OT: Dutch Oven 5QT vs. 7QT

Canugghead

Hope some eggsperienced eggers can shed some light on this...

Looking at buying a Lodge CI DO. We are a family of five, less when couple of kids are away. Which size is more practical, 5QT or 7QT? Will be cooking usual BGE dishes such as chilli, peach cobbler, etc. I'm leaning towards the 5Qt one because the 7Qt looks/feels kind of big/heavy...worried about the extra stress on the platesetter and not enough food 'volume' when cooking less than half full. Of course the best answer is get both but that's not an option.

EmandM'sDad

I've got both. we use the 5 qt more often, but use the 7 qt mostly for big batches of beans.

fishlessman

i prefer the number 12 DEEP camp style lodge with legs. if your just going to have one, look at the cheaper enamelled style that are some times found at marshalls.

JPF

I now have several dutch ovens but currently am using a 6qt enamelled one and I can make a pot of chili that feeds 7 healthy eaters with leftovers. I got this one just for use on the egg, I don't sit it directly on the platesetter. I will put it in legs up and then the grate and sit ci on that. It also helps with air flow under the pot. Just my few cents worth

Fidel

I have the 7qt Lodge and it fits on the large egg with platesetter legs up with no problems. And you are right, it is pretty heavy. I don't think it will fit with the legs down.

Personally I would get the larger one simply because you may need that extra space at some time. It would be better to have the capacity and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Here is a pic of the 7qt on platesetter and about 3/4 full of a bean soup. I used the medium grid as a spacer between the platesetter and the DO.

GrillDaddy

John,

If you have a photo of that setup, please post the photo of it. It sounds very interesting.

fishlessman

bigger is better, for some reason it always gets filled to the top regardless of size

JPF

on the egg with setter in legs up and the grate on that

JPF

I thought that just happened to me

Chef in the Making

I agree. the seven gives more flexibility

Rascal

Are you gonna use it for long & slow cooks? If so, my choice would be an indoor, counter-top version = set it & forget it! Why go through all the gyrations of building a fire and trying to control the heat & smoke for hours on end unless there's a particular flavor that is absolutely paramount. Just my thoughts....

GrillDaddy

Thanks for the photo!

Darnoc

Go for the seven.I do a lot of pot roast especially this time of year and when you start adding the taters,onions,carrots,and what ever vegetable you like it soon will come up to the top of the pot.With five faces to feed you will appreciate the extra room.

fishlessman

you just cant get that crunchy exterior on a fall apart pot roast in a crock pot though, i like it better in an oven than in a crock, egg is even better. now if your talking an all day chili cook or a gumbo, still the egg is better. now boston baked beans, i see no real difference cooked indoors or out, i like both equally

Rascal

OK, I think I get it. Thanks!!

fishlessman

you realy need to cook the pot roast, i see some people cook pot roast like a boiled corned beef dinner, its not a boiled dinner. pot roast is a roasted dinner with just a little braising liquid, its pretty hard to roast in a crock pot and get that roasted bark/ crunch. now a boiled corned beef dinner is another dish thats fine cooked indoors if you like corned beef

Canugghead

for the insight. Think I'll probably go for the 7QT. The only negative is the weight, especially with the mrs' arthritic hands, but again she doesn't use the egg.

Will avoid the cheaper enameled version, I/ve seen plenty of cracked ones on store shelves. In fact I found these Lodge CI ones at the local Bass Pro cheaper than some enameled ones...C$40 for 5QT, C$50 for 7QT.

fishlessman

cant go wrong with lodge, i think that was an 8 pound chuck. dont forget the fry pans as well, lots you can cook in them (incuding smaller pot roasts)

Canugghead

man, you're making me hungry...pot roast will probably be my first DO cook.

Ross in Ventura

what is that in the pan.
Ross

Grandpas Grub

My 2¢ get the 7qt w/o legs (non camp fire version). Lodge is great but remember cast iron is cast iron. You can put 5 qt's food in the larger DO but you can't put 7qt's in the smaller DO.

The lodge will finished nicer and usually will have a better lid to pot fit. However, don't use the lid in the egg, otherwise you may just as well cook it in the oven or over some briquettes.

If you get a flat bottom DO you will need to get some rocks if you use it in a camp fire or some kind of stand off if you use a plate setter.

No reason to use a plate setter other than something to put the DO on. The tjv spider is perfect for DO cooking on the egg.

Walmart has some good inexpensive ceramic DO's available. I like using both CI or Ceramic CI.

DO pot roast on the egg w/o lid is one of the best cooks around.

GG

faithie999

if you have space to store both the 5qt and 7 qt but not the budget, check out the antique shops in your area. lots of antique/junk shops have some cast iron squirreled away in a back corner somewhere. there are several guides you can find via google for rehabbing old/rusty/crappy-looking cast iron. i cleaned up a 5qt DO that my dad gave me that was all rusty and crudded up. it looks and works great now.

ken

Shiff

I bought my 7 Qt Lodge Dutch Oven about a month before Christmas from Amazon.com for about $39 including shipping. I don't know if they still have them for that price, but I thought it was a great bargain.

I use mine a lot for cooking as well as baking the NY Times no-knead bread - makes a great loaf.

Barry

Canugghead

Thanks for the heads up but I'm in Canada so shipping and customs duties kill the deal.

The price at my local Bass Pro is not bad, including 13% taxes, the total for the 7qt Lodge is C$56.49 (about US$46).

fishlessman

fiddlehead pie, something really only seen in vermont, new hampshire, maine, and nova scotia during a very limited short season.