There are a few important tips for cleaning the Dutch oven after use.
First, never use soap. It will damage the patina of the Dutch oven and make it stick to food and run the risk of rust.
When cleaning, fill the Dutch oven with hot water, or heat the water in the Dutch oven over a fire. Leave the hot water sitting for about 10 minutes, then drain off the hot water and use a plastic or wood scraper to remove any remaining food. Make sure you do the same with the lid. Then rinse it out again with very hot water and thoroughly dry it with a paper towel and then let it air dry. (The oven will still be warm so the drying process only takes a few minutes). Then coat the entire interior surface of the oven and lid with a light coat of vegetable oil. When you put the lid back on the oven for storage, put a paper towel between the lid and the oven to make sure you can open it again.
Cooking with a Dutch oven is a a lot of fun, whether you are cooking on a camping trip or in your own backyard. If you treat your oven well, it will last for years and years and the whole Dutch oven experience will make for a lot of fun family memories.
