SC - a grid?

[Steven Cowley]

Lurking Girl wrote:

> >>   3. Wind IS your worst enemy.  It blows the heat away.  Make sure that you
> >>      have some sort of wind break that you can move around as well as work
> >>      around.
>
> > How large does such a thing need to be?  Ankle, knee, waist?  I would
> > like to rig an actual roof over the cooking area, because getting
> > rained on while tending the stew really bites, but even with our tiny
> > cooking fire and a high roof, I imagine the Fire Safety people would
> > have a cow.
>

I have a 33 gallon steel drum that has been cut in half length wise without any
ends.  This allows me to almost completely surround the pot if necessary.  I leave
about a one inch gap on either side for air.  It also creates a similar effect to
that of a chimney.  When you need to get at the cooking area, just move the most
convenient side away, stir and put it back.  They also pack well, as the 2 halves
will fit inside of each other and I can then pack stuff inside of them.

Since they don't get much direct heat, you can paint them up for a bit more flair.
I had a friend of mine paint it up to look like a wooden barrel.  Close up you can
tell its not, but from a distance, it looks great.  It helps when trying to make
camp feel more period.

> >>   4. Cast iron pots and pans are your friends.  They will distribute and
> >>      hold the heat better than almost anything else in this environment.
>
> > I am the proud owner of a giant cast-iron skillet and a gianter
> > cast-iron three legged pot of DOOM.  I can barely lift the bugger when
> > it's _empty_.  (I call it "Part 1 of my fighter training course".)
> > The problem is, and this is a humiliating confession which I've been
> > meaning to get off my chest for a while now so as to solve the problem
> > but I've been too embarrassed, that I just can _not_ get any of my
> > cast iron stuff properly seasoned.

Seasoning cast iron can be very irritating, especially when the pot won't fit in an
oven or on a grill.  This is where the afore mentioned shields come in handy, they
keep the heat in and around the pot during the seasoning process.  I never worry
about what I cook in a new pot.  First, I wash real well, it out to get rid of the
wax used in the casting process.  Then put it on the fire to heat up real good.
When it is dry, wipe it down (inside and out) with a light coating of vegetable
oil. and let it bake for about 5 to 10 minutes.  This starts the seasoning process.

After using them, I wash my pots with a little dish soap and a little water (make
sure that the pot has cooled down or you take the chance of cracking it) and a
plastic scrubber if needed.  Rinse it well (don't want any of that soap residue
left around) and then put it back on the fire to heat and dry out.  Once it is dry,
I do the oil thing again.  After doing this 4 or 5 times you will end up with a
nice shinny black pot, that doesn't rust and is almost stick free.

I use all 15 of my dutch ovens at least once a month, as I do a little catering on
the side.  This procedure has served me well for 15 years now.  The big thing is to
keep it dry.  If you live in a humid region, a wad of newspaper inside of it during
storage helps.

Steffan of the Close
(: The greatest pleasure in life lies in doing that which people say we cannot do
:)

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