Ask a chef what their most prized piece of cookware is, and there’s a good probability they’ll level to their Dutch oven. A high-end mannequin, like a Le Creuset, is a critical funding, however for the cash, you get a splendidly versatile pot that you will use for all types of issues—cooking rice, frying rooster, baking bread, you title it.

A Dutch oven’s true calling, although, is making stews, braises, and different one-pot dinners, so it is a necessary piece of kit for straightforward, hearty, comforting meals on chilly winter nights. The mix of their deep form, ample measurement, and the heat-retaining powers of forged iron makes Dutch ovens the most effective instruments for browning meats and greens, then slowly cooking them to excellent tenderness. That can assist you recognize your Dutch oven as a lot as any chef, we’ve gathered 22 of our favourite Dutch oven dinners, together with rooster cacciatore, Guinness stew, and oven-cooked pulled pork.