No camping trip is fully complete unless you have cooked a meal or two in a Dutch oven. Dutch ovens and campfires have a history of at least several hundred years old, although today, most people use charcoal briquettes to fuel their fire. Perfect for one-pot meals, a Dutch oven can also double as a large skillet if needed. The lid can be used as a griddle, perfect for morning eggs or pancakes. There are two types of Dutch ovens: the camp oven with small legs and a lid that has an upturned rim, and one with a flat bottom and no rim on the lid.
The second type is commonly known as a bean pot and is more suited for kitchen cooking than outdoor fire pits, unless you dig a 'bean hole' to cook in. Bean holes are made by digging a depression in the dirt, placing the bean pot into the hole and covering with either lit charcoal or burning embers.
Dutch ovens can be made from cast iron or aluminum. Cast iron is the most popular and there are numerous clubs around the country devoted to cast iron Dutch oven cooking. Dutch ovens come in several standard sizes, from 8" to 14" in diameter. Larger ovens are available, but for general purpose a 10" or 12" Dutch oven will serve all of your needs.
If you purchase your Dutch oven new, and it is not one of the newer 'pre-seasoned' ovens, you will have to season it before use. To do this, wash carefully and dry with paper towels. Pour several teaspoons of oil into the bottom of the oven. With a clean paper towel, rub the oil over the entire bottom and sides, inside and out. Heat an oven to approximately 400 degrees and allow the oven to cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and then repeat the procedure. Do the same thing with the lid if you plan to use it as a griddle.
If you prefer to season your Dutch oven outside over coals, the oiling method is the same. The only difference is that you turn the Dutch oven upside down over hot coals and allow it to 'cook' for at least an hour.
No matter which method you decide to use, you should do it before you take it camping.
Cooking in a Dutch oven can be fun, easy and is relatively uncomplicated. Stands can be made or purchased to allow a Dutch oven to be hung over an open campfire. Using charcoal is the simplest way of cooking in a Dutch oven. To figure how many briquettes you will need, double the diameter of your oven and add one. In other words, if your oven is 12" in diameter, you will need twenty-four briquettes plus one for twenty-five. This will bring your Dutch oven up to a temperature of around 350 degrees. Each briquette is equivalent to approximately 12 degrees. A charcoal chimney starter is the perfect tool for lighting your briquettes.
When cooking, determine whether you wish to simmer, bake or roast. For simmering, you would place two thirds of the charcoal under the oven and one third on the lid. Baking is just the opposite; two-thirds on the lid with one third of the coals underneath the oven. Roasting calls for a fifty, fifty split. As the charcoal is used, replace the briquettes as needed on a one to one basis. The simplest way of doing this is to put the new briquette next to the old one, allowing it to light before the old one is used up.
Recipes for Dutch oven cooking can be simple or complicated. I listed below some of my personal favorites.
Simple Pot Roast
4 pound roast, either rump or other cut.
3 potatoes, cut into quarters.
3 - 5 carrots, cut into 2" slices.
2 onions, quartered.
Salt and Pepper to taste.
1/2 water
1 beef bullion cube (or 1 teas. powdered bullion) if desired.
Over hot heat, brown meat in a small amount of oil in the bottom of the Dutch oven. When browned on all sides, add vegetables, salt and pepper. Stir ingredients together. Add water.
Cook using the roasting method, fifty fifty split of charcoal, for several hours or until meat is tender.
Beef Burgundy
2 pounds of stew beef.
2 packages of brown gravy mix.
1 clove of garlic.
3 small chopped onions.
1/2 teas. Italian Seasoning.
1/2 cup dark red wine.
1/2 stick of butter.
Small container of sour cream.
Melt butter in the bottom of a hot Dutch oven. Sautee the onion and garlic in the butter until slightly brown. Add meat and brown on all sides. Add the remaining ingredients and allow to simmer until the meat is fork tender. Serve over rice if desired.
Simple Chicken and Dumplings
1 chicken, quartered or 3 chicken quarters (thighs and drumsticks).
1 egg
2 cups biscuit mix.
2 tsp. lard or shortening.
1 cup milk.
Water - enough to cover chicken pieces.
Cook chicken in water until meat can be removed from the bone. Remove chicken from the pot and allow to cool. Reserve cooking water. Mix together the remaining ingredients. Place de-boned chicken back into the pot and add the dough mixture by spoonfuls into the pot. Cover and allow to cook by the simmer method for twenty minutes. Remove from heat and let cool twenty minutes longer.
Simple Campfire Beans
1 pound dried beans
1 pound bacon
Water
If possible, allow the beans to soak over night in water. If not, a simple alternative is to bring beans with enough water to cover to a boil. Put on the lid, and allow to stand one hour. Pour off water and remove beans from the oven.
Cut bacon into small pieces and brown in the bottom of the oven over medium heat. When browned, add beans and enough fresh water to allow beans to double in size. Replace lid and allow to simmer several hours. Check after an hour to make sure you have enough water. Cook until beans are tender.
Simple Breakfast
1 pound ground sausage
6 eggs
3 medium potatoes, diced
Salt and pepper to taste.
1/4 pound of grated cheese.
Brown sausage in Dutch oven over hot coals. Add potatoes and brown on all sides. Scramble six eggs in bowl and pour over the top. Add salt and pepper to taste. Put lid on oven and simmer for twenty minutes or until eggs are set. Sprinkle cheese over the top and simmer, with lid, for five minutes more.
This can be served with biscuits or spooned into flour tortillas for a Tex-Mex style breakfast.
Almost any dish you bake in a regular oven can be adapted to Dutch oven cooking. Don't be afraid to experiment. Breads and pies can also be cooked this way. The secret is to place three or four small rocks on the bottom of the oven, then place the bread pan or pie plate over the rocks. The rocks allow for heat flow around the pan for even cooking.
