get into the pores of the metal to taint the flavor of your
next meal.
After cleaning and rinsing, allow the oven
to air dry. Then heat it over the fire just until it is hot to the
touch. Apply a thin coating of oil to both the inside and outside of
the oven and the top and underside of the lid. Allow the oven to cool
completely. If you do not oil the outside of the oven, then with use,
the protective barrier will break down and the oven will start to rust.
As a suggestion, it is a good idea to keep a scrubber for cast iron and
never use it with soap.
For
aluminum ovens, the cleaning is the same as for ordinary pots and pans.
Use soap and water and scrub them as you would your other pans.