# Dutch Oven Cooking (lot of pics)



## jerrwhy (Jan 12, 2010)

This is a repost of a thread I did on another preparedness forum concerning dutch oven cooking. The beauty of DO cooking is that you can use either charcoal or wood. And cast iron, if taken care of, will last a long time and is very tolerant of abuse. I had to reduce the number of pictures because I'm limited to 8 pictures right now. So I had to do a little editing. Anyway here you go:

While Dutch oven cooking isn&#8217;t an overwhelming challenge, you do need to keep in mind that there is a learning curve associated with learning to cook in this manner. The first thing you need to realize is that your first couple of attempts at cooking something in your DO will be less than stellar. Relax, grab a beer and deal with it because most everybody else has gone down that path and ended up ordering an emergency pizza. Keep in mind that it takes some trial and error to find what works with your particular oven.

The first thing you&#8217;re going to need is a Dutch oven. Right now I&#8217;ve got a 10 and 12 inch DO, and have an 8 inch on order. I use my 10 inch DO about as much as my 12 and I have found that for just me and my wife the 10 inch is sized about right. However, if I could have only one Dutch oven, or had to recommend a first DO I&#8217;d definitely recommend a 12 inch. 










Most recipes that you&#8217;ll come across for a DO cooking are intended for a 12 inch DO.
I think that the 12 inch DO tends to be a little more forgiving when it comes to burning foods because it&#8217;s not only bigger, but the legs are taller when lessens the likelihood of scorching on the bottom. In addition a regular cake mix will fit nicely in a 12 inch DO.
You can also flip the lid upside down and use it as a skillet. 

In addition to a DO you&#8217;re also going to need a few addition pieces of equipment such as:

Charcoal starter
Lid Lifter
Tongs &#8211; to move hot coals










Some nice to have but not necessary pieces of equipment are:

Lid Stand
Welding Gloves
Beer










Lastly you&#8217;ll need a place or spot to cook on where the hot coals won&#8217;t damage anything. Some people use fancy tables, or some type of makeshift affair. Personally, I took 6 bricks and put them on the ground and made a square, I then took a 5 dollar piece of sheet metal from the hardware store and put it on top of the bricks. No more scorched grass for me. 

Most people use Kingsford charcoal when they cook with their DO. Kingsford tends to be very consistent and predictable. You&#8217;ll get about an hours worth of heat out of each briquette. An 18 pound bag fits nicely in a five gallon bucket. I keep 4 buckets worth on hand at any one time. I figure this will last us 4-6 weeks in the event of an extended outage then I have to start using wood. And with several full cords of wood lying around we&#8217;ve got plenty. 

How do you control the temperature of a DO? Keep in mind that most baking is done at the 350 degree range; fortunately this is easy to figure out in a Dutch oven. To accomplish this you multiply the diameter of the DO times 2 then divide by 3. You&#8217;re going to place 1/3 of the coals on the bottom, and 2/3 on the top. For example you have a 12 inch DO.

12x2= 24 

Twenty four is the approximate number of coals that you&#8217;re going to need to achieve 350 degree. Next you take 24 and divined it by three.

24/ 3=8

So now you&#8217;re going to place 8 coals (1/3) on the bottom of your DO and 16 coals (2/3) on the top. 

- Each additional coal will add around 15 degree of additional temperature. So if your recipe calls for a cooking temp of 400 degree then you&#8217;ll need to add three to four coals. 

- Adding the coals to the top of the DO will reduce the likelihood of scorching on the bottom.

- For breads I always reduce the number of coals on the bottom by approximately 2-3. This prevents a burnt bottom.

- When you want to brown the tops of bread or rolls add a few extra coals to the top of the DO in the last few minutes of cooking. 

- When your breads start to brown take them off the heat and the residual heat in the DO will continue to cook them and they won&#8217;t be over done. 


When you&#8217;re ready to cook you&#8217;ll need to start your coals about 15 minutes ahead of time. You want them cherry hot just like a grill. 










In this case I&#8217;m going to cook fried chicken in a 12 inch DO. While cooking fried chicken in an oven might be viewed as a moral sin by many, it&#8217;s much healthier this way as the amount of fat and cholesterol is greatly reduced. The recipe calls for this bird to be browned in a skillet and baked in an oven. 


