Proposed dutch oven baking setup

[EllPea in CA]

Here is the setup I think I will try:

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This is a cast-iron trivet thing, with feet on the bottom. I found it at Sportsman's Warehouse and bought it to disperse heat under large pots for slow cooking (to lessen chance of scorching). But it may actually be meant for dutch oven baking, as it just fits on the bottom of my pan. Although the trivet thing does appear rusty in the photo, it is not and it is also seasoned!



This is a stainless steel steamer basket. I like the idea of using it because of the wire handle. My plan is to line it with aluminum foil, and then line THAT with parchment paper to protect the food from the aluminum.

And, of course, the lid. Someone else suggested pre-heating the lid, which I will do. I also have a frying pan which can plop on the top of the DO, so if things seem to be moving slowly, I can heat THAT up and swap the tops out.

Wish me luck!

[Bobbie Mayer]

Looks good. I have that trivet, too, which if I recall I bought to keep meat off the bottom of the DO so it would not burn.

[Iowa Dave]

In scouts when we wanted even more clearance from the bottom say a up to couple inches we would suspend the aluminum or steel trivet with some one inch or inch and a half pieces of steel pipe ( not galvanized) cut off with a pipe cutter or power hacksaw. If moisture was needed or if the meat gave up liquid it was suspended above the liquid. That kept it moist but not soggy and fat got away from the meat too.
Worked for us.
Dave

[Glenn Baglo]

Make a few balls of aluminum foil to suspend the roast or a container.

[EllPea in CA]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Make a few balls of aluminum foil to suspend the roast or a container.

And then there's the home canning trick of suspending jars (etc.) over the canning lid rings scattered over the bottom of the pot :-)

[fusedlight]

Have you tried a Cobb? I've baked some pretty amazing bread in mine, and in the Facebook Cobb groups I've seen some I-don't-believe-it things!

[EllPea in CA]

Originally Posted by fusedlight

Have you tried a Cobb? I've baked some pretty amazing bread in mine, and in the Facebook Cobb groups I've seen some I-don't-believe-it things!

I haven't tried a Cobb, but i've certainly salivated over the pictures and posts about what it can do! It's definitely on my wish list.

[Leej]

You are right regarding the trivet. It.can.also be.used to.sit another pan inside the Dutch oven to keep heat from being directly on the.bottom, such as when you bake.biscuits.
It is amazing the wonderful food you can cook in your Dutch oven, I have even.baked a small turkey in my 14 inch DO.
I also have a.steamer basket but mine is stainless steel. I think unless you perforated the parchment paper it will not work as well.
Wow, you have lots.of.good meals ahead of you, baked potatoes, roasts baked goods like pie and hot.rolls...have fun.

[janallanp]

What's a Cobb?

[EllPea in CA]

Originally Posted by Leej

You are right regarding the trivet. It.can.also be.used to.sit another pan inside the Dutch oven to keep heat from being directly on the.bottom, such as when you bake.biscuits.
It is amazing the wonderful food you can cook in your Dutch oven, I have even.baked a small turkey in my 14 inch DO.
I also have a.steamer basket but mine is stainless steel. I think unless you perforated the parchment paper it will not work as well.
Wow, you have lots.of.good meals ahead of you, baked potatoes, roasts baked goods like pie and hot.rolls...have fun.

Lee, I was planning to use the steamer basket (all sealed with foil and parchment) as a baking pan for brownies or cake (or something), so I shouldn't perforate the parchment -- should I?

I should clarify that the steamer is stainless steel, but lining it with aluminum foil is just for the purpose of making it a baking pan. There's probably some adorable little baking pans out there that are just the right size, but they are likely aluminum, so maybe I'll stick with this!

However, I'm sure you're right about baking things like potatoes, etc., I would just use the steamer basket without lining? Or just put the food directly on the trivet?

[Captleemo]

On the subject of cooking has any of you ever heard of "can cooking"? I stumbled across it the other day while looking at various camping stoves on YouTube. Looks like a pretty popular method of preparing a meal at the camp site. https://www.amazon.com/Can-Cooker-Ju...+cooker+junior

[EllPea in CA]

Originally Posted by Captleemo

On the subject of cooking has any of you ever heard of "can cooking"? I stumbled across it the other day while looking at various camping stoves on YouTube. Looks like a pretty popular method of preparing a meal at the camp site. https://www.amazon.com/Can-Cooker-Ju...+cooker+junior

Lee, if this were stainless steel, I would be all over it. I read alll of the Amazon reviews; it sounds really exciting except it looks like it is aluminum.

[Captleemo]

Whats wrong with aluminum? I did notice that in all the You-Tube videos that sprayed the inside of it with Pam or some equivalent but didn't know why that was being done.

[EllPea in CA]

Originally Posted by Captleemo

Whats wrong with aluminum? I did notice that in all the You-Tube videos that sprayed the inside of it with Pam or some equivalent but didn't know why that was being done.

There is a huge concern about aluminum and alzheimer's disease. In autopsies, aluminum is discovered in higher levels in patients who suffered alzheimer's. There is a question about whether aluminum contributed to the disease, or whether the disease contributed to the collection of the aluminum in the brain. You find arguments on both sides of the issue.

In the meantime, until I know more, I avoid beverages in aluminum containers, and anti-perspirants which contain aluminum. Many anti-acids contain it as well.

Will this topic become as hotly debated as the propane vs. battery operated fridge whilst driving? Let us find out....

[Glenn Baglo]

The inside of the aluminum can is coated in plastic. Better look that up.

[EllPea in CA]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

The inside of the aluminum can is coated in plastic. Better look that up.

Been there, done that.
Not a fan.

"You might not want to know that the lining contains Bisphenol A (BPA) a chemical building block that is used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins.

So what?? To cut a long story short it would seem that BPA is toxic and does leach from plastic liners into the food."

Why does my tin can have a plastic liner and is it bad for me? | plasticisrubbish

[Jon Vermilye]

I purchased a round pizza stone to use in the bottom of my Dutch Oven when baking. It worked well, but didn't survive riding in the Stowaway 2 Cargo Carrier. I now have 2 half pizza stones!

[Mary F]

Originally Posted by janallanp

What's a Cobb?

Rather than high jack EllPea's DO cooking thread, I started a new one.

Cobb BBQ - Cooking with a Cobb Barbecue.