Hard anodized aluminum Dutch oven

[Prem]

What do you (all) know about hard anodized aluminum Dutch ovens/cookware?

"Anodizing increases corrosion resistance and wear resistance.....This process is not a useful treatment for iron or carbon steel because these metals exfoliate when oxidized; i.e. the iron oxide (also known as rust) flakes off, constantly exposing the underlying metal to corrosion.....Anodization changes the microscopic texture of the surface and changes the crystal structure of the metal near the surface." --Wikipedia

Fully-crystalline aluminum oxide is the gemstone sapphire, but anodized aluminum is not fully-crystalline aluminum oxide. But it is an inorganic, hard, mineral surface that doesn't give off toxic organic chemical compounds or non-stick coating flakes.

The Alzheimer's-Aluminum link has been disproved, and besides, we routinely line cast iron Dutch ovens with aluminum foil.

Anybody got hard-anodized cookware and use it? How evenly does it heat? Do you clean it delicately, like you do a cast iron piece, to protect the surface?

Thanks in advance,

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[Ageless]

And some still drink acidic soft drinks out of aluminum cans.)

Soda can sare lined with epoxy as the acids would eat thru the cans.

The steel rust converter uses phosphoric acid ( same as is in cola) and selenium sulfate is used to anodize aluminum. I've smelled a lot of 'rotten eggs' in 35 years of working with the stuff.

[Prem]

I've been using one of these for backpacking for the last 4 years:

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___82429

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[Dean in Eureka, CA]

Prem,
I bought a GSI HA Aluminum DO for the sole purpose of making hand stirred ice cream.
Aluminum is a great conductor of both heat and cold...
Works great for making the best ice cream!!!!

I'm glad that aluminum deal was disproved...
I built aluminum windows for about 15 years, back when I worked for a local glass company.
The anodized ones weren't bad, but the mill finish aluminum ones would make my hands turn grey from handling the aluminum all day.
Now what were we talking about???... Wha'd you say your name was???

[Prem]

Dean,

You're too young for Oldtimer's, since you didn't get it from mill-finish aluminum window frames.

I went to Sportman's Warehouse today and checked them out. GSI is the one to own...but only their hard anodized model, not the plain aluminum one.

Did you get the GSI hardshell / accordion case for yours? (Manufacturer claims you can use it for a cutting board.)

Prem

P.S. I shaved. I look too much like you now...only younger.

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

That's funny... Right now my hair is the longest it's ever been in my life.
At work, I'm starting to get "encouargement" from management to get it cut...
Yup on the hard anodized... Nope on the nifty carrying case.

[Prem]

Yeah, my hair is getting long too. It was the face I was referring to.

Here's the case: clickyclicky

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[Prem]

Here's what Dean and I were talking about:



http://www.mountainsports.com/MSmain.asp?Option=Detail&Detail=091335

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[Prem]

Ah Ha! Eunice has the GSI 12-inch aluminum Dutch oven:


At one-third the weight of cast iron, how does it cook Eunice? Less charcoal needed? Heats faster?

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[Eunice]

This was the first time using it. I picked it up at a thrift store. It looks well used. Love the weight of it. The chili turned out fine.
Hard to tell about the charcoal, it was running 32 to 40 degrees so I used more plus we were much higher than normal and I am sure that made a difference. It sure did on the cornbread in the cast iron oven!
I could let the chili sit in it while we visited after dinner and clean up was a breeze.

[Prem]

Good find Eunice! That 12" aluminum oven is $89.99 at Sportman's Warehouse!

Is yours the 12" or the 14"?

I just got the 10" version in hard anodized.

The manufacturer recommends to coat the inside with vegetable oil and bake in a regular oven for 5 minutes at 400 degrees to give it a good cure.

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[Eunice]

Cool! $20 at thrift store. I didnt have to do anything to season it because it was well used.

[Prem]

So Eunice, is it 12" or 14" in diameter?

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[Prem]

More info:

http://gearpatrol.com/blog/2009/07/29/gsi-hard-anodized-dutch-oven/

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[Prem]

Note: You don't have to season the three hard anodized models.

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