Tips & Tricks How Many Coals to Use When Cooking with a Camp Dutch Oven By: Lodge Cast Iron / July 29, 2021 It can be tricky to know just how many coals you should use when cooking with a camp dutch oven. Factors like temperature, location, and weather can increase or decrease the number of coals you’ll need to keep your dutch oven at the right temperature. We’ve got your questions covered so you can get back to enjoying time around the fire. E-mail this page Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on Twitter Print this page How many coals should I use when cooking with a camp dutch oven? There are many factors to take into account when cooking outside in a camp dutch oven. When and where you cook can affect the way your CDO cooks. Cooler weather, higher humidity, and elevation can all affect your temperature and cook times. Direct sunlight can heat your seasoned cast iron cookware even if it isn’t that hot outside. Elevation above 3000 feet – The boiling point of water decreases at higher altitudes. Generally, cook times must be increased to adjust for the lower boiling point. Temperatures should also be increased by about 25° F. Charcoal Chart: Use this chart to determine how many coals you will need to maintain a given temperature. The top number is how many coals you need to place on the lid. The bottom number is how many coals you need to place underneath the camp dutch oven. Does what I’m cooking affect the number of coals I should use? Location, location, location! When you’re cooking with a camp dutch oven, charcoal placement is critical. For baking we recommend a 3:1 ratio of coals on the top and bottom of your cookware. You’re punching your baked goods with heat from the top, while ensuring evenness underneath. When roasting in your CDO, use a ratio of 1:1. You’re hitting it with the same amount of heat all around. Boiling, stewing, and frying should be done from the bottom up—no need to add coals to the lid. What’s the difference between coals and briquettes? Briquettes are manufactured using wood and wood byproducts and are compressed with additives that help offer consistent burn rates and temperatures. They tend to burn longer and are cheaper than lump coals. Briquettes can produce a chemical smell that can sometimes affect the flavor of your food. Lump charcoal is unprocessed wood that is burned or charred. Lump coals typically burn hotter and faster than briquettes. It is more expensive and is seen as the more natural of the two types of fuel. What’s the best way to light the coals? If you’re using wood, get the fire going 30 to 45 minutes before starting. To get cooking faster, You can use a chimney starter, paper, and a match which takes less time to heat the coals. If you’re using briquettes, ignite them 15 to 20 minutes before they are needed. How should I arrange the coals? Arrange the coals by placing them under the oven in a circular pattern so they are at least ½ inch inside the oven’s edge. On the lid, arrange the coals in a checkerboard pattern. Don’t bunch the coals—this can cause hot spots that will burn food or damage the oven. To prevent hot spot problems in cooking, lift and rotate the oven a quarter turn every 10 to 15 minutes, and then rotate the lid a quarter turn in the opposite direction. Do you have any cooking tips? Check your food occasionally to ensure that it’s not burning, cooking too fast, or not cooking fast enough. Be careful when removing the lid because you don’t want ashes to fall into the dutch oven. If necessary, you can add or remove coals proportionately on the top and bottom. We also like to pack an instant read thermometer to check for doneness as we cook. What tools can I use to make cooking even easier? 4-in-1 Camp Dutch Oven Tool Deluxe Lid Lifter Fire & Cook Stand Leather Gloves Tongs 4-in-1 Camp Dutch Oven Tool The 4-in-1 is the ultimate multitasker for campsite cooking. It protects your hands from heat, keeps your cookware off the ground, and maximizes your cooking area. Use as cook stand, a lid lifter, lid stand, and bail lifter. Deluxe Lid Lifter When you put coals on the lid of your camp Dutch oven, you're surrounding your food with heat for efficient cooking. But how do you remove the lid to safely check your food and not drop ashes in the dish? With this Deluxe Lid Lifter, you keep ashes out and the heat away from your hands. The squeeze grip keeps a tight hold on your lid so you can safely remove it from the Dutch oven base when it's time to stir or serve. Fire & Cook Stand There's nothing quite like cooking outside. With the Fire & Cook Stand, you can turn any fire into an outdoor kitchen! The cast iron base rings and wrought iron legs hold Dutch ovens, skillets, and more above the heat for optimal outdoor cooking. Leather Gloves Made with brushed black leather, these gloves are fully lined and sewn with durable leather welting on the finger seams. Tongs These 16 Inch Tongs are perfect for handling hot coals or briquettes. Contributed By: Lodge Cast Iron We hope you enjoy our stories and recipes! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and tag your Instagram food photos with #lodgecastiron for a chance to be featured on our feed! Tips for Using Skewers on the Grill You can grill almost anything on a skewer, from meat and seafood to veggies and fruit. Don’t know where to get started? Use these tips, tricks, and recipes as a guide and fire up your grill or grill pan. How to Use the Cast Iron Melting Pot When we get creative with sauces, we like to use a melting pot and silicone brush, which are great for “stovetops” and grills. If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve got tips for making great sauces and how to use the melting pot to do it! Traveling with your Kickoff Grill There’s nothing worse than arriving at the campsite or tailgate and realizing you’ve forgotten to pack something that you need for grilling! We’ve got you covered with packing suggestions and tips to help your outdoor cooking adventures run smoothly. Step-by-step Guide to the Lodge Smoker Skillet Infuse great smoked flavor in your food with the new Smoker Skillet. Cast Iron Gifts for Dads Who Cook Looking for a perfect gift for dads who love cast iron? We’ve got you covered—whether they prefer turning heads in the neighborhood with the smell of grilled burgers, cooking over the open fire, making game-day snacks at the tailgate, or serving up new recipes in the kitchen. 