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This is the classic size Dutch Oven that is used by boy scouts, girl scouts, chuck wagon cooks, and outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds. My review is mostly limited to the outdoor uses of this wonderful classic dutch oven, but I use one at home as well. This model is a #12 dutch oven which is the "standard" size most commonly used, but there many sizes bigger and smaller. This one holds 8 quarts, measuring 12" in diameter by 5" tall. It has the tripod legs and a recessed lid best suited for cooking in coals. But those legs make it harder to use in a conventional oven, you need to maneuver the legs if possible onto your grill rack. They make a legless version with the domed lid for a home oven, and I have used it in a fire as well. On this model, you can even flip this lid over and use it as a skillet in a pinch if you need to in camp. You can do it all with a Dutch Oven cobblers, stews, beans, roasts, dumplings, you name it. It is the ultimate "one pot" pan.
QUALITY: There is a reason you can find old cast iron pans in antique stores, it lasts forever. I have quite a few pans and stuff inherited from family members and even some garage sale finds. I have found pans rusted and abused to where they would head for the trash bin if they were made of anything else, but you can bring cast iron back with some elbow grease and a re-seasoning or two. While my modern expensive non-stick cookware seems to last no more than a few years before replacement in my kitchen, but this stuff can easily last many decades of daily use. Lodge has a life time warranty! I love to cook with cast iron even at home, it is so durable, but I can take it camping too. Easy to clean up, the only drawback being it is heavy and hard on your wrists as you get older. Cast iron takes a bit longer to heat up, but the heat transfers very evenly without hot spots and it retains its heat for a long time. It can go from stovetop to oven with ease. Do not use it at temperatures higher than 500 degrees, as it can crack. I am not sure why, but people swear certain foods just taste better in cast iron. I believe that cast iron only improves with use and proper care instead of wearing out like other pans. As for Lodge, there really is a big difference in quality, their current pans are noticeably better than the other brands.
SEASONING FINISH: Seasoning of cast iron cookery does not refer to flavor, but the finish, a kind of glaze on the pan. I love old pans because they have the best seasoning, the older the better. I have inherited many old pans. The modern version sold here is "pre-seasoned" and ready to cook in, but we used to have to season these ourselves in the old days. It needs to stay black and a bit shiny inside to stay seasoned. If you do lose your seasoning due to rust or an overaggressive cleaning, simply wipe it with oil inside and out and place it in a hot oven for about 20 minutes or so. Let it cool in the oven slowly and naturally to room temperature again. It also helps to wipe it with a paper towel of oil after cleaning, or spray it with cooking oil and wipe. If it gets rusty, re-season it, you can get it like new again. DO NOT cook on it without re-seasoning though, as the food will stick. A note on what type of oil to use for seasoning, if you can do so use bacon grease, lard or butter, vegetable oil can sometimes get a little sticky in the pan and does not seem to get enough glaze as the animal based fats in my experience.
CLEANING: There is a debate on the cleaning of cast-iron that is as old as the pans, as to whether to use soap or not and how that affects sanitation. The Lodge company recommends cleaning without soap, but some people do so under certain circumstances. To clean without soap wash it with hot water or boil hot water in it and scrub it with a long handle brush or plastic scrubber, but never a metal scrubber as you can scratch the seasoning glaze. If you do use soap be sure it is very mild, maybe just dip your scrubber in the dishwater but don't immerse your pan in it. Immediately drying the pan is critical to its care either way, as soon as you clean the pan hand dry it with a paper towel and re-oil the pan immediately. For the most part, cast iron is non-stick as long as it is seasoned. If you use the pan on a fire, you can get soot on the exterior. An old Boy Scout trick to keep the exterior clean of soot if used on a campfire, is to treat the pan prior to cooking in the following manner. First wipe the pan (exterior only!) with some wet soap or a wet SOS pad, then let it dry before using it on the fire. Then when you are ready for washing, the soap has laid a protective layer over the exterior surface and the soot just wipes right off when you clean up with water.
ACCESSORIES: There are plenty of terrific Dutch oven and cast iron cook books here at Amazon.com. You can also get videos/DVD on Dutch Oven cooking like the one with Cee Dub. You can get affordable accessories too such as a Dutch oven tote bag, tongs, lid lifter, lid stand, and gloves. To be safe if cooking on coals or fire, use the lid lifter accessory, it will keep you from getting burned. I highly recommend this pan, and have decades of experience behind that statement, enjoy your cobbler!
