Best Cast Iron for Camping

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If you cook over a campfire, cast iron earns its weight. It sears harder and holds heat longer than any other camp cookware, and one seasoned piece can last for generations.

1. Best Two-in-One: Lodge Cast Iron Combo Cooker

The Lodge Combo Cooker is a 3.2-quart seasoned cast iron Dutch oven whose lid doubles as a skillet, so one piece does two jobs at camp. It weighs 12.85 pounds and is seasoned with 100% natural vegetable oil. It is made in the USA and works on any stovetop, including induction, as well as in the oven, on the grill, or over a campfire.

2. Best Skillet: Lodge 10.25-Inch Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet

The 10.25-inch Lodge skillet is the campfire workhorse: seasoned with 100% natural vegetable oil, with a cooking surface that is ready to go straight from the foundry. It weighs 5.66 pounds, is made in the USA, is made without PFAS, and works on any stovetop, including induction, as well as in the oven, on the grill, or over a campfire.

3. Best Dutch Oven: Lodge 6-Quart Camp Dutch Oven

The 12-inch, 6-quart Lodge is the gold standard for family camping. It is deep enough to roast a whole chicken or cook stew for six people, and the heavy wall thickness prevents hot spots when cooking over uneven hardwood embers. It has three cast-iron legs to sit over hot coals and a flanged lid that holds charcoal briquettes on top.

Keeping Cast Iron Going at Camp

Cast iron needs its seasoning protected. Clean it with a chainmail scrubber and warm water, dry it right away, and wipe on only a thin coat of oil. A thick coat turns gummy, and a pan left wet will rust.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." — John 14:27 (KJV)