Kotlich cooking pots

[Paganwolf]

Hi all just a heads up on some new cooking equipment I've bought for course and meet up catering its enamel kotlich pots from www.outdoor-kitchen.biz nice and light easy to clean and perfect for over the camp fire I had this game casserole simmering away for around 4 hours and it just washed out and wiped up easily no burnt scrapings lol, I'm deffo going to get more of the pots or kotlich (Serb word) for the ol camp kitchen

No connection just really like the stuff and said I'd spread the word as carrying cast iron duchies a long way sucks



Sent via smoke signal.....

 

[Toddy]

That sounds very practical Thanks for the link

I hate lugging the cast iron stuff around, and it's a ~pain~ (I'm being polite) to store if you don't use it in the house too It's very good on the fire though.

Does that big pot come with a lid ? and how big do they make them ? I use big stainless steel ones for dyes, but even though they have thick layered bottoms they can stick with food and scorch all too easily.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[markphelan]

I guess time will tell, but I'd be a bit concerned about chipping the enamel off through lugging it about and using it outdoors but agreed - it's a lot lighter than cast iron and far easier to clean!

 

[Paganwolf]

Yes they come with a lid Mary its a rest fit so you can access it easily to stir it, Enamel will chip over the years but i have still got my old enamel cup and plate from when i was in the Army Cadets 29 years ago, its a bit bent and dented and chipped but that goes with the terratory, we used to stand in que for our grub bashing each others cups to knock a lump of the enameling of anothers mug each dent has a story eh...

 

[Toddy]

I use enameled trays and roasters in the oven. I gave up on every other kind of non stick stuff
The enamel just works, and it like cast iron it just gets better the longer they're used. I'm not precious about the enamel stuff, it's thoroughly well used and scrubbed, some of it's over 25 years old and though it no longer 'shines' it's still sound, unchipped, though a little nibbled at the corners, and rock solid reliable.
I think the quality of the underlying steel is as important as the that of the enameling tbh.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Gailainne]

Heh JP, nice link mate, I see they have a 30% off seconds section as well, that 8l pot would be well handy for a weekend stew or soup pot. I still have a set of cup, bowl and plate in the old white enamel with the blue trim,


Stephen

 

[Huon]

These look great. I can see a purchase looming in my near future

I use enameled trays and roasters in the oven. I gave up on every other kind of non stick stuff
The enamel just works, and it like cast iron it just gets better the longer they're used. I'm not precious about the enamel stuff, it's thoroughly well used and scrubbed, some of it's over 25 years old and though it no longer 'shines' it's still sound, unchipped, though a little nibbled at the corners, and rock solid reliable.
I think the quality of the underlying steel is as important as the that of the enameling tbh.

cheers,
Toddy

Couldn't agree more. Enamelware is far better for baking and roasting than any of the non-stick stuff I've encountered. Personally I think non-stick cookware is a con. You have to take far more care of it than enamelware or cast iron pots. Overheat it or use the wrong utensils and you are stuffed.

The non-stick selling point isn't so great either. If you pre-heat and grease enamelware things won't stick to it. Same with cast iron pots and skillets.

 

[forestwalker]

These look great. I can see a purchase looming in my near future

I'm also tempted. The one thing that keeps my credit card in my wallet is the nagging question "what pigments did they use in the enamel?" Cadmium, lead... Not a major issue for occational use, but I'm still a bit picky. OTOH, the wheat flour I use contains 0.04mg/kg cadmium (which sounds miniscule but actually is significant).

Couldn't agree more. Enamelware is far better for baking and roasting than any of the non-stick stuff I've encountered. Personally I think non-stick cookware is a con. You have to take far more care of it than enamelware or cast iron pots. Overheat it or use the wrong utensils and you are stuffed.

The non-stick selling point isn't so great either. If you pre-heat and grease enamelware things won't stick to it. Same with cast iron pots and skillets.

