Dutch Oven Recipes.

[VanGo]

Now that I have a Dutch Oven (DO) it's time for some trail tested, mudder approved, easy to prepare, and great tasting recipes. I was out on the web and found whats listed below, of course mine is not trail proven as of yet, but this sounds sooo good! Here we go:

Better Dutch Oven Cooking

Recipes:

Dinner: Baked Salmon

1 11-inch length of whole salmon body
6 ears of corn
1/2 stick butter, melted
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sliced onion
1/2 lemon, sliced
seasoned salt
parmesan cheese


Place husked corn in bottom of dutch oven to cover bottom.
Shake seasoned salt inside salmon.
Lay alternating slices of onion and lemon inside the salmon.
Pour 1 cup water into the D.O.
Lay salmon on corn cobs.
Mix butter and lemon juice and baste top of salmon.
Cook for 15 minutes at 350 degrees with 2/3 coals on top and 1/3 underneath.
Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of salmon.
Cook for another 15 minutes, or until salmon flakes and is no longer translucent.

Serve with rice. or couscous.


Dessert: Apple Crisp

6 apples
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
3 cup quick oats
1 cup flour
2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
1 cup butterSlice apples.


Mix apple slices, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl.
Mix oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter to make crust.
Press half the crust mix into the bottom and sides of the dutch oven.
Pour the apples onto the crust.
Cover apples with the rest of the crust mix.
Bake covered about 45 minutes at 350 degrees, until top crust is light brown and apples are tender.

 

[Combat Chuck]

My favorite:

Peach Rhubarb Cobbler.

Filling:
5 fresh Peaches, sliced (frozen is okay)
2 Ribs of rhubarb, diced
~ a cup dark brown sugar
Juice and Zest of one lime
pinch Kosher salt
Pinch or two black pepper (seriously!)
3-4T Tapioca flour (less for corn starch, tapioca isn't as chalky)

Crust:
3 C AP Flour
1/2 C brown sugar
pinch kosher salt
1t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 C unsalted butter, cubed and chilled.
~ 1 C buttermilk

Mix the peaches, rhubarb, lime zest and juice, salt, sugar tapioca flour and pepper together and let stand for at least 30 minutes, in the fridge overnight would be better.

mix the four, sugar salt, baking powder and soda together with a whisk, and then work the butter in until the whole mix looks like cornmeal (optional, reserve 1/3 of the butter, and work that in at this into to leave larger chunks in it for bigger flakes)

Make a well, and add the buttermilk. Depending on the exact mix, and day, sometimes it takes a little more, sometimes a little less, that's why I left this general.
Mix the dough together, and knead it until just combined, being careful not to overwork it.

Let this rest on the counter for about 30 minutes, or in the fridge overnight.
Separate 1/3 of the dough, roll it out, and place in the bottom of a buttered DO.
Roll out remaining dough, and reserve.
Add filling
cover loosely with other dough layer. (you can also "dop" pieces on, like a grunt-style cobbler)

Bake at 350 (8 coals in a ring on bottom, 16 on top for a 12" DO) counter-rotating every ten minutes until the filling's set, and crust is golden brown. Let rest for 20 minutes, serve with vanilla, or peach ice cream.

Shamelessly stolen and modified from Alton Brown.

- The topping can be made without sugar for great biscuits, too!
- Everything can be made a day in advance, and brought together when needed, though be careful to use double-acting baking powder if this is the plan

Helpful tip from my old Scoutmater:
"Smell plus 10"

When you can first smell the cobbler from the DO with the lid tightly on it (IE between counter-rotations) add 10 more minutes, and it's done.

Mah own bread recipe, been working on this one since I was 12 (it really has taken the better part of this last decade to perfect, too)

- 3 C AP Flour
- 1 T Active dry yeast
- 2 T brown sugar
- 1 C warm water (about 104 degrees F)
- 1/4 C olive oil (melted butter, veggie oil, grape seed oil, etc also acceptable, I'm just Italian)
- 1t kosher salt

Mix 2t of the yeast, 1T of the sugar, and the water together, and let it all "bloom" on the counter for 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the four, salt, sugar, and remaining 1t of yeast, and make a well.

