Aluminum or iron dutch oven?

[MoGas]

I was at a used gear shop the other day and they had a quite large aluminum dutch oven there for sale. I would say it was probably 16 inches diameter. I think they were asking 20 bucks or so. For camping, the obvious weight factor is a big plus, are there any big drawbacks to aluminum dutch ovens?

 

[cnynrat]

That's an interesting question.

Aluminium conducts heat well, which means it should heat up quickly and uniformly, but also will mean it looses heat quickly also. It's not clear to me whether that would ever be an issue in dutch oven cooking.

Cooking acidic foods in aluminium pots is a no-no. That's why aluminium pots are usually either a sandwhich construction where the interior is some other material, or in some cases I think there are pots with some sort of coating on the interior. Don't know whether the DO you saw has some sort of coating, but if not that would be a limitation on what types of foods can be cooked in this DO.

Don't know the answer to this question, but I wonder if aluminium would accept and hold seasoning the way cast iron does.

For vehicle based travel the weight of a dutch oven or two is a small part of the overall weight of vehicle & gear, so I think I'd stay with the tried and true cast iron for my dutch ovens.

 

[Pskhaat]

More health concerns with Aluminum.

 

[brentbba]

While getting back into dutch oven cooking I ran accross a post from my old scoutmaster in Illinios posting about aluminum. Evidently, he had one get seriously deformed from a hot fire! So...based on that...cast iron all the way.

 

[Utah KJ]

Aluminum cookware is not expo-approved. What's next, aluminum pie irons?

 

[bfdiesel]

Iron all the way

 

[Ray Hyland]

More health concerns with Aluminum.

Yeah, I don't know the details, but my mom told me Aluminum pots had been linked to Alzheimers in some way.

But, it's my mom, so who knows.

 

[ssssnake529]

I use both.

Aluminum is lighter. Aluminum heats up quicker, with fewer coals required to get it up to temperature.

Cast iron is less prone to "hot spots" The iron material tends to spread the heat around better than aluminum. Cast iron seasons much better than aluminum.

All things considered, unless weight is a consideration, cast iron is superior. However, if you're trying to reduce your load, aluminum will work quite well.

I have an old rectangular aluminum dutch oven/fryer that I've used for more than 20 years. One of my favorite pieces of gear.

 

[wjeeper]

More health concerns with Aluminum.

I have heard the same thing.....however I dont totally believe it. Everyday you seem to hear on the news "A new study finds XX" then a few weeks later one comes out saying the contrary.

A few snippets from google:
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/avoid-aluminum-teflon-cookware.html
"Aluminum's Link to Alzheimer's Disease
In order to learn about this particular connection, I went to the Alzheimer's Society's fact sheet. They say that the link between Alzheimer's disease and aluminum is circumstantial and nothing conclusive has been proven. "

http://www.finishing.com/225/51.shtml
"Regarding the "Is aluminum safe to cook with/" question. Over 20 years ago, I heard the professor speak who had been quoted as the source of the connection between aluminum in the brain and Alzheimer's diseases. His research had found an excess of aluminum in the brain of such patients. He did not believe that cooking in aluminum had any connection to the development of alzheimer's disease. "

It doesn't appear to me that there is a smoking gun that cooking with aluminum is hazardous to your health. Not trying to stir the pot, but it seems like an inconclusive statement......


My take on the aluminum vs cast iron is go with cast iron......unless you need a lighter option. I think cooking with either is safe. In high school we were making candy in cooking class (suckers if my memory serves me right) and we burned the bottom out of a alumimum pan and it make one mell of a hess! Also my aluminun pie iron warped so it wouldn't seal after a few uses......and I heard rumors around the campfire at the Relic Run that aluminum ones sometimes melt through.
:chef:

 

[Colorado Jeeper]

$20 for a 16" ? That's dirt cheap.

 

[taugust]

One of the main reasons for using cast iron is the heat retention. It's slower to heat up, but holds the heat well, and more evenly. Aluminum, I think will have hot and cold spots. Although one of my DO cookbook was written by an aluminum fan. I prefer cast iron.

 

[MicroOverland]

buy it...recycle it...get a cast iron one with the profits.

 

[m715]

My vote would be for a cast iron as well, I've had some really good meals out of cast iron and if maintained it will last several lifetimes.
In scouts I did see a group warp their aluminum dutch oven, not badly but enough the lid didn't fit right anymore.

That said I been meaning to get a dutch oven for myself for awhile, what do people think about the Lodge Logic brand?
If I see the oven version hit the $25 mark again I'll pick one up and try it...

 

[robert]

Cast iron is the way to go in my opinion unless you have to carry it on your back. They're more versatile and your grand-kids should still be using them when they get old. If all you plan to use it for is baking, then aluminum is fine, but if you plan to hang it over a fire I'd skip it. When baking you rarely get the temp above 400 degrees; too many people load them up with coals which then cooks too fast. You shouldn't need but a handful of coals on top and less underneath.

The Lodge Logic is good but their new ones aren't as well finished inside as their older ones. You can also check antique and consignment shops as well as yard sales and find rusted ones dirt cheap. As long as it's not pitted you can usually clean them up and re-season them.

 

[Hilldweller]

I use a GSI 12" anodized aluminum Dutch Oven. The aluminum conducts the heat great, and the anodized surface cleans with just boiled water.
Smooth surface = no bacteria = no late-night trots....

I've been using it for years and it hasn't warped. And my meals from it are legendary.

ham, egg, & cheese pizza. yum.