Stansport Cast Iron Dutch Oven - 6 Quart Enameled Camping Cookware for Outdoor Cooking, Baking & Stewing - Perfect for Campfires, BBQs & Dutch Oven Recipes

We are having a blast using this product. I received it for Christmas and since we live in Maine I haven't been able to use it outside yet. However, we have a gas stove and it sits perfectly on our gas burners. I thought I'd use this product a few times a year to cook outside but have found I use it ALL THE TIME to cook in. The high sides keep cooking splatters to a minimum. It goes from the stovetop to the oven effortlessly. Seasoning instructions are easy to follow. The texture of the pan is rough, not smooth like the rest of our cast iron cookware but that doesn't seem to impact it in any way. Foods don't stick and it cleans up easilly. There are You Tube videos that explain how to smooth out the surface if that bothers you but we've had no issues.This is wax dipped raw cast iron. You will most likely need to burn off the wax coating as I did. The best bet is fire up your outdoor grill/fire pit and let that coating cook off. I tried to use a stiff brush under HOT running water and it was not doing the trick.After you get it back to raw iron, go ahead and season like you were reconditioning old; look it up on Youtube. It’s a super simple process but best done again outdoors because there will be smoke.All of that being said, it’s super sturdy; a good cast, albeit rougher-than-Lodge; and a nifty little camp oven for the collection.I got mine as used-acceptable so the $23 was easier to swallow considering the amount of burning off & seasoning was involved.Don't just order this and expect to take it on a camping trip. You have to properly season cast iron so that it doesn't rust or mess up the taste of your food. You have to smother it in oil and bake it in the oven until the oil soaks into the metal. It may take a few times, and this is best done at home in a conventional gas or electric oven, not at a campsite.I love this little 2 quart size. It was absolutely perfect, just be aware that it is very small. I had a very tough time finding one this size. It has the handle, lid, and legs of the big ones but in the perfect size. The lack of seasoning does not bother me at all, especially since this is intended to be used directly with coals if you wish. Had some wax that had to be burned off, so you will want to do that outdoors. Not sure what else to say - this fit my needs perfectly and I would buy it again!Was excited to receive this item, the first dutch oven, but not new to cast iron pans/skillets. After opening the box, noticed it was packaged well however there were major quality concerns.One of the legs appear to have chipped off, about half an inch in length. 3 inch crack down the side of the dutch oven. Appear to have been poorly fixed. Imperfections throughout the interior base of the oven. This is one cast iron that will not smoothen out, even with decades of extended use. I was even considering using my industrial sander to smoothen out the interior of the pot. The oils kept going to one side, NOT LeveL!! The lid however looks decent and in great shape. Fits perfect to the pot.The pot appears to be more of an preproduction defective item. I supose I deserved it, trying to get a dutch oven for this price. I have three other cast iron pans but never had any problems with it's quality. Will be my last Stansport Cast Iron purchase. ONLY time will tell if I have any cooking issues with this item.It did require some elbow grease to clean out the wax. Utilized the oven cleaner option to get any other remaining gunk out before seasoning. I am currently in the process of seasoning this dutch oven for the second time. I was not happy with the result with just seasoning this the first time.Why didn't I return the item??? I didn't want to waist any more money on this item for the return and get another in the like condition...Again... This is going to be the last time getting an unseasoned Stansport Cast iron... My experiment getting something other than a Lodge, was a wrong idea... Folks spend a few more dollars and get a Lodge...Super little dutch oven! I used it to cook apple dumplings for Thanksgiving dinner with charcoals on top and bottom.Recipe for Apple Dumplings (Super simple!)8 servings (2- Granny Smith apples or any preferred, 1- pack cresent rolls, brown sugar, unsalted butter, cinnamon)Peel and slice each apple into 1/4th slices. Unroll each cresent roll dough slice and place on surface. Roll apples in bowl of brown sugar and cinnamon mixed, then coat apples. Lay coated apple slices on top of dough and fold and pinch dough around the apple. Melt 1/2 stick of unsalted butter in saucepan and pour in dutch oven. Spread butter to coat bottom and side walls of oven. Place dumplings in dutch oven. Melt 1-1/2 sticks of unsalted butter in saucepan with brown sugar and cinnamon to make the syrup. Pour syrup over apple dumplings. You can add smaller apples slices on top, if preferred. Cover with lid. Use 10 hot charcoals on top, and 10 on bottom. Rotate oven 1/4 turn- per 15 minutes- for 1 hour (4 turns). You will love this! :)I got the 2 quart model for $10 delivered. How can you say no to that?The good:The lid has a groove (one review said it didn't) and fits the top wellIt seems like thick ironThe size and shape is niceThe bad:It came with a really thick wax coating. Not unusual for chinese iron.It is rough. If you thought Lodge came rough, this is 2X worse.But I sanded my Lodge down to smooth, and will do the same to this guy.I love this! I use it frequently for baking bread and it's quite good for that. The handles on either side are ideal and very handy.A major tip: Seasoning is easy if you 1) Use soybean oil (this is what the pros use, and it's by far the best choice), and 2) 425F for about an hour. Use a light coat and do it twice. You'll love the result. Occasional touch-ups may be necessary and can be done by lightly recoating the worn area with more oil and allowing it to preheat for 45 minutes before use.For my bread I don't use the lid. I use an inverted stainless steel bowl that fits over the oven.I had already bought a 4 qt dutch oven but needed a smaller one for camping as I go myself and maybe odd time another person.so i searched online and found this 2 qt cast iron dutch oven.So this is just perfect.Solid good quality and well made.You need to wash first to get protective coating off then season..can not wait to use this summer..Hard to beat for the price. Covered in paraffin initially to prevent rusting until it finds a home. I burned it off outside over a charcoal fire. Washed the pot with hot soapy water and dried in the oven. Once dry back to the charcoal fire. Got it absolutely smoking hot then started seasoning with vegetable oil. Applied three separate coats, allowing each coat to completely burn/harden before the following one. End result was an oven that looked like it came from your great grandmothers kitchen, dark black and smooth. I have cooked almost everything in here from stew and roasts to scrambled eggs and cobbler, over a fire and in the oven. Basically no sticking whatsoever, cleans up with hot water and the very occasional soapy rinse. A quick wipe with oil when dry and back into the cupboard. Seasoning looks better and better. Totally satisfied with this product, compared it to a friend's 95 dollar name brand and felt sorry for him. A good Dutch oven comes down to a proper seasoning in (Most) cases. This oven will more than satisfy you for the price (if properly seasoned)The product is not exactly as shown in the picture. It arrived with only one handle rather then 2 handles as shown in the picture. As a result, the pot is quite wobbly and and might be dangerous for transporting hot items from fireplace to table.A little rough, scrapped high spots off and seasoned- ready for useYou can’t go wrong for the priceNot lodge quality but for over fire use who caresGood size for one or twoIt's a little unstable with three feet and not four. Narrowly avoided scalding pelvis and lower legs when it tipped over