The rest go on top. This recipe calls for a temp of 375 degree, so we upped the number of coals accordingly. Cooking time took about 40 minutes. Every five minutes I rotated the oven 180 degree and rotated the lid 180 degree in the opposite direction. Rotating the DO and lid helps evenly distribute the heat.










In addition we&#8217;re having some of garlic rolls. They nestle quite nicely in my 10 inch DO. 










I should be using 7 coals on the bottom. However, because this is bread I reduce the number of coals by 2-3 on the bottom and place them on the top I get much better results. In this case I used 5 coals, and just like the chicken I rotate the oven and lid every five minutes. 

Once the rolls start to brown I take them off the heat and in this case sprinkle on some Asiago cheese, recover, remove the coals and set aside until the chicken is ready. 










Once everything is done it&#8217;s time to eat. 












Peace
Jerry


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

Nice tutorial! Thanks!


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## Txsteader (Aug 22, 2005)

Excellent post! :thumb: Thank you for that.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

pick up some large nuts like 5/8 3 in a 12 inch oven give the correct air space that a pie tin will sit on the nuts and you can cook the pie , hhhhmmmm pumpkin pie in a dutch oven 

i also have cooked bread in a loaf pan same method but with all heat from underneith on a gas stove in the house when the power was out with the air space it circualtes and heats things nicely.

and don't every wash my cast iron any of it , just hot water and a stiff brush thankyou.


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## mtzircon (May 23, 2010)

Thank you for the pictures and info about it. It is something that I want to try.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

Excellent  thanks! although now I'm hungry


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## sgl42 (Jan 20, 2004)

thanks, very informative. and welcome to the forum!

never realized there was a formula for getting the temp set. very interesting.

--sgl


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## cnichols (Jan 5, 2010)

Thanks for that post! Excellent information that will definately be useful. I've baked in my DO in the oven before but haven't taken the time to cook outside using coals. Those Garlic Rolls look awesome (and I LOVE garlic!). Got a Recipe for them?


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## timfromohio (Jun 19, 2007)

Thanks for posting and nice beer selection!


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## sunshinytraci (Oct 20, 2007)

Awesome info! Thanks. 

I wish I had a picture of my first dutch oven meal. I never used one before, but I was always intrigued. My mom cooked in one when we went camping and I loved the food. I bought one and took it camping. 

I never asked my mother for advice.

For some reason I had it in my head that this worked somewhat like a slow cooker................ So I went boating for the day..... After I built a good fire with lots of hot hot coals.

Boy was I surprised when I came back. 

Even the chicken bones were reduced nearly to ashes. The beans...... ashes. Potatoes....ashes. 

It was a miracle that I could clean the oven. It was a miracle it didn't crack. It took many hours spread out over many weeks to scrub it clean. But, I re-seasoned it and it works well now. 

There is no other cooking utensil in existence that could survive what I did to that dutch oven that day.


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

I have two dutch ovens but haven't used them yet. Also have one of the metal tables for them, lid stand, tongs, and lid lifter. One of these days maybe when the weather gets cooler I'm going to give it a try.

Can you please post the recipe for those rolls. They make my mouth water they look so delicious.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Thank you for this, and I'm hungry now, also. And I want to read it again and study on it.

As to the 8 photos, that's per post, so next time post part of it in opening post, then continue into as many subsequent posts with 8 photos each to get the whole story.

Thanks, Angie


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## Jerngen (May 22, 2006)

Thanks for sharing!!


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## Strange Bear (May 13, 2002)

Yum, recipes?


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## 2stanleyde (Mar 29, 2010)

Both my husband and son do dutch oven cooking. Between the two, we have many different sizes and all the tools that go with them. My husband also made a cookset to cook with them over an open fire, as well as a flat piece that swings over the fire so that you can use cast iron skillets. There is nothing as good as the stuff cooked in them! My son does breads, rolls, cakes, and cinammon rolls that are to die for.


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## logbuilder (Jan 31, 2006)

The following link is very good and is written for boy scouts so the recipes are pretty simple. There is also a lot of basic info about dutch oven cooking that will help those new to the method.

http://www.usscouts.org/cooking/cook_05.asp


Here is a link to a bunch of dutch oven recipes.

http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/~papadutch/dutch-oven-recipes.htm


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## Becka (Mar 15, 2008)

Thanks for sharing! Pardon my ignorance, but is a charcoal starter necessary? I don't have one and was wondering if this could be done somehow without one?


