Dutch Oven Cleaning: Cleaning Up After Irish Soda Bread

March 14, 2025

Dutch oven cleaning can be tricky, especially if you’re baking Irish soda bread for St. Patrick’s Day. Dutch ovens can be made of cast iron, cast aluminum, ceramic, stainless steel, or enameled cast iron. So, it’s essential to know what your Dutch oven is made of. You can use Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser on all except cast iron. BKF heavily advises AGAINST using BKF on regular, run-of-the-mill cast iron. So, please don’t attempt this on standard cast iron products.

Pro Tip: If you’re uncertain about the coating on your cast iron cookware, test a small spot on the pan with BKF. This is always a good plan, especially if you’re unsure of the pot’s composition.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to cleaning your Dutch oven with Bar Keepers Friend anytime but positively after burning St. Paddy’s Day Irish soda bread in it.  

Dutch Oven Cleaning

Let the Dutch Oven Cool Down

Allow the Dutch oven to cool completely before cleaning. Soaking a hot Dutch oven with cold water can damage it and burn your fingers.

Remove Loose Food Debris

Carefully use a plastic spatula or soft brush to scrape off any large pieces of burned bread or food particles.

Rinse

Rinse the Dutch oven to remove loose debris and allow the Bar Keepers Friend to adhere. 

Apply Bar Keepers Friend

Sprinkle Bar Keepers Friend on the burned areas. 

Scrub Gently

To protect the surface, use a soft, damp sponge (avoid steel wool or abrasive scrubbers) and scrub the stained areas in a circular motion. 

Tackling Tough Stains

For particularly stubborn stains, you can create a paste by mixing Bar Keepers Friend with a small amount of water and letting it sit for one minute before scrubbing. 

Rinse Thoroughly

Rinse the Dutch oven thoroughly with warm water to remove all traces of the cleanser. 

Dry Completely

Use a soft or microfiber cloth to completely dry the oven before storing it. 

Repeat if Needed

 If some stubborn spots remain, you can repeat the process.

What Others Had to Say

Here’s what leading culinary magazine Bon Appétit said: “Bar Keepers Friend powder is also quite handy if you have burns that just don’t seem to budge—mix it with a tiny bit of water, and scrub away. Just remember to avoid that steel wool.”

“If stains on either the inside or outside of your Dutch oven won’t go away no matter how many times you try the soap, baking soda, or white vinegar solutions, then it may be time to go another route. In this case, Staub recommends using  Bar Keepers Friend.“ — How to Clean and Keep Your Dutch Oven Looking Like New, According to Experts at Le Creuset and Staub.

So, what do you think should some Irish soda bread be on your St. Paddy’s Day menu?

Irish Soda Bread Recipe

What You’ll Need

• 12 ounces all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 10 ounces buttermilk

Let’s Get to Baking

Preheat the oven to 425°F. 

In a large bowl mix the flour, salt, and baking soda.

Pour the buttermilk over it. To combine it you will need to stir and smash the mixture. 

Eventually, the dough will start to clump.

Place the dough on parchment paper and form it into two-inch-thick rounds. For an added touch, use a knife to make an X across the top of the roll.

Place the rolls in the Dutch oven, put the lid on, and cook for 25 minutes. At 25 minutes, remove the lid and cook for an additional 10 minutes to brown the buns. 

Of course, let the rolls cool for a few minutes before biting into them.

There you have it! Four ingredients, less than an hour from start to finish, and you have a traditional Irish soda bread for St. Patrick’s Day!

Have a Happy St. Paddy’s Day!

Will you be baking Irish soda bread in your Dutch oven on St. Patrick’s Day? Do you have a favorite recipe? Have you cleaned your Dutch oven with BKF? We’d love to hear from you! Be sure to take photos and upload them here.

About the Author

Randy Clark is a speaker, coach, and author. He publishes a weekly blog at Randy Clark Leadership.com. Randy is passionate about social media, leadership development, and flower gardening. He’s a beer geek and on weekends (after COVID-19) he can be found fronting the Rock & Roll band Under the Radar. He’s the proud father of two educators; he has four amazing grandchildren and a wife who dedicates her time to helping others. Randy is the author of the Amazon bestseller The New Manager’s Workbook a crash course in effective management.