Just got my new DO

[campn4walleye]

I've been searching for a 10" DO that's been previously "loved". I haven't been successful so I finally picked up a new DO from Cabela's. It states it's pre-seasoned and ready to use.

Should I trust it? Should I season it anyway?

It may not have previous history, so we'll have to make our own. I can't wait to use it. I have a perfect roast for the initiation.

We've never done it before, but I've read everything I can find and bought numerous books. How hard can it be?:B

[magnusfide]

campn4walleye wrote:
I'm encouraged, and pleased. I'm officially a campfire cook!

Thanks for the encouragement.

You've graduated from campfire cook to cast iron chef :w

[campn4walleye]

Cooked it just over 2 hrs. I GROSSLY underestimated times. First, I started it a bit late in the afternoon, so we ended up eating just a bit before 8PM. (So European.) 🙂

I don't think we kept enough coals on it though. It was bubbling when we brought it in and everything was tender and delicious. I'm encouraged, and pleased. I'm officially a campfire cook!

Thanks for the encouragement.

[magnusfide]

campn4walleye wrote:
Well, it worked out fabulously! So delicious and tender. My potatoes didn't brown but they were moist and tender.
We even through in some carrots and I made green beans with salt pork and onions and let them cook for 2.5 hrs.

What a meal. Can't wait to plan the next one.

Outstanding! Glad it went well. In the end, how long did you cook it?

You can always fry up the potatoes after you take them out of the DO too if you want that crispiness.

[campn4walleye]

Well, it worked out fabulously! So delicious and tender. My potatoes didn't brown but they were moist and tender.
We even through in some carrots and I made green beans with salt pork and onions and let them cook for 2.5 hrs.

What a meal. Can't wait to plan the next one.

[campn4walleye]

Thanks for the reply. I'm a little nervous.

I suppose if it doesn't work ...we can turn it into stew. 🙂

[magnusfide]

campn4walleye wrote:
Another question:

I just realized that my roast is 2.5# and the recipe calls for a 4#. Do I cut the time in half? If that is the case, do I put the potatoes in at the same time in the beginning of cooking? I want them nice and brown and crispy outside and soft in the center.

Okay, that was 2 questions.

It depends on whether you shelter the pot from wind or not. I would put potatoes in at the beginning.

Bake for 3/4 of the time allowed in the 4 lb recipe. The potatoes can always be crisped up afterward in the bottom of the DO after you remove the roast if they aren't close enough to the lid for crisping.

After the time's done, check the roast with a fork for tenderness. You can remove the potatoes then.

[campn4walleye]

Another question:

I just realized that my roast is 2.5# and the recipe calls for a 4#. Do I cut the time in half? If that is the case, do I put the potatoes in at the same time in the beginning of cooking? I want them nice and brown and crispy outside and soft in the center.

Okay, that was 2 questions.

[campn4walleye]

We're doing a beef roast in it this weekend. Cabela's had a cast iron shelf/table for use with Dutch ovens so that you don't have to put it in the fire pit.

DH fashioned one for us using a grate type table his father made for making shore lunches and a cast iron griddle we never use. It should work well. Same principle as the Cabela's table, but free.

I'll let you know how it works. I'm looking forward to it, but am nervous.

Cast iron cooking is an art unto itself. My Nana was an "artist" and it was all she used, on a wood burning stove no less.

[garmp]

Did a pork but last trip. Browned it on the grill/campfire then into the DO. To die for. Simply played it by ear or by what ever looked good in the spice rack. Yum!

[magnusfide]

garmp1 wrote:
WE bought our "preseasoned" Lodge 10", got the trivet for the bottom, threw in a whole chicken, followed a simple recipe I had,. So many coals on the top, so many on the bottom after so much time add so many here and there. DW was determined that this was an invite to dine at a restaurant. Ta Da!!! After what seemed like an eternity of no peek cooking, we opened the lid and revealed a golden brown bird cooked to perfection. Juicy and so tender that you couldn't lift the entire thing from the oven without it falling apart.
Eager to do something else our next trip.

We regularly make pot roast and talk about melt in your mouth.

Chuck Roast
Liberal sprinkling of salt and pepper.
Massive onion cut in half and put on top.
Hot Water in the bottom up to the edge of the roast.

Savory, tender and a mighty mouth of mmmm :B:B

[garmp]

WE bought our "preseasoned" Lodge 10", got the trivet for the bottom, threw in a whole chicken, followed a simple recipe I had,. So many coals on the top, so many on the bottom after so much time add so many here and there. DW was determined that this was an invite to dine at a restaurant. Ta Da!!! After what seemed like an eternity of no peek cooking, we opened the lid and revealed a golden brown bird cooked to perfection. Juicy and so tender that you couldn't lift the entire thing from the oven without it falling apart.
Eager to do something else our next trip.

[Go_Dogs]

Pre-Seasoned is not the same as Non-Stick. It means that the seasoning process was begun in the factory. I always season my cast iron, (pre or not). Eventually, if seasoned properly-it will become non-stick.

[4X4Dodger]

Cooking anything especially with animal fat is NOT a good idea if you want a truly good season on your Dutch Oven.

To get a really good season follow the directions with it. Pre seasoned pans are generally NOT seasoned well enough.

Heat the pan to about a low medium heat with NOTHING in it.

Add some good vegetable oil, coat the bottom and sides very well. Pour out the excess.

Put in the oven at about 150 or 200 deg. Do not let it smoke.

watch it carefully and add another layer of oil as needed and let the pan "cook" for at least an hour or more.

Repeat this process over a couple of days.

THEN DEEP FRY something in the pan like shrimp or onion rings with plenty of oil as your first cooking in it.

DO NOT WASH WITH SOAP! or hot water in fact best if just wiped clean.

This sounds like a lot of effort but it will pay for itself time and time again...in fact everytime you cook in it.

[magnusfide]

All of our cast iron is pre-loved but in your position, I would just rinse it to get rid of "shelf dust" from the store and then slowly heat.

Once you put a few DO meals under your belt, do a search of this forum for Dutch Oven Gatherings. I've posted a number of them including organizations and clubs that do those gatherings. The dutch oven gatherings are attended by experienced and novice cast iron chefs who are more than willing to share their knowledge, secrets and shortcuts of dutch oven campfire cooking.

Welcome and glad you joined the ranks of the cast iron chefs:B