GSI Hard Anodized Dutch Oven
Campfire Cooking Shouldn't Be Back-Breaking
When it comes to food preparation, cast iron skillets do wonders, but after spending my fair share of time with a cast iron skillet I’ve come to realize two probelms: one, they weigh a metric ton and require a measured degree of maintenance. The solution to my problem? A GSI Hard Anodized Aluminum Dutch Oven.
Unlike products made of cast iron, the Hard Anodized Aluminum Dutch Oven proved to be a dream. The 10″ oven weighs in at about 6 lbs (the cast iron version weighs 14 lbs), which makes it suitable for camping and potentially even backpacking. Also the aluminum is far easier to clean, and you can actually use soap.
For my Dutch Oven cooking debut I went with a chocolate chip cookie recipe. Yes, you probably expected a test with meat, but we here at Gear Patrol like to try the path less taken. I began by firing up 20 or so briquettes in my BBQ. After all, it’s best to test out any gear before hitting the trail.
Allowing the coals to burn and I headed to the kitchen to prep my cookies - a relatively simple recipe with the basic ingredients (butter, sugar, flour, etc.) you’d find for any cookies. Once mixed, and several globs of dough place at the bottom of the Dutch Oven, I headed out to my BBQ and set the oven on a bed of coals making sure to place a few more on the lid.
12 minutes later, I discovered my small globs had morphed into one giant cookie with an ever so slight char. The top quite tasty, and the bottom… well, not so much. But you shouldn’t let my lack of baking skills sway you (timing and flour were my mistakes), the Hard Anodized Dutch Oven is in fact an excellent cooking product as subsequent cooking sessions yielded not only tasty cookies, but succulent savories as well. The possibilities of dishes that can be made with a Dutch Oven are endless (seriously just Google “Dutch Oven Recipes“. Better yet, the ease of cleaning and lightweight construction have turned me on to a life beyond cast iron skillets. I’d suggest you give it a shot.
Cost: $70
Conincidence that Uncrate posted this item today as well?
I think what's important to take note of is that Dan actually had his hands on the product, and took the time to review it personally before publishing a post on it. Great work Dan.
I'm also a big fan of the custom photography here. I think that really sets our coverage apart from that of other sites. As to your question though, I don't think it is a coincidence at all. I trust that you take my meaning.
kind of like how uncrate suddenly has the original inglorious bastards blue ray and countless items first seen on acquiremag, lol. they sometimes have original items so i still check them out but yeah, they snag a lot of stuff.
Does this really hold up to the high standard of Cast Iron? Did you cook with a cast iron dutch oven before Dan? If so were there any notable cooking differences? This would certainly be a great addition to any kitchen/camping trip if it can provide the same results. Thanks for the review Dan!
Hey Scott, thanks for reading! I haven't cooked with a cast iron dutch oven before (I've used the ceramic dutch ovens in the past), but I have cooked with many cast iron skillets. The biggest difference between the two is the clean up and weight. Cleaning burnt cookie is no fun, but I was able to use soap and a light plastic scrub brush with no problems.
Think of it as a product that doesn't replace your cast iron dutch oven, but rather works along side it. So if you are going for an overnighter in the woods; I'd much rather carry less weight than cast iron (or save that weight for beer, wine, ammo, etc). If you are going to do some cooking at home in the oven (or backyard) the classic cast iron would be just fine (as would the GSI anodized aluminum for that matter).
One little bonus tip
you can use the lid (of this one or cast iron) as a mini griddle for pancakes! The slight depression in the middle will keep the pancake batter from running off the sides!
It does seem like an awesome lightweight alternative if the circumstances require, and backpacking would certainly fit the bill. Thanks for the article and the reply!
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This summer I spent a morning cooking breakfast with our resident expert dutch oven camp cook. (He owns dozens of ovens, has been a scoutmaster for longer than I’ve been alive.) He has used cast iron and aluminum camp style dutch ovens for many years and really likes his aluminum ones. He says that he gets similar results with the aluminum ovens, but he generally has to lower the number of coals and keep the oven protected from the wind on our windy Kansas days since aluminum conducts heat so well. The high conduction can create hot spots and cause it to cool off quickly in the wind, but he says after a bit of practice he doesn’t burn things anymore, and he likes how fast they cool down so he can clean them and put them away fast. He loves their light weight and how easy they are to clean. He says the light weight really makes a difference with his back over the course of meal prep and cleanup.