Dutch Oven cooking

[Joanne]

Hi all,

I do quite a bit of dutch oven cooking when I'm out camping. I've recently started focusing on developing my bread skills.

These are some herb-garlic rolls. Not too bad for my first try at these in a DO.

http://www.asolidfoundation.com/postings/hg_rolls.jpg


Although this Mexican cornbread needs to brown a bit more, it came out really good.

http://www.asolidfoundation.com/postings/cornbread.jpg


Although it's a bit of work do to bread out camping, it sure tastes great.

Joanne

[Willman]

Looks very good!

Welcome to the ExPo by-the-way!!!!!

I to like to DO cook!!!!......Breakfast is my favorite!

:chowtime:

[big sky trapper]

DO cooking cant leave home with out them unless were doing some really primative stuff...but allass Im starting to pass the super secret how to book on to my girls...

http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6077

i think weve tried just about "everything" in them....

DO's over a camp fire with a spit mmmmmm goooood....

[bovw]

I'm going to have to get a DO, it's been years since I used one. I fondly remember many a good peach cobbler from my Boy Scout days.:chowtime:

[Joanne]

DO cooking cant leave home with out them unless were doing some really primative stuff...but allass Im starting to pass the super secret how to book on to my girls...

http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6077

i think weve tried just about "everything" in them....

DO's over a camp fire with a spit mmmmmm goooood....

Great pictures! It's good to pass those secrets along. It's life-long knowledge. (plus yummy food)

Joanne

[Joanne]

I'm going to have to get a DO, it's been years since I used one. I fondly remember many a good peach cobbler from my Boy Scout days.:chowtime:

Peach cobbler is one of my favorites. It's quick, easy, and always tastes great.

So, what are you waiting for? Get out and buy that oven! http://expeditionportal.com/forum/images/icons/icon12.gif

Joanne

[marc olivares]

i'm a bit of a D.O. fanatic as well
and i just recently perfected a leg of lamb dish that's, well, to die for...:chowtime:

joanne, i love the trailer build journal
i truly appreciate the amount of time that has gone into that little guy! :clapsmile:

[VikingVince]

i just recently perfected a leg of lamb dish that's, well, to die for...:chowtime:


oh that's such a teaser:)...love leg of lamb...how about sharing that recipe you just perfected?:chowtime: ....thanks

[gjackson]

:iagree: x2

cheers

[Howard70]

We've used dutch ovens in the past and we're planning of getting back to them again. I've seen some apparently well made anodized cast aluminum Dutch Ovens. Their light weight is attractive as we're trying hard to reduce the total weight of our overall expedition camping system. However, I wonder if the higher conductivity of aluminum would make them more likely to have hot spots that would burn the food?

Anyone have experience with these cast aluminum ovens?

Howard L. Snell

[dbolton]

I've used aluminum DO's as a rafting and climbing guide for years. No problems - the large 20" ones are a great way to keep breakfast hot for thirty hungry clients and bake great cakes and breads.:chowtime:

[Joanne]

I haven't done any aluminum DO cooking....yet. My friends who have tried them say they work just great. At some point I'm going to be taking one (or more) home with me!

I have looked at the GSI Hard Anodized ovens and they seem very well made. The only thing I don't like is that the smaller ovens don't have legs on them. I'm guessing that is so they will pack down smaller. It's not problem really because I can set it on a lid holder and then put coals under it. (I do that with the coffee pot anyway).

If I were you I wouldn't hesitate to buy one. If you are used to cast iron, you might have to watch your coals since the aluminum transmits heat so well. I'm sure the more experienced cooks can speak to that point.

Joanne

[paulj]

I have the 10" hard anodized GSI DO. While it does not have legs, GSI does sell a 3 leg stand for it, so it can be used with coals above and below.

This arrangement has a couple of advantages. The oven packs more compactly, since the legs can go inside. The oven can be used on a regular stove top.

