Jam kettle / preserving pan / Dutch oven question?

[mushroom]

I was in a local charity shop yesterday when a great Jam Kettle had just been put out for the bargain price of £3.50! I snapped it up as I'd like to get into preserving this year having moved to a house with fruit trees in the garden. It's very large, great condition, with a lid (unusual for jam kettles), think it's aluminium and with obligatory iron 'bucket type' handle over the top. So, I'm wondering if it can also be used like a Dutch oven to suspend over an open fire? I'm presuming there must be a reason why Dutch Ovens are cast iron?? Thanks

[Brambles]

I've not used an aluminium one, but I'm sure I've seen them on Amaz0n, maybe have a Google. Did find this.....http://www.ehow.com/how_7699565_cook-al ... -oven.html don't know whether it's any good for you.

[mushroom]

Thanks for that - sounds like it would be okay! Seems the main difference is that it will cool much more quickly, so would need to adjust timing accordingly.

[short circuit]

Dutch ovens are fully cast iron as thay need to be to put that amount of heat around alli would melt stainless steel takes the heat but the handle would not cast iron or iron spreads the heat and gets really hot. but what a nice find on the jam pan all i can say is your rather jammy

[tigs]

dutch ovens were traditional put in and over open fires plus the fact that they were made before aluminum was discovered but the main reason a lot of people go for cast iron is the reason short circuit gave plus cast iron will retain the heat longer requiring less fuel to cook things

[ForgeCorvus]

A Dutch oven is a cooking pot, but not all cooking pots are Dutch ovens.

I think what Short Circuit is trying to say is that Ali is fine with a liquid inside it (stew, jam or your washing) but it you use it dry (as an oven) then your cooking fire is likely to be hot enough to melt your pot.... Thereby destroying your fantastically lucky find

Is it Pressed or Cast ?.... Post Pics please

I have seen Cast Ali Dutchies for sale but haven't put my cash down (yet)

[12mp82]

Melting point of aluminium 660.3 °C

Melting point of cst iron 1176.6°C

So I guess it will depend a lot on where in your fire you put your pot, if you keep it above the base, continuous flame, area it won't fare as well as it would in the area just above the solid flame area in the intermittent flame area.

Base flames tend to be around 900°C

Intermittent flames are around 320°C

So if you keep it up you are going to be well below the the melting point.

A lot of baking with a Dutch oven is done in the embers of a good fire, and the internal temps are also raised by placing embers on the lid as well as around the base.

[mushroom]

jam kettle.jpg (76.4 KiB) Viewed 1630 times

Thanks for all the comments - really helpful. Sounds like I can safely suspend it above the fire at least! Have attached a pic... in my ignorance - how do I tell if it's pressed or cast? It also came with the large shallow pan underneath and it's all sitting on the lid, which is just a disk which fits on top. My find of the week!

[12mp82]

looking at that picture it is a pressed one, and looks quite thin aluminium compared to a cast one.

[tigs]

the best way to tell if its cast is weight cast iron is really heavy also its a dark colour often black . take a look here http://www.dutchovens.co.uk/