Dutch oven help

[JeffD]

i love to cook. i cook most nights at home and have been known to use my camp stove to make some pretty neat stuff. (i think i was the first person to make crepes at our campouts..)

 

my son is a cub scout and i recently took the baloo training. they talked about dutch oven cooking and i dont recall ever cooking with one as a scout. our pack goes camping about once per month and this is something i want to try so i had a few questions about which one to choose.

 

most likely i will be cooking for just 2-4 people but i dont want to be limited to only this amount in case i decide to cook for more. our pack generally has everyone cook for themselves and they are on their own for a menu.

 

what size should i get?

 

i know lodge is a good name for cast iron - but are others with similar features a good buy also? for example - Cajun Cookware Seasoned Cast Iron Camp Pot W/ Legs - 4.5 Qt. - $20

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000EWAQUS/ref=ord_cart_shr/103-4034173-6211850?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=A2RD94HAYE44NQ&v=glance

 

compared to the Lodge 4-Quart Camp Dutch Oven

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004S9HF/ref=wl_it_dp/103-4034173-6211850?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3UQY8VM6N4XE9&colid=1XO9IEPOFC2SF

 

or are these too small to even consider? thanks in advance

[scottteng]

http://home.comcast.net/~papadutch/

http://www.idos.com/

Two great web sites with great info. I would start with an inexpensive 4 QT model. Dutch oven is mot for making a meal for one or two people it is more campings answer to the crock pot. As I am sure your BALOO instructor mentioned D.O. is considered advanced cooking and ok for boy scouts or adults not recommended for cubs. The ideal use of a D.O. is cracker barrel in cub scouts an adult or den chief (boy scout) can make them a cobbler or cake for their after campfire b4 bed snack. This whets the cubs appetite for the taste treats that await them in boy scouts. another good activity for cubs is visiting a DOG see the idos web site this is a gathering with DO enthusiasts coming together cooking a favorite dish or dishes to share with one and all. A good DO for the almost disposable price can be found search dutch oven at:

http://www.harborfreight.com/

 

[LongHaul]

JeffD's Baloo instructor should have mentioned that cooking in any form is not recommended for Cub Scout level boys. Cubs are not allowed to even roast marshmallows or cook hot dogs until they are Webelos I have several smaller DOs for 2 man breakfasts and making bread. Most of my ovens are 12 inch four to six inches deep. Start small and experiment. I recommend you stay away from acidic foods (tomato base) until your oven is well seasoned from use. Cardinal rule NO SOAP in CAST IRON. Aluminum works well but when using wood instead of charcoal you can melt an aluminum oven. LongHaul

DUTCH OVEN COOING SITES OF INTEREST http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/dutch-oven-recipes.htm

 GOOD SITE FOR THE BEGINNER HAS TIPS FOR DECIDING WHICH OVEN TO PURCHASE HOW TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN YOUR DUTCH OVEN HOW TO RESTORE A RANCID OR RUSTY DUTCH OVEN

http://www.lovetheoutdoors.com/camping/Cooking_Methods.htm

 GENERAL OUTDOOR COOKING SITE HAS A DUTCH OVEN COOKING SECTION

 http://www.netwoods.com/d-cooking.html#methods

GOOD RECIPES AND TIPS

 http://www.dutchovencookware.com/dutch-oven-recipes.html

LODGE BRAND SITE HAS ITEM AND PRICE LIST TO GET AN IDEA OF COST GOOD RECIPES

http://www.three-peaks.net/cooking.htm#Equipment

SCROLL UP TO FOR LINKS TO MANY SITES

 http://www.outdoorcook.com/article1026.php

 SOME TIPS AND VIEWS ON DUTCH OVEN COOKING GOOD RECIPES

http://www.idos.com/

INTERNATIONAL DUTCH OVEN SOCIETY

[JeffD]

ok the cubs cannot cook but does that mean that i am also excluded from cooking my personal or family's meals this way? or did i miss the part about being relegated to lunchables and juice boxes?

[raisinemright]

Longhaul,

 

I have to disagree with your comment that Cubs are not allowed to cook or even roast marshmallows. Take a look at Bear requirement #9

 

WHAT'S COOKING? (Bear Handbook - Page 80)

Do four requirements.

With an adult, bake cookies.

With an adult, make snacks for the next den meeting.

With an adult, prepare one part of your breakfast, one part of your lunch, and one part of your supper.

Make a list of the "junk foods" you eat. Discuss "junk food" with a parent or teacher.

Make some trail food for a hike.

With an adult, make a dessert for your family.

With an adult, cook something outdoors.

 

Here's Wolf Requirement 8

 

COOKING AND EATING (Wolf Handbook, Page 78)

Study the Food Guide Pyramid. Name some foods from each of the food groups shown in the pyramid.

Plan the meals you and your family should have for one day. List things your family should have from the food groups shown in the Food Group Pyramid. At each meal, you should have foods from at least three food groups.

Help fix at least one meal for your family. Help set the table, cook the food, and wash the dishes.

Fix your own breakfast. Wash and put away the dishes.

With an adult, help to plan, prepare, and cook an outdoor meal.

