Lodge Cast Iron

[Spinaker]

So I got my 10 inch dutch today. (finally) I was going through the recipe book that was included in the oven. There is a recipe for some buttermilk biscuits which I will have to make as my favorite thing ever is biscuits and sausage gravy. Here is my question; the recipe is for the 12 inch dutch. How would you guys/gals go about reducing the recipe? Is reducing even necessary? Or would someone be willing to give up a family recipe that would work for my new 4QT 10-inch? Thanks !!!

Recipe below
1/2 cup butter
2 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
3/4 buttermilk
1/4 club soda
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups bisquick biscuit mix
1/4 cup melted butter (for top of biscuits)

[gardenfish]

When I got mine I thought the same thing. I would make the recipe the same and maybe drop the temp 25° to allow a little longer cook to make the little bit thicker bisquits without burning.

[smarkley]

Hard to drop the temp sometimes... and bread acts funny if you do that sometimes. I would try reducing the recipe a little OR just make it and fit as many in the dutch as you can and cook like normal...

In the meantime I will look for one that works in a 10 inch dutch

[DSiewert]

To scale a recipe sized for a 12 inch pan to a 10 inch pan, multiply your quantities by 2/3rds. That's based on the surface area of the two pots. Should get you pretty close.

[coreyo]

I'll assume from your original post that you're looking for a dutch oven specifically? I agree that you will probably find the 8 quart to be too big. I purchased a beautiful, 10 quart camp chef camp oven and I rarely use it.

I have the following, and I absolutely love it. This is probably the most versatile dutch oven you can get, and it is the perfect size for daily use.

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L8DD3-Casserole-Skillet-5-Quart/dp/B000LEXR0K/ref=sr_1_5?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1442764544&sr=1-5&keywords=dutch+oven

I use this as my dutch oven, deep fryer, and for doing various other things like browning meat, cooking pasta, and occasionally casserole. I often turn the lid over and use it as a skillet when I need a second quick cooking surface and don't want to dirty 2 different vessels. As a dutch oven, the raised lid/griddle top adds extra space if you have a piece of meat that sticks up over the top of the pot.

In order to use it as a camp oven over coals, I bought the following accessory:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GQGFHAA?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

I also got this to go with it for carrying and keeping it safe:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0008G2W0C?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

The foldable legs fit inside along with the food scraper and a few other accessories.

As for lifting the hot lid, there is a little trick. You will want to line up the handles on the lid with the handles on the bottom pot. Resist the urge to be anal retentive! You want to make sure that the handles are skewed, otherwise you will have to rotate the lid in order to lift it. I have tried a number of grilling gloves including some very expensive ones, and I still prefer these:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Brinkmann-Silicone-Grilling-Mitt-812-9234-S/203018102

I find that the silicon gloves simply do not provide the heat protection that you need when lifting hot, heavy metal vessels. The quilted gloves do a much better job, but they can burn when exposed to fire or hot coils and coals. A marriage of the two is the perfect combination.

If you do decide to go with a more traditional camp oven, you don't need to purchase a lid lifter. For most lids, you can use a common hammer. Just hook the nail ripper end into the lid handle and pull it up.

[W.A.]

I use welding gloves to pick up hot coals. Perhaps they are good for moving dutches too?

[gcdmd]

I use mine for the same purpose as you. I've never used them to pick up a hot Dutch oven, but I have used them to pick up hot welding rods, and they work just fine.

[smarkley]

This thing works good for me...
Lodge A5 Camp Dutch Oven Lid Lifter

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-A5-Camp-Dutch-Lifter/dp/B0000TPDJE/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1442768730&sr=8-1&keywords=Lodge+A5+Camp+Dutch+Oven+Lid+Lifter

fits on my camp dutch ovens and kitchen dutches... also a pair long handled pliers works good, just sayin'

[gardenfish]

That is the one I am using. Working just fine but I have nothing to compare it against. With the lid holder also. I just put pics on the first bake thread

[Meathead]

We will be writing about using cast iron for frying on your grill. It works great and you don't have to worry about smoke or spatters as you do indoors. For this purpose, I recommend a big Dutch oven.

[Karon Adams]

Because cast holds and distributes heat SO well, it is marvelous for deep frying. My only problem is, you then have to break it down when done. or, you can simply make another meal or two that revolve around the deep fry!! I have used my dutch as a deep fry for donuts, fritters, potato chips, french fries, fried cheese.... there really is no limit. a dutch looses less heat because of the mass and oil mass, recovery is faster. I love my dutch oven. I DO now have a little mini deep fry. it heats faster and recovers faster, fries a larger batch at a time (of potato chips) and doesn't dump as much heat into the house. In truth, I think I could live, if I had to, with no other cooking pot than a dutch oven.

[Spinaker]

I got another toy in the mail today. This one was a belated birthday present from my brother in SF. She is a 17-inch cast iron round skillet. And just like my Iron Maiden (9 QT dutch), she is a big girl. It's gonna fit on my kettle just fine.

[smarkley]

OH BOY... fun fun! That is HUGE!

[Spinaker]

Yes it is. Didn't realize how huge this baby was, till I took it outta the box!!! smarkley

[Medusa]

Beautiful!

[Spinaker]

I am doing a dutch oven/charcoal cook right now with my new 10 inch dutch. I threw some bacon in the bottom, then some potatoes, onions, four chicken thighs some portabellas and a few cloves of garlic. So far so good. I might need to add a few coals. I have my wind break set up. Does any one add coals to their cook or so you just let it ride? The wind here is light to nothing. I am brushing the ash off the coals regularly as per the instructions that I have read in various places. What would be the timing or adding new coals? Thanks

[smarkley]

Timing is hard... that is where the art comes in, I guess... When I am doing longer cooks, I figure on adding coals every hour. Not sure that helps or not...

There is a chart on this page that helps for temp... but not time so much:

http://www.dutchovendude.com/campfire-cooking.php

[Spinaker]

Thanks Smark

[Medusa]

I'm shopping for a DO / accessories riiiiiiiiiiigghhhhhtt nowwwwwwwwwwwww!

[smarkley]

If you dont find what you want on Amazon... check Katom.com

[Jon Solberg]

KaTom is the BOMB

[gardenfish]

For me when I factor the shipping in with KaTom the price is so close to Amazon. That is why I chose Amazon, plus I used the link from here and AR's gets their pennies.

[DSiewert]

Just want to plug a relatively new company in the Pacific Northwest that started making cast iron fry pans a couple years ago. I sent my pans I had used for 20+ years off with my kids and ran into this company. Check out finexusa.com. I have their 8 and 12 inch pans. They've added a few very nice design elements. More pricey than the lodge, but I figured I'll be using them the rest of my life.

[Jon Solberg]

Nice looking stuff for sure. Pricey, it is that.

[Cheef]

I love Cast Iron cooking--especially the fry pans.
Don't forget to check the local flea markets/garage sales/second hand shops for the old cast iron. Griswald and Wagner made some really nice pans back in the day.
The old time makers went an extra step in manufacturing and ground the fry pans surfaces smooth.
Old cast iron is as non stick as any modern material because of the ground surface.
A lot of times they are bargain basement priced and well worth the cost.

[DSiewert]

A couple years ago I bought a high end lodge dutch oven and was surprised that the bottom was a rough surface. Rough enough to pull threads out a 3M green scrubbing pads. Over time it has gotten much smoother with use. But it real!y made me appreciate the machined pan bottoms of the finex products.

[Cheef]

DSiewert Those look like some nice gear.
I'm thinking you will really like them.