Need Advice

[funflyer]

I'm wanting to start playing with the cast iron cookware and need some direction as to size and type. I see some have legs and others don't and do most of you cook over charcoal or wood? I'm looking forward to Minden to see just how you experts present your burnt offerings.

Larry in Iowa.

[Mike B]

I have dutch ovens that have legs and those that do not. The ones without legs are useful for hanging over open fires, on stove tops and inside regular ovens. The ones with legs are also useful to hang over fires, but can also be used with charcoal or coals underneath and on top. Most teardroppers use the ones with legs, as you don't need to build a big fire to use them.

The smallest you might want to start with is a 10 inch model. Check out Byron's - Introduction to Dutch Ovens for more information. You might want to check out my BLOGical Thoughts Teardrop Cooking Links.

You can pick up a dutch oven at your local army surplus store, camping outlets or even at a Harbor Freight outlet.

Mike
Hayden Lake, ID

[Guest]

Larry,
Take a good look at the cast surface on the cooking side, you'll notice pits in the lower grade cookware. Try to find the smoothest surface you can.
You will also need to season your new cookware by baking a coat of oil into the cast surface to seal it.
I noticed Costco has a cast iron set; Dutch Oven, Skillet and Rippled Griddle that looks pretty good, it also had a nifty handle for lifting the lid and handle for the dutch oven.
I think the brand name was Louis & Clark and if I'm not mistaken, it came pre seasoned.
Here's an old Boy Scout trick if your oven doesn't have legs.... I've placed three equal sized stones under the oven when doing underground beans.

[Syekick]

As a third generation Lodge cast iron cookware user, I highly recommend that brand. Why all this talk about seasoning or preseasoning? The seasoning is nothing more than baked on grease or oil. There are two reasons for doing this.

1. It prevents rust!
2. It makes the item non-stick!
It's the original non-stick cookware.

Hard core cast iron users say to never wash cast iron. I'm refering to my grandmother and mother who taught me the same. Their reasoning is that is removes the seasoning and flavors the grease with soap. They would simply wipe the pan clean. The secret is to always preheat the pan/dutch oven before adding any ingrediants. That way the heat kills any possible germs. The Lodge Cast iron company does not recommend the use of soap in cleaning. They recommend use of a stiff brush and hot water. No soap.

Over coals or a campfire, the legs raise the dutch oven slightly to allow air access to the fire. A flat bottomed pan would put out the fire / coals under it.

[capsu78]

You have a real choice here that is worth it in my book. Lodge is a made in America brand that has its roots in the settling of the west. The Costco option I saw was a real nice set, but made in China if I am correct.
I have read enough that indicates Lodge tests out very well in actual cooking tests and is the gold standard of cast iron cookwear. I would spend a bit more to buy the genuine article, made here in America on an item that with minimal care will last into your kids lifetimes!
Now a disclaimer- I started picking up Lodge cookware at garage sales about 4 years ago and I have assembled a nearly complete set of skillets over the years that I enjoy quite a bit as I feel that many people were induced to get rid of this excellent cookware only to be replaced with all of the new lighter weight "cooking fad of the moment" stuff.
The toughest pieces to find in a garage saqle are the Dutch ovens. If you find one at a garage sale, check to see the lid is not chipped or warped and has a good fit. If you go on E bay you will always find items on sale.
I sometimes think of all of the meals that were cooked on a 50 year old frying pan like my Grandfather used. There is something about this old cookware that simply is cooler than my pans at home.
You can also run a search on "Dutch oven cooking" and you will find a near cult like affection to cast iron dutch ovens on the west coast, particularly Utah. Some of the top competitors are using cookware that came west on the wagons.