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Dutch ovens were an important tool in frontier history dating back to the early 1800's. The Pioneers were very limited in the amount of equipment they could pack in moving westward. Dutch ovens, although heavy, had multiple cooking uses and could be heated and cleaned quickly. The Dutch oven proved to be an easy way to bake bread, fry fish or make stew without causing much delay to your travel time.
Because Paul Revere had a pattern for making a Dutch oven almost identical to the ones used on the frontier, he is often credited as their creator. The Dutch, of course, argue that the frontier Dutch oven was patterned after their iron kettles brought to the colonies by tradesmen and that the popular ovens are named after them. Everyone agrees that at that time the Dutch oven was one of the most efficient cooking utensils ever built...and it still is!
A good Dutch oven may be difficult to find. Look in specialty sports and recreational stores or mail order catalogs. They may only be available during camping or hunting season as well. They come in several different sizes ranging eight to sixteen inches in diameter and four to six inches deep.
SEASONING YOUR DUTCH OVEN
The trick to a good Dutch oven is proper seasoning prior to use. Old Ironware was coated with varnish or lacquer to prevent rusting. "Seasoning" was a term that referred to scrubbing or burning off the coating. Modern day ovens still need a good washing in hot sudsy water and then need to be completely dried. This is the only time you should ever wash your Dutch oven in water. Next, heat your oven and boil grease in it. Use a clean rag to completely coat the inside, outside, top and bottom of your oven. When the grease starts to smoke, remove the oven from the heat and wipe it out. Leave a little grease as a protective coating.
HEATING
Although a Dutch oven can be hung over an open fire it can also be buried in a pit of coals. For hole in the ground cooking, dig a pit larger and deeper than the Dutch oven. Line it with small stones or you could even use aluminum foil to reflect the heat. Build your fire in the hole and burn down your charcoal til there are only hot coals. Remove some of the coals to later be placed on top. Put your oven in the hole and cover with dirt about 4- 6 inches thick. Add your remaining coals on top of the dirt to speed up your cooking time. Most dishes will require 4-6 hours of cooking in this method, but remember higher altitudes will require more cooking time.
Ralph Webb, a Western outdoorsman, used this method to cook several Thanksgiving turkeys one year. He cleaned out the inside of the uncooked bird and basted it inside and out with barbeque sauce. Several hours later the meat was falling off the bird and was the highlight of the feast.
Dutch ovens are most generally used for cooking on the ground. Build a wood fire or use charcoal coals. Usually you will not need more than ten to twelve briquettes under the oven and fifteen or less on the lid. Make sure you distribute them evenly. You can regulate the heat by spreading them further apart, removing coals or mixing ashes with the coals.
DUTCH OVEN ACCESSORIES
You will need a thick hooked stick to remove the heavy lid with, or there are commercially made lid removers you can purchase that come as an iron rod about 2 feet long with a hook on one end and a handle on the other.
A small shovel can also be a good tool for digging pits or to aid in moving hot coals around.
DAMAGING TIPS
Follow a few tips and your Dutch oven should last many generations.
- Do not use strong detergents or scour with a cleaning pad. This will ruin your seasoning process.
- Do not pour cold water into your hot oven. You will run the risk of cracking it.
COOKING SECRETS
A slow cooking Dutch oven will give you a temperature of about 300 degrees. Moderate ovens are 350 degrees and a hot oven is 400 - 450 degrees Fahrenheit. To help determine your heat, add a pinch of flour to the inside of your hot Dutch oven. In 5 minutes your flour will turn light brown for a slow oven temperature. Golden brown for a moderate oven and dark brown will determine that your oven is considered a hot temperature.
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