Cooking aboard or outdoors

The brand is Camp Chef. Not as smooth and pretty as Lodge, which is American-made and probably the modern standard for cast-iron cookware, but it works just fine and is a lot cheaper. I like the fact that mine has tall legs, which makes it easier to set over charcoal briquettes. The lid also has legs, and they come in handy when it's used as a frying pan over campfire coals.

 

rasorinc, here's a rule of thumb if you want to use standard charcoal briquettes with your dutch oven, instead of chunk charcoal or campfire coals.

Whatever the diameter of your dutch oven is in inches, fire up twice as many briquettes. Place half of them on the lid, and add two more. Then place the remainder underneath the oven. For example, if you have a dutch oven 12" in diameter, start 24 briquettes. Place 14 of them on the lid (12 + 2), and the remaining 10 underneath. Mine is a 12" oven, and I generally place 12 briquettes atop the lid in a circle, and the extra pair on either side of the lid's handle.

Under normal circumstances, that will keep your dutch oven at 350 degrees for an hour or more. If it's cold or windy outside, or if you're cooking something that needs more time, you may have to start more briquettes and add them.

Of course, with campfire coals you just keep a shovel handy, and use it as necessary....

 

I've been browsing for one this weekend. Nothing I've found looks as well made or as durable.

I dare suggest the cheaper ones I've seen are communist Chinese. Perhaps an old secondhand one, that was built right, might be the way to go.

 

Troy, Camp Chef cooking stuff is all made in the USA.

 

I hate to admit it, but my Camp Chef was also made by the evil commies....

And it shows. For example the casting is a little thinner on one side, although there isn't enough difference to affect performance.

You're right when you say the older ones you find will be better quality. Unfortunately, few of them will have the modern combination of wire bail handle, legs, deep flat lid, and lip around the lid to hold coals better. Of course, if you're mostly going to bury one in coals and shovel dirt over it, you don't need all that stuff. Although the wire bail handle will come in awfully handy for pulling it out when the food is done....

Your best bet is probably to go to Amazon and order a Lodge. They aren't the cheapest, but they seem to be reliable when it comes to quality. If they don't have what you want, Camp Chef is also available online -- although the prices seem to be noticeably higher than they are in local stores where I live.

'Never pay retail' is almost a religious commandment for me; maybe I should have been born Jewish [joke; pls hold the hate mail]. But face it: in the long run, how much difference will shelling out a few more bucks for a good dutch oven make in your life?

 

When I bought mine years ago, the label said 'made in China." And when I googled Camp Chef just now, five of the first six entries mentioned their products being made there.

Maybe they've recently changed their operation? I'd like to believe you're right. After all, illegals in this country need work too....

 

I looked up the Lodge units on their site,and are showing no legs....

 

Poulet à la moutarde. And a first for me... No white plateware. I'm starting a new "skillet" fixation.

Again a snooty sounding dish that really is a one skillet meal. Chicken, duck, rabbit all work with this cream, white wine, brown onion and thyme gravy base.

Just as soon as I've tweaked the recipe, I'll post it.

 

I do that all the time . Just look through the bottom of the fridge and dig out all the old vegies, Start with fried onions, garlic and anything else you want --and OXO and its cooking. after everything is bunged in,-- fil it with water and go and shower before slipping into something more comfortable. But I usually eat naked with brown ale.

It ends up looking just the same as that but better. I didnt know it had a posh name.

 

What an appalling idea. Scavenging for food scraps in your fridge, stewing it in an awful beef stock like-product and then eating it naked, invokes from me only a single American verb... Puke.

I cook with the limited resources of a single burner alcohol hob and a gas fired BBQ. I cook clothed... If you don't mind... Something about modesty and decency.

Before slipping into something more comfortable? I presume you're glaming up before the Greek navy arrives and is granted shore leave. I trust this is a profitable time for you, cooking aside.

Do be careful with that anus injury you recently suffered.

French peasant food might be simple to cook, but is high in calories and complex in flavour. Easy to cook and full of energy and flavour, exactly what is needed by a cruising couple with few opportunities to cook such a heaty and decent meal while under sail.

The down side to French peasant food is the indulgent use of milk, butter and cream... things in short supply on a boat.

A perfect addition to my cook book. In spite of the views of our resident port mistress and drag queen with poor taste, Frosty.

 

I can I politely suggest you put your glasses on and read it or try to read it again.

Just about every detail was incorrect. Instead of speed reading compiling your reply before you get to the end, take your time to enjoy my post,--- and recipe.

Never mind dreaming of the Greek navy or french peasant food neither of which I mentioned.

I call my dish 'Concoction'

I have another dish I called cockatoo but I guess you've already had that.

 

I was in a kitchen supply store yesterday and they had a good-sized Lodge display, but only one of the dutch ovens had legs. The lid had a lip around it to hold charcoal or coals on it, but no legs. And the lid was flat across, instead of being deep and usable as a frying pan.

add: I just googled a little, and found a site that sells Lodge ovens with legs: http://www.rei.com/gear/feature/sea...e Dutch Oven&gclid=CN3o-p_E1bACFQrf4Aodbi1b0w

I like the design of my Camp Chef better....

 

Thanks for the info.

Looking into it and with your experience I think the camp Chef is the way to go. One brand has a notch in the lid so as to be able to have a thermometer in the roast.

Now,I'm thinking of an aluminum insulated tray or something so I can use it on my aft deck table.
Won't cook ashore-just asking for trouble.

 

Best insulator: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_brick

 

large ceramic floor tiles might be easier to stow under a bunk cushion.

crude fire pit used on board primitive fishing craft was a metal wash tub half full of sand.