lighter dutch ovens?

Steffen

Forager
Jun 13, 2010
180
1
Norway
i'm not looking to buy one right now, just trying to navigate the market.

i like the idea of dutch ovens, and i would like to try it out.
but they're just to heavy, even a 2l weighs 4kg.
its just too much weight to lug around.

does lighter dutch ovens, with the same features as the heavy cast iron ones, exist?
don't need pegs, must be able to put coals on the lid, lid should be able to function as a pan, when reversed.

i was thinking of maybe a 1,5-2l(1-2kg) and a 3-4l(2-3kg).
 
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Shewie

Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
26
49
Yorkshire
I went for the GSi as it's a bit lighter in the canoe. I only got the 10" and sometimes regret not getting the bigger one, but at double the price it was a bit steep for my liking. The 10" will do a stew for three or four easily, not so good with a big lump of meat in as it's only about 4" deep.

Great pots though and I've had many a good meal from mine now

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aris

Forager
Sep 29, 2012
222
39
UK
What you want is a 'dutchie'. Basically a Jamaican Dutch oven. They are aluminium with no legs and a roundish bottom. About £15 from a market on a suitable ethnic area for a 20cm one :). Double that online on amazon.
 

Jared

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 8, 2005
3,571
746
51
Wales
Yeah, have to switch materials for a decent sized oven that's lighter.

Even the completely useless sized (imo) snowpeak micro ovens weigh 1.5kg and only have 0.28l capacity.
 

Goatboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
14,956
18
Scotland
Hi Steffen,
I'm lucky enough to have access to two different sizes of Dutch Oven, both are GSI and both are the hard anodised aluminum. It has the benefits of cast iron in that it's effectivley non-stick once seasoned unlike normal aluminum which food gets welded to in a fire. A lot lighter than cast iron and the anodisation stops it reacting with acidic food (if your making jam or fruit syrups). They can be unwieldy but with care you can make a lot of one pot meals that are very tasty, and when you do a roast or bake bread / cakes the looks of food envy more than make up for it. Also pretty fuel/time efficient. (You can tell I'm a fan) and will never wear out - leave it in your will.
Hope my tuppenceworth helps you and the price has come down on anodised aluminum dutchies these days.
Cheers Goatboy.
 

AussieVic

Forager
Jan 24, 2011
160
5
Victoria, Australia
Bedourie Ovens are popular in Australia. I have one (also a cast iron one) and it works well.
One tip I would give is to use a trivit in any camp oven - it keeps the food off the hot bottom of the oven and prevents burning.
Also a bag to keep and transport the oven in - they get very grubby.


You can do a search to see lots of pictures of Bedourie Ovens in action, but here's one for reference, and the blurb on the history:

http://www.southernmetalspinners.com.au/camping-page.html
[SIZE=-1]"The Bedourie Camp Oven is manufactured from spun steel with a lid that fits over the top, and was originally made for the Bedourie Station. This station found that when the cast iron camp ovens fell off pack horses, or were dropped, they often broke, so they invented the Bedourie which would not break.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]It serves the same purpose for cooking including bread, cakes or similar foods. To keep the heat in you had to half bury the Bedourie in hot ashes with some coals added to the lid and it would cook just as well as the cast iron camp ovens, The Bedourie has one more advantage over the cast iron camp oven, in that the lid fits down over the oven so there is no chance of ashes getting into the oven when you half bury it.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]The lid also doubles up as a frying pan when you turn it over and use the handle provided in the kit."

(No affiliation to any manufacturer or seller etc)[/SIZE]
 

tombear

On a new journey
Jul 9, 2004
4,494
556
55
Rossendale, Lancashire
I've got two sizes of Southern Metal Spinners camp ovens and they work great and are absolutely bomb proof.

atb

Tom

Ps the biggest one, the 15 incher, doesn't come with a Trivet but one of those big pizza trays with the holes in the bottom to crisp the base works well up side down . You can use a second with nut and bolt legs to give two layers for baking small stuff like bread cobs or indeed pizza!
 
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Aussiepom

Forager
Jun 17, 2008
172
0
Mudgee, NSW
One more vote for the ovens from Southern Metal Spinners. Lighter and unlike a dutch oven, not likely to get broken. As Forager suggested, always use a trivet.
 

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