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## logbuilder (Jan 31, 2006)

Becka said:


> Thanks for sharing! Pardon my ignorance, but is a charcoal starter necessary? I don't have one and was wondering if this could be done somehow without one?


The chimney for starting the charcoal is not a required tool. It does help in getting the coals started quickly and evenly. You can start them however you want. When they get white, then they are ready for cooking. One of the nice things about the chimney is that you can start without using starter fluid. I'd try and avoid the liquid so that there is no chance of it tainting your food.


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## Becka (Mar 15, 2008)

Thanks, logbuilder. I have a DO and all the other stuff, just haven't used it yet. Usually dh does the outside cooking, that's why I don't know so much about it.


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## WildernesFamily (Mar 11, 2006)

Wonderful tutorial!

Okay, so I've never seen a charcoal starter before. If you don't use starter fluid, then how do you go about getting the charcoal hot?

I only have a huge flat bottomed dutch oven that I use in the oeven. I need to get some with legs and give this a try!


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## logbuilder (Jan 31, 2006)

WildernesFamily said:


> Wonderful tutorial!
> 
> Okay, so I've never seen a charcoal starter before. If you don't use starter fluid, then how do you go about getting the charcoal hot?


You put newspaper in the bottom. Here is a link to how it is done.

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/chimney.html


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## diane (May 4, 2002)

Where are you buying dutch ovens? Wonderful post. I have never seen it explained so nicely. Thanks


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## logbuilder (Jan 31, 2006)

diane said:


> Where are you buying dutch ovens?


Amazon.com has bunches. Just do a search for "lodge dutch oven". If you want one for your indoor oven, you want the ones without legs. For outdoor, you want legs. The most popular brand is Lodge. They have ones that are already seasoned so you can get right to cooking.

Actually, there is a good amount of interest in dutch oven cooking. There are clubs and other groups that focus on the technique. A good starting point is looking around the International Dutch Oven Society website (http://www.idos.com/).


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

I have the 12" and the 8". a regular pie plate, or one of those blue speckled enamelware plates used as a pie plate will fit inside. Personally I think doing a pie in the pie plate in the DO is more successful than plopping the pie in the DO with no pie plate. Or, if you have no pie plate, do it like a pot pie thing, fruit in first, dough on top. Also, I have better pie dough when I mix up the dough beforehand(like at home before camping)--that seems to give it extra time to moisten the flour, because it seems to want to dry out more in the DO(?)

HOW DARE YOU POST GARLIC ROLLS WITHOUT THE RECIPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have the tripod so you can hang the DO over the fire to do stews and casserole-y kinds of things(chicken n rice etc), SO handy! When I bake(usually it's the fruit with cake on top thing), I just use the coals from the fire--which is tricky, just because I dont' have briquets. And for the sake of experimentation, pioneers didn't have briquets either, so...(I mean, I'm just weird that way, and hubby doesn't want to share his briquets). Anyways, if you do it that way, it helps to warm up the fruit to bubbly in the DO first(or say if you're doing raw apples cook them a bit first, then put the pie dough on), then pour the cake batter on top(or the cobbler stuff, etc). I put the fruit in the pot over the fire, then move it off to cook the cake with the lid on. 

I just use a few clean rocks to set the lid on, ash won't kill you--it will brighten up your teeeth 

I have a short little shovel that I use to scoop coals out of the fire. Also I found that you can boost the temp a bit by laying small sticks on the coals and letting them burn. It's probably DO sacrelige, but bite me.

The lid lifter doubles as a weapon to keep nosey busybodies at bay who want to peek or pile more fire on to make it cook faster. Sometimes you have to get psycho and threaten NO HELPINGS FOR YOU. or worse.

Don't forget that the smell of stuff cooking is also a good indicator of nearing doneness. I think pretty much nothing is anywhere close to done if you dont' smell "doneness" wafting. All I can say is that it smells different when it's done, and the smell is more pronounced than with regular home cooking(it seems to me at least)

You HAVETOHAVETOHAVETO get a tripod. no excuses

Those garlic rolls are beautiful 

Welder's gloves are da bomb, Don't even go there with oven mitts.


