I’m in Dutch

By Will 2 min read
I’m in Dutch

Yesterday I received my Enameled Dutch Oven from New York’s own Borough Furnace. This new bit of kit came as a result of a Kickstarter campaign and was an impulse purchase to be sure, but one that I am glad I made.

Borough Furnce Dutch Oven

This is an American made, 5.5 quart Dutch Oven cast from recycled iron (old brake rotors mostly) and enameled onsite. They even use spent cooking oil to power their furnaces so these products are more environmentally friendly than most.  Maybe that is important to you, maybe not, but I find it kinda cool.

Here is a video I found of their workshop:

The campaign’s goal was to raise enough money to bring their enameling process in-house though purchasing the necessary equipment and solidifying supply chains, which they have done. However, this project was not without its ups and downs.

It took time for Borough to ‘iron out’ their process to achieve high and predictable quality, but they also had kiln failures, unexpected equipment problems that required some creative solutions, and the seemingly ever-present Covid-19 of course.  Borough has pushed through it all and delivered what looks to be an awesome product.  Mine arrived over a year later than what they had originally proposed, but given all they had to deal with that is more than understandable. I was lucky though in that I was an early backer so I have received my Dutch Oven way earlier than most. Borough is still producing and shipping at a comfortable rate and will have all of their pledges rewarded in short order.

After unpacking – it was packed very well btw – the pot felt a little lighter than I expected but it also felt solid and the lid fit snugly.

I like that the overall color is black (I know, shocker right?) and has an attractive shine but there is one downside: any blemishes and specks of dust will stand out, but I can live with that.

I REALLY like the lid handle.

Dutch Oven Handle

It is easy to grip and provides great control.

After washing and toweling it off I placed it into a 250° oven to make sure it was completely dry. Once removed the pot held onto the heat for a long time- very impressive.

Everything feels very well designed and thought out. But now I find myself in the space of not wanting to fuck it up because it is such a piece of art. Alas.. cook with it I must!

Bottom of Dutch Oven Pot

What to make though? My intuition goes to something simple, something earthy and hearty since it is cold outside. I roasted a pork shoulder a couple of days ago and saved the bone for stock, so the idea of using it for a big pot of beans comes to mind. That seems fitting for the first go. I’m due for a meatless meal this week anyway.

\m/