CHARCOAL vs WOOD
Charcoal is a good choice for fuel, because it has a long burn time
and needs little refueling. The rule of thumb is that two briquettes
burn at 25-35 degrees, which makes it fairly easy to judge how
many briquettes to use.
Another simple formula for controlling the heat in Dutch ovens is:
take the size of your oven, i.e., 12 inches, add three more coal
briquettes to the top (15), and subtract three from the bottom (9).
This technique will maintain an even temperature of 325 to 350
degrees. For every 2 coals added or subtracted to this amount, the
temperature will be affected by roughly 25 degrees.
8" Dutch oven - 10-11 coals on top / 5-6 on bottom
10" Dutch oven - 13 coals on top / 7 on bottom
12" Dutch oven - 15 on top / 9 on bottom
14" Dutch oven - 17 on top / 11 on bottom
16" Dutch oven - 19 on top / 13 on bottom
In windy or very cold weather, you will want to add an additional
2-8 briquettes. After filling with your Dutch oven recipe and
covering it with coals you do not want to lift the lid too often. I
know ... I know ... we want to smell the aroma, but lifting the lid
lets the heat out and causes food to take longer to cook.
Whenever possible, your oven should be pre-heated by placing a few
coals under it before adding the food prepared from your Dutch oven
recipes. One quarter of the coals should be underneath with the
remaining on top of the oven. Dutch ovens cook from the top down.
More Rules of Thumb:
The size of the oven,as well as weather conditions, can help to
determine the number of hot coals needed.
On a calm, warm day, use half as many coals underneath as used
on top. If it is cold or windy, put a few more on top.
Ovens with legs can be stacked, to conserve briquettes.
Dutch ovens are great for "stack cooking."
When you have your Dutch ovens heated
properly, you can stack more ovens on top
with coals added to its lid. This will allow
you to cook a main course in the larger 14"
oven with smaller 8-10" ovens on top. The
top ovens can be baking bread or a dessert.
Dutch ovens can be used for deep fat frying,
shallow frying, roasting, baking, boiling
or stewing. Generally you will bake biscuits,
corn bread, cake mixes, etc., according to
package directions.
Rotating the ovens a third of a turn every
ten minutes is helpful. Rotating the lids a
third of a turn in the other direction.
Soups, stews or liquid dishes need more heat on the bottom than on
the lid. Place 2/3 of the coals below and 1/3 of the coals on top.
Meat, poultry, potatoes, vegetables and cobblers require equal
distribution of heat on top and bottom.
Cakes, bread, biscuits and cookies require most of the heat to be on
top of the oven with very little on the bottom. Place 1/3 of the coals
below and 2/3 of the coals on top.
If you are baking bread, rolls or cake, remove the oven from the
bottom coals after 2/3 of the cooking time. It will finish cooking
from the top heat. This will keep the bottom from burning.
Use a round cake rack placed in the bottom of the oven for
breadstuffs and pies. It keeps food from sticking to the bottom and
makes cleaning easier.
A Dutch oven's lid can be used as a skillet for cooking eggs or
pancakes over an open fire.
Also use gloves and a Lid Lifter when handling hot Dutch ovens.
This is an easy test to find out the cooking temperature of your
Oven. If you can hold your hand near the coals for:
7 seconds -- Temp is 250 - 300 degrees
5 seconds -- Temp is 300 - 350 degrees
2-3 seconds -- Temp is 350 - 400 degrees
Servings by Size of Pots:
Here is a very helpful guide to show the number of serving sizes for
different size pots:
5" oven = 1 pint - serves 1-2: any food.
8" oven = 2 quarts - serves 2-4: vegetables, desserts.
10" oven = 4 quarts - serves 4-7: beans, rolls, cobblers.
12" oven = 6 quarts - serves 12-14:
main dishes, side dishes, rolls, desserts.
12" Deep = 8 quarts - serves 16-20:
turkeys, hens, hams, standing rib roasts.
14" oven = 8 quarts - serves 16-20:
main dishes, side dishes, rolls, potatoes, desserts.
14" Deep = 10 quarts - serves 22-28:
turkeys, hens, hams, standing rib roasts.