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## WildernesFamily (Mar 11, 2006)

logbuilder said:


> You put newspaper in the bottom. Here is a link to how it is done.
> 
> http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/chimney.html


Awesome, thank you!


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## jerrwhy (Jan 12, 2010)

diane said:


> Where are you buying dutch ovens? Wonderful post. I have never seen it explained so nicely. Thanks


My local Walmart has 12 inch DO's. You can also get them from Cabelas, Gander Mountain, or just about any place that sells a decent amount of hunting, fishing camping stuff. 

I'd try to get one locally rather than ordering if possible these things are heavy and the shipping will add up. 


Peace
Jerry


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## jerrwhy (Jan 12, 2010)

Ruby said:


> Can you please post the recipe for those rolls. They make my mouth water they look so delicious.


This is the recipe for the rolls http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/~papadutch/dutch-oven-recipe-garlicrolls.htm

And here's a page full of recipe's http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/~papadutch/dutch-oven-recipes.htm


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## jerrwhy (Jan 12, 2010)

Becka said:


> Thanks for sharing! Pardon my ignorance, but is a charcoal starter necessary? I don't have one and was wondering if this could be done somehow without one?


To add onto what logbuilder said they're not required but they do help immensely. I've noticed that the coals get ready in a much shorter amount of time. I've heard of people using coffee cans and the like, but the charcoal starter was only about $10.00 and well worth it in my opinion. 


Peace
Jerry


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## jerrwhy (Jan 12, 2010)

I'm not into blogging. However, I did come across this blog. Apparently the woman is cooking something in her Dutch Ovens every day for the year. The nice thing is that she post the recipe's. Anyway it's a pretty decent site if you're into DO cooking or want more info. 

http://dutchovenmadness.blogspot.com/



Peace
Jerry


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## diane (May 4, 2002)

Thanks for the info!! I cook mostly in cast iron on my wood cookstove and outside fire and have several pots that I thought were "dutch" but not the nice flat lids with rims like you need to cook with the charcoal. Will now look for one because I love to cook outside on a fire all summer long. LOL..........I thought the ones with the flat lids and rims were antiques and hard to find until this thread.


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## StaceyS (Nov 19, 2003)

Nice! I love dutch oven cooking. Best stew I ever made/ate was cooked in one.


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## grams (Sep 10, 2004)

Becka said:


> Thanks for sharing! Pardon my ignorance, but is a charcoal starter necessary? I don't have one and was wondering if this could be done somehow without one?


We never use starter, for either wood or charcoal we use fatwood.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

GARLIC ROLL RECIPE PLEASE
(didnt' want to get lost as the page turned)


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## sgl42 (Jan 20, 2004)

wyld thang said:


> GARLIC ROLL RECIPE PLEASE
> (didnt' want to get lost as the page turned)


he already answered it here:


jerrwhy said:


> This is the recipe for the rolls http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/~papadutch/dutch-oven-recipe-garlicrolls.htm
> 
> And here's a page full of recipe's http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/~papadutch/dutch-oven-recipes.htm


--sgl


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

This post just inspired me to go buy one and learn to cook with it. I ordered a few books on Amazon with recipes!!! :rock:


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

sgl42 said:


> he already answered it here:
> 
> 
> --sgl


sorry

see, they look so yummy I'm delusionally slavering.


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## Honduras Trish (Nov 30, 2007)

Unless I've missed it, all the instructions on this thread are discussing cooking over charcoal. Can you share details for using wood? 

Thanks!


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

I've been using coals from a campfire. You have to have a good fire going to supply the coals, room to scoop coals away, a shovel(or atleast the little shovel from a fireplace tool set). Stewing/making soup(crockpotty stuff) is easier to start with than baking, because the temp is lower and doesn't have to be so on top of keeping it consistant. You just have to experiment with how many coals to put on/under(sorry!). Err on the side of less coals, it takes less than you think. 

