Must You Oil The Lid When Making Glorious One-Pot Meals in A Dutch Oven?

Reader question: Hi elizabeth, I have a question– why is it necessary to oil the entire pot even though not all of the pot will be touched by food? I have a problem with the oil sticking to the lid…it’s very hard to get off.  Thanks, kelly

Hi Kelly! This is a great question with a simple answer: if you don’t want to oil the inside of the lid of your Dutch oven when making Glorious One-Pot Meals, then don’t.

Because I prefer to load my cast iron Dutch oven all the way up to the brim with food when preparing GOPMs, I’m in the habit of oiling the inside of the lid as well as the inside of base of the pot because I’ve experienced food sticking to the top when I skipped this step. However, it is not a mandatory requirement that you oil the inside of the lid, or even that you oil the pot at all. Certainly, I’ve forgotten to oil the Dutch oven many times before loading it with food, and the food still cooked up just fine, even if the pot was a little harder to clean afterward.

Glorious One-Pot Meals are very forgiving recipes: substitution or even omission of suggested ingredients is encouraged, making this a perfect technique to use for those with food aversions, sensitivities, or allergies. Of course, even omnivores can appreciate the simplicity of preparation, the speed of cooking, and the tastiness of the final results!

Thanks for writing, Kelly!

Here’s a quick and delicious Glorious One-Pot Meal cooking demonstration for “Feta Shrimp”, in case you’re wondering what the fuss is all about.

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