Curved top DO question

[JunkMan]

Odie picked up a 10" curved top DO w/o feet at a yard sale. I'm not sure what brand it is, it has "8 DO Made in USA" cast into the bottom. It's about 4" deep. I know that the ones with feet and a top with a rim are preffered, but the price was right on this one ($10).

We're wondering if we will need to use a different cooking technique when using this one (obviously we can't pile coals on the lid), or if we wasted our money on something that we won't get much use from. I see a few of you have this type of DO in your collections, what are they normally used for?

[Kurt (Indiana)]

Jeff & Odie, I have one of those DO's that I hang over a fire. Another way to use it is with a cheap small charcoal grill. ($ 5.00 at Walmart). Basically a pan with legs that you insert. The cooking grate height is ajustable so the temperature can be changed by moving closer or further away from the coals. It's great for soups or chili or browning meat, etc.

If you want use coals on the lid it's not so good. I have used my cast iron (thin) griddle as a lid and put coals on it for baking.

$10 is a pretty good deal. 8" is a good portable size too.

[apratt]

you can make yourself a foil ring to keep the coal on the lid. You can buy a metal ring that is about 1 1/2 inches tall to set on lid to retain the coals.

[Gerdo]

I've omly used the ones with a flat lid and rim. With coals on the lid they will bake more evenly. Aprat has a great idea with the foil ring.

[JunkMan]

you can make yourself a foil ring to keep the coal on the lid. You can buy a metal ring that is about 1 1/2 inches tall to set on lid to retain the coals.

That's a great idea, I can probably make a ring out of some flat bar stock. Guess I'll get to play blacksmith soon

[JunkMan]

$10 is a pretty good deal. 8" is a good portable size too.

It's actually about 10 1/2" wide, I don't know why it has an 8 cast into the bottom. That must be the model number. I think I have a Wagner cast iron frying pan that has an 8 cast in it, and it is also about 10" - 10 1/2".

[WarPony]

Hey, Jeffro. I think those are called camp ovens. I have one that I use for stews and chili here at home. I think the 8 is probably how many quarts it holds.

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

8DO Made in the USA...
Sounds like a Lodge to me.

[JunkMan]

Hey, Jeffro. I think those are called camp ovens. I have one that I use for stews and chili here at home. I think the 8 is probably how many quarts it holds.

Jeff,
No, it holds just a little over a gallon, maybe 5 quarts if you were careful. Not a bad size for a small batch of chili though.

Dean,
It does look a lot like the Lodge L8DO3, but doesn't have the spiral bail, or the name Lodge anywhere. maybe it's an early one, or a knock-off?

[Ma3tt]

I have a lot of real old pans that just have a number and USA on them hard to tell who manufactured them. some people call what you have a "bean pot" does it have the self basting ridges or teeth on the inside of the lid? $10 is great.

Quick Bean Recipe
a bunch of slightly browned bacon
Mix in an onion sliced when bacon is almost done
1 can black beans
1 can great northern beans
1 cup ketchup+/- mostly minus
1 cup spicy BBQ sauce +/-
Some spicy powder, I use a rib rub that will burn your eyes.
bring to low boil then simmer for 40 minutes. Then sleep in a tent or out under the stars.

[Jim Marshall]

I am just getting into using a DO so I am green as grass here. I am wondering if you can turn your lid upside down to put your coals on the top?

[WarPony]

I am just getting into using a DO so I am green as grass here. I am wondering if you can turn your lid upside down to put your coals on the top?

I guess you could but you would have nothing to open the lid with other than the edges. You could run the risk of dumping the ashes into the food.

[JunkMan]

does it have the self basting ridges or teeth on the inside of the lid?

It has a bunch of "dimples" on the inside of the lid, so I guess that's what they are for (I was trying to figure out what they did!). Bean recipe sounds good, might have to whip up a batch!

Jim,
No, unless there was hardly anything in the pot, the lid would stick in too much, and as Jeff said, there wouldn't be any way to take it off. I'm going to try to make a ring out of flat steel stock that I can set on it to hold coals.

[Jim Marshall]

That makes sense to me, now that I think about it. The steel ring sounds like a good idea.