Camping Dutch Oven

There are many camping dutch ovens on the market today.  Here are some guidelines to help you pick out the perfect dutch oven for you. 

There are two types of dutch ovens - cast iron and aluminum.  Aluminum is lighter than cast iron. A 12" aluminum oven weighs about 7 pounds as opposed to about 20 pounds for a cast iron oven.  GSI Aluminum dutch ovens are easier to care for. It doesn't rust, so you can wash them in mild soap and water.  Aluminum also reacts quickly to temperature changes. They not only heat up much faster than cast iron ovens, but they also cool down much faster after removing them from heat.  Aluminum reacts quickly to changes in temperature, so it is much harder to keep at a constant temperature on a windy day.

Cast iron dutch ovens require protection from rust. Bare cast iron rusts very quickly so it must be "seasoned" to protect the metal. This seasoning is usually done by burning some kind of oil or animal fat into the pores of the metal forming a hard protective barrier. Soap should never be used to clean a seasoned oven because it will dissolve the formed protective barrier and embed itself into the pores of the metal where it will return to taint your next meal.  Cast iron Dutch ovens react more slowly to temperature changes so you don't burn food as easily in them. Cast iron ovens also retain their temperature for quite a while after they have been removed from heat.  The cast iron dutch ovens are better for windy weather.

Be sure to select an oven that is well made. The walls of the oven should be the same thickness all the way around. Inspect the oven's bail.  It should be made of sturdy heavy gage wire and be securely attached to the side of the oven.  The bail needs to be long enough that it can be lowered around one side of the oven without hanging on the lid. The bail should also stand up at a 45° angle on the opposite side which will keep the bail from getting hot.  This is especially helpful when positioning the oven or removing it from heat.

The lid of the Dutch oven of your choice should fit tightly.  It should be even with the lip of the oven all the way around.  You don’t want the steam created inside the oven to escape. The best kind of lid to have is one with a loop attached to the lid on both ends with a hollow center so that it can be easily hooked by a lid lifter.

Another difference in dutch ovens is the style.  There is the “Camp” or “Outdoor” Dutch ovens.  These are usually made of heavy cast iron and have three short legs on the bottom.  They also have a tight-fitting lid with a lip that holds coals and keeps ash from falling into the food.  The other kind of ovens are the “Kitchen” or “Bean Pots” Dutch oven.  These are also made of heavy cast iron, but there are no legs on the flat bottom.  The lid is a highly domed basting lid with no outer rim.

You should also look at the legs of the Dutch oven you are considering for purchase.  The legs will maintain the height of the oven above ground allowing air to flow around the coals beneath while cooking.  You should avoid ovens with short stubby legs or they may sit directly on top of the coals. Make sure the oven has legs that will sufficient bear the weight of anything put on top of it. 

The shorter standard ovens spread heat to the center of the oven faster than deeper ovens.  These are good for cooking foods that need higher temperatures.  Deep Dutch ovens, on the other hand, are ideal for cooking foods at lower temperatures.  They also allow you to control the amount of heat on top of the oven for things such as rolls and bread.  The oven size in inches (diameter and depth) will determine how much room you have for your food.  Selecting the right oven is very important to cooking great food.  And great food makes any camping trip a success!