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Temperature Control With a Deep Oven

PostPosted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 12:53 pm
by IndyTom
Hey Dean, and anyone else who could help!

I was breaking in some new iron tonight and ran into something I have not seen before. I was baking a cobbler in a new Lodge 10 deep, eight on bottom and 12 on top. For the first 45 min of the cook everything seemed fine. At 45 min, I added a few additional coals to replace those that had burned down. At one hour, normally I am done, so I checked and the crust was still very soft and not at all brown. I started adding coals and checking every 15 min. Eventually, the entire top was covered in coals. Finally at about an hour and a half I saw a little browning. More coals. It was lightly golden brown right at 2 hours. I have never had a cobbler take anywhere near that long.
There were two things about tonight that were different. This was my first time using a deep oven. Could that have made a difference? The oven was only about half full, so there was some distance between the crust and the heat. The other difference is that this is the first Lodge DO I have ever seen where the lid does not fit really well. There is a little bit of rock when the oven is cold and it only gets worse as the oven heats up. Could an ill-fitting lid have caused my issues?
I am stumped so I hope someone has some ideas that can help.

Re: Temperature Control With a Deep Oven

PostPosted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 9:01 pm
by lrrowe
I have had decent luck with my Lodge 12 " DO with peach cobblers. But tonight I tried a cherry one with chocloate fudge cake mix and it took much longer then before. I used 8 pieces on the bottom and 17 on top. At 40 minutes it was not done so I mixed the ingredients together and within 15 more minutes all was acceptable. I too am confused.

One think I am wondering about is the quality of charcoal today. What I get lately seems to burn up quickly. I may have asked this before, but is there any chance that what we are getting for charcoal is lesser then in earlier days? And therefore, should we be using more pieces that the charts recommend?

Re: Temperature Control With a Deep Oven

PostPosted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 10:38 pm
by IndyTom
Bob,
I was using Kingsford "long burning" charcoal and I really didn't feel like I was getting more than a half hour of good burning per batch of coals. I know they used to do better than that. Maybe I just had some bad luck.

Tom

Re: Temperature Control With a Deep Oven

PostPosted: Sun Jun 18, 2017 9:07 am
by bc toys
on a deep oven i use the usual 9 on bottom and a ring and a half on top a full ring around the outer side and another ring ever other cosl it works for me this is a 12'' pot hope it helps you out

Re: Temperature Control With a Deep Oven

PostPosted: Sun Jun 18, 2017 11:50 am
by IndyTom
That sounds like a pretty good idea. I am going to try some monkey bread later today if the weather holds. I plan to try your way and see how it turns out.

Tom

Re: Temperature Control With a Deep Oven

PostPosted: Tue Jun 20, 2017 6:39 am
by bobhenry
Break out a skillet that fits your lid and get that heat up close and personal.

My little spider skillet has been doing a lot of the baking...

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Banana upside down cake anyone ?

Re: Temperature Control With a Deep Oven

PostPosted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 11:43 am
by Nansplace
That one got almost too done but it was good. Think maybe I'll make another one for CRA.

Re: Temperature Control With a Deep Oven

PostPosted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 12:25 pm
by IndyTom
I tried again last night with a batch of monkey bread. The oven was much fuller and everything worked just right. I am still going to get the oven replaced, because the lid does not rotate when the oven is hot. Thanks for all the input everyone.

Tom

Re: Temperature Control With a Deep Oven

PostPosted: Sun Jun 25, 2017 9:39 am
by DrCrash
IndyTom wrote:I tried again last night with a batch of monkey bread. The oven was much fuller and everything worked just right. I am still going to get the oven replaced, because the lid does not rotate when the oven is hot. Thanks for all the input everyone.

Tom


I had one that did the same thing when it got hot. I took a dremmel tool and ground the inside edge of the pot and also the ridge on the lid. I kept at it until it would spin. Reseasoned it and you would never know it.

Re: Temperature Control With a Deep Oven

PostPosted: Sun Jun 25, 2017 10:58 am
by IndyTom
DrCrash wrote:
IndyTom wrote:I tried again last night with a batch of monkey bread. The oven was much fuller and everything worked just right. I am still going to get the oven replaced, because the lid does not rotate when the oven is hot. Thanks for all the input everyone.

Tom


I had one that did the same thing when it got hot. I took a dremmel tool and ground the inside edge of the pot and also the ridge on the lid. I kept at it until it would spin. Reseasoned it and you would never know it.


That was my plan for this one, until the vendor said they would replace it. Still thought I might, because I couldn't imagine them wanting to pay to ship back a defective lump of cast iron, but they did. Oh well, I still have a great new oven.

Tom

ps. What I was actually planning was to use valve grinding compound between the lid and pot to match them to one another.

Re: Temperature Control With a Deep Oven

PostPosted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 6:13 pm
by gudmund
IndyTom - when do we get the 'Ozak' Dutch Oven report on it's maiden voyage into the cooking arena of producing food ???? :twisted:

Re: Temperature Control With a Deep Oven

PostPosted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 10:02 pm
by IndyTom
I am planning some no knead bread for this weekend. If all goes well, I will have a report Saturday night.

Re: Temperature Control With a Deep Oven

PostPosted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 12:48 am
by gudmund
Good Luck and cook safely - this coming from someone who burned a finger today :cry: just picking up the coffee cup to remove from the micro (have done it thousand of times but this time it blistered up the side of a finger - oh well, 'it' happens - guess I should start using my DO gloves :shock:) If it turns out good, don't eat all at once, we wouldn't want an "overweight" cook...............take care and enjoy :thumbsup:

Re: Temperature Control With a Deep Oven

PostPosted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 8:12 pm
by IndyTom
If anyone is interested in my report on my first cook with the Walmart oven, here is the link:
viewtopic.php?f=44&t=68850