Interest in outdoor activities such as camping has skyrocketed in recent years. If you’re like me and want to eat something besides a hot dog poked on the end of a stick while camping then you need the best dutch oven for camping.
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Dutch ovens are perfect for camping because of their ability to handle the high heat of a campfire. You can make stew, soup, or even a delicious roast or prime rib – all while enjoying the outdoors.
With so many available options we want to make sure the process of purchasing a camping dutch oven is as easy as possible. Therefore, we have reviewed several choices and have narrowed them down to the very best to help you select the most efficient dutch oven for your camping needs.
Comparison Table of The Best Dutch Ovens For Camping
| Category | Brand | What We Liked |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall |   Camp Chef Cast Iron Dutch Oven | * Thermometer Notch * Sturdy Handle |
| Best Made in USA |   Lodge Cast Iron Deep Camp Dutch Oven | * Flanged Lid * Great pre-seasoning |
| Best Bang for the Buck |   Uno Casa Cast Iron Camping Dutch Oven | * Includes Lid Lifter * Long Legs |
| Best 8 Quart |   Bruntmor Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Dutch Oven | * Flat Bottom * Non-stick |
| Best With Skillet Lid |   Overmont Camp Dutch Oven | * Great Heat Retention * Lid Doubles as Skillet |
Be sure to read through the entire article for detailed information on the above recommendations.
Review of the Best Dutch Ovens For Camping
To ensure that you select the best camping dutch oven, we have compiled detailed research of some of the best choices.
Best Overall – Camp Chef Cast Iron Dutch Oven
KEY FEATURES
- Size: 6 Quarts
- Weight: 16.88 lbs
- Thermometer notch
- Sturdy handle
This dutch oven by Camp Chef checks all of the boxes you need in a dutch oven for camping. Its ample size of 6 quarts ensures you have enough room to fill the pot with as many ingredients as you desire. The last thing you need is a bunch of campmates angry at you because there isn’t enough chili to go around.
It’s made of cast iron which gives you even and efficient heating. A great feature of the dutch oven is a thermometer notch which allows you to check your food temperature without removing the lid. If the size of 6 quarts is too small there is also a 9 ⅓ quart camp oven option.
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Best Made in the USA – Lodge Cast Iron Deep Camp Dutch Oven
KEY FEATURES
- Size: 5 quarts
- Weight: 13.49 lbs
- Flanged lid to hold coals
- Pre-seasoned with 100% natural vegetable oil
The Lodge company is well-known for making the highest quality cast iron cookware including cast iron skillets and dutch ovens. This camping dutch oven is no exception as it is an easy runner-up for our best overall choice.
Weighing in at less than 14 lbs, it’s the lightest 5 quart dutch oven in our review. It’s a perfect option if you want to lighten the load of your camping gear. Need a smaller or larger option? No problem, as the Lodge company makes camp dutch ovens ranging from 2 – 10 quarts.
As an added bonus, it includes the Camp Dutch Oven Cooking 101 cookbook to get you fast-tracked on your camp meal journey. We consider this option to be the best camping dutch oven made in the USA. Even better, it’s pre-seasoned so you’re ready to get cooking right out of the box.
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Best Bang For The Buck – Uno Casa Cast Iron Camping Dutch Oven
KEY FEATURES:
- Size: 6 quarts
- Weight: 17 lbs
- Long legs and handles
- Includes dutch oven lid lifter
Would you prefer a dutch oven for your camping trips that includes a few extras? If so, this option by Uno Casa would be an excellent choice. It’s the only pick in our round-up that includes a heavy-duty tote bag and a stainless steel lid lifter.
The pot at 6 quarts and 12 inches in diameter is large enough to easily feed a crew of 4. Take advantage of the downloadable recipe eBook to cook camping dishes that rival meals you make at home.
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Best 8 Quart Camping Dutch Oven – Bruntmor Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Dutch Oven
KEY FEATURES:
- Size: 8 quarts
- Weight: 20.1 lbs
- Flat bottom
- Non-stick coating
If you are a fan of camping items that can also be used at home, we have found the ideal option. This classically designed cast iron dutch oven has a flat bottom instead of legs. The feature allows you to use the cookware on your home stove.
We wanted to provide you with options of all sizes and found this great pick to be the best 8-quart dutch oven. A dutch oven of this size is a must have for groups of 5 or more.
