What size is your dutch oven?

[DaveBromley]

Hey Chaps

Just wondering what size dutch ovens everyone has got? I'm looking at getting one and i'm thinking about the 4litre one from ronnie sunshines

What i want to know is what size do you guys have?

Dave

[Shewie]

I got the ally Gsi one, 10" I think. It's just about big enough to do a pot for 3 or 4 of us, I wish I'd gone for the 12" but it was twice the price.

[British Red]

I have a 4 litre - its okay. My 8 litre sees far more use though. You can't , for example, roast a chicken in a 4 litre oven - its too "low". If I had to get rid of one, it would be the smaller one.

[TurboGirl]

Mine was 4.5l off fleabay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-5L-DUTCH...item4843469a49 I paid about £18 inc P&P and am chuffin' DELIGHTED with it... tho it weighs a ton and was a PIA to season.... wish I'd done it on a camp fire to save the awful acrid smell which got me in severe trouble with HWMBO!

Plan is to start small and increase sizes as the repetoire expands until I have the full skyscraper

[Mesquite]

I have a 4 litre - its okay. My 8 litre sees far more use though. You can't , for example, roast a chicken in a 4 litre oven - its too "low". If I had to get rid of one, it would be the smaller one.

I've 2 the same as BR... the smaller one tends to be used when I'm cooking for just me and the wife.

The larger one is for when I'm out and cooking for groups.

[SimonM]

I've got a deep 14" model and a 12" standard.


Simon

[nunzionuk]

I have a 4 litre - its okay. My 8 litre sees far more use though. You can't , for example, roast a chicken in a 4 litre oven - its too "low". If I had to get rid of one, it would be the smaller one.

I have a 4ltr from Ronnie's and it can roast a chicken no problems.. just dont expect to do much veg with it.

[santaman2000]

I've got a 10" standard. it does well enough but I too wish I had a deep one somtimes.

[drewdunnrespect]

i have the 4 litre one and i want an 12 litre one cos the it would be bigger and easier to cook for groups more cos i would be able to use both

[persistent king]

Dave the 4lt is big enough to feed a group of 4 or 5 if your doing a chilli or rice dish etc.... in my oppinion its a spot on size.

cracking peice of kit aswell, i got the tripod aswell but after my mate knocked me one of these up http://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Pr...lding-Griddle/
there is no need for it anymore.

couldnt recomend a 4lt oven and a folding griddle enough

[MartinK9]

An 8 Ltr and a 12 ltr for me. You don't have to fill them:

[persistent king]

Nice set up Martin

[Martyn]

I have a 4ltr from Ronnie's and it can roast a chicken no problems.. just dont expect to do much veg with it.

Maybe a very small chicken. Having used a 4 litre oven recently, I bought an 8 litre just because we struggled to roast the meat in it and had to cut it up to fit it in. The 8 litre is a much better size for pot roasts, particularly roasting larger birds, big chickens, ducks etc and will, hold a vast amount (well 8 litres I suppose) of stew. The 6 litre is the same depth as the 4 litre, but slightly bigger diameter, the 8 litre is the same diameter as the 6 litre, but a bit deeper. The main advantage of the 8 litre is that you can cook a good sized roast in it as well as plenty of veg and also ideal for cooking for groups 6 or more people. It's also more versatile for different cooking techniques, putting stones in the bottom etc. That said, I would also like to get one of the 4 litre ovens as it's a very good size for 2-4 people, especially nice for stews and such. The boxed set that Ronnie's does for about £70 is nice, it includes a 4 litre oven I think, a stand for the lid, skillet, griddle, a lid lifter and obviously the nice wooden box to keep it all in. It's expensive compared to the cost of the oven alone, but you do need something to keep your oily, sooty oven away from everything else, the kit is cheaper than buying all the bits separately (and they are all useful) and you cant buy the box on it's own. Now I have an 8 litre, I'm not sure how motivated I am to get another, but if I were, I think I would buy the 4 litre boxed kit from Ronnies. The 4 litre oven is a perfect size for 2 people providing you are not too ambitious with the size of your roasts.

http://www.ronniesunshines.com/index...t-box-set.html

[DaveBromley]

i just got this one

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1306207129...84.m1497.l2649

It's only for cooking for 4-5 people for stews and such

What do you think?

Dave

[udamiano]

4,8, and 12 litre depending on what we are doing

[TurboGirl]

I think you'd've been better following the link I sent and saving the money but hey ho! You'll have a brill time learning to use it... I like this guys recipes http://www.dutchovendude.com/dutch-oven-recipes.asp but I understand MartinK9 (proclaimed Midlands King of Camp Cooking by all who've tasted it.... tho he might take offence at the title ) uses another site which is called sommat like camp-cooking.com... I'm not even gonna try to google that...