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This is the classic Dutch Oven that is used by boy scouts, girl scouts, chuck wagon cooks, and outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds. My review is mostly limited to the outdoor uses of this wonderful classic dutch oven, but I use one at home as well. Measures 10 across by 10 tall with legs and lid by 3-1/2 inches deep inside and hold 4 quarts/1 gallon. This model is about half the size of the "standard" popular #12 or 8 quart dutch oven most commonly used, but there many sizes bigger and smaller. It has the tripod legs and a recessed lid best suited for cooking in coals. But those legs make it harder to use in a conventional oven, you need to maneuver the legs if possible onto your grill rack. They make a legless version with the domed lid for a home oven, and I have used it in a fire as well. On this model, you can even flip this lid over and use it as a skillet in a pinch if you need to in camp. You can do it all with Dutch Ovens cobblers, stews, beans, roasts, dumplings, you name it. It is the ultimate "one pot" pan.
QUALITY: There is a reason you can find old cast iron pans in antique stores, it lasts forever. I have quite a few pans and stuff inherited from family members and even some garage sale finds. I have found pans rusted and abused to where they would head for the trash bin if they were made of anything else, but you can bring cast iron back with some elbow grease and a re-seasoning or two. While my modern expensive non-stick cookware seems to last no more than a few years before replacement in my kitchen, but this stuff can easily last many decades of daily use. Lodge has a life time warranty! I love to cook with cast iron even at home, it is so durable, but I can take it camping too. Easy to clean up, the only drawback being it is heavy and hard on your wrists as you get older. Cast iron takes a bit longer to heat up, but the heat transfers very evenly without hot spots and it retains its heat for a long time. It can go from stovetop to oven with ease. Do not use it at temperatures higher than 500 degrees, as it can crack. People swear certain foods just taste better in cast iron, and I believe that cast iron only improves with use and proper care instead of wearing out like other pans. My oldest pans attest to that. As for Lodge, there really is a big difference in quality, their current pans are noticeably better than the other brands.
SEASONING FINISH: Seasoning of cast iron cookery does not refer to flavor, but the finish, a kind of glaze on the pan. I love old pans because they have the best seasoning, the older the better. I have inherited many old pans. The modern version sold here is "pre-seasoned" and is supposed to be ready to cook in, but the pre-seasoning could probably use a touch up and I will tell you how to do that. It needs to stay black and shiny inside to stay seasoned. If you do lose your seasoning due to rust or an overaggressive cleaning, simply wipe it with oil inside and out and place it in a 350 degree oven for an hour, upside down. Let it cool in the oven slowly and naturally to room temperature again. You can place foil in the bottom of your oven to catch any drips. It also helps to wipe it with a paper towel of oil after every cleaning, or spray it with cooking oil and wipe. If it gets rusty, re-season it, you can get it like new again. DO NOT cook on it without re-seasoning though, as the food will stick. A note on what type of oil to use for seasoning, if you can do so use bacon grease, lard or butter, because vegetable oil can sometimes get a little sticky in the pan and does not seem to get enough glaze as the animal based fats in my experience.
CLEANING: There is a debate on the cleaning of cast-iron that is as old as the pans, as to whether to use soap or not and how that affects sanitation. The Lodge company recommends cleaning without soap, but some people do so under certain circumstances. To clean without soap wash it with hot water and scrub it with a long handle brush or plastic scrubber, but never a metal scrubber as you can scratch the seasoning glaze. If you made a big mess with a cobbler and it is baked on and you just can't get it off, try this. Fill the pan half way with water, and put it to boil. Turn of the heat, then using an oven mitt to protect yourself pour the water out to about 1/4 full, then use the long handle scrubber to get the gunk out, It works for me. If you do use soap, just dip your scrubber in the dishwater but don't immerse your pan in it or pour soap into the pan. Immediately drying the pan is critical to its care either way, as soon as you clean the pan hand dry it with a paper towel and re-oil the pan immediately. For the most part, cast iron is non-stick as long as it is seasoned. If you use the pan on a fire, you can get soot on the exterior. An old Boy Scout trick to keep the exterior clean of soot if used on a campfire, is to treat the pan prior to cooking in the following manner. First wipe the pan (exterior only!) with some wet soap or a wet SOS pad, then let it dry before using it on the fire. Then when you are ready for washing, the soap has laid a protective layer over the exterior surface and the soot just wipes right off when you clean up with water.
