DUTCH OVEN COOKING
DUTCH OVEN COOKING
Whether your opportunity to use a Dutch oven occurs in the back yard for a summer cookout, on a camping
trip, or on a river run, there are some easy to learn skills that make the experience a real success. An
unseasoned Dutch oven is grey-green in color, where a seasoned oven will be shiny, smooth and black in
appearance on the inside as well as the outside. It is important to treat the lid of the oven also since the two
create the "oven".
SEASONING THE DUTCH OVEN...
~
~
REGULAR OVEN METHOD: With soapy
water, wash your oven and rinse thoroughly and
dry. Oil all surfaces and pour about 1 tablespoon
of oil in the Dutch oven. With a cotton cloth, rub
all the surfaces. Add enough oil to cover the
bottom of the Dutch oven. Place in 350 degrees F.
oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and
carefully circulate the oil to cover all of the sides
and bottom. Add more oil and heat in 200 degrees
F. oven for one hour. Turn the oven off and leave
overnight. In the morning, rub all surfaces with
remaining oil and remove excess oil. Now it's
ready to use.
~
~
ON THE FIRE METHOD: Wash with soapy
water and rinse & dry thoroughly. Add 1/2" of oil
and place on fire and heat until oil is slightly
simmering. Swirl to cover all surfaces; discard oil.
Add new oil and you are ready to cook!
WHY USE A DUTCH OVEN?
This heavy oven cooks and bakes deliciously using a
method that cannot be duplicated. It is the most
dependable way to prepare a complete meal for a few
or many people in an outdoor situation. Individual foil
wrapped meals are very inviting and delicious;
however, one must be more constantly on guard in
preparation of the fire materials. The foil wrapped meal
needs to be watched carefully to prevent burning, and
assure equal cooking. The meal put in the Dutch oven
needs proper fire preparation - it can be left for 30-60
minutes longer without further attention because the
heavy cast iron distributes the heat more evenly. The
food is cooked together to enhance and mix flavors
while keeping foods separate. The meal prepared in
the Dutch oven is easily served from the oven itself and
can be cleaned with a minimum of effort.
HOW TO CHOOSE A DUTCH OVEN
The ideal Dutch oven has three legs for standing and a
tight fitting lid with a lip of an inch or more sticking up
on the outer rim. This lip on the lid permits the user to
place hot coals or hot briquettes on the top of the oven
thus creating an oven with heat coming from the bottom
as well as the top and radiating to the sides. The size is
an important factor. There is no need to purchase an
oven too large for the number you serve. The Dutch
oven number eight is right for serving 5-6; the number
ten is good for 6-8; the number twelve is good for 8-
10 people.
Utah State University is an equal
opportunity/affirmative action employer.
OVEN PREPARATION
Clean and lightly oil oven. Place food right inside oven
with enough moisture to steam cook as it is baking.
HOW TO PREPARE FIRE
Many outdoor areas have fire wood available. Most
wood is good for cooking if it holds up in a bank of hot
coals for some time. If the fire material burns quickly
and disappears in ash almost immediately, it will not
work for Dutch oven cooking. You have to prepare a
fire large enough to burn down into coals enough to
cover the top of the oven as well as underneath. Half
burned and burning material smokes, is difficult to
handle and does not have the sustained heat needed for
cooking. Use a long handled shovel for handling the
coals. When a hot bank of coals is ready, spread a
layer on the ground and set the oven onto it, then
shovel a layer of coals over the oven. The layers of
coals can be too hot, only experience will help you to
decide the temperature of the coals.
WHEN USING BRIQUETTES
. . .
Plan on 10 briquettes for the top of a number ten
Dutch oven (8 for #8 or 12 for #12). Plan on a few
more for the bottom to make a good level layer
underneath oven and 2-3 inches beyond the outer edge
of oven. Place briquettes in a pile; light. When
briquettes are hot and grey in color, place oven in
position with briquettes on top and bottom.