While I've used cast iron pans for years, I started baking coals using a 2 qt (8") Lodge DO. The aluminum one is a bit larger - larger in diameter, but not quite as deep. By and large it has replace the iron one for car camping. The aluminum one is lighter, and packs more compactly. I pack the oven, plus tools, some charcoal, and baking mixes in an 8 gal. Rubbermaid tote.

The GSI handle isn't quite a stable as Lodge's. That is, a pan full of water can be tippy. With dry ingredients it is stable. With semi-liquid (stew) I stabilize it with my other hand (such as holding onto the lid) just to be sure.

In practice I used the GSI oven more at home, for regular stove top and oven cooking, than with coals. Hard anodized isn't quite as nonstick as Teflon, or well seasoned iron, but is still pretty good.

paulj

[Howard70]

Thanks for the great replies about aluminum DOs. I've just purchased the GSI 10" - haven't used it yet, but the size and weight are ideal for our goals. The GSI stand wasn't available where I made the purchase, but I found a folding "DO lid stand that looks like it will work - with the added advantage of being compact.

So - those of you who have used aluminum DOs - do you cure them or not?

From what I've found on the web it is not necessary to cure them since they won't rust. However, it appears that the aluminum can be cured to provide the easy clean up and slight flavor enhancement?

Howard L. Snell

[big sky trapper]

I have one alumin. the outside is "camp fired cured" but the inside is still natural. Its pushing 10 years old. Actuall curring never seemed to make much differance, as far as clean up went or making it non stick. I did clean it ONCE, put in the bead blaster at work took it all off.....

[flywgn]

On our recent trip down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, we had two DO "experts" among our five guides. In addition to all the other wonderful facets of the six-day float (rapids, fly-fishing, hiking, eating, and drinking) I used the evenings and mornings as a seminar on DO-cooking.

I haven't organized my notes yet, but when I do I'll post a couple of items, especially the part about numbers of coals on top, on bottom, and the cooking time. Fascinating.

Allen R

[paulj]

In my experience, plain aluminum and hard anodized does not take a cure like iron or steel. But even without that, hard anodized is low stick. Also it is nearly as good as stainless steel at handling acidic foods.

paulj

[big sky trapper]

Originally Posted by marc olivares
i just recently perfected a leg of lamb dish that's, well, to die for...


oh that's such a teaser:)...love leg of lamb...how about sharing that recipe you just perfected?:chowtime: ....thanks

Shall we start a lamb cook off DO stlye,, Ours just came back from the butcher today. Started in the early spring went to the butcher at 120 pounds each.

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q18/bigskytrapper/Howiesstuff011.jpg

Lamb is just about the only non-game meat we eat anymore.

[calamaridog]

Shall we start a lamb cook off DO stlye, Ours just came back from the butcher today. Started in the early spring went to the butcher at 120 pounds each.

Lamb is just about the only non-game meat we eat anymore.

I'm not doing a lamb cook off with anyone who raises their own:D Mine comes from Costco, and while it isn't bad, I don't want any part of that!

[big sky trapper]

whats a costco??? haha

[marc olivares]

LOL i wouldn't touch that challenge with a ten foot pole, thank you very much!

:bowdown:

[BigAl]

On our recent trip down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, we had two DO "experts" among our five guides. In addition to all the other wonderful facets of the six-day float (rapids, fly-fishing, hiking, eating, and drinking) I used the evenings and mornings as a seminar on DO-cooking.

I haven't organized my notes yet, but when I do I'll post a couple of items, especially the part about numbers of coals on top, on bottom, and the cooking time. Fascinating.

Allen R

How are you making out with the notes? I inherited an iron DO but have not used it. I'm picturing sitting it in a bed of coals and placing a shovel full of coals on top, but how long? How bout for cooking raw beef cubes and potatoes/carrots?

[Tucson T4R]

How are you making out with the notes? I inherited an iron DO but have not used it. I'm picturing sitting it in a bed of coals and placing a shovel full of coals on top, but how long? How bout for cooking raw beef cubes and potatoes/carrots?