Also, fun facts for today: of you overheat teflon you get fumes that are not toally healthy (http://www2.dupont.com/Teflon/en_US/products/safety/key_questions.html#q5)

 

[Huon]

I'm also tempted. The one thing that keeps my credit card in my wallet is the nagging question "what pigments did they use in the enamel?" Cadmium, lead... Not a major issue for occational use, but I'm still a bit picky. OTOH, the wheat flour I use contains 0.04mg/kg cadmium (which sounds miniscule but actually is significant).



Also, fun facts for today: of you overheat teflon you get fumes that are not toally healthy (http://www2.dupont.com/Teflon/en_US/products/safety/key_questions.html#q5)

Indeed cookware can be problematic although most modern enamel cookware is safe. I'm not sure if the manufacture of Hungarian cookware is regulated to prevent the use of dangerous pigments but I've emailed the owner of the Outdoor Kitchen site and asked her to look at this thread and respond. Hopefully we'll hear from her soon.

If this sort of thing concerns you then you need to also check glass cookware (toxins in the manufacturing process), cast-iron cookware (carcinogenic oils trapped in the pits in the metal), stainless steel cookware (reactive with some acidic foods), ceramic cookware..... the list goes on.

I was aware of the fumes given off by overheating Teflon but to be honest the reason I don't like the stuff is that it is a pain worrying about the utensils I cook with. Enamel, cast iron, stainless steel - all are fairly tough and are effectively non-stick if you use them properly.

 

[forestwalker]

Indeed cookware can be problematic although most modern enamel cookware is safe. I'm not sure if the manufacture of Hungarian cookware is regulated to prevent the use of dangerous pigments but I've emailed the owner of the Outdoor Kitchen site and asked her to look at this thread and respond. Hopefully we'll hear from her soon.

If this sort of thing concerns you then you need to also check glass cookware (toxins in the manufacturing process), cast-iron cookware (carcinogenic oils trapped in the pits in the metal), stainless steel cookware (reactive with some acidic foods), ceramic cookware..... the list goes on.

I'm looking forward to hearing the response: it it is sensible I'm probably a future customer.

And I do think about the issues such as those you mention. I know too much about chemistry to not be aware of it, and too much biochemistry to ignore the effects. Strange man, that is me.

 

[Trish]

Hi, I am Trish from the outdoor-kitchen.biz, also know as @kotlichcook on twitter. All the enamel from Hungary is "fired" at over 600 degrees C. and fully vitrified. So it is like cooking in glass. They say dishwasher safe, resistant to Acid and Alkeline, enamel over a carbon steel surface. No use of lead or cadmium on the inside cooking surface. No Teflon.

I hope that is reassuring. I will feed you more information as and when I get it.

The peoples of Eastern Europe have been cooking with these Kotlich for may many years without any health problems.

Vitreous enamel has many excellent properties: it is smooth, hard, chemically resistant, durable, scratch resistant (5-6 on the Mohs scale), long-lasting color fastness, easy-to-clean, and cannot burn. Enamel is glass, not paint, so it does not fade with UV light.[SUP][13][/SUP] Its disadvantages are its tendency to crack or shatter when the substrate is stressed or bent. An extract from Wikipedia.

I will be visiting the village factory the first week in April and hope to get some definitive answers then.

 

[Huon]

Hi, I am Trish from the outdoor-kitchen.biz, also know as @kotlichcook on twitter. All the enamel from Hungary is "fired" at over 600 degrees C. and fully vitrified. So it is like cooking in glass. They say dishwasher safe, resistant to Acid and Alkeline, enamel over a carbon steel surface. No use of lead or cadmium on the inside cooking surface. No Teflon.

I hope that is reassuring. I will feed you more information as and when I get it.

The peoples of Eastern Europe have been cooking with these Kotlich for may many years without any health problems.

Vitreous enamel has many excellent properties: it is smooth, hard, chemically resistant, durable, scratch resistant (5-6 on the Mohs scale), long-lasting color fastness, easy-to-clean, and cannot burn. Enamel is glass, not paint, so it does not fade with UV light.[SUP][13][/SUP] Its disadvantages are its tendency to crack or shatter when the substrate is stressed or bent. An extract from Wikipedia.

