UKAnn

SagerScout - yes, my DO has three little legs - I was aware this would be a better option for campfire cooking. I've done searches on Google in the past and come up with thousands of recipes so I think there's plenty to keep me going. Thank you all for all the help you have given - it's much appreciated - aren't there some wonderful people in the world! Ann.

Thanks everyone for your help. My DO has been cleaned and re-seasoned and has been saved! It's not spotless, but then again I don't think it's meant to be - it now looks like a well-used DO. We can get charcoal of course in England, that we use for our BBQ's - I will experiment baking with that before next camp. It hardly seems possible that a few coals beneath and and on top would be enough! By the way my DO is a Lodge size 10. Thanks again. Ann.

Thanks so much for your help. Can you experts help me out re cooking with my dutch oven? From what I can read/gather most of the cooking seems to be done on coals (briquettes?)- are these special coals you buy and cook on? It seems like there are a certain number to achieve a certain temperature. I don't think we can get them in England - I was using my dutch oven on an open fire on hot embers. Do you have any tips for cooking on a campfire? Or if there are any English readers out there, is there anywhere we can get these coals/briquettes in England? Other than that I am going to Florida

Thanks for all your help. I will see what I can do! I think it was cherry cobbler that did the damage There was cherry pie filling on the bottom and I think like the last poster, the sugar just burned everything onto the bottom of the pan. Looks like you can be pretty tough with the oven - as long as you re-season?! I'm going to have another go at it tomorrow. I'll let you know progress. You guys are the greatest - many thanks. Ann.

Thanks for your replies - much appreciated. I'm off to follow the advice - I'll let you know how I fare. Ann.

OK - we can't get dutch ovens in the UK so I lugged one all the way over from the US when I was holidaying there last year, and the girls used it for the first time last week (when I wasn't there to supervise) and I think they may have ruined it! They used it on an open camp fire and badly burned the food inside. The inside now has a VERY black crusted surface. I have followed the instructions by not soaking it in water, not using soap, only using nylon scrubber, using boiling water, etc. but nothing is shifting the black crust! Any ideas really appreciated. Ann.