# Caste Iron Dutch oven cooking



## RJAMES (Dec 23, 2016)

Decided to bake a roast and some biscuits in the dutch ovens today. I usually only use them in the summer car camping or if I want to bake something so I do not heat the house up. With an ice storm this weekend I decided to show some neighbors how they can easily deal with things even if they lost electrical power and still have ways to cook a nice meal. 

Nice pork roast with sweet potatoes and carrots/ garlic, sage, colander . All home raised/ grown. 

The thing about a dutch oven is once you buy one your great-great- grandkids will have it to use. Keep it dry and oiled they pretty much last for ever. Coals can be a learning process but charcoal is easy enough get 21 coals going well and put 10 on the bottom 11 on the top. Get a good lid lifter , some metal fire tongs, good fire glove and you are set. For roasting or making a stew I cannot see what you could do wrong. 

Walmart of all places has the lid lifter in camping supplies and ovens in kitchen ware. Outdoor camping supply stores, Farm and Home stores have them as well. Look at new prices and then go look at junk stores, auctions and antique stores just be careful not to over pay. Lodge brand is made in the USA and there is some usable chinese made cast iron. 

Same for cast iron skillets If you see one at a good price in good condition grab it. I bought a bunch over the years cleaned them up and give as gifts or sell. Managed to buy some for 2.50 that were worth 50.00 once cleaned and reconditioned.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Cast Iron cookware is a great prep idea. Actually using it even better.


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## Targetshooter (Dec 4, 2015)

we have a few cast iron cook wear and love it .


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

And none of it is all that hard to learn to use.

I get mine out and use it every now and then as well.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## RJAMES (Dec 23, 2016)

Dwight55 now that is a nice set up. You could feed a bunch of cowboys with that gear.


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## rstanek (Nov 9, 2012)

Cast is all we use, Dutch oven all summer when camping


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## 6811 (Jan 2, 2013)

The wife got me a lodge Dutch oven during the big sale at wally world. I'm buying the big skillet and a 10 inch round and 4 inch deep pan next. There was also 3 skillets for $20 but they were not Lodge. I bought them anyway. They will be for my prepps when and if I have to bug out.


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

I can tell you from personal (72 year) experience that you do not have to spend a lot of money on cast iron stuff for it to be serviceable and good.

I have my grandmother's bean pot that I know is well over 100 years old, . . . still works great, . . . and even if you find something at a garage sale that is kinda funky lookin', . . . it can be cleaned up, . . . and fixed up to be useable.

Some of mine is Lodge, . . . just because I couldn't find what I wanted, . . . and they had what I wanted, . . . but if the top name and a no name were sitting side by side, . . . if there was any real money difference, . . . this old cheapskate will save the money and buy the lesser expensive. Once you get that good coating on them, . . . you take care of them, . . . as was previously stated, . . . your great great grandchildren can use them if this screwball world stands that long.

And yes, . . . RJAMES, . . . we have fed a bunch of folks with that rig. One of the best pieces ain't cast of course, . . . the coffee pot.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## Oddcaliber (Feb 17, 2014)

Got a nice little collection of cast iron myself. Mostly Lodge. Pick them up from a local junque shop for cheap.


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## Hemi45 (May 5, 2014)

Having some cast iron on hand is a MUST!


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## Robie (Jun 2, 2016)

Did a chuck roast two weeks ago in my dutch oven. Fried up some bacon, for the grease, and then browned the roast...carrots, onions, garlic and potatoes. 
As good of a meal as I need. Inexpensive also.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Great thread. Love that cast iron grub. Thanks for the reminder on how many briquttes top and bottom. I lost my owners manuel a few years back. I snag a full set of iron about 15 years ago at Academy sports. Chicom stuff most likely made by Christian Slave laborers..but it was only forty bucks and come in a nice wooden box which was nice to sit on. Had just about every variant of the cookware genre in there. Still use most of it. Mainly in the house.


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## RJAMES (Dec 23, 2016)

bigwheel said:


> Thanks for the reminder on how many briquttes top and bottom. I lost my owners manuel a few years back. UOTE]
> 
> The twenty one works well for me. I was taught that in the Boy Scouts were I was told it was 21 as that was also The number of merit badges you needed for EAGLE. So maybe 19 on he bottom and 20 on the top might also work. In any case a little more heat on top if you have something you want to brown.


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

I could not find the chart I was looking for, . . . but this one is pretty good I'm thinking.

May God bless,
Dwight


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