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Saturday, October 30, 2010

Aluminum camp ovens?

Yes, it's true. They sell aluminum camp ovens.

OK, so they're lighter, rust resistant, you don't have to season them. I get that.

I'll never use aluminum cookware again, but I'll try to give as unbiased a comparison as I can:

Cast iron heats more slowly, but evenly, and it retains heat. That's especially important when you're relying on coals, which have variable heat.

Aluminum heats faster, but also cools off faster, and may not heat evenly; More likely to have hot spots.

Aluminum is more vulnerable to outside temp and wind conditions, causing uneven cooking.

Most importantly, aluminum camp ovens have been known to warp and even melt while cooking.

Cast iron's melting point is 2000 degrees; Aluminum's is 1200 degrees.

I had an aluminum outdoor cooking pot that burned a hole in it after a couple of uses.

The hard anodized variety is better quality than regular aluminum, if you must have aluminum.

I just can't imagine aluminum camp ovens being worth their salt.

Cast iron cooks better, indoors and out.



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