Great Northern Larder Guide to
Cast Iron Dutch Ovens
The Dutch Oven is a game changer for outdoor cooking. Find out everything you need to know about this versatile cooking machine.
Dutch Oven Buyers Guide
A Buyers Guide to Cast Iron Dutch Ovens
To paraphase Bob Dylan, the only thing we know for certain about the Dutch Oven is that it is not Dutch.
Actually even that is not certain, but the most likely history of this versatile pot is that it was made by an Englishman named Abraham Darby in the early 1700s. An alternative version credits Pennsylvanian Dutch settlers in America (who were German!). Does it matter? All we know is that they are now made all over the world and the two brands we sell are from Germany and The Netherlands. So the name is, for us, very appropriate.
A Dutch Oven is a cast iron pot with a heavy base and a lid. Some are enameled and most have a nice rounded lid and a cute plastic handle. You won't find either of those types for sale here in Great Northern Larder for the simple reason that they are not suitable for outdoor cooking, open fires, or barbeque. The Dutch Ovens we sell are often called camp stoves and they have some special features that you need for outdoor cooking.
The Dutch Oven for Outdoor Cooks
Your Dutch Oven needs some features to make it a versatile outdoor cooking machine.
100% Cast Iron
Your Dutch Oven should be fully made of cast iron with no wooden handles, no enamel, and no plastic parts. It should have a handle to suspend it from a tripod and that may be made of stainless steel.
A Specially Shaped Lid
Your Dutch Oven will have a lid that can hold charcoal or embers for cooking from the top as well as the bottom. This allows faster cooking and baking of cakes and breads. You can also use the lid as a base for stacking ovens on top of each other, or you can use it as a pizza stone (turn the oven upside down).
Legs (Optional)
Most campfire style Dutch Ovens have 3 legs. This allows them to sit over embers and to sit on top of each other while still allowing space for charcoal. However for indoor and oven use, and especially for induction hobs you may want a flat bottomed oven.
Petromax Dutch Oven Size Guide
Understand which one to buy based on how many people you need to feed!
Pertomax ft0.5
Capacity 0.56L
Feeds 1
Use for sauces and desserts
Available with and without legs
Petromax ft1
Capacity 0.93L
Feeds 1
Use for sauces and desserts
Available with and without legs
Petromax ft3
Capacity 1.6L
Feeds 1 - 3
Use for soups, stews, cakes
Available with and without legs
Petromax ft4.5
Capacity 3.5L
Feeds 2 - 5
Use for soups, stews, cakes
Available with and without legs
Petromax ft6
Capacity 5.5L
Feeds 4 - 8
Use for stews, cakes, ribs, roasts
Available with and without legs
Petromax ft9
Capacity 7.5L
Feeds 8 - 14
Use for stews, cakes, ribs, roasts
Available with and without legs
Petromax ft12
Capacity 10.8L
Feeds 14 - 20
Use for stews, curries, game, joints
Available with and without legs
Frequently Asked Questions
A Dutch Oven is traditionally used for slow cooking meat in liquid. Think stews, pot roasts, ragu, curry, soups, and pit beans.
However, the barbeque pitmasters among us have pushed the limits of a Dutch Oven and they are now commonly used outdoors for baking cakes, bake bread, roast meat, and deep fry chicken.
Yes. The main one is they are very heavy. That is a huge advantage for heat retention, slow cooking, heat distribution, and for longevity. However, they are not for backpackers and our largest model - the Petromax ft18 weights in at 18kgs and hold about 16kgs of liquid when full. That is 34kgs. Of course it can feed up to 60 people!
A cast iron pot also needs to be cared for. It needs to be seasoned and oiled regularly and it won't like being left wet after cleaning. It will reward you with many centuries of cooking though if you take a little care of it. Even if you don't take a little care of it you can always rescue it with a little cleaning and a fresh seasoning.
Any neutral flavoured vegetable oil such as rapeseed, sunflower oil, or special cast iron seasoning.
Run it under warm water and use a rough scrubbing pad or a stainless steel scourer. A brillo pad or steel wood will also work - you won't damage the oven. DO NOT EVER put cast iron in a dishwasher.
19 years is pushing it, but for all but the rustiest of sad cases you can simply sand it down and re-season it. We rescued a 150 year old cast iron pot that had been used as a flower pot. We sanded and re-seasoned it and now it is in daily use on our barbeque.
Yes - all our Dutch ovens can be used on a gas hob. The flat bottomed ones will sit on the ring better, but the legs should be ok as well.
Yes - but not the ones with legs. Dutch Ovens are heavy and will scratch glass or ceramic hobs easily so be careful.
Yes - they are amazing for baking, slow roasting, stews, etc.
