Dutch Oven Cooking
Cooking techniques such as roasting, baking simmering,
stewing, frying, boiling, steaming, and many others are easily
done on the campfire with only a single utensil, the dutch oven.
Think of the possibilities, delicious fresh baked bread that will
rise up and lift the lid, cobblers made from berries picked fresh at
the campsite, incredible deep-dish pizzas, stews, quiches that melt
in your mouth, cornish game hens roasted to perfection, and
imagine a chocolate cake a foot in diameter. These and many,
many more are very possible and sometimes easier than they are
at home. With very few exceptions, I have been able to duplicate my
home recipes on the campfire using the dutch oven.
All recipes use one of two dutch oven techniques, cooking with
your dutch oven or cooking in it. The first is when the food is
placed directly in the bottom of the dutch oven. In the second
method, food is placed in a second dish and this dish is then
placed onto a trivet in the bottom of the dutch oven. The reason for
the trivet is to elevate the dish above the bottom of the oven to
prevent burning.
A LITTLE ABOUT THE DUTCH OVEN
Before we get started, we should review some of the things you will
need to know before purchasing your first dutch oven. There are
literally hundreds of option and size combinations available, so it
would be impractical for me to tell you which oven is the one for
you. Because each type of oven is designed for a different type of
cooking situation. I will go over the various options and you will
have to decide which ones you will look for.
In shopping for an oven, you should look for one that is obviously
well made. Look at the bail handle, it should be of heavy gauge
wire and securely attached to molded tangs on the side of the
oven. Ovens that have riveted tabs should be avoided. Most oven
handles will lay down against the side of the oven in both
directions, but if you look hard enough, you will find some that
allow the handle to stand up at a 45 degree angle on one side.
This allows you easier access to it when positioning or removing
the oven from the fire.
Another area that bares close examination is the handle on the lid.
It should be a loop attached to the lid on both ends and hollow in
the center allowing it to be easily hooked. Stay away from the
ones that have a molded solid tab on the lid for a handle. These are
very difficult to grasp and manage with a load of coals. The loop
style offers much better control.
While examining the lid, check that it has a lip or ridge around
the outer edge. The lip keeps the coals from sliding off of the lid.
Don't get me wrong, the ridgeless ones can be used but it is
difficult to keep coals on the lid and if you are not meticulous in
cleaning the ash from the lid each and every time you open the
oven, you will end up with ash and/or sand in your food. The lip
virtually eliminates the problem and the lid can be lifted even
fully loaded with ash and coals with little difficulty.
Another feature to look at is the legs. The most common variety is
one with three legs, although flat-bottomed ones and four legged
ones can also be had. For outdoor cooking, legs are a necessity,
they maintain the height of the oven above ground allowing air
for the coals underneath. The flat-bottomed ones can be set up on
rocks or up on steel tent pegs. If you figure in Murphy's Law here,
the flat bottom ovens are best left in the store or on the kitchen
stove where they were intended. I highly recommend three legs over
four simply for the stability factor. It is much more stable with
three legs sitting on rough ground than with four.
The last option to look at is a second handle attached to the lid or
upper rim on the oven base. Some ovens are offered with a skillet
type handle attached to the lid. This, in theory, is a good idea, but
in reality they seem to be more in the way than of assistance. The
handle does assist in using the lid upside down as a skillet or
griddle but when using it as a lid, they get in the way of the bail
handle and also misbalance the lid when lifting by the center
hoop. They also tend to be in the way during storage and packing
situations. Fixed handles on the oven base, with one exception,
should be absolutely avoided. I believe the theory behind these
handles was to make the oven easier to position in a deep fire pit.
If you insist on considering the handle, take a couple of red
bricks with you to the store and place them in the oven. Then give
her a lift by the handle and you will see the uselessness in the
handle. A loaded 12" oven can weigh 20 to 25 pounds, a real wrist
breaker. The one exception is a small tab sometimes offered which
is about 1 to 1-1/2" deep and 2-3" wide on the upper lip of the oven.
This tab makes pouring liquids from the oven very easy and its
small size has never caused storage or packing problems for me.
Cast iron reacts more slowly to temperature changes, keeping food
warmer longer. Also, because they retain heat well, they fair better
on windy days with smaller variations in temperature. Cast iron
absorbs a great deal of heat, consequently, they require fewer
coals to reach and maintain a set temperature. The last thing you
must consider is the size of the oven. They range from the tiny 4"
to the giant 24" monsters. 10"-12" will serve rather adequately for
almost all circumstances.
