Dutch Ovens

Grandpas Grub

I have seen a lot of cooks using dutch ovens in the egg.[p]I am wondering if people are putting lids on the ovens or leaving them open to possibly infuse a smoke flavor.[p]Why even use a dutch oven in the egg. I guess the egg would be a good heat source.[p]A few pieces of lump or even charcoal on a closed dutch oven would accomplish the same result if cooking lid on.[p]Kent

mad max beyond eggdome

Grandpas Grub,
first, you use a dutch oven cause you are cooking in liquid (hard to do straight on the grid). .. [p]second, you can usually leave the lid off cause the egg holds in moisture so well that you dont' loose too much liquid to evaporation (i've done things like oxtail stew where after 5 hours, maybe i had to add back one cup of liquid due to evaporation) . ..[p]third, there may be some dutch oven cooks where you add the lid for part of the time to keep any steam from releasing (i do this with my 'jewish' brisket, after exposing it to some smoke, i put a tight seal on to really hold in the steam to break down the meat). ..[p]hope that helps. ..

BENTE

Grandpas Grub,
well i have been making this for the last 6 weeks every sunday morning for breakfast

i know it is not a real dutch oven per say. but is a le creuset cast iron enamel covered oval pot. it is almost a dutch oven but is not a "classic" dutch oven. i put it right on the coals and go to work.[p]but when i put the pan on the coals i leave the top off i actuall place it leaning up against the pan in the coals, so it gets nice and hot. i am not sure how much smoke flavor i am putting in because i put a smiked fatty in the breakfast casserole. [p]no on to why well i have an egg, why buid a fire in the backyard when i got plenty of heat from my egg. plus when you tell people that you cooked breakfast on your grill it is priceless to see the look on those people's face.[p]
happy eggin
tb

BluesnBBQ

BENTE,[p]You eat nachos for breakfast?!

Grandpas Grub

mad max beyond eggdome,[p]soup on the grid... lol[p]Rather than dutch oven, I was wonering about dedicating some larger pans just for cooking in the egg.[p]Kent

BENTE

BluesnBBQ,
not lately but when i was younger it helped with beer belly in the morning... LOL[p]
actually it is hashbrowns,onion,smoked fatty, eggs and cheese, modled after Celtic Wolf's hungry man breakfast and Rick's Tropical Delight's boat eggs.[p]happy eggin
tb

DynaGreaseball

mad max beyond eggdome,[p]I like to cook calico beans. They have hamburger meat in them as well as a variety of beans, brown sugar, molases, etc. I want to try them on the egg, but only to see if I can get some (even a little would be good) smoke flavor by leaving the top off. Had any experience with that?

Grandpas Grub

BENTE,[p]le creuset, wow, expensive dutch oven! Are using the metal bottom or the ceramic bottom?[p]The lump is generally 800° to 1200° wouldn't that really ruin the pan, cast iron or le creuset.[p]I understand the heat source, however, the egg uses a lot of lump.[p]I am not sure how pupular this is nation wide, however, the 'volcano'keeps heat within a small cooking area for a dutch oven and is table top safe. There is no smoke flavor other than a liquid smoke if needed.[p]Kent

Grandpas Grub

DynaGreaseball,[p]I have been wondering the same thing abought smoke flavor. [p]With no experience with this, I would think a pot/oven with a wider surface area (wide not tall)would be best as there would be more food surface area to absorb the available smoke.[p]I don't know if it is just in my mind and because I have done non stop cooking on the egg since buying, but things just seem to taste better when cooked over lump and even when flavor wood chips/chunks are added.[p]We toasted some tortilla shells the other night just to use for dipping in salsa. That was a great snack/meal inand ofitself.[p]I don't think I am going to live longe enough to try all these different ideas - lol.[p]Kent

Little Steven

DynaGreaseball,[p] Soups and stews pick up a lot of smoke flavour. Jambalaya, chili and such are great on the egg.[p]Steve

DynaGreaseball

BENTE,[p]Me neither. All the stuff in here sounds so good. I can't seem stop making/eating ABTs. I need to move on to something new. [p]Guess I'll try my Calico Beans in my new Lodge dutch oven to see if I can get any smoke taste. Think Hickory or something sweeter would be good?[p]By the way, Le Creuset claims that the knob on their dutch ovens are heat resistant up to 400°.[p]Thanks

fishlessman

<p />Grandpas Grub,
i usually leave the lid off like with this potroast, you dont even need to cover the roast with water, half way up the sides and maybe add a little more at the end when the veggies go in. plenty of flavor. i do use a closed cataplana pan for seafood in the egg, biggest reason is that i dont like to cook seafood in the house, even with the lid on the egg imparts some flavor majic into the dish. most any pot works, i even use earthen bean pots cooking the beans the last couple hours with the lid off[p]
mussels in a cataplana[p][p]fishlessmans stew from a cataplana in the egg[p]

Rick's Tropical Delight

<p />Grandpas Grub,
i haven't use the lid in the egg yet. closing the dome is essentially the lid, but bathes the food in sweet, smokey goodness.

