Differences Between a Slow Cooker and a Dutch Oven (and When to Use Each)

There was a time when I confused the concepts of “Dutch oven” and “slow cooker”. I can’t tell you why, but it was probably because I’d never used either of them before and those vague, old-fashioned names blurred together in my mind. (I imagined a cauldron over a fire.) Well, let the record show that they are not the same thing. Not only are they completely different in appearance, but they also specialize in slightly different culinary tasks. HOUR

Both ranges are known for their slow and steady cooking ability, and their deep design makes both the Dutch oven and slow cooker good candidates for cooking high-moisture foods. The biggest difference is that one is a real electronic appliance and the other is a saucepan.

Multicooker

What is it?

A slow cooker is a cooking appliance that includes a lightweight (usually aluminum) body with an electric heating element underneath. There is always a heavy ceramic cookware that fits tightly to the body, and this is where food is prepared. Oh, and there’s a lid. The lid fits loosely, and at first glance this seems like a mistake, but it should not be tight – the steam should release smoothly during cooking.

There is a control panel on the front panel of each multicooker. It could be a simple rotating dial, or it could be a whole digital display with buttons and a timer. The settings are usually high, low, keep warm and cook time. This is the one I have and it suits me.

When to use a slow cooker

An electric heating element in the housing gently heats the inner ceramic vessel to a temperature close to boiling point. Depending on the model, the low temperature may be around 200°F and only reach 300°F. With such low and gentle temperatures, you can see why it’s called a slow cooker. Most items will take more than an hour to prepare. This makes this appliance ideal for hands-free cooking when you want flavors to deepen and blend, as well as for tough meats that would benefit from tenderizing over low, low heat.

What a slow cooker is really good at is that it provides “set it and forget it” cooking and keeps food warm for a long period of time. Since it is not cooked on the stove and the entire heating mechanism is closed, the multicooker can be safely left on the counter unattended. (As long as you trust your cats to leave it alone. To me, that’s a risk.) A slow cooker can be a huge help when you need to free up the stove and oven, like around Thanksgiving . I think the keep warm feature is the biggest boon for party planning. I’ll keep a huge pot of Swedish meatballs warm in a large slow cooker and a small batch of steamed mulled wine in another.

Set the multicooker to:

• Bean soups

• Stew with tough pieces of meat

• Chile

• Meatballs in sauce

• Mulled wine or other hot drinks

You wouldn’t use a slow cooker for anything that needs to be done quickly or anything that requires high heat. For example, you cannot fry something in a slow cooker. This is the best tool for boiling, steaming or keeping wet foods and drinks warm.

Dutch oven

What is it?

A Dutch oven is not an appliance at all. I bet the word “oven” in the name turns most people off. Simply put, it is a durable cast iron pan with a lid. There are no moving parts, plugs or instruction manuals. The most unusual thing about it is the enamel glaze, which comes in all the colors of the rainbow and makes the inside somewhat non-stick. This winter I have been very obsessed with my . My Dutch oven was a gift and doesn’t have a brand name (many affordable ovens are just as good as the fancy ones), but if I were to buy another one, it would probably be the Lodge.

When to use it

The Dutch oven perfectly retains heat for a long time and distributes it evenly thanks to its dense walls. They are also oven safe at temperatures up to 500°F (or higher, depending on the brand). This makes this pan great for anything that needs to cook for a long period of time, any food that moves from the stovetop to the oven, or things that benefit from baking in the oven indoors.

A Dutch oven is a great pan for frying because the thick metal retains heat better than a thin pan. You won’t have to constantly fiddle with the flame to keep the temperature at 350°F. My favorite things to add to Ol’ Dutchi are bread to increase the oven spring (the last rise of the loaf of bread in the oven), and soup or stew. If you’re looking for a recipe, my Crispy Chicken and Rice recipe really shows off what a Dutch oven can do.

Remove the Dutch oven to:

• Stew

• Fried meat

• Sauces or soups that are cooked at low temperatures.

• Deep frying

• Baking bread

You wouldn’t use a Dutch oven for anything you want to cook quickly because the metal takes a long time to get up to temperature. Frying eggs, quickly stir-frying noodle dishes, and whipping up grilled cheese sandwiches is still best done in a classic skillet.

How to choose between two

The next time you make pulled pork, stew, or white bean chili, you can use any cooking tool. When deciding between the two, I usually ask myself a few questions: Do I want to do a little work or little to no work, are there any tough cuts of meat that I’d like to tenderize, and how much time do I have before I want to eat? If I need to cook several hours or tough cuts of beef, I’ll probably put the ingredients in the slow cooker. If I want to eat within an hour and/or the food has roasted and sautéed elements, I’m more likely to use a Dutch oven.

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