Dutch Oven Temperature Guide
Translating termperature from that handy dial with the numbers on it at home to the campsite can get a little on the tricky side. It still is, if you’re using wood coals. But cooking with charcoal gives you a little more structure, at least.
An experienced Scouter friend of mine kept this handy guide in his wallet for a time, though I haven’t seen it recently. Come to think of it, he hasn’t acted as grubmaster for a while, either.
How many coals are needed for Dutch oven cooking at a temperature of 325° - 350°F? Shoot for the measure of the Dutch oven in inches plus 3 for the top, less 3 for the bottom. Every couple of coals will affect the temperature by +/- 25°.
So here are examples of this formula in action for 12″, 15″, and 18″ Dutch Ovens:
300° 12” Dutch Oven-13 coals on top/7 coals on bottom
300° 15” Dutch Oven-16coals on top/10 coals on bottom
300° 18” Dutch Oven-19 coals on top/13 coals on bottom
350° 12” Dutch Oven-15 coals on top/9 coals on bottom
350° 15” Dutch Oven-18 coals on top/12 coals on bottom
350° 18” Dutch Oven -21 coals on top/15 coals on bottom
400° 12” Dutch Oven-17 coals on top/11 coals on bottom
400° 15” Dutch Oven-20 coals on top/14 coals on bottom
400° 18” Dutch Oven-23 coals on top/17 coals on bottom
450° 12” Dutch Oven-19 coals on top/13 coals on bottom
450° 15” Dutch Oven-22 coals on top/16 coals on bottom
450° 18” Dutch Oven-25 coals on top/19 coals on bottom
I hope you find this as useful as we have!
