Cooking Beyond the KITCHEN

When I attended the National Dutch Oven Gathering (NDOG) in June 2018, the only Dutch oven I knew was the deep, enameled pot I associated with my mother’s stovetop. When I arrived at the event, however, I learned about an entirely new piece of equipment with the exact same name. Perhaps more correctly called a “camp Dutch oven,” this pot is the cooking tool of choice for participants at NDOGs, as well as local and regional Dutch Oven Gatherings.

Cast-iron (sometimes aluminum), flat-bottomed, three-legged, and topped with a flattened lid that has a rim around the edge, camp Dutch ovens are made to be settled over coals when the convenience of a stove isn’t available — or isn’t wanted. The flat, raised bottom allows for coals to be set underneath it, while the rim on the lid keeps coals set on top from rolling off. This method of heating is precise; the number of coals and the way they’re arranged around the Dutch oven results