The basics of Dutch oven cooking

I hope this will be helpful to anyone just starting out in Dutch oven cooking or interested in trying it for the first time.It has been my experence that a lot of people who are interested in trying Dutch oven cooking for the first time see a TV show that involves cooking with a Dutch oven.After the show they think how neat thiswas and how easy the person on the show made it look.They rush out to there local store and buy one.They try to use it for the first time and nothing works like it did on TV.Enter reality it goes in the garage never to be seen again.Now this is where im going to try and help.Lets start with step 1 there are alot of good TV programs on Dutch oven cooking and you can never learn to much about it.But never think that you can do in one evening what this person on TV has been doing for many years.Take it slow do some research first watch more than one program or tape on the subject learn from others what you need to buy to get started.The next step is buying your first Dutch oven.There are many brands and sizes available.The 2 brands that seem to be the most popular are Lodge and Camp chef I have both and consider them equal in workmanship and value.So what size do you need?Where do you get one?Walmart,most hardware stores,online outlets are a good place to look.Now what size do you need? My advice is start with a 12" oven of what ever brand you decide on.Why you ask?Because 95% of the recipes you find are going to be for a 12"oven if you have another size larger or smaller you will have to alter the recipe to make it work.A 12" oven can feed anywhere from 1 to 4 people easy.So what is this seasoning thing we've heard about? Alot of cast iron now gees from the factory pre seasoned and ready to use.All new cast iron pre seasoned or not needs to be washed inside and out with hot soapy water before use.Now the difference unseasoned cast iron will have a wax coating put on at the factory to keep it from rusting.This needs to be removed with a good scrubing with a plastic scubber and hot water.Now you need a good coat of oil for the seasoning crisco,peanut oil,works great.Cover the oven with a good coat of oil turn your inside oven up to about 450 degrees place your new oil coated oven inside with the oven turned upside down.Place tinfoil on bottom of oven to catch oil. Now this will smoke some so make sure you have a fan on or a window open some type of ventilation usually when it stops smoking means its almost ready.Close the door and wait about 1 hour turn the oven off but do not remove it from the oven let it cool down inside the oven.Cast iron does not like rapid changes andits temperature it can warp or crack.Now with this step gepleted you should have a Dutch oven with a nice black finish.If not repeat the process again.Finally we get to cook? NO! Now I have to tell you about temperature and coal placement the best formula for beginners is take the size of your oven in this case a 12" subtract 3 that leaves 9 arange them in a checkerboard pattern underneath your oven now take 12 again and add 3 this time and you get 15 put them on top of your oven.Remember heat rises so you will need more on the top than the bottom.Now its time to decide what were going to cook.Start out with something easy and take your time.Every time you cook you will learn something new. If you dont your not doing it right!Learn all you can listen to others just have fun!Pretty soon the golf clubs will be going out and Dutch ovens will be stacked in their place.There are several groups online that are free to join and have forums for dicussion of Dutch oven cooking and related topics they can help alot with any questions you may have.There are many groups that have D.O.Gs(Dutch oven gatherings) in about every state look up your local group.Go out and visit and cook most Dutch oven cooks are eager to share there knowledgetake the family and have fun.