OK, I’ve NEVER cooked with a Dutch oven before. I went to the Lodge factory in South Pittsburgh, TN, just a few miles from my campsite. Those Lodge camp ovens are HEAVY. So I’ve wimped out for now with a GSI anodized aluminum #12 Dutch oven. I would really like to have a well-used vintage #12 Griswold or such, but I’m still searching. I swear the old ones are lighter weight than the newer Lodge versions.
Remove the upper grate and a 12 inch Dutch oven fits perfectly into the Volcano. So I mixed a quick test batch of biscuits, inverted a pie pan in the oven, preheated the oven, and placed them on foil in it. In about 20 minutes this is what I had. Not the best batch I’ve ever made, but certainly not the worst. I need more Dutch oven practice ~ it really is an art. I have since been told that several Mason jar canning rings in the bottom make the best trivet ever for Dutch ovens.
Then I fired up more coals and tried a rice/vegetable dish in my trusty #8 Griswold skillet. It turned out perfectly.
Bottom line: So far I love it, glad I bought it. If you use Dutch ovens, this is your answer when you can’t dig a pit.
I’ll try the propane next time. It stands to reason temperature control would be similar to any other gas stove and easier to manage. Eventually I’ll try using the Volcano as a free-standing wood campfire pit, but it will require appropriately sized wood.