Dutch Oven Questions

[BaysideBruce]

We have finally been exposed to DO cooking this weekend.  Now I have whole bunch of questions before we buy one.  
1) There are four of us in the family.  Is a 12" DO the right size for us.  I keep hearing that 12" is what you want but it seems so big for four people.
2)  I looked at Lodge DO and the ones I see have a curved lid on them.  Is that what I want?  I thought the lids were flat so that you could put coals on them.
3) What accessories do you recommend when you first buy one?
4) Any recommendations on where to buy a DO?
5) Any other thing I should know about DO before we buy one???
Thanks!

[griffsmom]

We have finally been exposed to DO cooking this weekend. Now I have whole bunch of questions before we buy one.
1) There are four of us in the family. Is a 12" DO the right size for us. I keep hearing that 12" is what you want but it seems so big for four people.
2) I looked at Lodge DO and the ones I see have a curved lid on them. Is that what I want? I thought the lids were flat so that you could put coals on them.
3) What accessories do you recommend when you first buy one?
4) Any recommendations on where to buy a DO?
5) Any other thing I should know about DO before we buy one???
Thanks!

Without stepping on Old Moose's territory here, here's my .02:
 
1) a 12" DO is a good size to start with. There are 3 of us in my family, and 4 if you count my mom who camps with us quite often, and the 12" works well. It is big and we usually have a little bit of leftovers, but you don't necessarily have to fill it to the brim. I usually will bring along my 10" as well to make dessert in.
 
2) IMHO, Lodge is the only way to go. There may be some cheaper DOs (notice I didn't say less expensive) out there, but their workmanship is generally not as good as Lodge (lids that don't fit tightly all the way around, for example). As far as curved lids, I'm not sure what you're referring to, since all of mine are curved (allows you to turn the lid over and scramble eggs for breakfast!:) ) but the lids do have a lip on the outside edge and that holds the coals on without spilling off.
 
3) The accessories that I couldn't do without are:

• a good pair of heat-proof gloves--mine are red and gauntlet style so that I can protect my hands as well as forearms from getting burned.
• A charcoal starter. Weber makes a nice one that has a cone-shaped bottom, but it tends to be a bit expensive as charcoal starters go. We bought a flat-bottomed one at Wal-mart for a few dollars and it does the trick just as well, if not just a bit more slowly.
• A lid lifter is important--I prefer a three-prong style called the mighty-tite lid lifter because it gives good stability when lifting the lid off the DO.
• A lid rest for putting the lid on when you are checking to see if your recipe is done. I like the one that looks like an "x" but pivots flat for easier and more compact transport. You can also use the lid rest to invert your lid and scramble those eggs on or make marshmallow and choclate chip quesadillas.
• You may or may not decide you need something on which to stand your DO while cooking. Some people like to use a dutch oven table. We have one and take it with us if we're going to be cooking a lot of dishes, but otherwise it is a bit cumbersome to transport. I recently bought a small tray that allows me to get my DO up off the ground, but it lacks windscreen capabilities. We also have a pit-2-go that we can use if it is particularly windy, since wind decreases the effectiveness of your coals.
• Finally, although not a necessity, I couldn't do without my DO nylon carrying bag. It protects my ovens and makes them easier to take along with us.
• We have a lot more accessories than these that I've listed (it's all Moose's fault!!), but these will allow you to get started in pretty good comfort. If cost is a factor, I would opt for the gloves, charcoal starter, lid lifter and lid rest.

4) You can buy directly from Lodge ( http://www.lodgemfg.com/ ) or sporting goods stores and boy scout supply stores also stock Lodge equipment. Be sure to buy the DOs with the legs on the bottom. We have one without legs, but it's strictly for the oven at home.
 
5) The only other thing I would add is to take your time and season your DO properly. Take a day or night when you can have all your windows open, because the shortening melting in your oven will make your house smell like a tallow factory, but the non-stick finish it will give your DO is worth its weight in gold when it comes time to do the dishes. (Be sure to line your oven with foil so you don't have to clean up a mess of melted shortening!)
 
Also, just have fun with and don't be afraid to experiment. We were camping this weekend, and I made a beef stroganoff in our 12" DO. My husband remarked that he couldn't believe how we used to eat pre-DO when we went camping (beans and weenies; reheated cans of chili), compared to the gourmet recipes we enjoy now! If it weren't for Old Moose, we would have never started cooking in ours, since we thought it was too complicated. It's anything but, and now we'd rather cook in a DO while camping (and sometimes even at home in our oven) than just "warm something up" There are a number of great DO sites out there, and you can check out the International Dutch Oven Soceity ( http://idos.org/ )for recipes and "DOGS" (dutch oven gatherings) in your area. They are a very nice gourp of people who enjoy imparting DO knowledge and food to others.
 
Hope that helps! Have fun and enjoy!!

[griffsmom]

two other things I forgot that I can't do without are a pair of long-handled tongs for transferring the hot charcoals onto the DO (I prefer springloaded ones) and a 12" pressboard round that you can buy in the lumber dept of Home Depot. It makes a great trivet for putting hot DOs on so that you don't burn your table or tablecloth and at less than two bucks, is well worth the investment.

[springer02]

1) 12" should be fine, but be aware there are also different depths. I like more depth for meals like roasting chickens, etc., less depth for things like pies. When in doubt, go deep.
2) The lids you want for outdoor cooking have a lip around the edge to hold the coals when you lift the lid.
3) Lid lifter is good. Trivet is good if you want to put something in another pan/tray w/in the oven to cook. It keeps it off the bottom and spreads the heat. Also really like my tripod for slower cooking over fire.
4) Bought my lodge at wally world, but frankly like the one I bought in a three-piece kit at Costco just as well, or a little better. The Costco one is deeper, has a carrying case and seems to take to seasoning better. Also came with a griddle and a sandwhich grill. (But after two years of use, the griddle did crack and I had to pitch it ...) Total cost was the same price as the Lodge.

I'm told that the only thing to be careful of w/ off brand is making sure the lid fits well. No problem with mine in that regard.

Have fun.

[mike4947]

JMHO but there are two kinds of dutch ovens. The house one with out legs and a coal lip on the lid and the "camping" one with them.
It's a pain propping up the oven so the coals have air under the DO and I agree with the three prong lid lifter. Makes for a really sturdy pickup and less briquets/ash in the food.

[Campaholics]

Before we started empty nest camping, a 10" DO was just right for four.  When camping with five plus, or baking bread, the 12".    
Channel lock pliers make a good lid lifter.  
Another plus for proper seasoning.  Don't do it and your meals will have a distinct metalic taste.

Bob

[oldmoose]

Wow Lori, you covered almost everything. I think that you should take over teaching the cooking classes.

I would also recommend the International Dutch Oven Society's web site www.idos.com. They have links to many web sites and local chapters around the country. The local chapters usually will put on a Dutch Oven Gathering (DOG) where you can meet fellow cooks and learn new tricks and recipes.
 
Moose

[griffsmom]

I learned from the best in the business!  But no one could ever teach a class like you and Paula!!