How to Make a Stand for a Dutch Oven With a D-Ring

Supplies

• Dutch ovens cook slowly over fires, so you’ll want to make the stand out of metal. Steel or iron are best for the stand and ideal if there are already holes along the dies for screws. Avoid softer metals such as copper, as the constant heating and cooling could cause the metal to warp or crack. You’ll also need some metal chain, rings and a thick metal hook. The hook will be used for hanging the D-ring.

Setup

• For a standard setup either while camping or in the backyard, place the three metal pipes together and chain a ring onto the top end of each one. Use another length of chain to combine the rings and for hanging the Dutch oven. Place the hook at the end of the chain for the D-ring. You’ll want your Dutch oven to sit roughly 4 to 6 inches above the fire for best cooking.

Fireplace Stand

• If you want the old-fashioned smell of slow-cooking meat over your fireplace, it is simple to install a Dutch oven stand in the fireplace. Drill a 1/2-inch hole through the mortar of your fireplace on both sides, about 2 feet up from the fire pit. You’ll need a concrete drill for this job. Next, take a piece of steel or iron that is 1/4 inch less than the total width across your fireplace with the extra inch for the holes included. Place the pipe into the holes and even it out so that it is resting 1/4 inch inside each hole. Hang a piece of chain from the pole and use a hook to support the D-ring on the Dutch oven.

Cooking Tips

• When using a stand for Dutch oven cooking, the goal is to cook over a small fire. The flames should never lick the bottom of the pan, otherwise the food will cook too fast and become dry. Make sure your cast-iron Dutch oven is well seasoned on the inside to make cleanup fast and easy. Finally, cooking times are doubled in the Dutch oven compared to conventional oven times.