Oddball camping Dutch Oven? Could this be a good idea?

[prairie_dog]

Saw a Dutch Oven design that I have not seen before.

See the images with this post.

Typical camp oven with legs on bottom. Top has rim for coals plus legs so it can be turned over and used as a fry pan.

Different in that it has a cone in the center with openings that allow heat (plus perhaps fire and ash) to come into the cooking chamber through vent holes on the top of the center (truncated) cone. Has two grills that can be put internally on the cone. One with a large hole that will sit on the bottom of the oven with a small gap to keep food off the bottom. The second internal grill has a smaller center hole that keeps it near the top of the oven when slid over the center cone.

Made in China but intended for America.

Has anyone ever tried this type of oven?
I find it difficult to believe this would be a good idea.

Perhaps a bit like the Cobb Grill in cooking, but with an open fire.

 

[bbqcoder]

Welcome to the forums!

That is an interesting design. I think it is meant to be like a bamboo steamer basket. You put water at the bottom and then you could put some pork buns on parchment paper on the grates. Cook by steaming them.

 

[dragnlaw]

Hello prairie_dog, Welcome to DC!

Where did you 'find' that! Marvelous, have never seen one like that before. Longer cooking items on the bottom and quicker or reheat items on the top.

If I understand correctly, you could put coals directly in the bottom? and cook on the two tiers? Wonderful for not leaving ashes behind. Prop it up on stones for cooking in the wilderness. Would work camping in dry areas in danger of being Fire Zones.

Only problem I can see with that idea is adding more fuel once it has started; should you need.

 

[bbqcoder]

If I understand correctly, you could put coals directly in the bottom? and cook on the two tiers?

That's not possible. See this in the OP's post:

One with a large hole that will sit on the bottom of the oven with a small gap to keep food off the bottom.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Sorry, I can't help you. I love all kinds of cast iorn, but two things I can thank the U.S. Army for turning me off of: Camping and hiking!

 

[dragnlaw]

It is difficult to tell if that cone is actually part of the bottom of the pot. From the OP description it seems to be.

Not sure what he means by a "small gap". Sounds like an air space between bottom and bottom grill. It is a 'grill' why would there be the necessity of a gap.

 

[dragnlaw]

my mother had one of these, somehow it disappeared along the way
It sat directly on the bottom of the pot, raised only by the dots you can see in the picture.

second one on legs - be the same thing as the OP' grill but without the hole?

On my mom's I always thought the hole was to be able to grab it! Cooled, of course.

 

[bbqcoder]

Sounds like an air space between bottom and bottom grill. It is a 'grill' why would there be the necessity of a gap.

I think the gap is meant for one to put water at the bottom of the pot so it can function as a steamer. You have two grates on which you can put your dumplings/bean paste & pork buns, etc.

Not sure how this would be better than using bamboo steamer baskets in a regular pot or wok except that maybe you can use the pot for a stew or cake so it's a bit more versatile.

 

[dragnlaw]

LOL I have two Bamboo Steamers but I can't really see them at a campsite.

I can see steaming buns but would use foil rather than directly on the grill. Actually I'd probably put them right into the bubbling stew below.

Corn bread up there would probably do really well. Oh boy, getting hungry.

 

[prairie_dog]

Thank you for the replies.

1) Cone is part of the bottom of the oven. Attached is picture of bottom. Heat, fire, smoke, soot from the coals the oven would be set on would come up the inside of the cone. Little oxygen and little flow except for heat since there is no draft with the lid on.

2) Could be used as a steamer. But dumping steam down into the coal bed would be interesting. To truly steam air must be flushed from the system. Air prevents the high temperatures acheived by steam. There is no air in steam. And steam is invisible. I am ignoring that steam also usually needs pressure.

3) Searching for a purpose, I thought of smoking. Damp hickory chips on the bottom grill would produce smoke that possibly could exit via the cone. The hickory would be slightly isolated from the highest temperature of the bottom and stay out of the juice and grease falling from the meat. Meat would be placed on the top grill. Smoking requires a smoke exit without adding oxygen. This could possibly aid in food preservation.

Best purpose I have thought of yet.

Still looking for a true function that would eliminate the gimmick.

All you need to steam in a dutch oven is a steamer bowl from the store and a gap for vapor. Some dutch ovens have a place to insert a thermometer that also acts as a steam escape. Turn the lid a bit and the hole closes.

Thank you for the responses.

 

[prairie_dog]

You could put coals on the bottom grate and food on the top grate as suggested by one post. And perhaps some oxygen would be supplied by the cone. Does not seem likely as the only exit for combustion product would also be the cone when the lid is on. If you left the lid off ... well, you would not need the cone. Seems an unlikely intention. Pretty far from 'form fits function'.

 

[dragnlaw]

I did actually think of smoking but got carried away with my other responses.

With the picture of the bottom I would double my thought of smoking.

and now completely agree that steaming is not one of its functions.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I have no clue what it is but it looks like a little hibachi grill to me.

The fuel on top of the bottom grate and the food on top of the upper grate with a cover to contain the mess.

 

[prairie_dog]

Found it! Some minor differences. Apparently there are variations of the design.

https://www.amazon.com/Camp-UDO-14-Ultimate-Dutch-Quarts/dp/B0007LNJ4Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQSEWndYFdk

Might be versions without legs. Comments on Amazon have people using them on the stove top. Makes some sense in getting heat to the top of the food when you cannot put coals on the lid ... in your kitchen.

I will be interested in comments to come.

I have not watched the youtube video. Just noted the page.

 

[bbqcoder]

Wow! That's awesome that you found it. I tried myself and just couldn't locate one that was similar.

 

[bbqcoder]

So do you have the top for your dutch oven?

I watched the video. The smoking comes from putting chips on the charcoal. The smoke goes up through the middle of the pot, flavoring the food. In the video, he only used the top rack for the chicken. In the bottom (no rack), he had some bacon and french fries.