Lodge Logic 6-Quart Pre-Seasoned Camp Dutch Oven

Before my wife and I were recently married, we both enjoyed camping with groups. Now we are establishing our own collection of camping equipment, and enjoying camping on our own. In studying camping, I became intrigued by the Dutch oven, and the fact that you can do about anything with it you can with a stove and oven at home - bake, broil, boil, fry, roast, etc. Mainly, I dreamed of making a pizza in camp!

Reasearching many publications by Dutch oven fanatics, one thing was consistent: Lodge is the best. They also recommend starting with a 12" oven, as most recipes are for this size. (Probably because a 12" oven has nearly the same bottom area as a standard 9x13 baking dish or cake pan.)

I can't compare against any other makes, as I don't have any, but this oven does not disappoint. It seems well-made, and the lid fits precisely as it should.

I didn't want to pay extra for the seasoning, but with Super Saver shipping, Amazon was selling this for almost half what I could get the non-pre-seasoned model for shipped from anywhere else. (Most mail-order retailers add an additional fee for the heavy Dutch oven on top of their regular shipping charge.) I am amazed at how easy it is to clean, even with my amateur experiments. I haven't had to use any more than very little scrubbing with a Scotch-Brite pad to get a few stubborn spots off, and the pre-seasoning allowed me to bake with it the evening it arrived!

In the first week, I've tried brownies, pizza, sourdough rolls, cinnamon rolls, baked macaroni and cheese, and fried up bacon on the lid. I'm looking forward to getting a lifetime of use out of this, and will shortly add some other sizes. (I suspect the 8" will be better for casserole-type meals for just me and my wife.)

Anyone who grew up in a family with an active outdoor lifestyle that included camping, hunting, fishing and horses will most likely be very familiar with the Lodge brand name and with these Dutch ovens. This review is for those who haven't had as much exposure to these wonderful products.

I own 5 lodge cast iron Dutch ovens (1 x 10in 4qt indoor, 1 x 10in 4qt camp, 1 x 14in 10qt camp and 2 x 12in 6qt camp) and I couldn't be happier with them. Since the link for this product is for the 12in 6 qt camp oven I will concentrate on that one but this review can easily be applied to any of the Dutch ovens produced by lodge.

I purchased one of my 12in ovens last year the other was my fathers and has been used for well over 15 years. The first question you may ask is, "Why Lodge?" Well, I respond by saying, "Made in the USA!" The other popular brand on the market is based here in Utah but the label clearly states that it is made in China. Second, you should choose Lodge for the quality of the product. Lodge produces a thick and heavy feeling oven that other brands don't seem to have. Lodge just feels much denser. Yes, these are heavy as most cast iron products are. But, it's this heavy cast iron that makes them work so well. It isn't hard to achieve and maintain desired temperature with cast iron. Cast iron requires seasoning to prevent food from sticking to the surface and this seasoning, once established, should not be cleaned with dish detergent. If you use detergent you should use very little; otherwise, you will need to re-season the oven. The blacker these things get the better they cook. When not being used, cast iron should be coated with a thin layer of cooking oil or shortening. My father coated his with shortening and it has been stored in a shed, exposed to water and weather, for several years since his passing and it doesn't have a single spot of rust.

Camp Dutch oven cooking is becoming increasingly popular and there are numerous resources available to help you get the most out of your oven. I firmly believe the best oven to start with is the 6qt 12in oven. It is really the standard oven that most recipes are created for. If you want to purchase another one right away I would recommend the 10in 4qt for deserts and breads. As far as the indoor cast iron Dutch ovens are concerned, I really only use mine in the winter when I can't get outside to play with my other ovens. But, the indoor 10in does make an excellent chicken fryer and gumbo pot!

This is the classic Dutch Oven that is used by boy scouts, girl scouts, chuck wagon cooks, and outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds. My review is mostly limited to the outdoor uses of this wonderful classic dutch oven, but I use one at home as well. Measures 12 inches in diameter and 4 inches deep inside and hold 6 quarts/1.5 gallon. This model is a little smaller than the size of the "standard" popular #12 or 8 quart dutch oven most commonly used, but there many sizes bigger and smaller. It has the tripod legs and a recessed lid best suited for cooking in coals. But those legs make it harder to use in a conventional oven, you need to maneuver the legs if possible onto your grill rack. They make a legless version with the domed lid for a home oven, and I have used it in a fire as well. On this model, you can even flip this lid over and use it as a skillet in a pinch if you need to in camp. You can do it all with Dutch Ovens - cobblers, stews, beans, roasts, dumplings, you name it. It is the ultimate "one pot" pan.

