Dutch Oven Cornbread

[Rockerga]

"Many dutch oven cooks use the "three up, three down rule." For 325 degrees in a 12-inch diameter iron oven you need 12 briquettes + 3 = 15 briquettes for the top and 12 briquettes - 3 = 9 briquettes for the bottom. To get 350° F, add one more coal on both the top and bottom. Each two additional coals will give you about 20° F more heat."

I somehow came up with 20 on top and 10 on the bottom (For best and uniform temps on a 12") at the beginning and then added about 3 -4 more 3/4 of the way through.

[dbwell00]

Regarding the counting coals thing, I read on a site somewhere on how to normalize for different size charcoal, wood coals, etc... just use a ring.

If you take Kingsford Charcoal and a 12 " oven and arrange in a ring around the outside of the lid, it's about 15-16 coals. If you arrange in a ring under the bottom, it's about 9 coals (3 between each leg). This is consistent with the 3 up 3 down rule to get a 350 degree temp!

If you're using cheap charcoal, or lump charcoal, or wood coals, arrange enough coals to complete a ring around the bottom and the top and you'll have about the right amount of heat. And the ring keeps the heat near the wall of the oven which disperses the heat.

To get hotter temperatures, start forming a second concentric ring around the top, but no more than one ring on the bottom.

[Rockerga]

Originally Posted by dbwell00

Regarding the counting coals thing, I read on a site somewhere on how to normalize for different size charcoal, wood coals, etc... just use a ring.

If you take Kingsford Charcoal and a 12 " oven and arrange in a ring around the outside of the lid, it's about 15-16 coals. If you arrange in a ring under the bottom, it's about 9 coals (3 between each leg). This is consistent with the 3 up 3 down rule to get a 350 degree temp!

If you're using cheap charcoal, or lump charcoal, or wood coals, arrange enough coals to complete a ring around the bottom and the top and you'll have about the right amount of heat. And the ring keeps the heat near the wall of the oven which disperses the heat.

To get hotter temperatures, start forming a second concentric ring around the top, but no more than one ring on the bottom.

Very wise advice, thank you Grasshopper!