Dutch Ovens

The term “Dutch oven,” as used here, refers to an American pot of European ancestry, a small, portable, cast-iron oven that has evolved to accommodate changing fuel sources since the eighteenth century. This is to distinguish it from the English use of the same term, which refers to what Americans call tin-reflecting ovens or side-wall fireplace brick ovens. The derivation of the term is similarly unclear, referring to perhaps legendary Dutch frugality (far less fuel required) or perhaps early Dutch expertise in casting iron, but it is probably an American designation. In any case, the American Dutch oven has been valued for its combination of steaming and baking, stewing, and braising.