I will be visiting the village factory the first week in April and hope to get some definitive answers then.

Hi Trish!

Thanks for putting up with my nagging and bullying to get this answer up here. I think from the email conversation we had that this is your first time on an internet forum? Please let me be the first to welcome you to this one.

Your enamel cookware looks great and I wish I'd seen it before spending quite as much money as I have on various Dutch ovens, trivets and kettle holders for open fires.

Fortunately I have the perfect excuse to buy something else so I'll be be in touch soon to buy one of your sets.

Cheers!

Huon

 

[Jackdaw]

I have just received a set up from Outdoor Kitchen and to be frank I have to say the quality is pretty crap. I didn't buy from their list of "Seconds" but that is what I assume I have ended up with. On all of the enamel wear there are imperfections from minor bubbles to what appears to be failure of the firing technique. On some of the items there appears to be metal showing where the enamelling process hasn't covered it entirely which makes me wonder how long before the cast iron starts to rust. With this in mind it certainly isn't dishwasher safe as it will rust even quicker.

I was looking forward to receiving this set up and using it over the summer but will be sending it back, apparently at my own cost as well which I thought was a nice touch.

 

[Huon]

That sounds like a shame. Paganwolf's experience sounded much more positive. Perhaps this was an aberration? It might be worth seeing how Outdoor Kitchen respond once they've received the returned items before judging them too harshly.

Cheers!

Huon

I have just received a set up from Outdoor Kitchen and to be frank I have to say the quality is pretty crap. I didn't buy from their list of "Seconds" but that is what I assume I have ended up with. On all of the enamel wear there are imperfections from minor bubbles to what appears to be failure of the firing technique. On some of the items there appears to be metal showing where the enamelling process hasn't covered it entirely which makes me wonder how long before the cast iron starts to rust. With this in mind it certainly isn't dishwasher safe as it will rust even quicker.

I was looking forward to receiving this set up and using it over the summer but will be sending it back, apparently at my own cost as well which I thought was a nice touch.

 

[drewdunnrespect]

boys and girls i am sticking with my cast ion thanks cos well i just love it

drew

 

[Huon]

boys and girls i am sticking with my cast ion thanks cos well i just love it

drew

I have a ton of cast iron - almost literally - and I love it too but by god it is heavy! The kotlich would occupy a very useful niche and I am probably going to order a set. I'll let you know how mine looks when it arrives.

Cheers!

Huon

 

[Gailainne]

I think I'm going to order some bits and pieces as well, even if it isn't perfect, it will get used.

 

[Jackdaw]

That sounds like a shame. Paganwolf's experience sounded much more positive. Perhaps this was an aberration? It might be worth seeing how Outdoor Kitchen respond once they've received the returned items before judging them too harshly.

Cheers!

Huon

Quote from Consumer Rights:

"If you've been sent the wrong item or the item is faulty, you can return it and ask for your money back. In these cases the seller must cover the cost of returning the items."

Trying to get me to cover the cost of returning items that should have been checked by the seller to make sure they were in "as new" condition before they sent them is about all I need to know about Outdoor Kitchen.

Items will be going back.

 

[Paganwolf]

Well my lot is very good, but i have used mine "many times" most weeks i never noticed any major defects and its not all polished and set up in my back garden just for looks lol, i just knew this would happen thanks for making my predictions come true i wone a tenner! lol, nice one! PMSL!!! True to form as always ! i love it, dont take the say so of one please eh.

 

[Paganwolf]

Quote from Consumer Rights:

"If you've been sent the wrong item or the item is faulty, you can return it and ask for your money back. In these cases the seller must cover the cost of returning the items."

Trying to get me to cover the cost of returning items that should have been checked by the seller to make sure they were in "as new" condition before they sent them is about all I need to know about Outdoor Kitchen.

Items will be going back.

send them to me ill have them and use tham and give u your postage.... you can keep some of the people happy some of the time but not all of the peop....... oh what ever lol im happy