Guide
Dutch Oven Charcoal Chart & Calculator
The rule of thumb: for 350°F, use twice your oven's diameter in briquettes plus one, then add or take away two briquettes for every 25 degrees. For baking, put about two-thirds of them on the lid.
Charcoal chart for baking
Briquettes on the lid / underneath. Standard-size briquettes, a calm day around 70°F.
| Oven | 300°F | 325°F | 350°F | 375°F | 400°F | 425°F | 450°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8" | 9 / 4 | 10 / 5 | 11 / 6 | 13 / 6 | 14 / 7 | 15 / 8 | 17 / 8 |
| 10" | 11 / 6 | 13 / 6 | 14 / 7 | 15 / 8 | 17 / 8 | 18 / 9 | 19 / 10 |
| 12" | 14 / 7 | 15 / 8 | 17 / 8 | 18 / 9 | 19 / 10 | 21 / 10 | 22 / 11 |
| 14" | 17 / 8 | 18 / 9 | 19 / 10 | 21 / 10 | 22 / 11 | 23 / 12 | 25 / 12 |
| 16" | 19 / 10 | 21 / 10 | 22 / 11 | 23 / 12 | 25 / 12 | 26 / 13 | 27 / 14 |
Adjusting for real conditions
- Cold or windy days: add a few briquettes, and use a windscreen if you can.
- Hot sun: you may need a couple fewer.
- Long cooks: briquettes lose heat after 45 minutes to an hour. Light a fresh batch in the chimney before then.
- Avoid hot spots: every 15 minutes, turn the oven a quarter turn one way and the lid a quarter turn the other.
- Deep ovens need a couple more on the bottom than shallow ones.