ACCESSORIES: There are plenty of terrific Dutch oven and cast iron cook books here at Amazon.com. You can also get videos/DVD on Dutch Oven cooking like the one with Cee Dub. You can get affordable accessories too such as a Dutch oven tote bag, tongs, lid lifter, lid stand, and gloves. To be safe if cooking on coals or fire, use the lid lifter accessory, it will keep you from getting burned. I highly recommend this pan, and have decades of experience behind that statement, enjoy your cobbler!
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People seem to either love, hate, or have total disinterest in cast iron cookware. I love it. It seems to have a lot more soul than "modern" utensils.
I've been reading "Little House on the Prarie" to my daughter and she enjoyed hearing how the Ingalls used a pot just like daddy has.
This dutch oven is quite versitile. I can use it with campfire coals, with charcoal, over my Coleman campstove, or in the oven at home. The legs are too long to use on my rangetop at home (without risking damage to the range surface).
Dutch oven cooking is an acquired skill (on top of the general cast iron learning curve), but I've had no problems so far. I have mostly used it to make chicken or beef stew when camping.
Once you get hooked on dutch ovens, then you start wanting accessories. I use a charcoal chimney to start the coals, a pair of metal tongs to move the coals around, and a metal oil drain pan to contain the coals. I've just ordered a Lodge lid lifter, lid rack, and leather gloves to make the whole process a bit easier and safer.
I'm also already thinking of my next dutch oven. It will be the "deep" 8 quart. The 4 quart being reviewed here is 10" diameter at the lid and 3-1/2" deep. The "deep" 8 quart is 12" at the lid and 5" deep. (The standard depth 12" oven is 6 quarts, the standard depth 8 quart is 14" diameter). For soup or stew I like to leave some space below the rim so I probably only get 3 quarts in the 4 quart model, while the deeper 8 quart model would allow a greater percentage of the volume to be used. I imagine for bisquits or other baked goods the standard depth is probably fine.
Honest reviews on Lodge L6CO3 Camp Dutch Oven
If you're reading this, you probably already know about camp dutch ovens. I've been a Boy Scout my whole life, and a Scoutmaster and adult leader for several years now... (and an avid camper and outdoor cook to boot.) I have owned 5 or 6 dutch ovens in my life, and I'm now convinced that there is no match for the quality of LODGE dutch ovens. They are worth paying a little extra for. The others aren't really worth buying-the cheaper ones don't keep a finish like the LODGE ovens do.
I've bought the original finish and now this one with the LOGIC factory forged finish. I LOVE the pre-seasoned cookware. It isn't the finish that you'll get after years of seasoning, cooking and taking care of an oven, BUT you'll love that you will be able to cook on this oven RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX. So, if you're into instant gratification (with no downside-they season perfectly as you use them) this is the oven choice for you.
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Before my wife and I were recently married, we both enjoyed camping with groups. Now we are establishing our own collection of camping equipment, and enjoying camping on our own. In studying camping, I became intrigued by the Dutch oven, and the fact that you can do about anything with it you can with a stove and oven at home bake, broil, boil, fry, roast, etc. Mainly, I dreamed of making a pizza in camp!
Reasearching many publications by Dutch oven fanatics, one thing was consistent: Lodge is the best. They also recommend starting with a 12" oven, as most recipes are for this size. (Probably because a 12" oven has nearly the same bottom area as a standard 9x13 baking dish or cake pan.)
I can't compare against any other makes, as I don't have any, but this oven does not disappoint. It seems well-made, and the lid fits precisely as it should.
I didn't want to pay extra for the seasoning, but with Super Saver shipping, Amazon was selling this for almost half what I could get the non-pre-seasoned model for shipped from anywhere else. (Most mail-order retailers add an additional fee for the heavy Dutch oven on top of their regular shipping charge.) I am amazed at how easy it is to clean, even with my amateur experiments. I haven't had to use any more than very little scrubbing with a Scotch-Brite pad to get a few stubborn spots off, and the pre-seasoning allowed me to bake with it the evening it arrived!
In the first week, I've tried brownies, pizza, sourdough rolls, cinnamon rolls, baked macaroni and cheese, and fried up bacon on the lid. I'm looking forward to getting a lifetime of use out of this, and will shortly add some other sizes. (I suspect the 8" will be better for casserole-type meals for just me and my wife.)
