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Author Topic: Dutch ovens, your recomendation  (Read 6173 times)

boulderbrewer

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Dutch ovens, your recomendation
« on: February 27, 2011, 10:17:07 pm »
Weaz had dutch oven question but what are your experiences with these things. You can blow nearly 300 bills on these. What do you have and how do they work? Cast iron or enameled cast iron. How about heat can they take an egg?
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Offline euge

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Re: Dutch ovens, your recomendation
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2011, 11:29:48 pm »
I go an Emeril 6 quart since the price was right. It has served me well for $40. I seasoned it myself.

Holds heat extremely well. Used it to fry and braise and even have done dishes in the smoker. I see no reason why it wouldn't last longer than my lifetime if cared for.
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Offline punatic

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Re: Dutch ovens, your recomendation
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2011, 12:52:40 am »
Back in the days when people cooked over open fires, dutch ovens were highly prized and handed down as heirlooms.

We cook in a dutch oven a lot on Scouting campouts.  We surround/bury them in hot coals, so an egg is no problem.  It's pretty amazing what all you can cook in one.

Euge is right, you don't need to drop three bills on a dutch oven.  Good ones can be had for much less.  IMHO cast iron ones are great.  There are plenty of YouTube videos showing how to season/clean/cook with a cast iron dutch oven.
« Last Edit: February 28, 2011, 12:57:33 am by punatic »
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Offline phillamb168

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Re: Dutch ovens, your recomendation
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2011, 03:39:50 am »
We're gonna pick one up soonish as well - we have a fire pit that I'd like to try to cook on. You can get inexpensive kits that include a tripod that you hang the dutch oven on, so it's suspended over a fire. Dunno about the price. I've seen them at the local garden shop for 50 euros. Cast iron's the way to go, IMHO.
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Offline tygo

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Re: Dutch ovens, your recomendation
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2011, 05:18:12 am »
I picked up a Cuisinart porcelain enameled cast iron 7 qt for $60 at Marshall's about two months ago and really like it.  Places like that are hit and miss but you can sometimes get good deals.  I hear Costco has a reasonably priced one as well but I haven't been able to find it.   

I had my eye on the Le Creuset as well but just couldn't bring myself to part with that much coin.
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Offline phillamb168

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Re: Dutch ovens, your recomendation
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2011, 05:30:30 am »
Quote from: tygo on February 28, 2011, 05:18:12 am
I picked up a Cuisinart porcelain enameled cast iron 7 qt for $60 at Marshall's about two months ago and really like it.  Places like that are hit and miss but you can sometimes get good deals.  I hear Costco has a reasonably priced one as well but I haven't been able to find it.   

I had my eye on the Le Creuset as well but just couldn't bring myself to part with that much coin.

Problem is, I don't think you can use the enameled ones over open flame, which in my mind kinda defeats the purpose.
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Offline tygo

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Re: Dutch ovens, your recomendation
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2011, 06:02:06 am »
Yes, you can.  If you couldn't then yeah, I agree that would partially defeat the purpose.
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Offline phillamb168

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Re: Dutch ovens, your recomendation
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2011, 06:58:13 am »
I misspoke - I meant enameled ceramic, not enameled cast iron.
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Offline Hokerer

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Re: Dutch ovens, your recomendation
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2011, 07:23:52 am »
Like Punatic, we use dutch ovens all the time on Scout campouts.  In my opinion, seasoned cast iron is the way to go.  We've got various sizes, all Lodge.

Oh, and they're "camp dutch ovens" meaning they have legs on the bottom and a lip on the lid for holding coals.  You don't really need a tripod.
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Joe

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Dutch ovens, your recomendation
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2011, 09:07:39 am »
I have a le-creuset and it is nice, small oval enameled one, I would not have purchased it but it was a wedding gift. I also have an old one I found at a rummage sale for 2 bucks or so. It doesn't have a lid but... For cast iron, if I can't find it at a garage sale or similar I love lodge. They even have a range of preseasoned options that are good. not too expensive either, and made in the USA.
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Dutch ovens, your recomendation
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2011, 10:42:21 am »
We've got a med/large Le Crueset that we got as a wedding gift, and I have a cast iron one that my father in law was getting rid of.  I want to try cooking in a campfire at some point, but I haven't researched it at all to figure out how.  I'll have to check out youtube this summer.
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Tom Schmidlin

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Re: Dutch ovens, your recomendation
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2011, 11:31:23 am »
Quote from: tschmidlin on February 28, 2011, 10:42:21 am
I want to try cooking in a campfire at some point, but I haven't researched it at all to figure out how.  I'll have to check out youtube this summer.

Here's the place to start your research...

http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/~papadutch/
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Dutch ovens, your recomendation
« Reply #12 on: February 28, 2011, 01:06:19 pm »
Cool, thanks Joe! :)
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Offline weazletoe

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Re: Dutch ovens, your recomendation
« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2011, 04:12:20 pm »
Mine are just good ole' cast iron. They take a lot of abuse up in the mountains camping, so I did not want anything to fancy. My next purchase will be a volcano stove. Bad to the bone I tells ya!
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Offline punatic

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Re: Dutch ovens, your recomendation
« Reply #14 on: February 28, 2011, 05:29:49 pm »
Quote from: weazletoe on February 28, 2011, 04:12:20 pm
My next purchase will be a volcano stove. Bad to the bone I tells ya!

I've got one of those!
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