• The pot is made out of cast iron (sometimes aluminum)
• 8 to 22 inches in diameter
• 4 to 22 inches in height
• Steel rod bail that swings
• Flanged lid
• Pot that tapers slightly outward
• Has a flat bottom
• 3 legs about 1 1/2 inches high

There are Dutch ovens without legs and a flanged lids. These are used to bake in home ovens. I will be talking about the "Camp Dutch Oven" that has the legs and flanged lid.

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What is a Dutch oven made of and why:

• Cast iron is the most popular
  • Requires seasoning (see "Seasoning")
  • Holds heat better then other metals
  • Distributes heat better
  • Is heavy
• Aluminum
  • Heat is sporadically distributed
  • 1/3 lighter and that is why it is used
  • Cools faster than cast iron

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History:

Dutch ovens originated from trade with Dutch traders. Thus the name, Dutch ovens came into being. The first Dutch ovens did not have the flanged lids or legs. They looked quit different from what they do now. Having no flanged lids caused a problem because when the lid was lifted ash fell into the pot if you were not very careful or the wind was blowing.

Napoleon was said to dislike ashes in his food very much and asked for a change in the design of the oven. Suppostly a flanged lid was manufactured to stop the ash from getting into the pot. I don't know if this is true but we do know that Paul Revere perfected the pattern of the modern Dutch oven. He is responsible for the size, how the bale works, and adding three legs for support and breathing room for the fire.

Dutch ovens have been used by Lewis and Clarke while they made their historic Northwest Expedition. Pioneers, sod busters, cattle drivers, gold miners and Australians all have a history of using the "magic pot". If you read the accounts of these people the Dutch oven was mentioned in wills, property settlements and family journals. These "magic pots" were highly valued and considered a necessity for survival in the early history of America.

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Choosing a Dutch oven

• Snug fitting lid
• Consistent thickness throughout oven
• Flat inside bottom
• Very little pitting if any

The brand that I purchase at the story is Lodge. I have found these ovens to be very good.

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Seasoning:

Before a new oven is used it most be "seasoned" before it is cooked in. Seasoning is the process of getting rid of the protective oil that the oven was coated in for shipping and replacing it with several layers of oil to cook with and keep it from rusting. There are many ways to season a oven but here is the one I use:

1. Scrub lid and oven in hot water very well
2. Dry oven completely
3. Coat entire oven with a thin coat of oil (use Crisco Shortening only)
4. Place oven upside down with the lid on top of the legs in a regular oven or heat source
5. Heat to 350 - 400 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes
6. Remove from heat and coat again with Crisco
7. Put back into oven and cook for another 30 minutes
8. Do this coating proceedure for another time if desired and let cool

You will need to ware protective gloves as the oven gets very hot and do not use vegatable oil inside of Crisco Shortening. Now you are ready to cook with the oven. The oven should be starting to turn black in color during the seasoning process. As you cook with the oven this blackening will continue.

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Dealing with a Dirty Pot:

• Wipe out as much as possible with a paper towel
• Wash out with water and dry if the paper towel was not enough
• Add a little soap if necessary but keep it to a minimum. Soap can ruin your seasoning of the pot but there are times when this is necessary.
  • Re-season if necessary
• If you have rust, Coke works very well. Just put some Coke in the pot and let it sit for a awhile. Empty and dry off and then start "seasoning process".
• Some campers like to "Burn out the Pot". This is when you have a lot of burn on stuff in the pot. You turn it upside down over the coals and flames and let it burn out and then re-season. I am not a great fan of this method. If you take good care of your "Dutch", you should not need to.

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Size and Serving Capacity

Regular Ovens (all ovens 4" deep)

• 8" 2 qt 2 - 6 servings main course 8 - 10 side dish servings
• 10" 4 qt 2 - 12 servings main course 16 - 20 side dish servings
• 12" 6 qt 6 - 18 servings main course to 30 side dish servings
• 14" 8 qt 8- 25 servings main course to 40 side dish servings
• 16" 12qt 12 - 38 servings main course to 60 side dish servings

Extended Ovens

• 13"x 6 1/2" 12 qts. 38 servings main course 64 side dish servings. Whole chickens, bundt cakes, crown roasts, small turkey.
• 15"x 71/2" 16 qts. 50 servings main course 85 side dish servings. Crown roasts, turkeys to 18 lbs., hams & for large groups.
• 17"x 9" 30 qts. 96 servings main course 160 side dish servings. Turkeys to 25 lbs., prime rib to 16lbs., & for large groups.
• 22"x 10" 64 qts. 200 servings main course 325 side dish servings. Turkeys to 40 lbs., prime ribs to 24 lbs., & for large groups.

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