Dutch Oven Cooking

[Ganaraska]

An old butcher told me suet was the thing to season cast iron. Heat up your oven. Cook a lump of suet in the iron vessel until the grease renders out. Rub the hot grease all around inside. After a while empty it out, turn upside down and cook it in the oven some more. The baked on grease is the best coating for the iron.

[Jimandrod]

Originally Posted by Ganaraska

An old butcher told me suet was the thing to season cast iron. Heat up your oven. Cook a lump of suet in the iron vessel until the grease renders out. Rub the hot grease all around inside. After a while empty it out, turn upside down and cook it in the oven some more. The baked on grease is the best coating for the iron.

Lard works well too. After seasoning a pan with any animal fat care must be taken not to leave the pan unused for a long period or it can take on a rancid odor.

[bugsbunny]

Salt and paper towels (or scrubbies or crumpled up aluminum foil) work great for normal cleaning.

To start, I get out as much of the goo as I can. Next I put in a layer of kosher salt and let it set for a few minutes. I scrub the salt around to absorb and agitate the goo. Dump out the goo and repeat as necessary. If you do use water after the salt, heat the hand dried cast iron on low for a few minutes so it is thoroughly dried. Rub a coating of veggie oil all over the cast iron including the lip and outside and wipe off any excess.

[Lily&Me]

I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get the pic of our Dutch oven baked loaf loaded and in here. We did put the usual 12 briquets in a circle underneath, and put 23 on top because it is chilly and windy where we are camping on the SC coast. 23 were too many, will use a few less next time, the top got quite brown. I made one large-ish loaf in a heavy round cake pan, on a trivet. If you have never added a little cooked oatmeal to a bread recipe, it disappears into the loaf but helps it keep well--in addition to the nutrition boost.

[davenpow]

doug & maggie
You need to learn the "Rule of Three"
Using briquets, take your pot size ie: 8", 12", 14" etc.
Minus 3 and Plus 3, so if your cooking in a 12" pot, 12-3 =9 12+3= 15
so if you put 9 briquits under the put and 15 on top the temp inside is 325 degrees
for every 25 degree increase in temp you want, you add 1 under and 1 on top.
So lets say your cooking in an 8" pot and you want a temp of 400
for 325 it is 5 under and 11 on top, for 400 it is 8 under and 14 on top.
One thing that was stressed to me when being taught and that is turn the put
clockwise 1/4 of a turn every 15 minutes and turn the lid 1/4 of a turn counter
clockwise at the same time. This give a more even distrution of teh heat. Replace the coals every 45 to 60 minutes.
good luck cooking
Ted

[azflycaster]

Originally Posted by doug&maggie

I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get the pic of our Dutch oven baked loaf loaded and in here. We did put the usual 12 briquets in a circle underneath, and put 23 on top because it is chilly and windy where we are camping on the SC coast. 23 were too many, will use a few less next time, the top got quite brown. I made one large-ish loaf in a heavy round cake pan, on a trivet. If you have never added a little cooked oatmeal to a bread recipe, it disappears into the loaf but helps it keep well--in addition to the nutrition boost.

Take a look at post #7 in this thread to post pictures:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f138...ics-44928.html

[HeadnOut]

Have been using Dutch Ovens other wise known as Camp Ovens for years, I only use Lodge brand. It truly changes everything about camp cooking. If you can cook it at home, you can cook it at camp in a dutch oven. We have done everything from bicuits to Prime Rib. I personally carry a 12" and a 14" reg. and also a 12" deep.
I keep them in dutch oven carry bags and store them in the camper under the dinning table seats. I dont know what I would do without them now.
My suggestion for recipes is to try everything, you will surprise yourself.
Good Cooking
Dave

[James Rogers]

I put a web site on #111 about a Dutch Oven cooking site. They can answer about any questions on Dutch Ovens. The have a recipe site also that has a lot of recipes. I use this site for most of my cooking. i don't do a lot but the recipes are there. They even have recipes for 6 inch Dutch ovens. It is well worth your time.

Are there any of you on this site already? Da Biscuit in the mane one [I think]. Here it is again. This site is also good for new people.
dutchovencooking : The Art of Camp Dutch Oven Cooking

[Lily&Me]

Thanks for the help---I had tried this process but couldn't make it work.

This was baked in a heavy duty cake pan, on a trivet. We have done oven-full monkey bread when camping with the grandbabies, lining the oven with foil. Frozen bread or roll dough, or refrigerated biscuits, work very well.

Lodge has a factory outlet store near Waynesville, NC, for anyone who might be interested. We haven't been there yet, but saw it last year and are going to peruse their offerings when we are back in that area in May. We also have an oven bag from Lodge, which is a neat and tidy way to carry the oven and accessories.

[davenpow]

You might try using parchment paper versus foil, I have had a lot better luck with it. And most important the pot comes out CLEAN.