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Tips & Tricks How Many Coals to Use When Cooking with a Camp Dutch Oven By: Lodge Cast Iron / July 29, 2021 It can be tricky to know just how many coals you should use when cooking with a camp dutch oven. Factors like temperature, location, and weather can increase or decrease the number of coals you’ll need to keep your dutch oven at the right temperature. We’ve got your questions covered so you can get back to enjoying time around the fire. E-mail this page Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on Twitter Print this page How many coals should I use when cooking with a camp dutch oven? There are many factors to take into account when cooking outside in a camp dutch oven. When and where you cook can affect the way your CDO cooks. Cooler weather, higher humidity, and elevation can all affect your temperature and cook times. Direct sunlight can heat your seasoned cast iron cookware even if it isn’t that hot outside. Elevation above 3000 feet – The boiling point of water decreases at higher altitudes. Generally, cook times must be increased to adjust for the lower boiling point. Temperatures should also be increased by about 25° F. Charcoal Chart: Use this chart to determine how many coals you will need to maintain a given temperature. The top number is how many coals you need to place on the lid. The bottom number is how many coals you need to place underneath the camp dutch oven. Does what I’m cooking affect the number of coals I should use? Location, location, location! When you’re cooking with a camp dutch oven, charcoal placement is critical. For baking we recommend a 3:1 ratio of coals on the top and bottom of your cookware. You’re punching your baked goods with heat from the top, while ensuring evenness underneath. When roasting in your CDO, use a ratio of 1:1. You’re hitting it with the same amount of heat all around. Boiling, stewing, and frying should be done from the bottom up—no need to add coals to the lid. What’s the difference between coals and briquettes? Briquettes are manufactured using wood and wood byproducts and are compressed with additives that help offer consistent burn rates and temperatures. They tend to burn longer and are cheaper than lump coals. Briquettes can produce a chemical smell that can sometimes affect the flavor of your food. Lump charcoal is unprocessed wood that is burned or charred. Lump coals typically burn hotter and faster than briquettes. It is more expensive and is seen as the more natural of the two types of fuel. What’s the best way to light the coals? If you’re using wood, get the fire going 30 to 45 minutes before starting. To get cooking faster, You can use a chimney starter, paper, and a match which takes less time to heat the coals. If you’re using briquettes, ignite them 15 to 20 minutes before they are needed. How should I arrange the coals? Arrange the coals by placing them under the oven in a circular pattern so they are at least ½ inch inside the oven’s edge. On the lid, arrange the coals in a checkerboard pattern. Don’t bunch the coals—this can cause hot spots that will burn food or damage the oven. To prevent hot spot problems in cooking, lift and rotate the oven a quarter turn every 10 to 15 minutes, and then rotate the lid a quarter turn in the opposite direction. Do you have any cooking tips? Check your food occasionally to ensure that it’s not burning, cooking too fast, or not cooking fast enough. Be careful when removing the lid because you don’t want ashes to fall into the dutch oven. If necessary, you can add or remove coals proportionately on the top and bottom. We also like to pack an instant read thermometer to check for doneness as we cook. What tools can I use to make cooking even easier? 4-in-1 Camp Dutch Oven Tool Deluxe Lid Lifter Fire & Cook Stand Leather Gloves Tongs 4-in-1 Camp Dutch Oven Tool The 4-in-1 is the ultimate multitasker for campsite cooking. It protects your hands from heat, keeps your cookware off the ground, and maximizes your cooking area. Use as cook stand, a lid lifter, lid stand, and bail lifter. Deluxe Lid Lifter When you put coals on the lid of your camp Dutch oven, you're surrounding your food with heat for efficient cooking. But how do you remove the lid to safely check your food and not drop ashes in the dish? With this Deluxe Lid Lifter, you keep ashes out and the heat away from your hands. The squeeze grip keeps a tight hold on your lid so you can safely remove it from the Dutch oven base when it's time to stir or serve. Fire & Cook Stand There's nothing quite like cooking outside. With the Fire & Cook Stand, you can turn any fire into an outdoor kitchen! The cast iron base rings and wrought iron legs hold Dutch ovens, skillets, and more above the heat for optimal outdoor cooking. Leather Gloves Made with brushed black leather, these gloves are fully lined and sewn with durable leather welting on the finger seams. Tongs These 16 Inch Tongs are perfect for handling hot coals or briquettes. Contributed By: Lodge Cast Iron We hope you enjoy our stories and recipes! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and tag your Instagram food photos with #lodgecastiron for a chance to be featured on our feed! Tips for Using Skewers on the Grill You can grill almost anything on a skewer, from meat and seafood to veggies and fruit. Don’t know where to get started? Use these tips, tricks, and recipes as a guide and fire up your grill or grill pan. How to Use the Cast Iron Melting Pot When we get creative with sauces, we like to use a melting pot and silicone brush, which are great for “stovetops” and grills. If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve got tips for making great sauces and how to use the melting pot to do it! Traveling with your Kickoff Grill There’s nothing worse than arriving at the campsite or tailgate and realizing you’ve forgotten to pack something that you need for grilling! We’ve got you covered with packing suggestions and tips to help your outdoor cooking adventures run smoothly. Step-by-step Guide to the Lodge Smoker Skillet Infuse great smoked flavor in your food with the new Smoker Skillet. Cast Iron Gifts for Dads Who Cook Looking for a perfect gift for dads who love cast iron? We’ve got you covered—whether they prefer turning heads in the neighborhood with the smell of grilled burgers, cooking over the open fire, making game-day snacks at the tailgate, or serving up new recipes in the kitchen.
