Camp Chef Dutch Oven
This one is for all the fellow cooking enthusiasts and chefs out there, who don’t want to let go of the quality of their cooking, when they’re camping.
Why Cast Iron?
Since you’re here, you may already be aware of the incredible benefits of cooking with cast iron. But if you’re not, let me explain shortly why you would want cast iron cookware.
Cast iron can get really hot, but it takes a while to heat up fully. This also means that it keeps its warmth really well for long periods of time, which makes it the ideal material for a dutch oven, since it’s, well, an oven.
Although, a dutch oven is actually so much more. It can be your pan, pot, oven, tray, pizza steel, you name it. It’s one of the most versatile cooking utensils, which also makes it a great option for outdoor cooking, as you can carry just one thing, but use it for several types of dishes.
Cast iron cookware can last for decades, if not centuries, but only with the proper care. Don’t worry though, it’s really quite simple once you get the hang of it. To read how to season and take care of your dutch oven or other cast iron cookware, click here. If you’re not prepared to provide the care it requires, you should take a look at some stainless steel cookware instead.
Another thing that’s absolutely great for camping and outdoor use, is that Camp Chef has created their products with this exact intention in mind. This means that, although cast iron is heavy by nature, the Camp Chef products are lighter than other dutch ovens and skillets on the market. This makes them the ideal compromise for camping cooking enthusiasts and chefs.
The Classic Dutch Oven is what you would expect from a dutch oven. Its smooth and slick with it’s beautiful design that’s available with or without stunning nature or animal imprints, directly in the metal lid.
As all the other dutch ovens from Camp Chef, the classic one comes with a ridge all around the edge of the lid, for putting charcoals on top, so you get an even heat distribution if needed.
Furthermore it has a small hole to put a thermometer inside without taking the lid off.
The Classic Dutch Oven comes in sizes 10″, 12″, 14″, and 16″. Choose depending on how much you eat or how many you cook for.
With the true seasoned finish, these products are pre-seasoned and ready to cook on right out of the box!
The Deluxe Dutch Oven from Camp Chef features in addition three points on top of the lid, as well as a deeper lid and pot.
The purpose of this is the ability to cook on the lid itself. The three points help in providing stability when you put it upside down on your fire to use as a skillet.
Personally I am absolutely in love with this feature and I use it regularly to make deep pan pizza. It works wonders for this. You can also just use it to sear some meat or make pancakes etc. if it’s hard to flip with the spatula when you cook it in the pot.
Another amazing thing that The Deluxe Dutch Oven includes, is a lid lifter. It’s small and light with a horizontal handle for better and easier handling. When you’re out camping in the woods, this honestly comes in really handy, I have to say. Especially if your hands are cold.
The Deluxe Dutch Oven also comes in sizes 10″, 12″ and 14″ and is pre-seasoned, ready for use right out of the box.
Now this is quite an interesting one. Let’s start with the pot. This one has got a rectangular shaped pot/tray, as opposed to the traditional round one. It’s also less deep than the Deluxe version. This could be a good option for you who likes to do a lot of slow roasts of big cuts of meat, since you have the space to put it in this. It’s also advantageous to the other ones if you’d like to for example toast burger buns in the tray while cooking the patties on the lid. You can also make a square lasagna.
It is disadvantageous if you want to cook things like soups, or saucy dishes if you’re only cooking for one or two people, since there’s a lot more surface area.
Now the lid has got these ridges to give you those beautiful sear lines on your steak, patty, bread or vegetables. A downside to this, is that you lose the ability to cook, say, eggs on the lid, but that’s why the pot has turned into a hybrid pot/tray/skillet. If you could see yourself using this one more than the traditional round dutch oven, it’s definitely a good buy. If you’re not sure, I recommend you go with The Deluxe Dutch Oven.
The Square Dutch Oven is only available in size 13″, but is also pre-seasoned and ready to go.
If you plan on bringing your dutch oven with you out in the woods or even just on small hikes, I have to tell you, get a carry bag. It’s a necessity. Iron is heavy, but that’s the price we have to pay for such hearty cooking, right? Anyway, trust me, you need this. Make sure you get the right size that matches whatever dutch oven size you decide on.
Now I cannot find a carry bag for the square dutch oven, so please take that into consideration if you want that one. You will have to buy one meant for their burners, such as this one, or figure out some other makeshift solution for transportation.
Classic + Skillet
Just in case you’re more interested in a normal cast iron skillet and the Classic Dutch Oven, I’ll throw in a set for you here too, for about the same price as the others.
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