Pioneer Cooking

When you think of a cast iron Dutch oven, what comes to your mind? Pioneer cooking? Stews over the open fire?

Of coarse both are true, but they are still very much in use today and as for the Dutch oven, the possibilities are endless.

Dutch ovens can be used for frying, baking, boiling, and steaming as well.

Purchasing Your Dutch Oven

When purchasing your Dutch oven, make sure the lid has a raised ridge.
This is to hold your heat source, which will be briquettes.

This will help you to reach the proper temperature needed for whatever cooking you are wanting to do , with the exception of boiling or frying.

In which case you would want all the heat on the bottom.

Heating Fundimentals

If you are planning on baking, you need more heat on the top than on the bottom.

Put one briquette on the bottom for every 3 on the top of the lid.

For preparing stews, use one on the top for every 4 on the bottom. When roasting, put briquettes on the top and bottom evenly.

Best Temperature

To understand the temperature and number of briquettes needed takes a little math.

Each briquette adds about 25 degrees of heat.

A good starting temperature is 350 degrees F.

To figure out how many briquettes to use, take the size of the oven in inches, and subract three to get the number of briquettes for under it, and add three to get the number of briquettes for the top.

Preparing To Cure Your Dutch Oven

Now that you understand the basics of using your Dutch oven you need to prepare or cure your oven before using it.

Some cast iron ovens have a protective

Copyright © 2005 Val Shortt

About Robin: Val and Robin Shortt are experienced campers and own three outdoor websites For more tips like these and to register for their Free newsletter visit Good Night Camping Equipment at http://goodnightcampingequipment.com/CampingLinks.html