[kiteri]

Does anyone here use a Dutch Oven?

Have you ever used one hanging on a tripod, or do you let yours rest in the coals?

Do you only use it for stews and roasts, or do you try to bake in it?

I am starting my usual OCD like process of investigating a product before I buy it. Any information from people with experience using a Dutch Oven would really help me out.

 

[Willy]

One way we use ours is to prepare the meat, potatoes, carrots, onions and whatever else you want at home. Keep it all in the refrig until we are ready to cook it, within a day or so.

We build a good fire with wood, sometimes charcoal too, put all the goodies in the dutch oven.

We just make a hole in the wood/coals and put the oven in the hole and pile the hot coals around the pot,and put coals on top of the lid, add some fresh coals to the top too.

Let it cook all day, or half a day depending on size of meat used. Excellent

 

[ctfortner]

If you have a campfire and want to cook anything besides a hotdog this is the way to do it.

I have used the firepit grates that some campgrounds have, just put some aluminum foil down, poke holes through it and use the coals for cooking like a grill. But thats another story :whistling:

Dutch ovens are great for gumbos, stews, chili, cornbread, frying, baking, you name it, you can pretty much cook it.

I havent cooked with one with a tripod, but I think it would work good. I would think you would have to monitor it closer that way, the heat that is. Depending on how high its hanging above the fire, you would want to keep your heat up, so when the fire dies down some, add more to it. Where as setting it in and around the coals would cook for a long time without much extra attention.

 

[grace]

Dutch Oven seems likes it's perfect for cooking almost everything. I've seen them on the HSN channel. It looked so good and efficient at cooking. That's the kind of food my Grandma made all the time. She'd make pork chops in then that were tender. Her secret was a can of Cream if Chicken in it. She'd put potatoes with them. It was heaven on Earth having that for dinner.

 

[campingforfun]

I use the dutch oven at home all the time. But I find when camping, it is worth that much more. You can stick so much food in them and whip up almost anything.

My husband likes to make his fish soup on the open fire in the dutch oven. Plus when boiling odd shaped things like spaghetti, it is perfect. It doesn't boil over or spill over as easy as other pots.

 

[l2l]

Ok please excuse my ignorance but what are you folks calling a Dutch Oven?
I think I have an idea but anyone got a picture?

They say there is no dumb question but I feel dumb asking

 

[kiteri]

NO problem l2l. I used to think a dutch oven was when your partner farted under the blankets when you were both in them. hehehehehehehe

Here is a link that can explain it all!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_oven

 

[cassiem]

Here is a couple of pics also. The cast iron lasts forever too, another great thing about them

 

[bill0830]

You all are making me HUNGRY. Lets eat. :10001:

 

[kiteri]

Well... I did it. I bought a 6Q Dutch Oven for $38 shipped from centralchef.com. Considering it was $25 at Dick's for a 2Q... I thought that was a pretty good deal. It has that flange on the lid for putting coals on top of the oven, and three legs to keep airflow under it. Here is a link to it:

http://www.centralchef.com/storefro...Detail.aspx?sid=1&sfid=123094&c=0&i=185262916

Does it look like a good oven to you guys?

 

[ctfortner]

Heck yeah it does. I could cook a lot of grub in that. They charged $15 for shipping? I know its heavy, but...

 

[kiteri]

They charged $13 and then there was tax (they have a store in my state, so I have to pay tax).

It didn't seem too high when you consider that I can't even buy a 6 Q one around me to save the shipping.

 

[l2l]

Thanks for explaining that folks...

I have to look into one of these

 

[grace]

That's a very nice looking Dutch Oven made with cast iron. My Grandma had one just like it. She had several cast iron things in her kitchen including pans. She cooked meat in there often. The pans were well seasoned and easy to take care of. Glad to hear you got a great Dutch Oven. I always try for free shipping if I can. But it's worth it in the end @!!!

 

[kiteri]

Well... my new dutch oven arrived via Fedex last night.

WOW is the lid heavy! I made sure I bought one with a flange on the lid to keep the coals on top of it, but I am gonna need a crane to lift it of the bottom. hehehe

So now I need to cure it, and give it a good test run... any good recipe ideas?

 

[cassiem]

Pork Loin

here is one someone emailed me a while ago, have not tied yet, but I will be using it this year

Apricot-Pineapple Glazed Pork Loin

1 (3- to 4-pound) boneless pork loin roast
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (18-ounce) jar apricot-pineapple preserves
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup brown sugar

Season roast with salt and pepper to taste. Place on a rack in a 12-inch Dutch oven. Using 9 briquettes on the bottom and 15 on the top, cook for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 155ºF.

While the roast is cooking, combine all of the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes; keep warm. During last 30 minutes of cooking, baste roast several times with sauce. Let roast stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

 

[glfortner]

I really like that idea-it would great to make soups and stews.