The History of the Dutch Oven

In 18th century Holland, Dutch artisans used sand-casting (a form of metal casting that uses sand molds) to create high-quality, expensive pots known as braadpans and other types of cookware. In fact, Dutch artisans already had a long history of casting brass and copper pots in sand molds. Then in the early 1700s, a British industrialist named Abraham Darby visited Holland and observed these Dutch artisans at work. When he returned home to England, he developed his own cast-iron technique based on the Dutch methods he had learned about on his trip and successfully created his own cheap, sturdy cookware. The resulting pots were known as Dutch ovens. There is some debate about where the name came from. Some historians believe Darby named his cookware in honor of the Dutch techniques he modified for the manufacturing process, while others think the name originated with Dutch merchants who sold the pots. Over time, other companies began making and selling Dutch ovens. They were widely used in colonial America. Later, Lewis and Clark carried a Dutch oven during their expeditions. Interestingly, the French developed a similar technique but coated their pots in enamel, leading to the creation of the still popular Le Creuset brand. Today, Dutch ovens are popular in many parts of the world and are used to cook everything from brisket to bread.