C O O K I N G
Dutch Ovens have a handle on top of the lid which
makes checking on food easy. Have a clean board or
couple of pieces of wood or clean rock available to set
the lid onto after carefully removing it. Use a folded
piece of paper towel to wipe around the seam where
the lid and the oven meet. This will reduce the
possibility of getting any ash in the food. Lift out the
whole oven by the wire bail, away from the fire while
you check the food. With pliers, push back the fire
material away from the handle then lift the lid straight up
and off. Even though the lid is covered with hot coals,
a wire hook may be used to lift it. Also, gloves and a
long handled pair of pliers may be used. Pierce
vegetables and meat to see how quickly they are
cooking. Add moisture if food is getting too dry.
Work quickly to replace the lid before too much heat is
lost. Adjust the coals if they are too hot by moving part
of them away from top or bottom of oven. If the food
is not cooking fast enough, add more hot coals.
Replace the oven into the cooking position and cook
until food is properly prepared.
CLEANING
If anything sticky remains in oven, clean as well as
possible with cooking oil and paper towels. Then add
warm soapy water and wash with dishcloth or sponge
with abrasive back. After all food particles are
loosened, rinse thoroughly and dry completely with a
paper towel . Go over the outside of the oven and lid
with paper towels removing all dirt, black and moisture.
Cover oven thoroughly with cooking oil starting with
inside first. Remove any excess oil and store with lid in
position on upright oven. The oven will then be ready
for the next use. If the oil inside the oven gets rancid,
remove oil with warm soapy water and follow
preparation directions above.
ALL-IN-ONE BREAKFAST
Use 10" Dutch oven. Fry your favorite breakfast meat;
remove when cooked. Add sliced raw potatoes, small
amount of water and onions. Cook until tender. Put meat
on top of potatoes. Top with 5-6 raw eggs. Replace lid
and put coals on top. Cook until done. Serves 6-8.
FAMILY REUNION QUICHE
12 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 cup diced ham/bacon or sausage
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups broccoli
2 cups grated cheese (american)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
In a 10" Dutch oven, cook meat thoroughly, drain and set
aside. Wipe out oven and steam onion, broccoli and
mushrooms over medium coals for approx. 10 minutes.
Remove vegetables and set aside. Dry out oven with
paper towel then rub sides and bottom with oiled paper
towel. In separate container beat eggs, milk, salt, pepper
and butter. Fold in meat, vegetables and cheese. Pour
into oven and bake from top & bottom for 14 minutes.
Remove oven from coals and continue baking from top
only 20 more minutes or until eggs are set.
DUTCH OVEN ROLLS
1 T. yeast
1 tsp. salt
1/4 C. warm water
1 T. sugar
1 C. warm milk
3 C. flour
1 T. butter
Mix dry yeast in water, stir to dissolve. Add milk, butter,
salt and sugar; stir well. Add flour in small amounts
(reserve 1/2 cup) and mix thoroughly. The dough will be
stiff. Sprinkle some of reserved flour on flat surface.
Knead until dough is smooth. Place in greased bowl,
cover and let raise until double (approx. 1 hour). Shape
dough into smooth rolls and place in greased Dutch oven.
Cover and let raise until double. When baking, you need
about 1/3 of the coals on the bottom and 2/3 on the top
of Dutch oven. Baking time is approximately 10 minutes
on the fire then remove and cook an additional 10
minutes with coals on top only.
Variations- Cinnamon Rolls: Roll into rectangle,
spread with margarine, add brown sugar, cinnamon,
raisins & nuts as desired. Roll up and cut 1" slices and
place in Dutch oven (edges touching). Let raise until
double. Bake as above.
CORNBREAD
1 yellow cake mix
2 cup milk
2 C. flour
1/2 cup oil
2 C. cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
7 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
Set aside cake mix. Mix all dry ingredients, then mix the
remaining ingredients in a separate bowl. Combine the
two mixtures and set aside. Prepare the cake mix
according to directions. Combine this with other mixture.
