Apparatus and method for dutch oven cooking over charcoal

An outdoor dutch oven one-piece cooking handle for one-handed use comprising a proximal end, a distal end and linear elongated means connecting the two ends:

• the distal end comprising divergent bifurcated toe means and heel means, the toe and heel means at the bifurcation each forming an included angle with the axis of the shaft means which is substantially less than 90.degree.;
• the toe means comprising first relatively short continuously curved rigid heat resistant means capable of engaging, for lifting purposes, a conventional dutch oven lid loop in male/female relationship;
• the heel means bifurcated from the toe means comprising second relatively short generally straight rigid heat resistant means to engage the top surface of and stabilize the dutch oven lid as said lid is lifted at the lid loop by the toe means;
• the proximal end comprising manual grasping means whereby the cooking handle is easily and firmly grasped for lifting purposes.

A cooking system comprising:

• a charcoal starting apparatus, a cooking stand and a separate handle for manual movement of a cooking utensil and a lid therefor;
• the charcoal starting apparatus comprising a source of flowable fuel, burner apparatus selectively receiving the fuel and burning the same as an open exposed flame and basket means comprising a porous bottom upon which charcoal articles are placed to start the same;
• the cooking stand comprising an open ended elevated hot charcoal-receiving trough detachably mounted upon spaced vertically-directed ground engaging legs;
• the handle comprising proximal end means for manual grasping, and distal trifurcated end means comprising means by which bail means of a cooking utensil are engaged for lifting purposes, means for lifting the loop of lid means of the cooking utensil and means stabilizing the lid means during lifting.

A method of outdoor cooking comprising the steps of:

• igniting separate burner means using flowable fuel so that a continuous controlled open flame is created;
• placing charcoal fuel means into basket means such that the open flame of the separate burner means comes into direct contact with the charcoal fuel means through a porous bottom of the basket means whereby the charcoal fuel means are started and become an independent heat source;
• separating the separate burner means and the basket means from the vicinity of each other;
• erecting an elevated trough upon detachable legs for waist high use;
• displacing the burning charcoal fuel means from the basket means into the elevated trough which simultaneously accommodates a plurality of cooking instruments, with the separate burner means being disposed at a remote location;
• placing and removing as needed the cooking instruments onto and from the elevated trough by one hand use of handle means.

A portable outdoor cooking apparatus, comprising:

• open-ended top tray means having a generally trough-shaped cross-section defining cavity means between front and back wall means;
• a source of flowable fuel;
• burner means comprising means in communication with the fuel source and comprising fuel dispensing means by which a continuous controlled open flame is sustained, the burner means comprising frame means sized and shaped to be received in the trough of the tray means;
• transportable basket means comprising porous bottom means into which charcoal articles to be ignited and oxidized are placed and held over the burner means in contact with the flame during ignition and initial oxidation.