As a review, you should look for a 10"-12" oven that is obviously
well made and of good design. It should have three legs, loop type
handle and a lip on the lid and a strong bail type handle for the
bottom. You can choose other options but those are personal
preferences and totally up the user.
Now that you have decided the type, style and options, where do
you find one? AT A RENDEZVOUS, OF COURSE!!!
Many good sporting goods or camping supply stores also will
carry them. Also, restaurant supply houses may stock them or
will have a catalog they can order them from. From my
experiences, the restaurant houses typically cost a bit more but the
ovens are commercial quality and they usually have a better
selection to choose from. If you go into the store armed with
information, you should have little problem in selecting an oven
for your needs and it will be the start of some long-lived happy
memories. One word of fair warning, SHOP AROUND! I have seen
the same 10" oven by the same manufacturer range in price from
$25 up to their mighty proud $60, so be careful. Demand quality,
a poorly made oven with lots of options is not worth the time to
carry it to the car.
OTHER THINGS YOU WILL NEED
A good pair of leather gloves can save time and prove invaluable
around a hot fire. A pair of Work Style gloves will do, but I
recommend you look at a Fire and Safety Supply house or a store
that supplies fireplace accessories and locate a pair of fire
handling gloves. Although these typically cost more, they offer
thicker leather and an inner insulating lining. They allow you to
literally place your hand into hot coals, though I don't recommend
doing so. You will have to weigh the quality against the higher
price for yourself.
Something else you will need is a shovel. The standard garden
type will be sufficient. It will be used for stirring the coals and
lifting them out of the fire pit to the oven. The style and length of
the handle is up to you, the user. The longer ones are great but not
practical on hikes and canoe trips. While the shorter handles are
great for hiking and canoes, they allow the danger of getting you
and your hands closer to the fire.
Another item which will prove to be worth their weight in gold is a
pair of hot pot pliers. The pliers have a specially designed jaw that
grips the oven lid very securely. The handle has a hook that is
used to grab the bail handle when it is too hot to hold by hand or
when it is hanging down in the coals.
PREPARATION OF YOUR OVEN
Cast iron ovens, if properly cared for, will last many a
generation. I know several individuals that have dutch ovens
belonging to great-great-grandmothers, dating back well into the
1800's. The treatment and care instructions are applicable to any
cast iron skillet, griddle etc. The secret of cast iron's long life is
really no secret at all. Constant and proper care beginning with
the day it is purchased will keep the oven in service for many
years. All quality ovens, when new, have a protective coating that
must be removed. This will require a good scrubbing with steel
wool and some elbow grease. Once removed, the oven needs to be
rinsed well, towel dried and let air dry. While it is drying, this
would be a good time to pre-heat your kitchen oven to 350. After it
appears dry, place the dutch oven on the center rack with its lid
ajar. Allow the dutch oven to warm slowly so it is just barely too
hot to handle with bare hands. This pre-heating does two things, it
drives any remaining moisture out of the metal and opens the
pores of the metal.
Now, using a clean rag or preferably a paper towel, apply a thin
layer of salt free cooking oil. Tallow or lard will do also but these
animal fats tend to break down during the storage periods
between campouts and are not recommended. Make sure the oil
covers every inch of the oven, inside and out and replace the oven
onto the center shelf, again with the lid ajar. Bake it for about an
hour or so at 350. This baking hardens the oil into a protective
coating over the metal
After baking, allow the oven to cool slowly. When it is cool enough
to be handled, apply another thin coating of oil. Repeat the baking
and cooling process. Again reapply a thin coating of oil when it
can be handled again. Allow the oven to cool completely now. It
should have three layers of oil, two baked on and one applied when
it was warm. The oven is now ready to use or store.
This pre-treatment procedure only needs to be done once, unless
rust forms or the coating is damaged in storage or use. This
baked on coating will darken and eventually turn black with age.
This darkening is a sign of a well-kept oven and of it's use. The
pre-treatment coating's purpose is two fold, first and most
important, it forms a barrier between moisture in the air and the
surface of the metal. This effectively prevents the metal from
rusting. The second purpose is to provide a non-stick coating on
the inside of the oven. When properly maintained, this coating is
as non-stick as most of the commercially applied coatings.
