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While searching for recipes, there come times when you will find yourself stumbling upon the use of a Dutch Oven. A Dutch Oven, without a doubt, is no less than a pride of the kitchen. Having said that, this kitchen essential, although highly useful, is quite expensive when it comes to you purchasing one for yourself.
So, if you’re someone who lives in a limited space like a Camper Van or an RV, or perhaps a college student who doesn’t really want to be bothered with a lot of kitchen essentials, then what can be the alternate cookware that helps you cook your desired recipe?
In case, if you find yourself asking the same question, that is “What Can I Use Instead Of A Dutch Oven?” then this article is here to serve you as a guide!
What Can You Use Instead Of A Dutch Oven?
It’s not nearly possible to have everything available, be it an ingredient or cookware, in your kitchen. This then calls for the alternate options that can help you prepare the recipe. If it’s the Dutch Oven that’s your requirement and you don’t have one available then here’s what you use:
Slow Cookers are the best alternative that you can use in place of a Dutch Oven. This Cooker is known to be an electric pot. It cooks your food slowly and nicely at a low temperature. What makes this pot a great option is the fact that you do not have to keep a constant eye on it.
It starts off and prepares your meal slow and steadily, leaving the supervision part out of the picture. A slow cooker can be found in various sizes. That said, it can prove to be a great investment if you have a busy schedule and just cannot afford to invest a lot of time in preparing your meals.
Pros.
- Advanced timer settings
- Less to no supervision required
- Ideal for cooking dishes revolving around meat
Cons.
- Limited temperature options
- Requires ample space
- Food takes a long while to cook
A roasting pan is generally used for roasting meat in the oven. The design of this cookware retains all the juices and helps avoid spillage.
Moreover, a roasting pan comes with a removable rack that’s based inside the pan. This rack mainly contributes in keeping the meat off the surface and away from the drippings inside the pan. While removing the rack lets the meat soak up and sit in the dripping and juices accumulated inside the pan.
A roasting pan is a great alternate in case if you’re going to be cooking a large quantity of food in the oven.
Pros.
- Ideal for cooking a large quantity of food
- Durable and heavy-duty
- No spillage
Cons.
- Cannot be used on a stovetop
- Does not come with a lid
Frying pans are much more versatile than most people realize. Although they’re used to cook food on the stovetop by a vast majority of people. However, many use these pans inside the oven.
Unlike how pots are known for being taller and deeper, frying pans have much more of a narrow surface. That said, frying pan comes in different kinds, quality, shape, and sizes. Therefore, before placing your frying pan inside the oven, make sure they’re safe to be used inside the oven.
Pros.
- Inexpensive
- Easily available
- Easily available
Cons.
- Shallow surface
- All frying pans are not oven safe
Ollas are multipurpose pots. These pots are made up of ceramic, often unglazed and in the shape of a jar. That said, ollas have a very unique shape. They are wide from the bottom with a short neck like opening. Furthermore, it also comes with a lid that sits firmly in its place.
As discussed before, ollas can be used for a variety of purposes. You can use these pots to cook your meals, if not then you can always use them to store water.
Pros.
- Ideal for oven use
- Contributes to elevate the taste of your meal
- Perfect to use it as a serving dish
Cons.
- Can crack if not heated right
- Requires temperature readjustment
This pot is perhaps one of the most common cookware to exist in a kitchen. Stockpots generally are extremely deep pot with a tall built. It comes with an air-tight lid that helps stop the air inside from escaping the pot.
Stockpots are quite wide in shape; hence, it makes it easier to fit almost all of your ingredients in one pot.
Pros.
- Lightweight
- Easy to handle
- Can be used to cook a large quantity of food
Cons.
- Cannot be used as a serving dish
- The size might not easily fit the rack of stovetop
Dutch Oven – What Exactly Is It Used for and What Is It All About?
If you’ve recently stepped into the culinary world then you may find this quite amusing. By the sound of it, you may think that it’s an oven, maybe built by Dutch people but this is quite far from the truth.
A Dutch Oven has nothing to do with it being Dutch nor Oven. It is basically a deep pot with a lid that can be used in either the oven or on the stove. The size of the pot usually varies; however, it can hold between four and six quants.
Most people regard the Dutch Oven as a kitchen’s low and slow workhorse. The making of this pot is particularly thick and heavy so as to retain and conduct the heat around the pot equally.
Having said that, this pot is ideally used for cooking meals like chilis, braises, and stews. Hence, in short, a Dutch Oven can be regarded as a crockpot or a slow cooker.