Hi there long time no post (really no need once I found the search bar). Part of my current bug-in plan is to use my dutch oven to cook in my house's fireplace should I loose the means to cook otherwise. The only real downside to this I've come up with is making it apparent someone is living in the house. However weighing the risk vs reward, I feel that is acceptable. My question is can anyone come up with any other issues I have not considered with using the dutch oven? Am I mistaken in believing it would be safe to use charcoal biscuits in the fireplace? All input is greatly appreciated.

Stay Safe

It was done back in the day, don't see why it couldn't be used today.

Brother-in-law bought an older farm house last year. When he went to removing the old plaster board he found a fireplace that had been sealed up and inside was a fireplace crane. He also has a cistern under his house and when he checked it out it aligned perfect with the sink so he added a hand pump. Neat set-up when you think about it.

Pics of a fireplace crane.....





His was more like the bottom pic without the fancy curves.

I've done it a lot in the past. google "hearth cooking"

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/Hearth-Cooking.aspx

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/1977-11-01/The-Art-of-Open-Hearth-Cooking.aspx


http://hearttohearthcookery.wordpress.com/2011/01/23/gridirons-bake-kettles-and-more-a-hearth-cooking-adventure/

if you are just using charcoal on a dutch oven in a fire place, it will smoke up your house as there is not enough heat to get the chimney to draw right.

Very hard to bake in a typical fire place as it is hotter on one side - radiant reflection from the fire place.   Typical cooking fire places where much bigger than the ones included in modern houses.   You can do "wet" recipies very easily since they dont require precise heat control.   Baking can be done but you need to turn the oven frequently and it is hard to control the heat.    If you want to do charcoal do it outside - get a dutch oven table with a wind screen or use a hog feeding pan.

Man! I had to clean up my 2 cast iron pans after dinner tonight and after reading your thread I decided to check my dutch ovens, too.

Holy hell, I opened my big Lewis and Clark oven and found 2 dishtowels, a cookbook, tent pegs, lid lifter, 50 feet of climbing rope and about 500 feet of 550 paracord! Only a little rust. Guess I forgot to unpack it the last time we used it.

Dutch ovens are fantastic!

Never, ever use charcoal in any form indoors, there is a very real danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.  Firewood only for a fireplace.