[Cruiserdrew]

I really like dutch oven cooking, camping and at home. The Lodge Cast iron ones are cheap and work great. The only downside, and it's minor, is weight. The aluminum ones are nice, but a lot more $, and I'm not sure that they avoid hot spots as well as the iron. Since you can't season the pan, I'll bet the food sticks like mad. I've never cooked in an aluminum one though. If you want to see nice cast iron, with antique value, go on EBay and look at the Griswold brand. One day when I'm rich and famous, I'm going to get a Griswold Dutch Oven. My great grandmother probably had one.

For camping, you technically want a "Camp Oven" or "Cowboy Oven". They will have 3 small feet to keep it out of the direct coals, and a flanged lid to retain the coals on top. A standard Dutch Oven just looks like an iron pot with a bail handle. Lodge is the only US maker left. Support them and buy one of their excellent Dutch Ovens. The Chinese ones are junk, and covered from the factory with a preservative that is hard to clean off. I would not buy a pre-seasoned pan or DO, since the seasoning process is fun, and you need to know how to do it anywhay, since you will need to re-season from time to time.

If you are new to this: buy a 12 inch Lodge Camp Oven. It's the standard and under $40. If you feed a big group, get the 12 inch deep oven. To season-Scrub out the pot with hot water and soap if you must. This is the last time it will ever see soap in any form. Clean it super well, rinse it completely with hot or boiling water. Then warm the pan on the stove and coat it inside and out with Crisco (This, IMHO, is the only use for crisco in life so borrow some). Place the greasy pan in the oven upside down and bake at 375 for 1 hour. Do the same with the lid. Allow to cool. It is then ready to use. A well seasoned pan is suprisingly resistant to food sticking so do this initial seasoning well.

I personally do not like the majority of the Cast Iron Cooking websites out there as they want to do most of their cooking from mixes and cans. Concentrate on making things from scratch, and you will be very pleased with the results. Rule of thumb for baking is 1/3 coals on the bottom and 2/3 on the top. Turn the oven every 5 minutes while cooking to avoid hot spots and burns. You have to turn the lid as well and for the same reason.

I could go on and on but I won't. This is a very fun addition to your camp cooking skills.