Dutch oven size

[Lily&Me]

I don't know if that is true, Gearheart, actually.

The legs are necessary to allow heat from the charcoal to circulate, of course, but a long-legged trivet (where would you buy this?) would raise the DO off and away from the burning coals beneath it, which would significantly change the cooking time.

If one is going to invest in a DO, I would really recommend getting a good one, like Lodge.


Maggie

[Gearheart]

The one I saw the feet were really short. Scarcely an inch long. It did smother out the fire under it. I'm not advocating really long legs, but Lodge ones are about 1.5"-2". Woody Woodruff, a Scouter from Indiana, made cast aluminum DOs with 4" long legs and they worked just fine. It's the radiant heat that matters not contact with the coals. I was just trying to explain why a $19.95 DO might not be a bargain. I have a 10" Wagner with a flat bottom and the trivet with 2.5" legs works great, allowing me to use it outdoors. I got the trivet in a Chinese grocery store. I think they use it to keep the bamboo rice steamer off the bottom of the pot. I also have a 10 and 12" Lodge, a 10" Wagner deep fry pan a 10" GSW fry pan and my Mom's old 10" fry pan that has a wooden handle. I love it as it doesn't get too hot to hold. Mom got it as a wedding gift 65 years ago.

[pappy19]

Although I don't use them, there are some cast aluminum DO's out there that a lot of folks swear by them. They are much, much lighter and easier to handle. I know that many river outfitters use them because they are light in weight.

Outdoor Cookers & Grills, Cast Aluminum Dutch Oven | Campmor

[rmkrum]

Cast aluminum is a bit lighter but does cook a little differently. They are a bit harder to get the heat right in cooler weather because they conduct heat away faster than iron.


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[Lily&Me]

Each to his own, but I won't be wooed away from my cast iron.


Maggie

[rmkrum]

Me neither. Too many Boy Scout campouts with fantastic Dutch oven food to go with other than cast iron. Still drooling over memories of peach cobbler from the 60's campouts in Florida.


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[slowmover]

I can't imagine having loaded a cast iron DO to my pack frame, but the aluminum was not questioned as a Scout lo these forty years ago and more.

I think I'd like to have both.

[rmkrum]

We used DO for 'car camping' where we did not have to carry the big iron beasts we had. Our Scoutmaster had a secret family recipe for peach cobbler that was fantastic. Unfortunately the secret was lost when he died young from a heart attack. I've come close to duplicating it but not exact yet.


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[Gearheart]

A very important thing to remember with aluminum is that without food inside it can melt. It starts to get plastic and unstable at around 700 degrees f, easily achieved with charcoal if no load is in the oven. Baking in a pie pan elevated off the bottom of the DO is not recommended.

[rmkrum]

That was a good detail that I completely forgot--thanks.


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