My son found this cornbread recipe on-line somewhere

Best Ever Cornbread

2 cups cornmeal
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups sugar

put above ingrediants into a gallon size ziplock bag, seal, and shake to mix.

add to the bag

1 cup melted butter
4 eggs beaten
3 cups milk

seal the bag after getting out as much of the air as possible.

massage until batter is smooth and free of lumps.

Line a 12" DO with parchment paper, spray the paper lightly with Pam
and pour in the batter. Cover and bake fo 45 minutes or until cornbread turns golden brown using 10 under and 16 on top.

Rotate pot every 10 to 12 minutes 1/4 turn clockwise and rotate lid 1/4 counterclockwise at the same time. This will even out any hot spots while baking.

Serve warm with honeybutter.

Enjoy

Ted

[davenpow]

recipe Rachael Ray
adapted to 12" DO

2 boxes corn muffin mix (8 1/2 oz each) recommended Jiffy
2 eggs
4 Tablespoon(Tbls) melted butter
1 1/2 cups ilk
1 cup forzen corn kernels
Extra virgin olive oil(EVOO) or vegetable oil

Topping
2 Tbls EVOO
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 Tbls chili powder
2 teaspoon(tsps) ground cumin
2 tsps cayenne sauce
salt
2 1/2 cups (10-ounce sack from dairy aisle) shredded
Cheddar or Jack cheese
1/2 Red Bell pepper chopped
1 small can, 2 1/4 oz sliced chiles or jalapenos drained
2 scallions chopped
2 small vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 Tbls drained slice green olives (salad olives)
1 or 2 Tbls chopped Cilantro
1 to 2 cups fresh salsa

Mix together 2 packages muffin mix, 2 eggs, 4 Tbls melted butter,
1 1/2 cups milk, and forzen corn kernels. Pour into lightly oiled 12" DO
12 briquets under/ 18 on top for 12 to 15 minutes or when golden brown.

In separate pot brown ground beef in 2 Tbls EVOO, add onions and spices
and cook an additional 5 or 6 minutes.

When Cornbread is golden brown, top with meat, cheese and veggies.
replace lid and cook 5 or more minutes until cheese is melted.

Garnish with Cilantro, cut into wedges and serve with salsa.

Serves 4 to 6

Can easily be doubled, use 14" DO, 14 under-20 on top
easily serves 6 to 10

Ted

[Lily&Me]

Those look like great recipes, will give them a try---and pick up some parchment paper!

[Sugarfoot]

To my shock and surprise I found these in the camping section at Wal-Mart today. Looks easier then wrestling with the flat stuff on a roll but more expensive at $5 a box.

[Lily&Me]

Wow-who knew! A little pricey, but probably would be worth it at times to have a seam-free item.

I have now made two loaves of kneaded, yeast-raised bread in our Dutch oven, quite fun and turned out very well. My more-or-less recipe is included below.

One Dutch-Oven Loaf

1 1/2 tbsp yeast, softened in 1/4 cup warm water
1 1/4 cup warm milk
1-2 tbsp white or brown sugar
1/2 cup or so cooked oatmeal, warm
2 cups whole wheat flour

Mix above ingredients with a whisk in medium sized bowl, whip well to start gluten development and lessen kneading time. Cover with wax paper and a towel, let sponge rise til double. Whisk down well and add:

1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil or melted butter/margarine
1-2 cups unbleached white flour

Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, kneading in the bowl as you go, to make a fairly firm but still elastic dough. Put a little vegetable oil in the bowl, roll dough in it to cover, cover bowl with wax paper and towel, let rise in warm place til double and finger-pokes leave indentations.

Punch down, pulling in outside to center to make a ball. Place in greased heavy-duty cake pan (or put directly in bottom of Dutch Oven), punch down to flatten slightly. Oil top and sides of dough, cover as above, let rise til double.

I bake in a heavy cake pan, on a trivet, in the Dutch Oven--12 coals in circle below, 18 in checkerboard pattern on top. Rotate as described so well in earlier post. Takes 30-40 minutes.

[davenpow]

Sound goog. Will have to print the recipe and try it. Thanks
Ted

[davenpow]

Too Bad I can not type. (spell either) It does sound Good!
Ted

[Jimandrod]

Originally Posted by Sugarfoot

To my shock and surprise I found these in the camping section at Wal-Mart today. Looks easier then wrestling with the flat stuff on a roll but more expensive at $5 a box.

Here are some aluminum liners - a bit pricey but they work really well.

Dutch Oven Liners - Mountain Specialty Products

[Sixty3TW4US]

I like cooking up a meal in the Dutch oven while camping. People not familar with a Dutch oved are surprised by the outcome. Did a duck once it was great.

[James Rogers]

Any of you going to the Springstream rally? I'll be there with my Dutch Ovens. Stop by , maybe we can compare our cooking style. We will be on site C-7. I also make our own wine. We will have some for you to taste. See ya there. Keep your pot black and full.

[Lily&Me]

Will perhaps be able to find you next year. We have a lot planned already for 2009, have to work a potential rally stop into those things. I am really looking forward to seeing what you SERIOUS Dutch oveners are doing.