I made up a bunch of D.O. lid stands, and discovered a lot of other uses for them.
I started with some used horseshoes, which were free.( new ones are pretty cheap ). We welded on 3 steel legs 2" long. made of 1/2' diameter steel rod, 1 leg on each end, and 1 in the center of the flat bottom side of the horse shoe.
That height is perfect for placing under a flat bottomed dutch so it can be used over coals. It's also just right to hold a griddle over coals for pancakes, bacon, eggs, etc. 1 shoe in each corner of the cast iron griddle is a very sturdy set up.
To bake pies, I put 1 shoe in the bottom of the dutch, put the pie pan on it, Put the lid on, and it works like a convection oven. 2 shoes in one of my 16" dutch oven hold up a round grate for dry roasting tender cuts of meat, and saving the juice for au jus or gravy.
Need a skillet ? Turn a lid upside down on a shoe, with the handle in the open part and fry anything to perfection. You do season the inside of your lids don't you? Fry up some bacon on the inverted lid while the hash browns are crisping up in the dutch, then crack some eggs in the bacon grease in the lid. 2 cooking utensils for the price of one !
Instead of risking the picnic table's top, use a horseshoe with legs as a trivet for a hot oven right off the coals. When I need to sit the lid down when stirring food in the dutch, the shoe is just right to keep the bottom of the lid clean. Makes a good spoon rest, too.
I have about a dozen made up, and have a canvas bag with a draw string to keep them clean. They make cooking on the patio easier, but have become indispensable in the woods, riverbank, or camp site.
I started with some used horseshoes, which were free.( new ones are pretty cheap ). We welded on 3 steel legs 2" long. made of 1/2' diameter steel rod, 1 leg on each end, and 1 in the center of the flat bottom side of the horse shoe.
That height is perfect for placing under a flat bottomed dutch so it can be used over coals. It's also just right to hold a griddle over coals for pancakes, bacon, eggs, etc. 1 shoe in each corner of the cast iron griddle is a very sturdy set up.
To bake pies, I put 1 shoe in the bottom of the dutch, put the pie pan on it, Put the lid on, and it works like a convection oven. 2 shoes in one of my 16" dutch oven hold up a round grate for dry roasting tender cuts of meat, and saving the juice for au jus or gravy.
Need a skillet ? Turn a lid upside down on a shoe, with the handle in the open part and fry anything to perfection. You do season the inside of your lids don't you? Fry up some bacon on the inverted lid while the hash browns are crisping up in the dutch, then crack some eggs in the bacon grease in the lid. 2 cooking utensils for the price of one !
Instead of risking the picnic table's top, use a horseshoe with legs as a trivet for a hot oven right off the coals. When I need to sit the lid down when stirring food in the dutch, the shoe is just right to keep the bottom of the lid clean. Makes a good spoon rest, too.
I have about a dozen made up, and have a canvas bag with a draw string to keep them clean. They make cooking on the patio easier, but have become indispensable in the woods, riverbank, or camp site.
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