[Mesquite]

I think you'd've been better following the link I sent and saving the money but hey ho! You'll have a brill time learning to use it... I like this guys recipes http://www.dutchovendude.com/dutch-oven-recipes.asp but I understand MartinK9 (proclaimed Midlands King of Camp Cooking by all who've tasted it.... tho he might take offence at the title ) uses another site which is called sommat like camp-cooking.com... I'm not even gonna try to google that...

Should have googled dutch oven forum Sally then you'd get this link

[TurboGirl]

THATS the one, Steve!! The images that I feared finding were nowhere near as tasty at that looks

[Martyn]

i just got this one

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1306207129...84.m1497.l2649

It's only for cooking for 4-5 people for stews and such

What do you think?

Dave

That'll work, but now you need something to lift the lid without tipping the ashes into your food, something to rest the lid on that stops stuff sticking to the bottom and then dropping into your food, something to brush the ashes off the lid with and something to store it in to stop it mucking up all your other kit. You can skip the last 3 if you want, but you really do need a lid lifter - a claw hammer works in a pinch.

[DaveBromley]

Thanks guys i'm thinking of adding to it over time anyhoo

My next splashout will be a lid lifter i think, and then a lid supporter

Dave

[santaman2000]

Maybe a very small chicken. Having used a 4 litre oven recently, I bought an 8 litre just because we struggled to roast the meat in it and had to cut it up to fit it in. The 8 litre is a much better size for pot roasts, particularly roasting larger birds, big chickens, ducks etc and will, hold a vast amount (well 8 litres I suppose) of stew. The 6 litre is the same depth as the 4 litre, but slightly bigger diameter, the 8 litre is the same diameter as the 6 litre, but a bit deeper. The main advantage of the 8 litre is that you can cook a good sized roast in it as well as plenty of veg and also ideal for cooking for groups 6 or more people. It's also more versatile for different cooking techniques, putting stones in the bottom etc. That said, I would also like to get one of the 4 litre ovens as it's a very good size for 2-4 people, especially nice for stews and such. The boxed set that Ronnie's does for about £70 is nice, it includes a 4 litre oven I think, a stand for the lid, skillet, griddle, a lid lifter and obviously the nice wooden box to keep it all in. It's expensive compared to the cost of the oven alone, but you do need something to keep your oily, sooty oven away from everything else, the kit is cheaper than buying all the bits separately (and they are all useful) and you cant buy the box on it's own. Now I have an 8 litre, I'm not sure how motivated I am to get another, but if I were, I think I would buy the 4 litre boxed kit from Ronnies. The 4 litre oven is a perfect size for 2 people providing you are not too ambitious with the size of your roasts.

http://www.ronniesunshines.com/index...t-box-set.html

I think you've hit it spot on. If you're going to use your D.O. as a "pot" then even a smaller one can cook a lot of food. But if you want to take advantage of it's capability as an "oven" then you really need something larger (deeper) that will allow large cuts of meat (or loaves of bred/cakes/pies/etc.) with room to spare.

[SimonM]

I think you've hit it spot on. If you're going to use your D.O. as a "pot" then even a smaller one can cook a lot of food. But if you want to take advantage of it's capability as an "oven" then you really need something larger (deeper) that will allow large cuts of meat (or loaves of bred/cakes/pies/etc.) with room to spare.

Which is why I bought a deep model...sometimes called a "Bread" DO.

Simon

[persistent king]

I made my own lid lifter when i was out camping last out of a stick , my mate uses a hammer http://assets.smokingmeatforums.com/...cc_souflee.jpg


the propper lid lifter is much better but you can compramise

[MickG]

Local Asda store is selling a cast iron pot that could be used for camp cooking
Did not take a lot of notice but it is with a flat lid and about 260mm diam and 150 deep
Sorry i cant give more info but may be worth a look and save on postage if your thinking of buying on line
Mick

[nunzionuk]

The adsa ones are designed for Home Oven useage, but could work while camping, but they would have to stand on something, as they dont have the legs thats a camping DO has, or the rimmed lid.

[DaveBromley]

got my D/O today well chuffed with it, it's the perfect size for about 4 people which is what i wanted and not too heavy. Cant wait to get it on the campfire

It says its preseasoned, should i still season it as normal or not?

Dave

[SimonM]

got my D/O today well chuffed with it, it's the perfect size for about 4 people which is what i wanted and not too heavy. Cant wait to get it on the campfire

It says its preseasoned, should i still season it as normal or not?

Dave

I'd season it anyway Dave...

Simon

[nunzionuk]

Mine was pre-seasoned, but I was still advised by the staff at Ronnies to reseason it before using it.

[Scots_Charles_River]

After a trip and use, I always re oil, for the time and effort of a few mins. it's worth it.

May be tempted to use it this weekend. Although today is the lightest winds for a week !