16" oven = 12 quarts - serves 22-28:
any food for a large group.
and needs little refueling. The rule of thumb is that two briquettes
burn at 25-35 degrees, which makes it fairly easy to judge how
many briquettes to use.
Another simple formula for controlling the heat in Dutch ovens is:
take the size of your oven, i.e., 12 inches, add three more coal
briquettes to the top (15), and subtract three from the bottom (9).
This technique will maintain an even temperature of 325 to 350
degrees. For every 2 coals added or subtracted to this amount, the
temperature will be affected by roughly 25 degrees.
8" Dutch oven - 10-11 coals on top / 5-6 on bottom
10" Dutch oven - 13 coals on top / 7 on bottom
12" Dutch oven - 15 on top / 9 on bottom
14" Dutch oven - 17 on top / 11 on bottom
16" Dutch oven - 19 on top / 13 on bottom
In windy or very cold weather, you will want to add an additional
2-8 briquettes. After filling with your Dutch oven recipe and
covering it with coals you do not want to lift the lid too often. I
know ... I know ... we want to smell the aroma, but lifting the lid
lets the heat out and causes food to take longer to cook.
Whenever possible, your oven should be pre-heated by placing a few
coals under it before adding the food prepared from your Dutch oven
recipes. One quarter of the coals should be underneath with the
remaining on top of the oven. Dutch ovens cook from the top down.
More Rules of Thumb:
The size of the oven,as well as weather conditions, can help to
determine the number of hot coals needed.
On a calm, warm day, use half as many coals underneath as used
on top. If it is cold or windy, put a few more on top.
Ovens with legs can be stacked, to conserve briquettes.
Dutch ovens are great for "stack cooking."
When you have your Dutch ovens heated
properly, you can stack more ovens on top
with coals added to its lid. This will allow
you to cook a main course in the larger 14"
oven with smaller 8-10" ovens on top. The
top ovens can be baking bread or a dessert.
Dutch ovens can be used for deep fat frying,
shallow frying, roasting, baking, boiling
or stewing. Generally you will bake biscuits,
corn bread, cake mixes, etc., according to
package directions.
Rotating the ovens a third of a turn every
ten minutes is helpful. Rotating the lids a
third of a turn in the other direction.
Soups, stews or liquid dishes need more heat on the bottom than on
the lid. Place 2/3 of the coals below and 1/3 of the coals on top.
Meat, poultry, potatoes, vegetables and cobblers require equal
distribution of heat on top and bottom.
Cakes, bread, biscuits and cookies require most of the heat to be on
top of the oven with very little on the bottom. Place 1/3 of the coals
below and 2/3 of the coals on top.
If you are baking bread, rolls or cake, remove the oven from the
bottom coals after 2/3 of the cooking time. It will finish cooking
from the top heat. This will keep the bottom from burning.
Use a round cake rack placed in the bottom of the oven for
breadstuffs and pies. It keeps food from sticking to the bottom and
makes cleaning easier.
A Dutch oven's lid can be used as a skillet for cooking eggs or
pancakes over an open fire.
Also use gloves and a Lid Lifter when handling hot Dutch ovens.
This is an easy test to find out the cooking temperature of your
Oven. If you can hold your hand near the coals for:
7 seconds -- Temp is 250 - 300 degrees
5 seconds -- Temp is 300 - 350 degrees
2-3 seconds -- Temp is 350 - 400 degrees
Servings by Size of Pots:
Here is a very helpful guide to show the number of serving sizes for
different size pots:
5" oven = 1 pint - serves 1-2: any food.
8" oven = 2 quarts - serves 2-4: vegetables, desserts.
10" oven = 4 quarts - serves 4-7: beans, rolls, cobblers.
12" oven = 6 quarts - serves 12-14:
main dishes, side dishes, rolls, desserts.
12" Deep = 8 quarts - serves 16-20:
turkeys, hens, hams, standing rib roasts.
14" oven = 8 quarts - serves 16-20:
main dishes, side dishes, rolls, potatoes, desserts.
14" Deep = 10 quarts - serves 22-28:
turkeys, hens, hams, standing rib roasts.
16" oven = 12 quarts - serves 22-28:
any food for a large group.
