Dutch oven

American  

noun

1. a heavily constructed kettle with a close-fitting lid, used for pot roasts, stews, etc.

2. a metal utensil, open in front, for roasting before an open fire.

3. a brick oven in which the walls are preheated for cooking.

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Dutch oven British  

noun

1. an iron or earthenware container with a cover used for stews, etc

2. a metal box, open in front, for cooking in front of an open fire

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Usage

What else does Dutch oven mean? In cooking, a Dutch oven is a type of heavy pot with a lid. But in slang, a Dutch oven is when you pass gas in bed and pull the covers over someone else's head, trapping it in like a Dutch oven traps heat. How is Dutch oven pronounced?[ duhch uhv-uhn ]

Etymology

Origin of Dutch oven

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

The first kitchen tools on my must-replace list were: a microplane and a Staub Dutch oven.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

For King Arthur Baking, Kye Ameden evaluated Dutch oven breads, while PJ Hamel tested two dozen recipes; both found plenty to praise.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 2, 2024

In a large Dutch oven or deep, heavy bottomed pan with a lid, pour oil just to coat and barely cover bottom.

From Salon • Jan. 11, 2024

I had no idea what a Dutch oven is used for, but I thought I might need one too.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 3, 2023

We hardly needed our winter coats once we’d settled among the Dutch—behind their walls, below their floors, beside the Dutch oven.

From "Secrets at Sea" by Richard Peck