Dutch oven cooking completely fascinates me, how about you?
(All photos courtesy of Camp Chef)
To be honest, I am just getting started with Dutch oven cooking myself. Here are a few key points to start you out:
* Purchase a good quality Dutch oven from a reputable company. Mine is from Camp Chef, as recommended in the giveaway book this week “Dutch Oven Cooking“! Be sure to enter!
* There are two basic ways to cook with a Dutch oven and they are with a tripod or on some sort of surface, i.e. the camp table shown above. I am using the camp table.
* Understand that it takes time to learn to control the heat in and around your Dutch oven, so be patient as you learn. Again, “Dutch Oven Cooking” cookbook rocks, enter now.
* Use safety precautions and read all instructions, this ain’t kitchen cookin’!
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Here are a few of the first recipes I want to try from “Dutch Oven Cooking” by Terri Lewis, enter to win here!
Dutch Oven Chicken
12-inch Dutch oven
38 hot coals
6-8 servings
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
2 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup breading, mix your own or use a prepared mix
1 cup water
Clean and skin chicken pieces, place in buttermilk, and let sit 30 minutes or overnight.
Heat oil in Dutch oven over 12 coals. Dip chicken pieces in breading mixture and brown in oil. Remove chicken as they are browned and drain off oil. (Can’t you just smell it??? :) ) Return to Dutch oven and add water.
Cover and bake, using 9 coals underneath the oven and 17 coals on top, for 60 minutes. Serve with “Dutch Oven Potatoes” below….
Dutch Oven Potatoes
12-inch Dutch oven
38 hot coals
12-14 servings
6 slices of thick-cut bacon
1 onion, diced
12 potatoes, peeled and sliced in 1/4-inch thich rounds
1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles
1/2 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups grated cheese
Cook bacon in preheated Dutch oven, over 8-10 coals, remove from heat and crumble. Add onion to the bacon grease and cook until translucent. Put bacon back int he oven and add the potatoes, chiles, and water; season with salt and pepper.
Cover and bake, using 9-10 coals underneath the oven and 18 on top, for 25 minutes. Remove lid and turn potatoes over, do not stir. Add more water, if needed. Cook 20-25 minutes more. Remove from heat and take coals from lid. Put cheese on potatoes and replace lid for 5 minutes to melt cheese.
Recipe from “Dutch Oven Cooking” by Terri Lewis, enter to win here!
I can’t wait to serve this one up on a Saturday morning!
Easy Breakfast
Need a 12-inch Dutch oven
10- inch Dutch oven
62 hot coals
6-8 servings
1 pound ground sausage
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. onion salt
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cups milk
6 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
Cook sausage in the 12-inch Dutch oven, using 9 coals underneath the oven and 17 coals on top, until browned. Drain off grease and remove meat from oven. To the 10-inch Dutch oven, add butter, flour, salts and pepper, stirring to combine. Add the milk and stir until sauce thickens over 10 coals.
Wipe the 12-inch Dutch oven clean. Layer half the eggs, then all of the sausage, corn and sauce. Sprinkle on the remaining eggs and place the bread crumbs on top.
Cover and bake, using 9 coals underneath the oven and 17 coals on top, for 25-30 minutes.
Yum! Recipe from “Dutch Oven Cooking” by Terri Lewis, enter to win here!
Zucchini Brownies
12-inch Dutch oven
27 hot coals
12-14 servings
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
Powdered sugar
In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients, except for powdered sugar, and stir to moisten. Place a disk of parchment paper covering the bottom of greased Dutch oven and spoon batter onto paper.
Cover and bake, suing 9 coals underneath the oven and 16-18 on the top, for 25-30 minutes. Test brownies with a toothpick inserted in the center. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Flip onto a plate or Dutch oven lid and dust with powdered sugar.
Recipe from “Dutch Oven Cooking” by Terri Lewis, enter to win here!
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I’m really lovin’ Camp Chef and all of the wonderful information they offer, here’s the link to “Camp Chef’s Dutch Oven Cooking Guide” where you’ll find even more recipes and oodles of information about Dutch ovens!
PDF 
About kmorris
I have several dutch ovens, including a small Lodge brand. We do a lot of cooking/baking on an open fire when we’re at our cabin. Now I just need to get a couple for home use. I have 5 skillets of various sizes, including one that my grandmother used, that I primarily use at home. Taking care of them is the key. Don’t cook high acid foods in them, unless you plan on seasoning them again. I use lard to season mine. Don’t clean them with soap, etc. Love my cast iron cookware!
I love my dutch oven and trying new recipes — can’ t wait to try these. For those getting started — the table is not necessary. We often use a cheap kettle bbq or the open fire pit at the campground. I would love to have a table one day but don’t let that keep you from getting started.
My hubby cooked a complete meal on the campfire for Mother’s Day! Stew and cherry cobbler! Delish! Rofl..and he did the clean up! Don’t touch his dutch ovens! Camping and hubby cooking….no better Mother’s Day!
I’m wanting to get into dutch oven cooking and with several small kids it is hard for me to have a campfire lit everyday. Can you tell me which camp table you prefer, the one with the tall sides and back or the one that has no sides? I would think that the one with the tall sides and back would keep the coals from cooling off quickly from the wind. I love your all of your posts on off grid living!