Dutch Oven Cooking

[Lily&Me]

'Tis a cold and rainy day in central Illinois.....winter, I fear, is upon us.

Fall chores completed and lots of wood in, so I'm doing what any woman like me would do on a day like this....I'm baking Dutch Oven bread.

This loaf with 1/2 cup of steel cut oats in it, baked in my inverted deep fryer that I bought last winter for the little house.

Gives you the covered, DO baker, with the skillet/lid as the bottom, which makes it much easier to remove the bread without burning your hands.


Maggie

[Hittenstiehl]

Maggie looks so delish I can almost smell it. A little butter and a cup of tea. Wishing you a nice fall day. Here in AZ its a beautiful 85 day of sunshine but were waiting for Autumn also but in the form of a second granddaughter to join her sister Summer.

[Lily&Me]

Thank you...it does smell good.

A new grandchild! How exciting, and named for the seasons. I love it.

Wishing little Autumn, and her Mama, a safe and easy entrance into the world.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

I don't think that Joy (Paddledipper) will mind if I post here her first use of her Dutch Oven, to make a loaf of DO bread.

Good job!


Maggie

[Paddledipper]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

I don't think that Joy (Paddledipper) will mind if I post here her first use of her Dutch Oven, to make a loaf of DO bread.



Good job!





Maggie

Joy AKA Paddledipper is eating a piece for breakfast cold, but drinking hot coffee right now! Yum!

[Lily&Me]

Cold is good when it's very fresh.......my favorite is toasted, with a bit of butter and good marmalade or jam.

You will be an inspiration to others, who are just waiting to take the plunge.



Maggie

[Lily&Me]

This recipe came from Mother Earth News this morning:

Camper's Focaccia Bread Recipe

By Peg Couch
From "Dutch Oven and Cast Iron Cooking"
November 2014

Total Hands-On Time: 40 to 50 minutes
Preparation Time: 20 to 30 minutes
Cook Time: Bake for 10 to 20 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour
• 2 tsp. yeast
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 3 to 4 tsp dried herbs (such as basil, rosemary, thyme, dill or desired combination), divided
• 1/4 cups olive oil, divided
• 1-1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp. coarse sea salt, or to taste, divided
• 1/3 cups grated Asiago, Parmesan or Romano cheese

Instructions:

Preparation

1. In a medium bowl, mix flour, yeast and sugar. Add 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons very warm water and stir until dough forms. Cover bowl and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.

2. To dough in bowl, add 2 teaspoons herbs, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and Asiago cheese. Use hands to work ingredients into dough until well incorporated (dough will seem oily). Knead dough for 10 minutes until smooth. Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

In the Oven

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Pat dough evenly over bottom of skillet. With fingers, press 1/2 inch-deep indentations evenly spaced over top of dough. Brush dough with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with remaining 1 to 2 teaspoons herbs and 1 teaspoon salt.

2. Place skillet on center rack in oven and bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes or to desired crustiness. Cool slightly before cutting into wedges.

Over the Fire (About 28 hot coals)

1. Grease bottom of Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray. Put dough evenly over bottom of pot. With fingers, press 1/2 inch-deep indentations evenly spaced over top of dough. Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with remaining 1 to 2 teaspoons herb and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover pot with lid.

2. Arrange about 1/3 hot coals in cooking ring underneath Dutch oven. Place remaining hot coals on lid. Bake for 10 to 20 minutes or to desired crustiness. Rotate pot and lid twice during cooking. Adjust the number of hot coals on top and bottom as needed for even cooking. Cool slightly before cutting into wedges.

3. Serve warm or at room temperature.


Maggie

[Pagey]

Maggie:

I made monkey bread in my DO for the breakfast potluck at Hunting Island Hiatus on Saturday. The bottom layer was over-cooked (read burnt sugar) but the rest of it was quite tasty. It was the first time I had tried to make it. People seemed to enjoy it, since all that was left was the burned bottom layer. Going to tweak the recipe (and the coal distribution) and may make it at Alumalina next spring.

I'm getting braver!

[Lily&Me]

Good for you!

I would always use a liner for monkey bread, be sure your coals underneath are in a ring and take the DO off the lower coals completely if the bottom appears done but the top still needs to cook/brown a bit.

I have even taken the lower coals and added them to the top, if the bottom was browned/done but top still needed the heat.

There is no rule that says you must keep coals top and bottom the entire cooking time.

I found a book somewhere on hearth and fireplace cooking, that has some hepful tips for coal baking. I'll share it with you at Alumalina if you want to take a look at it.

Have fun!


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

I made a loaf of DO bread for dinner yesterday, that I started Saturday and incorporated about 3/4 cup of cooked, steel cut oats into, that I had cooked earlier in the week. I usually add 1/2 cup of uncooked, steel cut oats.

I reduced the water by 1/4 cup, could have reduced it by 1/3 cup, as the dough was a bit on the moist side, and whisked the room temperature oats into the water to distribute them before adding the liquids to the dry ingredients.