My dad is big DO user. If his style is any indication, the number of coals (charcoal briquettes) below and on top was pretty important. Probably old school around a camp fire it's not as precise nor needs to be.

My favorite is his Indian Shepard Lamb stew with lamb, fresh mint, peaches and all the other normal stew contents. WOW, good eating. :chowtime:

[paulj]

If using coals from a fire, you probably have to use the 'seconds you can hold your hand above the fire' method of judging temperature. If using briquettes, you can use numbers. One rule of thumb that I use is twice the number of briquettes as the DO diameter (e.g. 20 for a 10"). For baking, such as for biscuits, you put more on top than bottom (e.g. 12:8). It is easier to burn the bottoms of biscuits than the top.

For stewing, you can use more on the bottom. In fact for stew, you could start with just coals on the bottom, taking a look every now and then and judge the simmer rate.

A good book or web site will give you guidelines on the amount of coals. However many recipes are written for a specific DO size.

paulj

[Joanne]

Hi all,

Dutch oven cooking is really pretty simple, but it does require a bit of practice. One note, if you are going to be baking bread or biscuits, be sure to watch the number and placement of the bottom coals. You don't want them underneath the oven, but rather right around the outside diameter of the oven. Coals underneath will create too much heat and burn the bottoms. Also, about every five minutes or so, pick up the oven and turn it about 90 degrees, then turn the lid another 90 degrees. This also helps reduce "hot spots" that cause burning.

If you take a look at these two web pages on my website, you will get a good introduction to DO cooking.

http://www.asolidfoundation.com/do101_equipment.shtml
http://www.asolidfoundation.com/do101_technique.shtml


Joanne


Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll start a sushi restaurant franchise charging exorbanent prices for mediocre food.

[dlbrunner]

Over new years out in the Black Rock I did a Prime Rib Roast in the DO, and it was MONEY!

I started by peeling about 8 cloves garlic and cut them in half long ways.

Take a filet knife, something long, skinny and sharp and poke holes in the fatty side of the roast about 1.5 to 2" deep.

shove garlic in holes.

Get the DO screaming hot with the lid off.

Sear all sides of the roast in an open DO. Remove DO from coals.

I added a little monterrey steak seasoning and pepper. Key word: little. that seasoning can go a long way.

Placed the roast back in the DO and put a medium amount of coals on the bottom and some on the lid.

In all honesty I don't know how long I cooked that sucker. I got back to camp about 3:30 to start dinner (and drinking) and I just kept checking with the meat thermometer. About 45 minutes in I poured about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of red vino, and I put 2 roma tomatoes in next to the roast.

This is just the meat, If I am going to cook a $60 chunk of cow, I am not going to ruin it by adding taters, carrots etc.. I put those in tin foil and cooked over coals seperately.

I cooked till medium rare, the tomatoes will disintegrate. I kept a constant vigil over this thing though, every 15 or so minutes I would pop the top and spoon the juice in the bottom (baste) over the roast. you will have to adjust the heat to keep a long, slow cooking. Keep the fat side up, so as it melts, it runs down the roast.

Who knows, it could have been bad. But when you are exhausted, cold, tipsy and hungry.... anything tastes good.

Next time I am going to run 2 DOs, one for the meat, and one for roasting veggies!

Hijack: My buddy carries an electric wok in his kit that goes to the inverter, we have successfully made pot stickers in the field.
:chowtime:

[Abeaw]

Hi all. I have been reading the forum for a while but I have never posted until now.

I can tell you from my experience in the boy scouts that aluminum Dutch ovens do have higher conductivity and also have a problem with hot spots. With a little practice the problems can be over come but cooking in an aluminum Dutch oven is not the same as in a cast iron one. I like the cast iron ones better but I have used both. One thing is for sure, the aluminum ones are MUCH lighter.

Honest Abe

[Joanne]

Hi all. I have been reading the forum for a while but I have never posted until now.

