DO Cooking outside - Need help

[herkysprings]

Ok so I have a very nice DO that I use at home for all sorts of things.

I would like to try some more outdoors cooking, with coals, or charcoal, or maybe even sitting on my smokey Joe.

Does anyone have a pointer to some good info on that? I'd also probably need an "outdoor" DO as I wouldn't want to take the one I have outside.

Thanks!

 

[richoso1]

We might need a little more info on the DO you plan on using. There are some great users of DO's here, I can only say that I use mine with charcoal and in the smoker, and I love it. It's a 6 qt. Lodge.

 

[herkysprings]

I guess I'm just trying to look at pictures and figure this out. my home DO is just a 6 quart, but the forms talk about heat sources etc.

I'm trying to figure out if I need to buy some sort of heat source container, or do I just dig a hole, and light some charcoal? how to I regulate / control heat, or even know what the appropriate temp is?

Optimally I'd like to get a DO, bring it anywhere and be able to cook with it without brining much else besides charcoal. However if there is a magical sidekick that makes DO cooking while camping easier, I'm all for that.

I'm looking around on the forums, but I guess I'm perplexed at cooking without a stove with a DO...

 

[roadrunr]

Perhaps this link will help ya make sense of it all...Most people, including myself use similar methods. I personally use the the 2/3rds rule dave explains.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=61292

 

[herkysprings]

Yeah I tried the link in his post but its not valid. I read the 2/3s rule (more coals on top right?) but I'm still thinking in terms of element heat. What "temp" does that get you? I'm assuming about the right temp to slow cook at with 2/3 of the DO filled with liquid?

Are there good techniques for checking the food inside, or adding coals?

 

[herkysprings]

I guess another question is if I know I want to use charcoal etc, what is a good DO to look at? What features would I need, like leg stands, handles, and other accessories to get going?

 

[beer-b-q]

If you want American Made, Lodge is the only one still making them in the USA as far as I know...

 

[Dutch]

Like Beer-B-Q said for American made go with a Lodge. Camp Chef out of Logan, Utah sells Camp Dutch Ovens. Their ovens are made in China but they have tight quality control and only the best get's sold. The bad is broken and sent back. I use both Camp Chef and Lodge and I'm happy with both.

 

[plj]

Nope - you dont need a "heat source container" or hole or anything else. Sometimes it helps, but you dont need it. I only bring the DO, charcoal, matches, chimney, & food, just set it right on the ground. No hole to dig or other fancy stuff. You regulate the temp by the number of briquettes - there are "charcoal calculators" on the net, search around.

Here's a site that gives a lot of good info for DO beginners, should answer most of your questions:
http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/~papadutch/

 

[lucky]

Try this website for general dutch oven information.

http://camp-cook.com/forum/

Here is some of the information

 

[lucky]

Information on temperature regulation