Pour into well greased 12" oven. Bake with coals on top
and bottom for 12-15 minutes. Remove from fire and
continue cooking with coals on top only (approx. 15
minutes).
POT ROAST
2 tablespoons shortening
4-4 1/2 pounds beef rump roast
Flour
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 onion, sliced
Carrots
Potatoes
Preheat Dutch oven. Melt shortening in oven. Dust meat
with flour; brown on all sides. Add water; sprinkle meat
with salt and pepper; place onion on top; cover. Cook
until meat is fork tender. Potatoes and carrots may be
added during last part of cooking. Serves 8.
BEEF STEW
2 pounds beef (1 1/2" thick)
1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons shortening
1/4 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 3/4 cups boiling water
1 cup canned tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 medium potatoes, pared, quartered
1 large onion, peeled, chopped
1 small head cabbage, chopped
10 carrots, peeled, chopped
1 10 oz. package frozen peas
Trim excess fat from meat; cut into cubes. Combine
flour, salt & pepper then cover meat cubes. Melt
shortening in oven then brown meat on all sides. Add
onion, garlic, water, tomatoes & Worcestershire sauce;
cover. Cook until meat is fork tender. Add potatoes,
cabbage carrots, and large onion; cook until tender. Add
peas and cook through. Serves 4-6.
BAKED BEANS
2 pounds dried navy or pea beans
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 medium onion, sliced
3 slices bacon
Rinse, sort beans. Cover with water and soak overnight.
Drain beans; place in Dutch oven. Add water; cover;
cook until tender. Add the rest of the ingredients except
bacon; mix well. Top with bacon strips, cover. Cook to
reduce the liquid. About one hour. Serves 12-14.
TASTY BEANS
2 2 1/2 size cans pork and beans
1 pound hamburger
1/2 pound sausage
1 large onion, diced
1 2 1/2 size can whole tomatoes
1 green pepper, diced
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Brown hamburger and sausage in 14" Dutch oven set on
bed of coals. Add onion and green pepper and saute
them with the meat. Add the rest of the ingredients (salt
& pepper to taste). Cover; bring to boil and serve.
Serves 10-12.
SAUSAGE AND CABBAGE
Clean and wedge one large head of cabbage, place on a
wire rack in a 12" Dutch oven. Season with salt, pepper
and butter as desired. Place one large polish sausage
around cabbage, add a small amount of water in the
bottom and steam until tender (approx. 40-60 minutes).
BARBECUED RIBS
1/4 cup shortening
4 pounds spareribs (3 rib pieces)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Melt shortening in Dutch oven; brown ribs; remove. Add
onion, celery, green pepper & garlic; saute 5 minutes. Add
remaining ingredients. Return ribs to oven; spoon sauce
over ribs; cover. Cook until meat is tender (apx. 2 hrs.),
occasionally basting meat.
Serves 4-6.
DEEP DISH PIZZA
1 pound sausage
1 1/2 pound ground beef
1 package pizza mix
1/2 pound pepperoni
1/2 pound cheese, grated
Olives, sliced
Brown meats in open skillet, drain and set aside to remain
warm. Mix pizza dough as directed and then roll out
approximately 2-3" larger than lid of oven. Place dough in
warm oven and fold it up the sides. Pour tomato sauce
from pizza mix on crust. Bake about 10-15 minutes.
Remove from heat and add toppings. Bake again for about
15 minutes.
DUTCH OVEN CHICKEN
Skin and wash two chickens. Coat in flour, salt and pepper
mixture. Melt enough shortening to cover 1/2" deep in
oven. Completely brown chicken. Remove from oven and
drain off excess shortening. Put the chicken back in oven
and add 1/4" of warm water. Cover and steam for
approximately one hour or until tender.
CHICKEN CORDON BLEU
Skin and bone chicken breasts. Place between 2 pieces of
waxed paper. Pound until 1/4" thick. Take a thin slice of
ham and swiss cheese and place inside chicken then roll.
Place in Dutch oven. Cover with cream of chicken soup.