I try to keep th DO out of the wind. THe places we are out camping at either have a iron fire ring with a grate, or a rock lined ring that people make. It helps, if you have a tripod, to warm up the stew with it hanging over a fire(so it just starts to bubble, NOT burn!!!!) then you can put a shovelful of mostly hot ashes plus some small coals on the ground, put the pot on top, then put a shovelful of coals on top(this is for a 12" pot, a smaller one would be less). THen leave it. 

Hardwood makes longer lasting coals than softwood. 

WHile you're learning to bake with the wood coals, it's best if you don't have people hanging on you asking when it's done!!! Keep really good notes on how much coals(shovelfull, half shovelfull etc), how often, how long it seemed to take. 

If you are cooking in the DO next to a campfire, becareful how close it is, it's nice to be near so it doesn't lose so much heat, but also you need to rotate the pot so it doesnt' have a hot/cold side. 

If you want, you can experiment with those Pillsbury biscuits in a tube to learn about fiddling with the heat. They are cheap and you just throw them in there and it won't feel so bad when you mess up.

SOrry to say you just ahve to experiement with using wood coals, but it's certainly doable. ALWAYS start off with less coals than you think. It also helps to be observant about how baking progresses in your oven at home, so you can know if the temp is good--like if the biscuits are still flat and doughy after 10 minutes it's not hot enough(and then all you can really do is fry them, because at that point they won't rise properly). 

Hope that helps!

I jsut made up a batch of the garlic rolls, I'll let you know how it goes(just cooking them in my regular oven tho). Can't wait!


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## jerrwhy (Jan 12, 2010)

Honduras Trish said:


> Unless I've missed it, all the instructions on this thread are discussing cooking over charcoal. Can you share details for using wood?
> 
> Thanks!


The best piece of advice I can give is to wait until the wood burns down to coal then try to use coals that approximate the size of a charcoal briquette. It'll take some experimentation so be prepared with an emergency pizza just in case. 


Peace
Jerry


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## ChristyACB (Apr 10, 2008)

Now this is an awesome thread! Thanks for the tutorial. So many things that I don't even know I don't know....


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## bubbahead (Oct 19, 2007)

I noticed the brand of beer right away. We must be neighbors......LOL


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

the garlic rolls came out great, I did them a little different because of ingredients handy, can't wait to try it again with roasted garlic. The recipe says 5.5 cups of flour, I used at least 6.5 and the dough was still very moist. I used 1 cup of milk and one cup of water for the liquid(recipe says 2 cups of water), and no powdered milk. I only had a few garlic cloves, so I minced them, put them in some olive oil to set, the brushed the garlicky olive oil on it before folding. After baking I brushed it with butter, then sprinkled parmesan cheese. I baked them on 400' for 15 min in my home oven.

I skimped a little on the yeast, still rose fine, nice and tender.


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## FourDeuce (Jun 27, 2002)

"








This was my original setup for baking canned biscuits(or other baked goods) on a campfire. I just put a pie pan upside down, then one on top of that one right side up(with the biscuits in it), then another upside down and another on top of that(with more biscuits). You don't even need cast iron pots to bake like that. It's kind of rough on the pot, though, so you might not want to use your best pots to bake like that.
Also, you don't HAVE to put any coals on top of the pot to brown the top of the biscuits, as the last picture will show).:cowboy:









Found these racks to use instead of inverted pie pans. They're a bit easier to move around when they're hot.










The "oven" in use with the biscuits almost done. It takes a bit of practice to figure out how hot the fire needs to be, how long to bake them, and to learn to adjust for conditions(outside temperature, wind, etc.).


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## FourDeuce (Jun 27, 2002)

If you want to see the real gourmet Dutch oven cooks, check out the Buffalo River Elk Festival Dutch Oven Cooking Competition at http://www.theozarkmountains.com/
:buds:
Click on the Buffalo River Elk Festival, then go down the menu to the Dutch Oven Cookoff.
Some of those people stack the Dutch ovens 4 or 5 high and cook with them all at the same time.:cowboy:


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## FourDeuce (Jun 27, 2002)

I was going to shrink it down, but it just looked too good to shrink down. It's almost life-size. This was from a Dutch Oven cooking demonstration at the Bull Shoals Park near Yellville, Arkansas last summer. The apple cobbler and the cherry cobbler were delicious.:nana:


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## TracyB (May 24, 2010)

Hows about some recipes for those asiago cheese rolls? YUM!


