Aluminum "Dutch" Oven......??? Iodized....???

[Sourdough]

Found some cute Aluminum Dutch Ovens today. I was worried about the aluminum leaching into the food. I was also worried about warping. So what about aluminum cookware.

[Rick]

As long as the aluminum is anodized I wouldn't be too concerned about cooking in it. We used anodized aluminum pans for a long time. I wouldn't store any acidic foods, like tomatoes or citrus, in them just to be safe but otherwise, you should be find. As for warping, what kind of cooking surface do you plan to use them on?

[Sourdough]

As long as the aluminum is anodized I wouldn't be too concerned about cooking in it. We used anodized aluminum pans for a long time. I wouldn't store any acidic foods, like tomatoes or citrus, in them just to be safe but otherwise, you should be find. As for warping, what kind of cooking surface do you plan to use them on?

I want to do some Dutch Oven cooking on top of coals and rake the coals into a pit over under and around the Dutch Oven.

[Rick]

Anodizing makes the aluminum harder so it handles heat better. It will never be as good as cast iron, however. It won't cook as evenly and cast iron tends to be much harder to clean, IMO. Make certain it's anodized and if so then it's up to you. If you have a choice I'd go with cast iron.

[crashdive123]

While in the Boy Scouts - all of our Dutch Ovens were aluminum. While I prefer the heat retention properties of cast iron, we made some mighty fine dishes in the aluminum ones.

[Ken]

........we made some mighty fine dishes in the aluminum ones.

Ever make anything else?

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[crashdive123]

Ever make anything else?

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Yep.

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[Ken]

Tryin' to get me goin' first thing in the morning, huh?

[crashdive123]

Well, you did ask.

[Ken]

Let's chat later. I gotta' get to court over in Plymouth. If I run into any Pilgrims, I'll say hi for ya'.

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[crashdive123]

Yep - time to go kill stuff.

[hunter63]

I want to do some Dutch Oven cooking on top of coals and rake the coals into a pit over under and around the Dutch Oven.

Cast iron, would take longer to heat up, I would think, than alumium? And of course take longer to cool?

Anyway, be careful, you don't need too many coals to cook with with.

For baking, I set a 16" cast iron fry pan on a tall trivet.
Pre heat the dutch oven, fill the pan w/coals, put your dutch oven on the coals, and shovel some more on top.

Pies or bread sits on a trivet (or just some stones) inside the oven, keeps the bottom from burning.

[Chris]

unanodized aluminum should not be used to cook anything acidic (ie, anything contained tomatoes).

[Rick]

Oh, yeah. Get a lid lifter, too. You can thank me later.