Place in fire with coals on top and bottom for 10-15
minutes. Remove from fire and cook with coals on top for
another 40-50 minutes or until tender.
MEATLOAF
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 pound lean ground pork
2 onions, chopped
3 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup catsup
Mix all ingredients together. Form into a loaf shape; place
in center of Dutch oven. If desired, pour 1 cup cream of
tomato soup over top. Bake for one hour or until done (be
careful that fire is not too hot on the bottom). Serves 8-10.
CHICKEN RICE
1 cup rice, uncooked
1 can cream of celery
soup
1 can cream of
mushroom soup
1 1/4 cups milk
1 chicken, cut up
1 package dry onion soup mix
Sprinkle rice into bottom of greased Dutch oven. Mix
canned soups and milk; heat until well blended. Pour over
rice, mixing well. Place chicken over rice, sprinkle with
dry onion soup mix. Bake for 75 minutes or until done.
**May substitute meatballs for chicken if desired.
DUTCH OVEN COBBLER
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 can fruit pie filling
1 yellow cake mix
1 egg
Milk
Melt butter in 10" Dutch oven and add pie filling. Add
egg and milk to cake mix until consistency of pancake
batter. Spoon on top of pie filling. Place in fire with
coals on top and bottom. Cook 10 minutes; remove from
fire and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or until
done.
PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup butter
1 yellow cake mix
1 can sliced pineapple
Put butter and brown sugar in oven and stir until well
mixed; add pineapple slices. In separate container, mix
cake mix according to directions on package. Pour the
batter over pineapple and place lid on top. Put in fire
with coals on top and bottom and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove and continue to bake with coals on top only for
15-20 minutes longer. Cool for 10 minutes before
serving.
DUMP CAKE
2 cans fruit pie filling
1 package white cake mix
½ cup nuts
½ cup butter or margarine
Pour pie filling in greased cake pan. Mix nuts in dry cake
mix and sprinkle over top of filling. Drizzle with melted
butter. Bake as for cobbler.
FRUIT COCKTAIL CAKE
2 (1 pound) cans fruit cocktail
1 pound can pineapple chunks
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, slightly beaten
½ S 1 cup water
1 ½ cups brown sugar
1 ½ cups walnuts, chopped
Grease Dutch oven; pour in fruit and juice. Combine
flour, baking soda, salt, 2 cups sugar, eggs, and water;
pour over fruit. Sprinkle batter with brown sugar and
nuts; bake 35-45 minutes (8-10 coals on bottom, 14-16
on top).
HUMMINGBIRD CAKE
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1 ¼ cups water
½ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
8 oz can pineapple, crushed
1 cup pecans, chopped
2 cups bananas, chopped
Combine dry ingredients in large mixing bowl; add eggs
and oil. Stir until moistened (do not beat); stir in
remaining ingredients. Grease and flour 12" Dutch oven;
pour in batter. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 50-60 minutes
(8-10 coals on bottom, 14-20 on top).
DUTCH OVEN APPLES
Wash and core six or eight large apples. Fill holes with
sugar, raisins and pat of butter, plus cinnamon if desired.
Put apples on a greased pie tin with a small amount of
water. Place tin in oven on legs made of pebbles or
bottle caps to prevent scorching. Cover and bake for
about 30 minutes.
TASTY PASTRIES
1 tablespoon yeast
¼ cup water
2 sticks pie crust mix
1 tablespoon jam or jelly
1 egg yolk
Combine yeast and water. Crumble pie crust into a
bowl; add sugar, egg yolk and yeast mixture. Mix well;
roll into 1" balls. Place into Dutch oven; make
indentation in each. Fill with jam; let rise 1 hour. Bake
at 375 degrees F. for 12-15 minutes or until lightly
browned. A thin icing may be drizzled over top.
PECAN PIE
4 eggs, beaten well
1 ¼ cups dark corn syrup
¼ cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup pecan halves
9" pastry shell
Combine eggs, corn syrup and butter; add to sugar and
flour and beat well. Place pecans in pie shell; pour filling
over top. Arrange floating pecans on top. Bake for 1
hour at 350 degrees F. (6-8 coals on bottom, 14-16 coals
on top).