Grandpas Grub

fishlessman,[p]Oh man, what a site... I have cooked many a potroast that was great, but never have I seen something that nice. If that were mine I couldn't eat it I would mount it next to the moose head and the thirdeye turkey cook the other day.[p]Well, there is Sundays dinner.[p]Did you turn the potroast during the cook?[p]Where did you put the dutch oven, on lump or grid?[p]What temp did you use and time?[p]At what point did you put the vegies in?[p]Did you season the roast, if so light or heavy seasoning?[p]Did you sear, that is really nice looking bark.[p]Well, its time to clean and season the dutch ovens. I was just about to pass them on to the kids, it looks like now they are going to have to pry them out of my lifeless hands when I'm gone.[p]Kent

BENTE

DynaGreaseball,
yea i was that way about the ABT's for awhile then, i was a little tired of having "Fire Bottom" the next day. so i got past ABT's pretty quickley.[p]when i make the "Fatty Breakfast Casserole" the egg does not get above 320 dome tems so i think i'm safe for now. but better looking half (or 1/4 as max puts it) wants a real dutch oven so i don't ruin the outside of that pot. i have already messed up the inside.[p]i usually use cherry for any smoke flavor.[p]happy eggin
tb

BENTE

Grandpas Grub,
well i have not melted the enamel yet. but it is a possibility but i'm not betting it happens at the temps i usually keep in there.[p]never heard of a volcano. except the mount st. helens kind.[p]
happy eggin
tb

Big'un

BENTE,
"Fire Bottom"....come on ice cream..

Grandpas Grub

Rick's Tropical Delight,[p]You guys are killin me!!![p]Now I have Satursday's dinner (or tonights if I can get the dutch ovens cleaned and re-seasoned quick enough.[p]LOL... I was somewhat kidding, however, my wife just left the house to go to the market to get some meat - so I guess my next project is seasoning the ovens.[p]Thanks! Kent

Grandpas Grub

BENTE,[p]What temps to you cook at with the pan. Do you use the pan with the enamel bottom. I would sure hate to ruin mine, those pots are pricey.[p]I need to go look at the other post but you are putting the pot right on the coal, doesn't that burn your food?[p]here is some info on the the volcano, just googled the volcano stove site and the company has really expanded their product line.[p]Anyway what I am talking about can be seen by going to the following link. [p]http://www.aaoobfoods.com/volcanostoves.htm#Volcano[p]Thanks, Kent

BENTE

Grandpas Grub,
that's pretty cool looking. [p]i use the enamel bottom. i have had it for six or seven years and have already ruined the inside. it is not as glossey as it once was, i know what an idiot!![p]i usually don't get the temp above 320 dome temp so i don't think i am hurting it anymore than it already was.[p]yes i put it right on the coals. and no it does not burn my food. the cast iron speads the heat more evenly than a regular metal pan.[p]
happy eggin
tb

BENTE

Big'un,
yea i have quoted that movie more than most others[p]happy eggin
tb[p]p.s. i sent you a email a little while ago

Little Steven

BENTE,[p] I burnt some stuff real bad in one of my Creusets and thought I had ruined it. I had to get it out of the house cause it smelled so bad. For the sake of it I put some Oxy Clean in it. The big burned mass loosened up and left a nasty stain. I did the same thing three more times and it came out like new.[p]Steve

BENTE

Little Steven,
thanks i will have to try that i figure i can't ruin it any more than i already have.[p]
happy eggin
tb

Retired RailRoader

fishlessman,
Any chance of getting the mussels in a cataplana recipe? That just made me drool!!!

Grandpas Grub

BENTE,[p]Other than looks you probably haven't ruined the le creuset. [p]From the picture above it looks like it is giving good service and great food.[p]Kent

Unknown

BENTE,
yard sales and church rummage sales are great places to pick up dutch ovens for just a few bucks. just burn the crud off in your self-cleaning oven (or nuclear egg) then re-season.

BENTE

Grandpas Grub,
oh yea i think someone may have to fight me to throw it away. LOL[p]
happy eggin
tb

BENTE

Ken Baker,
yea nuclear usually cleans everything but nuclear may burn off the enamel.[p]happy eggin
tb

Grandpas Grub

BENTE,[p]Don't take that le creuset nuclear or you won't have any handles.[p]The ceramic should hold temp to at least 1200° to 1400°.
The glaze is a second firing, depending on the glaze at 600º to 900° and a much faster heat/cool cycle.[p]The handles will melt at high temps.[p]Kent

Grandpas Grub

BENTE,[p]I agree, I am not fure if I want that in the egg on the coals. You are more brave than I.[p]Kent

BENTE

Grandpas Grub,
thanks i figured i was ok!![p]happy eggin
tb