Dutch Oven on Kettle

[Mr_Yan]

I know there are other Weber Kettle users on this forum so I'll ask.

Anyone have experience with a dutch oven on a kettle with charcoal or wood? Should I go out and buy a dutch oven knowing that the only place I'll use it is on the coals of my kettle?

I want things like roasted potatoes, beets, and other things that would do well in a oven or dutch oven but to run it outside and not put the heat into my house over the summer.

 

[w_r_ranch]

I have a number of them & they are always used outside with campfire coals (never on a Weber Kettle though). I use them for beans, stews, biscuits, cobbler, etc... especially at deer camp when we have a number of people to feed.

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[wolffman]

I've done it to make cobbler. You don't need as much coals on top/bottom as you would think. Stay conservative.

 

[Mr_Yan]

Stay conservative.

No one's told me to stay conservative before but I guess that is not how you meant it.

Thanks guys. Now I'm in the hunt for a dutch oven. I don't want to put my nice stove-top enameled dutch ovens on the coals.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Lodge Cast Iron is the best. Your kids will be able to pass them on to their grandkids.

If you have Amazon prime, they carry them... making your cast iron shopping easier.

 

[Mr_Yan]

Just ordered a Lodge 4 quart tri-leg dutch oven from Cabela's. $49.99 for the dutch oven, and free shipping starts at $50.

We did potatoes and onions in my enameled dutch oven on the grill tonight. Turned out great.

Only part I am wary of are the legs and using it on the grates of my grill. I may have to think about grinding them off. I didn't see an option for a flat bottom dutch oven that had a lid with the lip to pile coals on.

 

[Mr_Yan]

Just got my dutch oven in the mail today. A Cabela's box covered in "CAST IRON" stickers.

This has the typical 3 legs cast into the bottom which will not play nicely with my grill charcoal grate. Does anyone see a problem with placing a porcelain tile down on the grate then the dutch oven on top of that? Sure there is a risk of breaking the tile but it's limited and the consequence of breaking it is small.

If a tile won't work I may have to grind off the legs but I'd rather not go this extreme now.

 

[wolffman]

Just got my dutch oven in the mail today. A Cabela's box covered in "CAST IRON" stickers.

This has the typical 3 legs cast into the bottom which will not play nicely with my grill charcoal grate. Does anyone see a problem with placing a porcelain tile down on the grate then the dutch oven on top of that? Sure there is a risk of breaking the tile but it's limited and the consequence of breaking it is small.

If a tile won't work I may have to grind off the legs but I'd rather not go this extreme now.

Yan, maybe you can get a few pieces of steel cut for this. Just some plate for the legs to sit on. I wouldn't cut the legs, you may need them down the road.

 

[Mr_Yan]

So I normally don't work in the world of metal. Where should I look for pieces of steel for this? What minimum thickness would you suggest for use in direct contact with hot charcoal but almost full bottom support?

I thought tile at first as I can source it cheaply at any big box home store and usually get a 12"x12" piece for $1.

 

[wolffman]

So I normally don't work in the world of metal. Where should I look for pieces of steel for this? What minimum thickness would you suggest for use in direct contact with hot charcoal but almost full bottom support?

I thought tile at first as I can source it cheaply at any big box home store and usually get a 12"x12" piece for $1.

If you'll send me an accurate drawing of the pattern of the feet along with a few pictures I'll machine you a custom fixture for this for the cost of shipping. [email protected]

 

[w_r_ranch]

Why didn't you just buy one without legs if that's what you wanted???

 

[Mr_Yan]

Why didn't you just buy one without legs if that's what you wanted???

That is the right question to ask...

From reading and watching their use I am / was convinced to get one with a rim around the lid so I can put coals on the top for a roasting effect. All the flat bottom Lodge dutch ovens I saw had round tops like my enameled versions. But all the flat and lipped lid versions also had legs. I figured I would work around the legs easier than trying to use the round lid for upper-heated roasting.

Stansport makes one but I can't find anything about where it is made and if there is any warranty. As you know Lodge makes them in Tennessee (and maybe Pittsburgh) and stands by the product for ever. Remember the Lodge enameled cast iron is Chinese not American.

 

[Mike]

I've got a couple old cast iron kettles I use to cook beans and chili over the fire and love them. The cast iron skillet gets the most use for sure, both inside on the stove and outside over the fire.