 

Yes, it needs adult supervision, but it certainly allows for cooking and does not have any significant limitations.

 

If weather permits, my Bear den will be sitting around the campfire tomorrow night cooking something on a stick. I haven't yet decided what.

 

Thanks for the links too. I'm going to put them to good use.

 

[Gunny2862]

JeffD,

 

IMHO, the 10 or 12 inch is the way to go for the house. Buy the smaller one if you want to cook for 2 or 3-4 person adult patrol and if you might want to pack it along on an overnighter.

 

Reasoning, 1)Most recipes are set for the larger oven. After you try them full size then cut the recipe down for the smaller oven. 2) I always make extra for additional meals at home. 3)Ability to amaze your friends with what you made at tailgates, cookouts, reunions - that they didn't think could be made without a full size oven.

[LongHaul]

raisinemright, 

        The requirement to cook something outdoors is preceded by a list of cooking related tasks intended to be done with the Cub's family and not on a Pack outing. If you look at the age appropriate guidelines in the middle of the GTSS you will find under Outdoor Skills/Cooking that Tigers, Wolves and Bears are not approved for outdoor cooking. Personally I think some-mores and hot dogs on a stick are what some boys join Cub Scouts for but I don't get a vote on National policy.

JeffD,

       As an adult you can cook anyway you want so long as it is not a danger to the scouts. My comment was directed at the post which said D.O.s are not intended for cubs.

 LongHaul

[dan]

After eating many an excellent meals after my sons joined Boy Scouts, and I learned how to cook in a Dutch Oven. I went to Wal Mart and bought one. It works fine for home use and the not to often camping we do as a family, it is a 12 inch just the right side to cook a meal in for a family of 4/5 and the perfect size to make cobbler in. Make sure that it has legs so you can regulate the heat underneath easier and a lip on the lid so you can put the coals on top and they will stay there.

[Eagle69]

Lodge is the premier name in Dutch Ovens, they used to be the ones that made the BSA Official Supply ones, I haven't looked in a long time so I don't know if they still do or not. The difference between their ovens and some of the cheaper ones is the quality of the Iron that was used in manufacturing it. My troop has both the cast iron and aluminum ovens and I much prefer the cast iron official BSA one that was made by Lodge and is almost 30 years old.

[Beavah]

Yah, dat's hysterical, eh? I swear the offices in Irving never cross-check their stuff. Wolf and Bear cubs aren't allowed to earn their requirements because the age-appropriate guidelines won't allow it.

 

Happily, in this case, Age Appropriate Guidelines are just guidelines. Yeh should follow the specific program requirements. So go ahead and let your Wolfs cook outdoors, including S'mores, with their adult partner's supervision.

 

 

[Now before somebody gets that old, faithful, burr in their saddle about the evils of not following guidelines, let's quote:

 

"Because of the varying development rates among youth, these activity guidelines are flexible and should not be perceived as requirements or rules. They address the mainstream of youth abilities while allowing for exceptions for Scouting units and groups based on the consideration and judgment of unit, district, and council committees and boards."

 

]

 

Beavah

 

[JeffD]

you mean sometimes "common sense" guidelines can apply

[LongHaul]

Common Sense lost out to Risk Management. Let a Cub turn around with a flaming marshmallow and leave a scare on another cubs face and see what happens to your BSA Insurance. You will learn a new phrase "Level of Liability" "We told you not to do this" "Baloo training should have told you not to do this." "Leader specific training should have told you not to do this" Talk to all the leaders you want, talk to all the lawyers you want, then talk to someone that had it happen on their watch. Follow all the training and "guidelines" to the letter and you're standing on concrete. Miss a step and rely on "common sense" and the ice gets really thin.

 All that said we had our final Pack campfire last week, just ahead of the cold weather. Hot dogs and somores were great. Popcorn in a paper bag tasted rather smoky. Zero insurance claims.

LongHaul

[JeffD]

my wife went to law school and worked for quite some time in a personal injury firm - i have ALWAYS been one to err on the side of caution for legal reasons. many things i would assume were common sense, its hard to believe you need to tell people to not do something..

 

to me - it would be a shame if the scouts in our pack thought you could ONLY cook on your coleman camp stove. since i have been in the pack - i think i have seen scouts try 1 time cooking themselves (foil pack) and we are a pretty active pack when it comes to camping. i dont recall even seeing a webelos scout prepare lunch for themselves any other time. it was usually mom or dad cooking and calling them over.

 

the one bad thing about this thread, is i think i will need to buy more than 1 DO to be able to have dinner and dessert going besides, its still in the 80's here and i cannot wait for cooler weather

[LongHaul]

Dutch Ovens are not expenditures they are investments in gastronomical delights.

LH

[Venividi]

JeffD wrote:

the one bad thing about this thread, is i think i will need to buy more than 1 DO to be able to have dinner and dessert going besides

 

JeffD,

It's a disease. Yes, you will buy more than one DO. In various sizes. And a toolbox to keep all your special DO tools: lid lifters, trivets for the lids, little wisk broom to brush off ash. And spices - Lots and lots of spices. Then comes a DO table (portable is best; mine is made from an old refrigerator door).

Then regularly scheduled gatherings with other families with the same disease.