CLEANING YOUR OVEN
For cast iron ovens, the clean process is in two steps. First, food is
removed and second, maintenance of the coating. To remove stuck
on food, place some warm clean water into the oven and heat until
almost boiling. Using a pot scrubber or coarse sponge and NO
SOAP, gently break loose the food and wipe away. After all traces
have been removed, rinse with clean warm water. Soap is not
recommended because its flavor will get into the pores of the metal
and will taint the flavor of your next meal.
After cleaning and rinsing, allow it to air-dry. Heat over the fire
just until it hot to the touch. Apply a thin coating of oil to the
inside of the oven and the underside of the lid. Allow the oven to
cool completely. The outside will need little attention other than a
good wipe down unless you see signs of rust forming. As a
suggestion, it is a good idea to keep a scrubber for cast iron and
never use it with soap.
A FEW No No's
Never, and I repeat, NEVER allow cast iron to sit in water or allow
water to stand in or on it. It will rust despite a good coating.
Never use soap on cast iron. The soap will get into the pores of the
metal and won't come out very easy, but will return to taint your
next meal, though. If soap is used accidentally, the oven should be
put through the pretreatment procedure, including removal of the
present coating.
Do not place an empty cast iron pan or oven over a hot fire. Cast
iron will crack or warp, ruining it.
Do not get in a hurry to heat cast iron, you will end up with burnt
food or a damaged oven or pan.
Never put cold liquid into a very hot cast iron pan or oven. They
will crack on the spot!
TIPS ON COOKING TECHNIQUES
Enough about the oven and on to what you can do with it!
ROASTING: The heat source should come from the top and bottom
equally. Coals should be placed under the oven and on the lid at a
1 to 1 ratio.
BAKING: Usually done with more heat from the top than from the
bottom. Coals should be placed under the oven and on the lid at a 1
to 3 ratio, having more on the lid.
FRYING, BOILING ETC: All of the heat should come from the
bottom. Coals will be placed under the oven only.
STEWING, SIMMERING: Almost all heat will be from the bottom.
Place the coals under and on the oven at a 4 to 1 ratio with more
underneath than on the lid.
THE LID! The lid can be placed on the fire or stove upside down
and used as a skillet or griddle. Using the lid in this fashion,
you can make virtually error free pancakes and eggs that don't
run all over. This is because most lids are shaped like a very
shallow bowl so things naturally stay in the center, even if the
lid is not level!
stewing, frying, boiling, steaming, and many others are easily
done on the campfire with only a single utensil, the dutch oven.
Think of the possibilities, delicious fresh baked bread that will
rise up and lift the lid, cobblers made from berries picked fresh at
the campsite, incredible deep-dish pizzas, stews, quiches that melt
in your mouth, cornish game hens roasted to perfection, and
imagine a chocolate cake a foot in diameter. These and many,
many more are very possible and sometimes easier than they are
at home. With very few exceptions, I have been able to duplicate my
home recipes on the campfire using the dutch oven.
All recipes use one of two dutch oven techniques, cooking with
your dutch oven or cooking in it. The first is when the food is
placed directly in the bottom of the dutch oven. In the second
method, food is placed in a second dish and this dish is then
placed onto a trivet in the bottom of the dutch oven. The reason for
the trivet is to elevate the dish above the bottom of the oven to
prevent burning.
A LITTLE ABOUT THE DUTCH OVEN
Before we get started, we should review some of the things you will
need to know before purchasing your first dutch oven. There are
literally hundreds of option and size combinations available, so it
would be impractical for me to tell you which oven is the one for
you. Because each type of oven is designed for a different type of
cooking situation. I will go over the various options and you will
have to decide which ones you will look for.
In shopping for an oven, you should look for one that is obviously
well made. Look at the bail handle, it should be of heavy gauge
wire and securely attached to molded tangs on the side of the
oven. Ovens that have riveted tabs should be avoided. Most oven
handles will lay down against the side of the oven in both
directions, but if you look hard enough, you will find some that
allow the handle to stand up at a 45 degree angle on one side.
This allows you easier access to it when positioning or removing
the oven from the fire.
Another area that bares close examination is the handle on the lid.
It should be a loop attached to the lid on both ends and hollow in
the center allowing it to be easily hooked. Stay away from the
ones that have a molded solid tab on the lid for a handle. These are
very difficult to grasp and manage with a load of coals. The loop
style offers much better control.
While examining the lid, check that it has a lip or ridge around
the outer edge. The lip keeps the coals from sliding off of the lid.