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## mouso (Oct 10, 2009)

Thanks, I'm loving this thread and all the sharing of pics!


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Here are a few more - nothing fancy, just campfire stew. I let this stew simmer for about three hours over a burned down fire, stirring every 20-30 minutes. I added the veggies the last hour, so they wouldn't overcook. I use my dutch oven often, and I'm a huge fan of cast iron in the kitchen too. We cook out about three times a week, year round. Sometimes it's stew or something else on the campfire, sometimes it's the gas grill.


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## candyknitter (Apr 23, 2009)

I have been interested in the possibilities of dutch oven cooking ever since seeing it on the PBS series "Frontier House" so thanks for this post and all the links. I totally agree those garlic rolls look yummy!!


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

Saw this thread and remembered I have one of these, too. I bought a large cast iron set and hadn't used my Dutch Oven (sad, but true). So glad I can be more educated before I take that leap. Thanks for posting!


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## FourDeuce (Jun 27, 2002)

"Serving Children Since 1994."

Saw that line and thought, "medium or well done"?ound: You must have a BIG dutch oven.:hysterical:


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

FourDeuce said:


> "Serving Children Since 1994."
> 
> Saw that line and thought, "medium or well done"?ound: You must have a BIG dutch oven.:hysterical:


hee hee - that's why I have LOTS of cast iron pieces to cook in. They're marvelous in a stir fry!


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## cast iron (Oct 4, 2004)

Here is my dutch oven tip, don't start drinking and bs'ing and forget to check on the apple crisp.


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## longrider (Jun 16, 2005)

I had the fortune a couple of years ago to get a unique Christmas present from my parents. We were visiting my sisters family in Bristol, Va. and on the way I asked to take a side trip to Seveirville, Tn. to see the sights and drop in the lodge outlet store.

While there I told them how much I wanted a complete set and they told me that as a Christmas present I should pick out $200 dollars worth of stuff. Well I was quite pleased and got a shopping cart and went to town on that stuff. Considering everything in the store is %40 to 60 off----I cleaned house! The parents were surprised at how much I was able to get and I was surprised at how cheap it was. 

I do recommend that if you buy cast iron go ahead and get the Seasoned pieces. They do a very nice job and it is way less hassel than doing 30 pieces yourself. 

There are several outlet stores around the east. I dont think they are associated with Lodge Mfg. because there are no links. But it is worth the trip to find one.


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## Ode (Sep 20, 2006)

Becka said:


> Thanks for sharing! Pardon my ignorance, but is a charcoal starter necessary? I don't have one and was wondering if this could be done somehow without one?


 You can use newspaper if you have it but it is just as easy to use small twigs and such to get the charcoal started. If you happen to have a campfire, just use the coals from your fire to get things going. It really doesn't take much to get them lit.

And you can just use the coals from your campfire if you have them. Take a good shovel when you go camping for that purpose. You will want a nice long handle. I like the square edge shovel best. You can't get the more precise temps that you get from charcoal but it never hurts to try and learn how to use coals. Since most campers are going to have them anyway they may as well get used. I have baked cakes using coals from the campfire, so it can be done even without a lot of experience. 

And now for some tips on cooking with a dutch oven. One of the best tips I can give is to wait for the smell of your food if you're baking. That is the biggest indicator that your food is done, or very close to it. Don't hover over your food, constantly checking it to see if it's done. All that does is lower the cooking temps and slow down your cook time even more. Every 10-15 minutes, turn your oven a quarter turn, and turn the lid a quarter turn the opposite direction you turned the oven. This helps your food inside cook more evenly, and helps to avoid spots that get over-browned or even burned. Get a good pair of heavy leather gloves, welding gloves are great! They are much better than regular oven mitts or hot pads. And a lid rest is great to have also.


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## Seeria (Jul 21, 2006)

Love cooking with cast iron outdoors. I've a variety of DO's, even enameled ones I use with coals. Here's a shot of my latest deep dish pizza done in 12" deep DO. Few other shots there of other DO meals done.


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

We've used our DO to cook inside the house. I line a big cast iron skillet with foil (just for easier clean up) and then put hot ash from the wood stove in it. Put the DO in the ash and top the lid with more hot ash. Biscuits, cooblers take about as long to cook as they would in a regular oven.


