A Dutch oven is a workhorse in your kitchen — it can prepare everything from soups to roasted meats and stews to freshly baked bread. When you're choosing a Dutch oven, you need to consider the size and shape.
While size is a pretty straightforward consideration, shape may be a little trickier. Continue reading to learn the difference between a round Dutch oven and an oval one.
Round vs. Oval Dutch Ovens
The big difference between a round and oval oven is the best use for each product. Since most stove burners are round, circle-shaped Dutch ovens will fit better over top of them, leading to less wasted energy.
Oval Dutch ovens are more elongated than their round cousins. Their longer shape makes them ideal for holding big cuts of meats or, depending on the size, even whole turkeys or chickens.
Benefits of Round Dutch Ovens
For stove-top cooking, round Dutch ovens are perfect. They let you simmer soups, chilis and stews. Some advantages of round Dutch ovens include:
- Easy matching: Since the shape of the Dutch oven matches the shape of most stove-top burners, it's easy to find a size that works with your stove. The more closely a pan matches the burner size, the more efficiently it heats, reducing energy use and making your kitchen safer.
- Oven-safe design: You can slide most round Dutch ovens into the oven to bake or roast meals.
- Higher sides: Round Dutch ovens typically have higher sides in relation to the bottom surface area, reducing spills and splatters.
Benefits of Oval Dutch Ovens
Oval Dutch ovens can also work well on the stove, especially if you have longer burners or the option of merging two burners into one. A few benefits of choosing an oval Dutch oven include:
- Greater capacity: Depending on the size of the Dutch oven and the size of the bird, you may be able to fit an entire turkey into the dish.
- Oven-safe materials: Like round Dutch ovens, oval-shaped ovens are oven-safe.
- Increased surface area: Oval-shaped ovens have more surface area on the bottom, giving you plenty of space to brown meats, caramelize onions or saute vegetables.
Should You Get a Round or an Oval Dutch Oven?
If space allows, why not get both? Each option has its benefits. If you don't have room, choose a round or oval product based on what you plan on cooking.
Xtrema has round and oval all-ceramic Dutch ovens that are perfect for braising, roasting and anything else you want to do in the kitchen. Shop our full selection of Dutch ovens today.