Don't get me wrong, the ridgeless ones can be used but it is
difficult to keep coals on the lid and if you are not meticulous in
cleaning the ash from the lid each and every time you open the
oven, you will end up with ash and/or sand in your food. The lip
virtually eliminates the problem and the lid can be lifted even
fully loaded with ash and coals with little difficulty.
Another feature to look at is the legs. The most common variety is
one with three legs, although flat-bottomed ones and four legged
ones can also be had. For outdoor cooking, legs are a necessity,
they maintain the height of the oven above ground allowing air
for the coals underneath. The flat-bottomed ones can be set up on
rocks or up on steel tent pegs. If you figure in Murphy's Law here,
the flat bottom ovens are best left in the store or on the kitchen
stove where they were intended. I highly recommend three legs over
four simply for the stability factor. It is much more stable with
three legs sitting on rough ground than with four.
The last option to look at is a second handle attached to the lid or
upper rim on the oven base. Some ovens are offered with a skillet
type handle attached to the lid. This, in theory, is a good idea, but
in reality they seem to be more in the way than of assistance. The
handle does assist in using the lid upside down as a skillet or
griddle but when using it as a lid, they get in the way of the bail
handle and also misbalance the lid when lifting by the center
hoop. They also tend to be in the way during storage and packing
situations. Fixed handles on the oven base, with one exception,
should be absolutely avoided. I believe the theory behind these
handles was to make the oven easier to position in a deep fire pit.
If you insist on considering the handle, take a couple of red
bricks with you to the store and place them in the oven. Then give
her a lift by the handle and you will see the uselessness in the
handle. A loaded 12" oven can weigh 20 to 25 pounds, a real wrist
breaker. The one exception is a small tab sometimes offered which
is about 1 to 1-1/2" deep and 2-3" wide on the upper lip of the oven.
This tab makes pouring liquids from the oven very easy and its
small size has never caused storage or packing problems for me.
Cast iron reacts more slowly to temperature changes, keeping food
warmer longer. Also, because they retain heat well, they fair better
on windy days with smaller variations in temperature. Cast iron
absorbs a great deal of heat, consequently, they require fewer
coals to reach and maintain a set temperature. The last thing you
must consider is the size of the oven. They range from the tiny 4"
to the giant 24" monsters. 10"-12" will serve rather adequately for
almost all circumstances.
As a review, you should look for a 10"-12" oven that is obviously
well made and of good design. It should have three legs, loop type
handle and a lip on the lid and a strong bail type handle for the
bottom. You can choose other options but those are personal
preferences and totally up the user.
Now that you have decided the type, style and options, where do
you find one? AT A RENDEZVOUS, OF COURSE!!!
Many good sporting goods or camping supply stores also will
carry them. Also, restaurant supply houses may stock them or
will have a catalog they can order them from. From my
experiences, the restaurant houses typically cost a bit more but the
ovens are commercial quality and they usually have a better
selection to choose from. If you go into the store armed with
information, you should have little problem in selecting an oven
for your needs and it will be the start of some long-lived happy
memories. One word of fair warning, SHOP AROUND! I have seen
the same 10" oven by the same manufacturer range in price from
$25 up to their mighty proud $60, so be careful. Demand quality,
a poorly made oven with lots of options is not worth the time to
carry it to the car.
OTHER THINGS YOU WILL NEED
A good pair of leather gloves can save time and prove invaluable
around a hot fire. A pair of Work Style gloves will do, but I
recommend you look at a Fire and Safety Supply house or a store
that supplies fireplace accessories and locate a pair of fire
handling gloves. Although these typically cost more, they offer
thicker leather and an inner insulating lining. They allow you to
literally place your hand into hot coals, though I don't recommend
doing so. You will have to weigh the quality against the higher
price for yourself.
Something else you will need is a shovel. The standard garden
type will be sufficient. It will be used for stirring the coals and
lifting them out of the fire pit to the oven. The style and length of
the handle is up to you, the user. The longer ones are great but not
practical on hikes and canoe trips. While the shorter handles are
great for hiking and canoes, they allow the danger of getting you
and your hands closer to the fire.
Another item which will prove to be worth their weight in gold is a
pair of hot pot pliers. The pliers have a specially designed jaw that
grips the oven lid very securely. The handle has a hook that is
used to grab the bail handle when it is too hot to hold by hand or
when it is hanging down in the coals.
