Charcoal

A key skill in Dutch Oven cooking is heat control!  Though there are many methods for heating your oven, a tried and true way is utilizing charcoal briquets. By learning a few tips from the post and plenty of practice, you can become an expert in Dutch Oven temperature control.

First, use the right briquets.

I believe in original Kingsford charcoal briquets.  Store brands and Matchlight briquets tend to burn out quickly.  Hickory scented charcoal is wasted, the flavoring is shut out of the oven.  Set aside three times the diameter of your oven.  (e.g. 12" oven needs 12 x 3 = 36 briquets).

Second,  after lighting, give your briquets at least 20 minutes to get fully lit.

Let your briquets burn until they are each covered in white ash.  Too much time will lead to crumbling and you may not have enough heat to cook your dish.

Third, memorize and follow this simple rule:

For a 12", 6 quart oven cooking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, place 12 + 2 = 14 briquets on top and place 12 - 2 = 10 briquets on bottom.

You will can adjust this formula with larger and smaller ovens to 14 +/- 2 or 10 +/- 2.  If you want to raise the temperature for baking move 2 more briquets from the bottom to the top.  If you are boiling and stewing, put the majority of briquets on the bottom.

The real key is practice;  adjusting the number and location of briquets based on your oven and specific recipe. 

Fourth, turn your oven and lid every 15 minutes.

To avoid burning, I turn my oven and my lid 1/4 turn  (without opening) every fifteen minutes.

Fifth, add charcoal as needed with longer cook times.

I start more briquets than I need so I can add about 1/2 more briquets  (7 to the top and 5 to the bottom) after about 30 minutes of cooking.  This helps maintain the cooking temperature as the surface area of the original briquets diminishes.  If my cook time is longer than 60 minutes I start new briquets to finish the job after 40 minutes of cooking, and put them on after 60 minutes.