It’s perfect for slow-cooking large batches of camp stew, chili, or gumbo while hanging over a campfire. Just add in a good cooking tripod to hold the dutch oven over your fire and you’re ready to go. Stansport makes a great heavy-duty steel tripod that we use for your trips.
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Best With Skillet Lid – Overmont Camp Dutch Oven
KEY FEATURES:
- Size: 6 quarts
- Weight: 20 lbs
- Includes lid lifter
- Durable handle
This uniquely designed camping cookware is sure to impress with not only looks but also performance. This is a great dutch oven with a skillet lid. Simply invert the lid and it doubles as a surprisingly good skillet.
We absolutely love the eagle pattern logo on the lid which really makes this dutch oven stand out. It has an impressive 1-year warranty and the manufacturer is highly responsive to any issues you may experience upon buying the product. Talk about a worry-free purchase!
The lid provides a nice, tight seal on the pot. This retains heat and provides more even and efficient cooking. Like all great cast iron dutch ovens, the lid can be a little heavy and it surely gets very hot. Thankfully, the pot comes with a sturdy lid lifter that definitely comes in handy.
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Camping Dutch Oven Benefits
- Great home-quality meals while camping
- Rugged and durable which are required for outdoors
- Ability to handle high campfire heat
- Available in a variety of sizes
- Even and efficient heat retention and cooking
Buying Guide For The Best Dutch Ovens For Camping
The main features to consider in selecting your camping dutch oven is relative to your cooking needs. Do you plan to feed a large or small group? Do you plan to slow cook over an open fire? Here are factors to consider when buying a camping dutch oven.
1. Size
In selecting the size of your dutch oven you want to consider a couple of things. First, you want a pot that will be big enough to accommodate your choice of food. If you plan to slow cook large cuts of meat like a huge brisket or turkey legs you want to have a pot that’s big enough to handle it.
Secondly, you’ll want to look at how many people you’re cooking for. A good rule of thumb to determine the best dutch oven size is that you should have at least 1 quart per camper. So for 4 campers you’ll need at least a 4 quart or larger dutch oven.
2. Material
The best material construction for a camping dutch oven is cast iron. This is due to its durability and ability to handle high heat. Also, a well-seasoned oven has a nice, non-stick quality. That’s definitely handy while camping as this makes it easy to clean and allows food to easily release.
An alternative material for a camping trip dutch oven is aluminum. They perform well but don’t retain heat as well as a cast iron dutch oven and they aren’t as durable. Also, aluminum dutch ovens are usually not available in sizes over 5 quarts if you need a large pot.
Aluminum dutch ovens are over 60% more lightweight than a cast iron dutch oven. So, if you are solo camping and wish to travel more lightly, it’s a great option.
⇒ Check out this great cast-aluminum oven for camping from GSI Outdoors Store.
3. Legs
The majority of the options in our round-up in search of the best dutch oven for camping have 3 legs. The one exception on our list is the Bruntmor Cast Iron Dutch Oven which is flat-bottomed.
The legs of a camping dutch oven allow some separation between the coals or wood of a campfire. This allows for more even heat distribution and can provide better options to stabilize the cookware.
Also, if you want to slow-cook you can do so without needing a cooking tripod as the legs of the dutch oven can provide adequate separation from the heat source.
A dutch oven with legs (flat-bottomed) is a good option if you also want to use your dutch oven on your home stove. The absence of legs means it can sit on your stove burners without a problem.
A flat-bottomed dutch oven would have to go directly on the coals for camping without much room for separation. This could make your pot much hotter than you want it to be and could cause hotspots. You could alleviate this issue by purchasing an over-fire grill to place the pot on or a cooking tripod to suspend the dutch oven.
Oh No, Did You Miss Our Top Pick?
The 6 quart dutch oven by Camp Chef is our top pick. It checks all of the boxes you need in a dutch oven for camping. Its ample size of 6 quarts ensures you have enough room to fill the pot with as many ingredients as you desire.
Conclusion
Having the right equipment can make or break a camping trip. If you want to eat like royalty while outdoors then a great dutch oven for camping is an absolute must. We have provided the very best options and are happy to have helped you learn more about finding the ideal pot to get you started on your camp cooking journey.
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