Learn how to use and clean a Lodge Camp Dutch Oven, the ultimate outdoor cookware.
Step 1: Wash
Scrape out all of the food and wash your Camp Dutch Oven by hand with hot water. You can use a small amount of mild detergent.
Step 2: Dry
Dry your Camp Dutch Oven and lid thoroughly with paper or cloth towels.
Step 3: Oil
While the cookware is warm, rub a very light layer of cooking oil or our seasoning spray onto the surface. Use a paper towel to wipe the surface until no oil residue remains.
Whether you're new to camp oven cooking, or a seasoned pro looking for the next piece in your collection, here is what makes a great Camp Dutch Oven:
Wire BailHandle
- Heavy-gauge wire bail used to hang the oven over hearth or campfire
- Helps transport meals for serving
Flanged lid
- The flange along the rim holds coals
- Invert the lid to use as a second cooking surface
Small Legs
- Designed with 3 legs ideal for placing over coals
- Limits wobbling on uneven surfaces
Camp Cooking
Light It Up
The first step is to light the coals or charcoal briquettes. If you're using wood, get the fire going 30 to 45 minutes before starting. If you are using briquettes, ignite them 15 to 20 minutes before they are needed.
Pro tip: To get cooking faster, you can reduce the time it takes to heat coals by using aLodge Chimney Starter,piece of paper, and a match.
Using Coals
Arrange the charcoal by placing them under the oven in a circular pattern so they are at least 1/2 inch inside the oven's edge. Arrange the charcoal on the lid in a checkerboard pattern. Top or bottom, do not bunch the charcoal. Bunching can cause hot spotsthat will burn food or damage the oven. To prevent small hot spot problems in cooking, lift and rotate the oven quarter turn every 10 to 15 minutes and then rotate the lid a quarterturn in the opposite direction.
Pro tip: The Lodge 4-in-1 Camp Dutch Oven Toolis an essential to safe Camp Dutch Oven Cooking. It protects your hands, keeps your cookware off the ground, and maximizes your cooking area.
Charcoal Chart
Use this coal chart to determine how many coals you will need to maintain a given temperature. The top number is how many coals you need to place on the lid. The bottom number is how many coals you need to place underneath the Camp Dutch Oven.
Cooking Tips
Check your food occasionally to ensure it's not burning, cooking too fast, or not cooking fast enough. Be careful when removing the lid to keep ashes from falling in the Dutch Oven. If it is necessary to add or remove briquettes, replace them in the same proportions top and bottom.
Pro tip: Keep your lid out of the dirt andflip it over touse it as a griddle with the Fire and Cook Stand.
Lodge Videos
Designed for outdoor cooking, our cast iron Camp Dutch Oven has a flat bottom with three small legs that hold the pot above the heat source. This allows for air to circulate. The lid has a flanged outer edge and a handle for easy lifting. The oven also has a bail handle to lift it off the coals or hang off a tripod.
Store with the lid ajar to keep moisture from collecting inside. Rolled up paper towels are great to keep the lid open during storage.
It's generally accepted that the ovens with shallow sides are called "bread" ovens. When baking, the heat source on the lid needs to be close to the object being baked. Your rolls or biscuits will then be brown on the top as well as on the bottom. The ovens with deeper sides allow room to cook meats, vegetables, soups, and stews.
Seasoning is simply oil baked onto the iron, giving you a natural, easy-release finish that will improve with each use. Visit our All About Seasoning page to learn more.
Make campfire classics with the durable Camp Dutch Oven.
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