It is important to clean your Dutch oven properly. The following Dutch oven cleaning tips will help you to do that:

• Never use soap to clean your Dutch oven. The soap will get into the pores of the metal and "flavor" the next meal you cook in it.
• Scrape as much food as possible from the bottom and sides of the Dutch oven. If the Dutch oven is properly seasoned, it should be easy to do this. A crumpled up piece of aluminum foil can work well to remove food. A plastic scraper is another possibility.  I got that works great from a cooking supplies store.  Never use abrasives or sharp objects to remove food-these will harm the coating you are working to create.
• If more food remains, add some water and heat the oven to soften the food. Then scrape it off.
• Wipe any remaining food out with a wet cloth or towel.
• Gently heat the Dutch oven to get rid of all the moisture.
• Wipe the interior of the Dutch oven and lid with a layer of oil. It should not be enough so that the oil pools, but just enough to have a light covering.

If you follow these Dutch oven cleaning tips, your Dutch oven will give you years of great service. They get better with age-properly cared for, your Dutch oven can be around for several generations.

Enjoy!

P.S., For more Dutch Oven Recipes, I recommend Best of the Black Pot. It has some delicious recipes and is great whether you are an beginner or an expert in Dutch oven cooking