QUALITY: There is a reason you can find old cast iron pans in antique stores, it lasts forever. I have quite a few pans inherited from family members and even some garage sale finds. I have found pans rusted and abused to where they would head for the trash bin if they were made of anything else, but you can bring cast iron back with some elbow grease and a re-seasoning or two. While my modern expensive non-stick cookware seems to last no more than a few years before replacement in my kitchen, but this stuff can easily last many decades of daily use. Lodge has a life time warranty! I love to cook with cast iron even at home, it is so durable, but I can take it camping too. Easy to clean up, the only drawback being it is heavy and hard on your wrists as you get older. Cast iron takes a bit longer to heat up, but the heat transfers very evenly without hot spots and it retains its heat for a long time. It can go from stovetop to oven with ease. Do not use it at temperatures higher than 500 degrees, as it can crack. People swear certain foods just taste better in cast iron, and I believe that cast iron only improves with use and proper care instead of wearing out like other pans. My oldest pans attest to that. As for Lodge, there really is a big difference in quality, their current pans are noticeably better than the other brands.

SEASONING FINISH: Seasoning of cast iron cookery does not refer to flavor, but the finish, a kind of glaze on the pan. I love old pans because they have the best seasoning, the older the better. I have inherited many old pans. The modern version sold here is "pre-seasoned" and is supposed to be ready to cook in, but the pre-seasoning could probably use a touch up and I will tell you how to do that. It needs to stay black and shiny inside to stay seasoned. If you do lose your seasoning due to rust or an overaggressive cleaning, simply wipe it with oil inside and out and place it in a 350 degree oven for an hour, upside down. Let it cool in the oven slowly and naturally to room temperature again. You can place foil in the bottom of your oven to catch any drips. It also helps to wipe it with a paper towel of oil after every cleaning, or spray it with cooking oil and wipe. If it gets rusty, re-season it, you can get it like new again. DO NOT cook on it without re-seasoning though, as the food will stick. A note on what type of oil to use for seasoning, if you can do so use bacon grease, lard or butter, vegetable oil can sometimes get a little sticky in the pan and does not seem to get enough glaze as the animal based fats in my experience.

CLEANING: There is a debate on the cleaning of cast-iron that is as old as the pans, as to whether to use soap or not and how that affects sanitation. The Lodge company recommends cleaning without soap, but some people do so under certain circumstances. To clean without soap wash it with hot water and scrub it with a long handle brush or plastic scrubber, but never a metal scrubber as you can scratch the seasoning glaze. If you made a big mess with a cobbler and it is baked on and you just can't get it off, try this. Fill the pan half way with water, and put it to boil. Turn of the heat, then using an oven mitt to protect yourself pour the water out to about 1/4 full, then use the long handle scrubber to get the gunk out, It works for me. If you do use soap, just dip your scrubber in the dishwater but don't immerse your pan in it or pour soap into the pan. Immediately drying the pan is critical to its care either way, as soon as you clean the pan hand dry it with a paper towel and re-oil the pan immediately. For the most part, cast iron is non-stick as long as it is seasoned. If you use the pan on a fire, you can get soot on the exterior. An old Boy Scout trick to keep the exterior clean of soot if used on a campfire, is to treat the pan prior to cooking in the following manner. First wipe the pan (exterior only!) with some wet soap or a wet SOS pad, then let it dry before using it on the fire. Then when you are ready for washing, the soap has laid a protective layer over the exterior surface and the soot just wipes right off when you clean up with water.

ACCESSORIES: There are plenty of terrific Dutch oven and cast iron cook books here at Amazon.com. You can also get videos/DVD on Dutch Oven cooking like the one with Cee Dub. You can get affordable accessories too such as a Dutch oven tote bag, tongs, lid lifter, lid stand, and gloves. To be safe if cooking on coals or fire, use the lid lifter accessory, it will keep you from getting burned. I highly recommend this pan, and have decades of experience behind that statement, enjoy your cobbler!