Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I hate match light charcoal, but for DO use it probably doesn't matter since technically you're not cooking on them. They should work the same once they're ashed.

Here is some pretty good information on the dutch oven cooking.
http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/~papa ... g-tips.htm

o.k. SLOW The word for the day is KINGSFORD.

You will find your bargain brand will require twice as much because of 1/2 the burn time.

Remember the old addage "Good fresh clean oats demand a fair price HOWEVER if you can wait till they are thru the horse they are cheaper". :lol:

Now the lesson as it has been explained to me....Taking the diameter of oven times two bricketts will get 350 degrees. A brickette is approx 12 to 15 degrees each so an additional pair raises the cook temp approx 25 degrees. The safest of the four cooking technique is the "bake" mode. For this you place 3 times as much on top as on the bottom so for a 12 inch you have 24 bricketts that 18 on top 6 on the bottom.

Cowboy, listen to Bob Henry. Don't use the insta light charcoal or a cheap brand. The insta light burn too fast which means you will use more charcoal, which means you will go through your bargain brand charcoal much faster. Kingsford can be bought on sale at Home Depot - just check with them each Sunday or Monday or watch for their sale papers. They usually have 2 bags for a good price.

I don't know if your dutch oven is seasoned or not but I found the best way to do it is to fry chicken, fish or whatever in it a few times. And if you can do it outside, your mother would love you more. I'm a messy fryer so take that comment from experience.

To light Kingsford charcoal, just put them in a charcoal chimney with a bunch of newspaper bunched up under it and light the paper. It will take a little bit for all the charcoal to get going but it's so much better than the insta light charcoal. I do use the insta light ones when I'm camping and want something fast for the BBQ pit but I honestly prefer to use regular bricketts - no stinky smelly charcoal lighter fluid smell either.

Let me check in my camper bag and see if I have a copy of the brickett calculator. It's a good thing to have on hand. Also, Google dutch oven recipes and they will tell you the amount of bricketts to use for each recipe. Heck, I think Mike has a D.O. cookbook that can be downloaded on the forum.

Just remember that you have to turn the oven about a fourth in one direction and the lid the same in the other direction about every 15 minutes to cook evenly. Take your time and enjoy it!

I agree with the charcoal advise Slow. But use what you have this time. I use a charcoal starter chimney . If it's a long cook I keep a few coals in the chimney and add a few fresh ones to keep the oven going.

Now some people will not agree here. But an easy way to cook with a DO without counting coals is to put a ring of burning coals around the outside edge of the bottom and a ring around the top lip . Rotate the bottom on the burning coals every 15 minutes and turn the lid the opposite way a 1/4 turn. This method works well for most things.

Just start out with a simple Dump cake. It's cheap and most sweet things taste good no matter how they turn out. Post pictures!

I'm a fan of lump charcoal in my Komodo, how does lump work with DO's?

I Agree with the dinwidde ring method. The good thing about it is it automatically takes into count for smaller or larger charcoal. Smaller briquettes, the more you use, lager equals less charcoal. It all balances out. However you do need to make sure your ring on the bottom is smaller or you will burn your cake. Your bottom ring should fit between or just inside the legs.

Slow, I often use the stove to start the chimney and yes you pick up the whole oven and turn it. Good luck!

GerryS wrote:I'm a fan of lump charcoal in my Komodo, how does lump work with DO's?

Because of the inconsistency in size it will be difficult to use lump charcoal. Also probably three times as expensive as using Kingsford. The charcoal has no effect on taste, so no need to use something more expensive.

clockwise ......counter clockwise ......

What is turning which way ????

I actually retained something that I read on one of the D.O. sites

If you have a lid with any decernable markings just leave it setting in the same position as you started and rotate the pot only.

As I am easily confused with more than one task at a time it greatly simplified the art of D.O. cooking.

Cowboy, I use my Coleman stove to light my chimney when I'm in a hurry or just being impatient. Works great! Oh and what I meant about not frying inside - I have a large, deep cast iron skillet that I use to fry fish and chicken in. I have done this on my electric stove and always make a mess and I am the one who has to clean the mess and smell the fried foods for hours after. Soooo...I now fry my chicken or fish outside (unless it's raining).

Turning your dutch oven is just to prevent "hot spots" and to promote even cooking of your dish. Just relax and enjoy! And remember,

Mike,

Go to BOARD INDEX above, then click on CAST IRON, and the 4th line down, click on CHARCOAL CALCULATOR. Doug has a really good link posted that you can use for determining how much charcoal you need to use for what you are cooking.

I know most of you dont like the instant light charcoal but i like it. It may burn a little faster but if you are doing DO cookoffs its a positive fast start. I also like instant light charcoal for starting camp fires when camping. Just throw in a few brickettes and instant hot fire. Also I believe that Kingsford brand charcoal is best. It burns very consistently even when its old. Bargain brand charcoal sometimes will have false starts or not burn at all.

Slow --- Pictures Please!

Slow:

I use tongs when I'm moving charcoal.

If you have garage sales around you, you can find them for less than a dollar. Like these..

You probably have some in your kitchen already, and it won't ruin them moving coals around with them. Mom will never know!

Keep an eye out at Home depot, lowes or walmart around the summer holidays, they always have great deals on briquets and you can load up on them. I remember my first cobbler! and my second, my third...etc...etc...