According to popular legend, Englishman Abraham Darby was inspired to make the Dutch oven after a trip to Holland in 1704.
A long-revered kitchen tool, the Dutch oven is just as popular now as it was when America was still a new country. It is a large metal saucepan, sometimes made of the same cast iron as a frying pan, or possibly made of enamel, steel, or aluminum. A cast iron Dutch oven is suitable for use in an oven, on a stovetop, or over a fire.
Abraham Darby, an Englishman, went to Holland in 1704 to see how the Dutch had improved their cast iron production and was so impressed that he returned to England and began casting his own pots. This is one theory as to how these pans got their name.
The cast iron Dutch oven quickly became popular, especially in the American colonies. It was so versatile, a prized and must-have utensil in any colonial or frontier kitchen. The design at the time had a flat top with a wide upturned brim. This lip allowed the cook to stack coals on top of the oven, as well as use them in the fire, or even pack them on top of the coals. The coals allowed cooks to make quick breads, such as cookies, and even bake cakes.
This versatility also made the dutch oven indispensable in western cooking, with every cart cook keeping several on the cart. With that, he could make a pot of beans, chili, bake cookies, and bake a cake, all over the same fire. Keeping a herd of cowboys well fed was essential to keeping them happy and working hard while herding cattle.
The Dutch oven is still available in cast iron, with a large handle at the top, to hang over the fire. Explorers and frequent campers still swear by its usefulness. However, most cookware sets also come with what they call a dutch oven, which is usually the largest and heaviest pot in the set. Some manufacturers make these pans with enamel, which produces a strong, colorful, and durable pan that is slightly lighter than a cast iron Dutch oven. They are still used for stews, vegetables, and anything that needs to go from the stovetop to the oven and back again.