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What Size Dutch Oven?


Its Me

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Nothing smaller than 12" dutch oven. 14" would be the preferred for feed 20 people. 10" is best used for small cobbler. If you want 10", then you might want to cook several batches. With the 12", I placed 15 pieces of chicken in there without any room left. Personally, I have one 10", one 12", and one 14". I usually use the 12" and 14" for main meals and 10" for the cobbler. Our troop has six 10" ovens for the patrols, but then they are feeding only 5-7 boys at a time.

 

Don't forget to buy the lid lifter. I prefer the Mair Tool Lid Lifter (http://www.kamperskettle.com/content/misc.htm ). This lid lifter will allow you to shake loose the coals and dust.

 

1Hour(This message has been edited by OneHour)

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Its Me,

 

You may roll your eyes and say DUH, but some folks don't know the difference.. Make sure you get the camping type with the legs underneath and lip on the lid. I've had folks come out with the kind of dutch oven you use in the kitchen. While we found a way to make that work, it wasn't the best way.

 

bd

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Big_Dog that's good advice. I did happen to know that one, but it is about the limit of my knowledge of Dutch Ovens. I have used my wife's large and thick walled soup cauldron but after having to spend two hours cleaning after our last "experiment" she put the kibosh on using her stewing pot for camp fires.

 

Thanks

(This message has been edited by Its Me)

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I've been cooking in DO for about 20 years. Can I throw a bit in here? (If not, just ignore me ;) )

 

DOs come in two heights... "standard" & "deep". This past weekend I feed 32 people a meal called "sore belly breakfast" (it consists of eggs, meat, potatoes, onions, bell peppers) I used 2 12" deep DOs and feed them for 2 meals on that (good thing we had refrigeration). All loved it, but all were full both days. I can cook 2 fryer chickens in one 12" deep DO.

 

My troop provides a 12" deep in each of our patrol boxes. I find that 14" are too big for the patrol box, but 12" deep fit very well.

 

Hope it helps.

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He means the deeper (or "taller") version of the 12 inch DO.

 

We have a regular and a deep 12" DO. On a campout with 25 people, we made two Cowboy Breakfasts (sounds similar to the sore belly breakfast). The deep one held fine, the regular height cooked over some. We had about 1/2 or so of one left over, but probably a third of the boys wouldn't eat it because everything was mixed together (eewww).

 

I prefer the deeper 12 inch just because it gives you the extra space to make a big dish, and it's nearly impossible to overfill and cause it to cook over the sides.

 

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We have both the 12" and 14". All with legs. We also have a couple 12" double depth. All cast. Stay away from aluminum. The only advantage is they are a little lighter. Other that that, they don't heat evenly & can warp.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

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Great web site link OneHour.

12"to start with. A few years ago Costco had a 12" Ridgeway oven with a small griddle for about$15.00 I bought 15. Gave a few away sold a few, only have 2 left.

At the Sacramento gun show in the late 80s I saw a oven that was 24" wide 10" tall.

I don't remember the brand.

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