what can you do with 12 inchs of cast iron????

[IndyTom]

Slow,

You can cook just about anything you can imagine in that oven. About the only thing I can think of you can't cook in it is a pizza that is larger than 12". You want the legs, that allows you to put charcoal briquettes under it. It should also have a lip around the lid that will allow you to put briquettes on top of it so you can heat from both sides, just like a real oven.

One of my favorites for a DO is cobbler, just use the recipe you would at home. Put 10 coals under it and 14 on top. Turn the oven and top a quarter turn every 15 min to keep the heat even, and cook for the time listed in the recipe. Easy.

You can also use it to fry, just put all your coals under it. Mountain Man Breakfast is wonderful. I love biscuits in the DO, or even a loaf of home made bread. And you can do it all anywhere you are camping, because all you need is the food and some Kingsford. That is a great piece of iron you have aquired.

Tom

[bobhenry]

Yep I have eaten Tommys Blueberry cobbler

Here are a few other things....From an old post

Cooking is a matter of time and temperature.

More time lower temperature
more temperature less time

The hardest lesson I had to learn in D.O. cooking was patients. I tried to use far more coals than were needed and placed them incorrectly. In the past I have had a little trimming to do on my specialty "black bottom bread " Have made so real good meals since and continue to learn.

Here is my very 1st D.O. meal



6 of us inhaled it along with a loaf of bread and butter. The last 2 were mopping the pan with their bread at the end.

Here is some other little projects









YEP ! Forgot a skillet so the D.O. lid works great too


I'll send you my notes from the Dutch oven seminar At the Crossroads.

[bc toys]

you need to check out CAMP-COOK. COM and for the rule of thumb for 350* add 3-4 over the size of oven to top and subtract 3-4 from bottom but the colder it is the more you will need and after about 30mim cooking time if you are going to need more fire start more coals because they are only good for about 1 hr tops I leave the bottom of my chimney starter with about 6-8 coals over what I'm going to need for cooking to start next batch with. so for a 12'' you would put 15-16 on top and 8-9 on bottom and yes the one with legs is what you want but if you find one without just make you a stand with some horse shoes weld a circle and add 2'' legs on it

[bobhenry]

I have followed most of Papa Dutch's guidelines an have had great success.....

Here is a link to temp control........

http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/~papadutch/dutch-oven-cooking-tips.htm


This site wil make you a great cook in short order if you take the time to read it thru

Mike you made a great choice as most recipes are geared for the 12" size and what's wrong with leftovers

I have used mine in the home oven as well ! You just need to be careful when placing it in and taking it out as the legs may want to catch in the rack.

You have made an investment that will serve you as long as you live.

[Catherine+twins]

I have a couple of Dutch oven cook books, although I soon figured out just about any one-pot or crock-pot recipe would work. Anyway, the DO cookbooks tend to base the recipes on a 12-in DO, so you have the "standard" size. And certainly if you want to cook a trout, a 12-in will work MUCH better than a 6-in. You can also cook more than one thing in the 12-in, by using something like this pan to contain liquids or a cobler

http://www.amazon.com/Zenker-Just-Enoug ... im_sbs_k_2

And then perhaps put a potato and bratwurst along side, and then drop your trout in during the last 20 minutes of cooking.

You may eventually want to get the 6-in, too. You can't just have one size. Right now I have 6-in (and a 4-in springform pan to go in it) and 8-in (and a 6-in cake pan to go in that one) Dutch ovens, and 6-in and 8-in frying pans for the twins and me. We do fine with those on our camping trips. But I'll probably buy something bigger soon so we can have camp pizza.



Catherine

[DragonFire]

Hey Slow..you got the perfect DO!! Season it well, and you'll be cooking all kinds of stuff in no time!!

You can do some great one dish meals, too! With plenty to share at the DO potluck at Walk the Winds!!

I'm going to try a bacon wrapped tater tot snack I saw online for Super Bowl..I've got to perfect it in the DO before I serve it at Towerfest later this year. I suspect I will need to make the recipe many, many times to make sure it's perfect!

[campmaster-k]

Slow- You have made the perfect choice. Get yourself a DO cookbook and next thing you know you will be winning DO cookoffs.

[bobhenry]

Rather than start a new thread I though I would toss this one in here.

Worked on the caboose floor framing Sat and Sunday so I decided to let the dutch oven make me a nice Sunday dinner while I continued to work!

Split a portion of pork loin not quite thru long ways and filled the pocket with pepperoncine peppers, spiced tomatoes, and onion glugged in a 1/2 bottle of flat white wine and some lemon juice at liquid and this was ready by the time I quit work.


YUM YUM !

[Woodbutcher]

Slow, save your money and pass on the 20" DO. You will never need that much food unless everyone in Wyoming is coming to your house for dinner. I have a 14 and have only used it a couple of times.