Lodge Logic 8 Quart Camp Dutch Oven

We were introduced to camp dutch oven cooking a few months ago and have since re-discovered the fun of cast iron cooking. The outdoor recipes are not only fun, but easy to prepare in the dutch oven and the idea of cooking on the riverbank or in the backyard is great. Lots of plans for future outtings with out new camp dutch oven. The purchase of a lid lifter and trivet are not mandatory, but highly suggested. (The ashes in our first batch of panhandler spaghetti proved that!) We have searched and found a few key pieces of cast iron to use indoors now, too!

If you are interested in traditional dutch oven cooking (with coals), this is the one to buy. Though not strictly required, having the legs built into the oven is convenient, as it not only saves you from having to prop the oven up on racks or rocks, but also makes it easier to put on a table. The lid, as in all Lodge dutch ovens, is purpose-made to hold coals, and the loop of the lid handle is high enough to stick up well above the coals for use with a lid lifter. It is also a useful size to buy. While it's tempting to go for a smaller dutch oven, the larger sizes hold and spread heat much better and burn less. The 10s and 12s are really the most useful sizes.

Buy it once, keep it forever!

I have used different brands but when I started using Lodge Logic I threw everything else out. These cook so evenly takes all of the work out of it and so easy to clean my husband doesn't mind to do it

I wanted to try out campfire cooking so I did a little research and purchased this Lodge dutch oven.

Let me first say that I have bought other Lodge cast iron products and they are the "Mercedes" of cast iron cookware. No shortcuts here, just beautiful, functional cast iron products that can be passed down to your children or grandchildren. On to the review...

The pot lid is very, very heavy. The pot itself is beautifully made. The instructions are clear (I recommend you follow them, they are correct). The iron handle is robust enough to take the pot off the fire filled hot food without giving you any concern.

The pot is "pre-seasoned" so all you have to do is give it a quick clean. I usually clean my cast iron products using hot water, a soft plastic brush and a little salt. Not much sticks anyway, but the salt works to give the brush a little "bite", plus I think the salt helps the seasoning a little.

The next step is to make a nice fire about 2 hours ahead of your cook time. The pot is NOT placed on the fire directly, but a few hot coals are dragged away from the fire for cooking.

I place the pot over about 10 hot coals on the botton, and about 20 hot coals on the lid. I turn the lid every 15 minutes or so and replace the coals with new ones about every 45 minutes.

Generally this method will cook a 4-5 pound chicken with a few potatoes, carrots and onions until it "falls off the bone" in about 3 hours.

It's really hard to describe how chicken tastes after being cooked over fire coals. It seems to keep the character flavor of the pot from meal to meal, and tastes ever so slightly smoky. It's very similar to cooking I've tasted in New Zealand where meat and vegetables are wrapped up on palm fronds, place over white hot stones, then buried for about four hours. It just has it's own unique flaor.

I've also cooked chile, leg of lamb and a number of other dishes. They've all been great.

A word of warning. Most people (including myself) can't believe that just a few coals below the pot, and double the number placed on top of the lid, can really cook the contents, but less is truly more in campfire cooking.

If too many coals are used, the food will taste strangely overcooked, but not burned. So best to exercise much restraint.

If you want to try campfire cooking and buy quality that can last for generations, then I say buy this quality pot and go out and cook!

I purchased one of these several years ago to use in a small woodstove we have, but hadn't had the courage to try it until this weekend. Using the more traditional charcoal briquettes, I successfully baked chicken in it last evening. Today I baked a cherry cobbler, corn bread, and biscuits - all of which could not have turned out better - corn bread and biscuits golden brown top and bottom!! What an enjoyable experience!! I'm now confident that it's up to any task I put to it. Considering a larger 10" Lodge oven for more serious meals and a lid rack.