The Best Ways to Clean a Dutch Oven (and Prevent New Stains)
One of the things a Dutch oven does best is sear and simmer. Sauces reduce, sugars caramelize, and meats brown to great effect in these pans, but your food won’t be the only thing left with a brown crust. The creamy white interior of enamel Dutch ovens can look quite dirty. Here are some ways to clean stubborn debris and prevent it from accumulating.
1. Boiling is your best friend
If you try to clean up burnt sauce and leftover meat straight from the stove, you’ll likely ruin the sponge on the first pass. Don’t try to scratch it with steel wool or your fingernails (you want to save them). Your first line of attack is to loosen the baked-on dirt with good old-fashioned boiling. To do this, fill the Dutch oven about three-quarters full or with enough warm water to submerge the burnt-on food. Place the pan back on the burner and bring it to a boil. Closing the lid will allow the water to boil faster and will also release anything that might be stuck to the inside of the lid.
Let the water boil and soften the leftover food for about 15 minutes. You’ll probably already see water-repellent material. Using a sturdy object, such as a wooden spoon or spatula, scrape down the bottom and sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and drain the hot water. Scrape down any missing spots with a wooden spoon and then clean the pan again, but this time with warm, soapy water and a sponge. Dry it thoroughly.
2. Add baking soda to the mixture.
After a couple of weeks of serious use, you may notice some discoloration or persistent streaks and brown spots on the inside of your Dutch oven. If your regular boiling water method doesn’t work, add a tablespoon of baking soda to the soaking water for every four cups of water. Let the lye solution simmer for about 15 minutes with the lid closed (again, to allow the steam to soften any stains on the inside of the lid).
I throw the sponge directly into the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrub the stained areas. It may take a little effort, but baking soda will help remove these stains if you keep doing it. In the photo you can see a faint line where the boiling water and baking soda ran out and I didn’t scrub it with the sponge.
Treat stains with plenty of baking soda. If you still have stains, you can make a paste of baking soda and a few drops of water. Rub the baking soda paste into these stubborn areas. The mild abrasive nature of the paste is often enough to remove the stain.
3. Bleach remaining stains.
I haven’t tried using a bleach solution yet, but America’s Test Kitchen recommends it to brighten the inside of your enamel Dutch oven. To do this, prepare a solution of one part bleach to three parts water and pour it into a saucepan. Leave it overnight and the next day, after thoroughly rinsing and washing it, you will see a completely flawless interior. As always when working with bleach, make sure the area is well ventilated.
Tools that are not very useful
I’ve seen a lot of interesting things about The Bartender’s Friend on Reddit, both good and bad. There are as many people who recommend it for enamel dutch ovens as there are those who ban it. My advice: Just like trying a new skin care product or protecting your suede boots, always test a new product on a small, out-of-sight area to see how it works. Those who hate Barkeeper’s enamel say it can dull and wear out the enamel. So if you do try it, do it on a small area, rinse it off, and see how it looks on your dishes.
Another recommendation from the good people of the internet is to try a melamine sponge (Magic Eraser). It can also be abrasive and matte finishes like paint, but I tried it on a small spot without the matte effect and it didn’t work on the stain either, so I quickly abandoned the idea.
Prevent stains
The best way to get rid of stains is to prevent stubborn stains from forming. As with most cookware, it should not be cooked over medium, low or medium heat. I know our ovens can run on high heat, but most pot and pan manufacturers don’t recommend it. Instead, let the Dutch oven preheat thoroughly with a little oil. Durable cast iron will hold that heat, providing enough heat to sear meats and vegetables.
If you’ve been cooking on the stovetop and plan to finish cooking your food in the oven, always wipe down the outside of the Dutch oven before you start cooking. Sometimes small droplets of fat cool on the outside, and these fats can polymerize in the oven, looking like blackened tears running down the surface of your perfect roasting pan. Now gently wipe the outside surface with a paper towel or a lightly soapy damp sponge to prevent the pot from crying later.