RASPBERRY CURRANT PIE
4 ½ cups raspberries
3 cups currants
2 ¼ cups sugar
4 ½ tablespoons
cornstarch
¼ teaspoon almond
flavoring
½ cup cold water
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
Crust for 2-crust pie
Mix cornstarch and water thoroughly; add sugar, salt and
currants. Cook until thick and bubbly; gently stir in
raspberries, flavoring and cinnamon. Pour into pie shell;
dot with butter then top with vented crust. Bake with 8-
10 coals on bottom, 16-20 on top until golden brown.
SOUR CREAM APPLE PIE
5-7 apples, peeled and
sliced
1/3 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons flour
2/3 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons brown
sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine sour cream, egg, vanilla, 1/3 cup sugar, salt and
flour in bowl; beat well. Add apples and fold together;
spoon filling into crust. Combine remaining sugars,
cinnamon and walnuts; sprinkle over top. Make lattice
pie crust for top; seal edges. Bake for about 1 hour until
apples are tender (8-10 coals on bottom, 16-20 coals on
top).
BLUEBERRY BUCKLE
½ cup shortening
½ cup milk
½ cup sugar
2 cups blueberries
1 egg, well beaten
½ cup sugar
2 cups flour
½ cup flour
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter
Cream shortening and sugar; add egg and mix well.
Combine 2 cups flour, baking powder and salt; add to
creamed mixture alternately with milk. Pour into well
greased Dutch oven; pour blueberries over batter.
Combine remaining sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter;
mix until crumbly. Sprinkle over top; bake at 350
degrees F. 45-50 minutes (8 coals on bottom, 14-16 on
top).
APPLE PAN DOWDY
3 quarts apples, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup molasses
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Thick pastry crust
Put apples in seasoned oven; dot with butter. Combine
molasses and spices; pour over apples. Top with thick
pastry; bake at 300 degrees F. until apples are done and
pastry is brown. Carefully cut pastry into 2" squares;
poke them down into apples before serving.
BROWNIES
1 cup margarine or butter
1 ½ cups flour
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup nuts
Melt margarine in a 12" Dutch oven. Combine flour,
sugar and cocoa; add eggs and vanilla. Mix well; stir in
margarine and nuts. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20
minutes (6-8 coals on bottom, 12-14 on top). Dust with
powdered sugar.
HONEY APPLE CRISP
6 cups apples, sliced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ cup honey
1/3 cup flour
2/3 cup quick cooking oats
½ cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
Grease oven; place apples
in bottom. Sprinkle lemon
juice and honey over top. Mix remaining ingredients until
they resemble coarse crumbs; top the apple mixture.
Bake at 375 degrees F. for about 30 minutes (8-10 coals
on bottom, 18-20 coals on top).
PUMPKIN DESSERT
4 eggs, slightly beaten
29 oz can prepared pumpkin
1 ½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
3 cups evaporated milk
1 yellow cake mix
1 ½ cups butter, melted
1 cup nuts, chopped
Combine the first 8 ingredients; spread into bottom of
well greased Dutch oven. Spread dry cake mix over
top; sprinkle with nuts. Pour melted butter over top;
bake at 425 E for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350
degrees F; bake for an additional 50 minutes or until
knife comes out clean.
**To achieve 425 degrees F. SS place 20 coals on
top and 12 on bottom. To reduce heat to 350
degrees F. SS place 14 coals on top and 6
underneath.
ALMOND COOKIES
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup shortening
1 teaspoon almond flavoring
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 cups flour
Flake coconut
Cream sugar, shortening and almond flavoring; add egg
and mix until fluffy. Combine baking soda, cream of
tartar and flour; add to creamed mixture. Roll dough into
1" balls; roll in coconut. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 15-
20 minutes (7-10 coals on bottom, 14-16 on top).