It came out crusty and beautiful, and was very well received. Such a forgivng dough.


Maggie

[Pagey]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

Good for you!

I would always use a liner for monkey bread, be sure your coals underneath are in a ring and take the DO off the lower coals completely if the bottom appears done but the top still needs to cook/brown a bit.

I have even taken the lower coals and added them to the top, if the bottom was browned/done but top still needed the heat.

I did use a parchment liner, but I am still learning about coal placement. I am going to use it more often at home to hone my skills.

And I would love to see your book.

[Lily&Me]

We all burn things on occasion.

Not an exact science, which is a great part of the fun.



Maggie

[Lily&Me]

This is a Martha Stewart recipe I came across last year and has become the favorite dinner roll for my family.

It would lend itself easily to Dutch Oven and camp cooking, because it doesn't require kneading , can be refrigerated up to a day, and is a very user-friendly dough. Kids could also help with this.


No-Knead Rolls

2 cups lukewarm water
2 packages, or 2 tablespoons, active dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons salt
6 cups or so all-purpose flour

Pour warm water into a large bowl; sprinkle with yeast, stir in sugar, and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add melted butter, eggs, and salt; whisk to combine. Add 3 cups flour, a cup or so at a time, whisking well after each. Add remaining flour, a cup or so at a time, stirring and using your hands as needed, until well incorporated and a nice dough forms.

Brush a bit of melted butter or oil on top of dough, cover and let rise til doubled, 30-45 minutes. Scrape out onto a well-floured work surface and use your hands to stretch and shape into a thick log. Cut into 18 equal pieces.

Flatten each piece of dough a bit, then pull edges to center and pinch, until a nice ball forms. Place dough balls into 2 greased or buttered 9" pans, 9 rolls per pan, smooth side up. Spray lightly with Pam, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 30 to 40 minutes. Alternatively, refrigerate up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove plastic wrap, bake until golden and rolls are nicely browned, 20 minutes or so. Remove to cooling rack, put a bit of butter on a paper towel and rub over tops of rolls.


This recipe would easily fill a 12" Dutch Oven. I would use a liner, as the butter in the dough will lend itself a bit to burning. Watch the dough carefully as it rises, as it goes pretty fast, and coals should be ready at least by the end of 45 minutes.

Because this dough has butter, sugar and eggs, it would be an excellent cinnamon roll dough. To avoid all that tasking in the morning, I think you could cut the dough in half, roll each out, spread with butter and your favorite filling, roll up, wrap in greased wax paper, place in a gallon ziploc bag, and refrigerate overnight. The dough will rise in the frig, so don't wrap too tightly.

In the morning, I would cut the rolls with scissors instead of a knife, to reduce deflation, and place in a lined DO while coals are readying. There is enough yeast in this dough that any deflation from cutting at this point should correct itself during baking. Or, could refrigerate the dough, shape and fill in the am.

I'm going to try this, next rally.


Maggie

[Gearheart]

I've made cinnamon buns using bisquick for the dough with great success.

[Lily&Me]

Yep, Bisquick works.

Some of us are old-school (and/or old), and like the smell and flavor of yeast....also what it does to a dough.

I have used frozen roll dough with great success, too, also frozen biscuits.

Am just into this no-knead dough phase, which at least some others also enjoy.



Maggie

[rmkrum]

Good ideas!


Sent from my pocket Internet using Airstream Forums

[Lily&Me]

This is a very nice little video on making the-very-awesome Dutch Oven Artisan Bread.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-...20RFSR%20eNews

Her recipe and technique are a bit different than the one I use, but cover all the basics.....visually.

For anyone who wants to, but is afraid to try, this shows how incredibly easy it is to turn out a delicious loaf of whole grain bread in your home kitchen.

You don't have to pay $5 a loaf for Artisan Bread at the grocery store.....you can make it yourself.


Maggie

[Hittenstiehl]

Finally headed out for a weekend. Got my prep work done........can taste it already.

[Lily&Me]

Have fun with it. It is really just the easiest thing to do.

I was on the phone with a friend late yesterday, and she had a loaf ready to go into the oven. Her husband had bought her a DO for just that purpose.

I have been wanting to make a loaf of the rye, but just haven't gotten it done, and now it will have to wait a couple of weeks til I am back. I have a loaf of wheat in the freezer that I made a couple of weeks ago and have been pulling from for breakfast. Yum.

I have been thinking of adding a couple of tablespoons of dark cocoa to a rye loaf, which would make it darker and the flavor more rich. I have a dark rye recipe that has cocoa in it, so I don't know why it wouldn't work.

Take a picture and show us how it turns out.


Maggie

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

. . .
Am just into this no-knead dough phase, which at least some others also enjoy.

Maggie

Have you ever tried a no-knead gluten-free DO bread? I am working with a family tent camper on developing an edible loaf -- challenging! To do so with briquettes would be more so probably.

Thanks,

Peter