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## bee (May 12, 2002)

Here is my tip..you can bake in the rounded lid ovens; you just need a "brush" to sweep the coals and ash off before checking the contents. I like to use goldenrod. Just grab several stems and cut off close to the ground, use the branched tops/flowers as the brush. Hot goldenrod even smells good! I stew,bake and fry(donuts!! and indian fry bread/ pies) all over wood coals..I learned how at rendezvous where charcol briquets were not "kosher".


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## BillHoo (Mar 16, 2005)

diane said:


> ..........I thought the ones with the flat lids and rims were antiques and hard to find until this thread.



If you have a regular cast iron skillet or "indoor" dutch oven, you can buy the flat, rimmed lid seperately at Lodge Cast Iron:

http://www.lodgemfg.com/Logic-camp-dutch-ovens.asp

Just measure the right diameter to your pot.


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## diane (May 4, 2002)

Thanks BillHoo...........I have several nice pieces that were my grandmothers that have no lids or the rounded lids.


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## BillHoo (Mar 16, 2005)

Some folks may already know about the No Knead Bread, but it's so insanely easy and so good, I'll just post anyway to benefit those who haven't seen it - just a bucket and a dutch oven is all you really need:


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/dining/08mini.html?_r=1

The video shows you how stupidly easy this is!
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Ah9ES2yTU[/ame]

Mark Bittman later tries to improve on the technique by using more yeast and red wine vinegar to shorten the time, but I think that defeats the purpose of fewest ingredients, and allowing the gluten strings to develop on it's own.

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2008/10/07/dining/cooking/1194822343127/no-knead-bread-revisited.html

Thus, the character of the bread changes and it's more like a commercial bakery.

Personally, I've stopped making it because I TEND TO EAT THE WHOLE LOAF BY MYSELF IN ONE SITTING!

I also enjoy hearing it crackle as it cools.


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## cnichols (Jan 5, 2010)

Mmmm... I love that no knead bread ... make it every time DH and I come home off the road. That was the original reason behind why I got a cast iron dutch oven! LOL Now I need to learn to make it using coals instead of the oven!


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## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

I'm a Dutch Oven fanatic and have the collection to prove it! Great tutorial! Anything that can be cooked in a regular oven can be cooked in a DO, it just takes a little know-how to figure out the temps. 
One trick that I use to bake cakes or pies if you don't have a trivet to use inside the oven. Place 3 or 4 metal canning lid rings in the bottom (depending on size of oven), then put your cake or pie plate on top of it. Viola' you have heat circulation and no more burned bottoms.

Here's a link to a site that has information on how to reseason a cast iron pot
http://survivalcommonsense.com/2010/03/08/restoring-a-cast-iron-treasure/


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## Goldie (Feb 18, 2009)

Excellent tutorial!! Thank you so much for taking the time to show this.

I do have a question... is it better to purchase a deep oven or go with a regular depth?

Thanks.


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## jerrwhy (Jan 12, 2010)

Goldie said:


> Excellent tutorial!! Thank you so much for taking the time to show this.
> 
> I do have a question... is it better to purchase a deep oven or go with a regular depth?
> 
> Thanks.


Personally, I think it's better to go with regular depth for one's first DO. Why? in my opinion they are more general purpose. Deep Dutch Ovens are used when you want to lower the baking temperature such as for breads and cakes. To be honest I really haven't had a problem baking breads and cakes in a regular DO.

My advice is go with a 12 inch DO. If you couple that with a 12 inch skillet and lid it'll coven about 85% of your cooking needs should you have to go primitive. 


Peace
Jerry


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## NJ Rich (Dec 14, 2005)

Wayne02 ROFLM?O


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

We have a large collection of DOs, one we purchased the others we found at garage sales and thrift stores. 
We like to camp no-trace so for a cooking fire we dig two pits, a main one and a smaller one with a channel dug from the main pit to it for moving coals. We can have a pot hanging over the fire and another one going in the small pit on coals.
I've never tried cooking with storebought charcoal, we've always used coals from the fire.

I gotta try those Garlic Herb rolls, I think I'll let my bread machine do all the hard work for me, I LOVE the Dough cycle on my machine...~lol~...

Thanks for all the GREAT info folks!


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