District Camporee
Dutch Oven Cooking
September 20, 2002 DUTCH OVEN SEASONING AND CARE Cast iron Dutch ovens, if
properly cared for, will last for generations. Proper care beginning with the day it is purchased will keep the
oven looking like new and make for a quick and easy clean up after each
use. A new cast iron Dutch oven must
be seasoned before it is used for the first time. A good washing with hot
water is all that is needed to remove the factory preservative. Dry the oven completely. Use only vegetable oil to season and care
for your Dutch oven. Soak a paper
towel in vegetable oil. Spread the oil
all over the inside and the outside of the Dutch oven, including the legs and
the inside and outside of the lid. Place
the lid and the Dutch oven inside a kitchen range oven. Place the Dutch oven upside down on the
rack and place aluminum foil on the next rack down to catch any excess
oil. Close the range oven door, then
turn the oven on and set the temperature to 350 degrees and let it bake for
one hour. Then turn off the oven,
leaving the door closed and allow everything to slowly cool to room
temperature. While the Dutch oven is
baking it will create an odor. It
would be best to season your Dutch oven when you can open windows to air out
the area. Your Dutch oven is now
seasoned and ready for use. NEVER, REPEAT, NEVER Never pour cold water into
a hot Dutch oven. It will crack the
oven. Never use soap to clean your Dutch oven. Soap will get into the pores of the metal and will taint your
next meal. If soap is accidentally
used, the Dutch oven must be completely washed, cleaned and re-seasoned.
Never allow a Dutch oven to sit with water in it or on the lid or allow the
oven to stand in water. It will rust
even with a good seasoning. CLEANING YOUR DUTCH
OVEN A seasoned and properly
cared for Dutch oven will be very easy to clean. Scrape out all remaining food.
A plastic credit card, or ice scraper works well for this. Then using hot water and paper towels,
wash out all remaining food. Rinse
the oven inside and out. Dry with
paper towels. Clean the lid in the
same manner. Don't forget to rinse
the charcoal dust from the top of the lid.
Dry the lid with paper towels.
Soak a paper towel with vegetable oil and wipe the entire oven inside
and out. Wipe both sides of the lid
with vegetable oil. Then using dry
paper towels, wipe the oven and lid dry.
Enough oil will remain on the cast iron to maintain the
seasoning. Your Dutch oven will
darken with each use and turn into the ultimate non-stick cookware. When storing your oven, fold one sheet of
a paper towel in half and then in half again and place between the lid and
the oven. This will allow air into
the oven during storage and prevent moisture from accumulating. STORAGE AND
TRANSPORTATION Some cooks place their
Dutch ovens in storage and carrying bags while others use the cardboard box
the oven came in. You may wish to
make a wooden box to fit your oven. Whatever
you use, treat your oven with care, don't drop it or let it bounce around or
it will become damaged. If given the
right care, a Dutch oven will last forever. USEFUL TOOLS There are a few almost
essential tools for safe Dutch Oven cooking. ·
A lid lifter, or
Dutch oven pliers ·
Small shovel, scoop
or tongs for moving coals ·
Charcoal starter
tower ·
Tripod or stand to
keep your coals off the ground where ground fires are not allowed ·
Kitchen utensils,
spatula, serving spoons, can opener ·
Cleaning supplies,
pot scraper, nylon scratcher ·
Whisk broom for
cleaning the lid ·
Lid holder, small
pieces of wood, or an old brick to keep the lid out of the dirt ·
Lots of paper towels Selecting Your Dutch Oven
The most popular size is
the 12 inch Dutch oven. A 14 is useful for larger crowds, a 10 for small
groups and side dishes. Temperature Control Chart Heat control is the
hardest thing to master when learning to cook with a Dutch oven. Here are a
few tips to start you on your way! High quality briquettes
are recommended. Briquettes provide a long lasting, even heat source and are
easier to use. It is important to
remember that these tips are only a guide to help you get started. You will
need to adjust briquettes (coals) according to your recipe and keep in mind
that the weather, temperature, and soft ground can effect cooking temperature ·
A strong wind or
breeze will raise the temperature ·
High humidity will
lower the temperature ·
Direct sunlight will
increase the temperature ·
Shade will lower
temperature ·
Higher air
temperature will raise temperature ·
High altitude will
lower temperature Recipes require that you
have the correct heat placement: ·
Stews, soups, chili,
and other liquid dishes require more heat on the bottom than on the top. ·
Meat, poultry,
potatoes, beans, vegetables, and cobblers require even distribution of heat
on top and bottom ·
Cakes, breads,
biscuits, and cookies require most of the heat on top and little heat on the
bottom Stacking of Dutch ovens is
a convenient way of saving space and sharing heat. This is best used for
dishes that require even heating.
Italian Bake
Brown hamburger and onions
in #12 Dutch Oven, add tomato and vegetable soup and bring to boil. While browning hamburger,
mix flour, shortening, Italian seasoning and milk in separate bowl to make
biscuit mixture. Caution: do not over
mix. Once mixture is boiling add
biscuit mixture to top, by dropping TBS of the mixture. Place 14 coals on top and 10 on
bottom. After 15 minutes remove from
bottom heat and cook only from the top until biscuits are nicely browned. Quick Macaroni Casserole
Melt butter in #12
Dutch oven, sauté onion and green pepper.
Add Ground beef and brown.
Drain grease, add soup, salt, and pepper. Gradually stir in water and macroni. Cover and cook 15 minutes
or so. Until macaroni is tender. If liquid thickens too much, add water a
little at a time. Use most coals on
bootom to boil the water and cook the macaroni. Do not over cook.
Taco Bake
Cook Ground beef and
onion until beef is brown in #12 Dutch oven; drain grease. Stir in taco seasoning mix, tomato sauce
and corn. Sprinkle with cheese. Stir remaining ingredients until blended,
pour over beef mixture. Bake 25
minutes with 14 coals on top and 10 on bottom. Bake 10 additional minutes or until light golden brown with
only heat on cover.
Serve with sour cream,
chopped tomato and shredded lettuce of desired. The Best Beans
(for 30 people)
In a 16 inch Dutch oven,
fry bacon and drain off excess grease. Remove bacon and set aside. Brown
ground beef and drain excess grease. Add bacon, onion and green pepper. Cook
until onions are clear. Add the ham, chili sauce, brown sugar, catsup, and
mustard. Stir to combine and dissolve sugar. Add beans. Simmer with low heat
for at least one hour. Wabuha Baked Beans
(for 60 people)
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