There are lots of different ways to cook with a Dutch oven, but here are the most common.
For baking, you want to create an even ambient temperature inside the Dutch oven. (Similar to setting the temperature on your home oven) This is achieved by placing hot coals or embers underneath the Dutch oven and on top of the lid. Cast iron does a great job of radiating heat, so by heating from the top and the bottom, you evenly distribute the heat through the inside.
Due to the insulating properties of the ground, you will find you need proportionally much more heat coming from the top than from the bottom. So, you will want to have more coals on top of the lid than you will have underneath your Dutch oven.
You can also use a Dutch oven as a heavy-duty, fire-resistant pot and place it over a campfire. Since it’s made entirely from cast iron, there’s nothing that can melt or warp. You can even use it on a camp stove like a regular pot, provided that legs fit through the grate.
Post time: Aug-15-2023