The Key To Cleaning That Grimy Dutch Oven Is Already In Your Kitchen

Dutch ovens are a popular kitchen staple, right up there alongside cast-iron skillets, pressure cookers, and air fryers. There's nothing like loading up the Dutch oven with some short ribs, spices, and beef broth to make an incredible beef birria or a butter-braised cabbage fettuccine. But after the meal, seeing all that grime caked on your pan might have you regretting your cookware choices. Luckily, the best tools for cleaning your Dutch oven are probably already in your kitchen.

Rather than fancy cleaning solutions, sea salt, cooking oil, and regular dish soap can help you get your Dutch oven sparkling like new again. However, cleaning a Dutch oven properly also depends on which material your pan is made out of.

Cast iron and enamel are two of the most common materials used to make Dutch ovens, and many Dutch ovens have a cast iron base with an enamel finish. Enamel Dutch ovens are the conventionally "pretty" ones that come in striking colors and look great in a modern kitchen. They also have a smooth, shiny finish over the interior and exterior and are non-porous. Cast iron Dutch ovens, in contrast, have a slightly rougher, less glossy surface that can rust if not treated properly. Enamel Dutch ovens are easier to clean but the polished surface doesn't quite lock in flavors the way that cast iron does. 

To clean the grime from an enamel Dutch oven, wash it the way you would clean any other pan — with soap and water. The enamel finish on the interior makes it non-stick, so it shouldn't take too much elbow grease to wash the grime away with a regular sponge and hot water. Whatever you do, don't use a wire brush or anything metal to clean enamel as this can chip the surface. It's also important to dry the pan thoroughly, as some parts, like the handles, may be made of cast iron and thus have the potential to rust. 

Meanwhile, you should not use soap to clean cast iron. Instead, the best way to wash a cast iron Dutch oven is to use your sea salt and a microfiber cloth to scrape out the inside of the pan. The coarseness of the sea salt gently removes any stuck-on grime without scratching. After rinsing with some hot water, use another microfiber cloth to fully dry the pan. You should then season your pot by coating it with a light layer of oil and heating it gently on the stovetop or in the oven to help prevent rust.