I can tell you from my experience in the boy scouts that aluminum Dutch ovens do have higher conductivity and also have a problem with hot spots. With a little practice the problems can be over come but cooking in an aluminum Dutch oven is not the same as in a cast iron one. I like the cast iron ones better but I have used both. One thing is for sure, the aluminum ones are MUCH lighter.

Honest Abe

Hey Abe!

Welcome aboard! I'm a bit of a newbie on this list myself. I've not cooked in an aluminum oven but your experience sounds exactly like I would expect. Like most of DO cooking, practice and experience would make the difference. I'm considering buying one (or more http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif) just to try out. I think that the weight savings would be nice.

Thanks for the info!

Joanne

[toyrunner95]

i like the cast iron dutch ovens, my family has been using them for years. its actually a tradtion that my dad kind of started, he teaches you how to care for it and season it then after a year of taking care of one of his old ones you got your own. it was a definate right of passage.

my dad is such a pro its unbelieveable, he has won numerous awards through the boyscouts and he is always trying new things. the nifty part is that he only has 2, a medium and a small. he beats out all the guys who have like 50 that they buy at garage sales and everything. its amazing. i will try and get some of his top secret recipies. like sticky buns. mmmmmm

college joe.

[LC/LR4Life]

I have been wanting to get back into Dutch Oven cooking for quite a while. I plan on doing so very soon. For those who don't know, you have to season the ovens before use. Just check out the internet for specifics. I have found "Lodge" brand seems to be a good brand to go with for those who haven't done any research yet.

Trivia bit:

Dutch Ovens were invented by the British, but got their name because of the Dutch traders who travelled the seas in their ships selling these ovens / pans etc.

:camping: :chowtime:

[rusty_tlc]

i like the cast iron dutch ovens, my family has been using them for years. its actually a tradtion that my dad kind of started, he teaches you how to care for it and season it then after a year of taking care of one of his old ones you got your own. it was a definate right of passage.

my dad is such a pro its unbelieveable, he has won numerous awards through the boyscouts and he is always trying new things. the nifty part is that he only has 2, a medium and a small. he beats out all the guys who have like 50 that they buy at garage sales and everything. its amazing. i will try and get some of his top secret recipies. like sticky buns. mmmmmm

college joe.
:drool:
You must get the sticky bun recipe.

[rusty_tlc]

I saw this on The Take Home Chef and thought it would adapt well to a DO.



Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the tarts:
7 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into halves
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
Two 7-inch-diameter discs of puff pastry, rolled to ¼ inch thickness

For the caramel sauce:
1 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream

Method:

To make the tarts:

Divide the butter between two 6-inch-diameter, high-sided copper pans and spread it over the bottoms of the pans. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the butter in each pan. Using a small sharp knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla beans into the sugar mixture. Reserve the vanilla beans.

Place the pans over medium heat and cook until the butter and sugar have melted. The sugar should start to turn a light golden color; once this has happened, remove from the heat. Place four apple halves, core-side facing up, onto the butter and sugar in each pan. Place 2 cinnamon stick halves and 1 reserved vanilla bean between the apple halves in each pan to resemble a cross. Stretch the pastry over the apples and tuck the pastry down between the apples and the sides of the pans. Prick the pastry 4 to 5 times with a fork.

Place the tarts in the refrigerator to chill the pastry for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 375°F/180ºC. Transfer the tarte tatin to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

To make the caramel sauce:

Place the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves, watching carefully once the sugar has dissolved since the sugar begins to change color and will burn quickly. Allow the sugar to turn a golden brown. Add the cream and stir to blend. Once the cream is incorporated, remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

To serve tarte tatin:

Place the pans with the tarts over high heat until the caramel in the bottom of the pans begins to bubble. Place a plate over each pan. In a swift movement, invert the tarte tatins onto the plates. Discard the vanilla bean and cinnamon stick. If the plate is a little messy, it may be easier to transfer the tarte tatins onto clean plates to serve.

Drizzle the caramel sauce around the tarte tatins. Serve each tarte tatin to two people.