PREPARATION OF YOUR OVEN
Cast iron ovens, if properly cared for, will last many a
generation. I know several individuals that have dutch ovens
belonging to great-great-grandmothers, dating back well into the
1800's. The treatment and care instructions are applicable to any
cast iron skillet, griddle etc. The secret of cast iron's long life is
really no secret at all. Constant and proper care beginning with
the day it is purchased will keep the oven in service for many
years. All quality ovens, when new, have a protective coating that
must be removed. This will require a good scrubbing with steel
wool and some elbow grease. Once removed, the oven needs to be
rinsed well, towel dried and let air dry. While it is drying, this
would be a good time to pre-heat your kitchen oven to 350. After it
appears dry, place the dutch oven on the center rack with its lid
ajar. Allow the dutch oven to warm slowly so it is just barely too
hot to handle with bare hands. This pre-heating does two things, it
drives any remaining moisture out of the metal and opens the
pores of the metal.
Now, using a clean rag or preferably a paper towel, apply a thin
layer of salt free cooking oil. Tallow or lard will do also but these
animal fats tend to break down during the storage periods
between campouts and are not recommended. Make sure the oil
covers every inch of the oven, inside and out and replace the oven
onto the center shelf, again with the lid ajar. Bake it for about an
hour or so at 350. This baking hardens the oil into a protective
coating over the metal
After baking, allow the oven to cool slowly. When it is cool enough
to be handled, apply another thin coating of oil. Repeat the baking
and cooling process. Again reapply a thin coating of oil when it
can be handled again. Allow the oven to cool completely now. It
should have three layers of oil, two baked on and one applied when
it was warm. The oven is now ready to use or store.
This pre-treatment procedure only needs to be done once, unless
rust forms or the coating is damaged in storage or use. This
baked on coating will darken and eventually turn black with age.
This darkening is a sign of a well-kept oven and of it's use. The
pre-treatment coating's purpose is two fold, first and most
important, it forms a barrier between moisture in the air and the
surface of the metal. This effectively prevents the metal from
rusting. The second purpose is to provide a non-stick coating on
the inside of the oven. When properly maintained, this coating is
as non-stick as most of the commercially applied coatings.
CLEANING YOUR OVEN
For cast iron ovens, the clean process is in two steps. First, food is
removed and second, maintenance of the coating. To remove stuck
on food, place some warm clean water into the oven and heat until
almost boiling. Using a pot scrubber or coarse sponge and NO
SOAP, gently break loose the food and wipe away. After all traces
have been removed, rinse with clean warm water. Soap is not
recommended because its flavor will get into the pores of the metal
and will taint the flavor of your next meal.
After cleaning and rinsing, allow it to air-dry. Heat over the fire
just until it hot to the touch. Apply a thin coating of oil to the
inside of the oven and the underside of the lid. Allow the oven to
cool completely. The outside will need little attention other than a
good wipe down unless you see signs of rust forming. As a
suggestion, it is a good idea to keep a scrubber for cast iron and
never use it with soap.
A FEW No No's
Never, and I repeat, NEVER allow cast iron to sit in water or allow
water to stand in or on it. It will rust despite a good coating.
Never use soap on cast iron. The soap will get into the pores of the
metal and won't come out very easy, but will return to taint your
next meal, though. If soap is used accidentally, the oven should be
put through the pretreatment procedure, including removal of the
present coating.
Do not place an empty cast iron pan or oven over a hot fire. Cast
iron will crack or warp, ruining it.
Do not get in a hurry to heat cast iron, you will end up with burnt
food or a damaged oven or pan.
Never put cold liquid into a very hot cast iron pan or oven. They
will crack on the spot!
TIPS ON COOKING TECHNIQUES
Enough about the oven and on to what you can do with it!
ROASTING: The heat source should come from the top and bottom
equally. Coals should be placed under the oven and on the lid at a
1 to 1 ratio.
BAKING: Usually done with more heat from the top than from the
bottom. Coals should be placed under the oven and on the lid at a 1
to 3 ratio, having more on the lid.
FRYING, BOILING ETC: All of the heat should come from the
bottom. Coals will be placed under the oven only.
STEWING, SIMMERING: Almost all heat will be from the bottom.
Place the coals under and on the oven at a 4 to 1 ratio with more
underneath than on the lid.
THE LID! The lid can be placed on the fire or stove upside down
and used as a skillet or griddle. Using the lid in this fashion,
you can make virtually error free pancakes and eggs that don't
run all over. This is because most lids are shaped like a very
shallow bowl so things naturally stay in the center, even if the
lid is not level!