Add the liquids on top of the flour, and mix by hand until it's all only just slightly sticky, then knead in the oil. Turn out onto a floured counter, and knead for 15-20 minutes, work into a ball, cover with tea towel, and let proof for 30 minutes.

at this point, you can make a nice pizza crust with it.

OR

Let proof in a warm spot for 2 hours, knead down, repeat, and bake at 400 degrees (18/9 coals) until the internal temperature is 210 degrees, or if thumped on the bottom, sounds "hollow"'

serve with butter, or extra virgin olive oil and balamic vinnegar.

Additional options:

- Use a 1C disher to portion out into rolls for faster cook time.

-work it semi-flat with fingertips, and poke whole grapes, rosemary stems, or thyme stems into it with your fingers, brush with olive oil, and bake for foccacia

- Brush it with an egg wash for a glossy crust

- split dough in half before it's fully kneaded, and work pesto into one half, braid the two doughs together, egg wash, and sprinkle with parm.

- knead in whole roasted garlic cloves, or dried cranberries

- Add extra brown sugar, a little nutmeg and other optional spices, knead in dried blueberries for breakfast bread.

- use leftovers for french toast (although we NEVER have leftover bread on any trips, or even at home for that matter).


I've had this bread all possible ways now, and my favorite is in rolls, still slightly dusty from kneading board flour.


be blessed
-ST

 

[Assassin]

peach Cobbler--G E O R G I A style----aka southern style

3 cans of peaches or fresh ones if you live in the south
3 sticks of REAL BUTTER
3 cups SUGAR
3 cups of self rising flour

enjoy with a good couple spoon fulls of homemade vanilla ice cream on top.....

( note this is the diet version)

i cook this in my duch oven a lot at hunitng camp and family gathering...

 

[greentruck]

As a former Scout, in a word -- BISQUICK!

I can't help with anything more specific, but that stuff has recipes on the box for various basic biscuits, cobbler, etc. We made a giant biscuit that nearly filled a dutch oven one time, puring down rain as we sheltered and kept the fire going. Man was that thing delicious when we sliced it up, all cold and wet, but we had a fresh-baked goodie.

It's been 40 years since I've done any dutch oven baking, but we'll be putting ours back in service on the next trip out. The wife has me watching this thread, so maybe I'll have something more detailed to contribute when we return from that in a few weeks.

 

[Combat Chuck]

peach Cobbler--G E O R G I A style----aka southern style

3 cans of peaches or fresh ones if you live in the south
3 sticks of REAL BUTTER
3 cups SUGAR
3 cups of self rising flour

enjoy with a good couple spoon fulls of homemade vanilla ice cream on top.....

( note this is the diet version)

i cook this in my duch oven a lot at hunitng camp and family gathering...

As a former Scout, in a word -- BISQUICK!

Nice! short, sweet, and to the point!

I can't help with anything more specific, but that stuff has recipes on the box for various basic biscuits, cobbler, etc. We made a giant biscuit that nearly filled a dutch oven one time, puring down rain as we sheltered and kept the fire going. Man was that thing delicious when we sliced it up, all cold and wet, but we had a fresh-baked goodie.

It's been 40 years since I've done any dutch oven baking, but we'll be putting ours back in service on the next trip out. The wife has me watching this thread, so maybe I'll have something more detailed to contribute when we return from that in a few weeks.

Bisquick dumplings, too. On a cold snow camp, ad-libbing dumplings out of Bisquick was amazing, and filling.

 

[VanGo]

How do you guys regulate the temps that are required? Flame color temp identification?

 

[Combat Chuck]

Just the number of coals.

there's +3 up/ -3 down for a helpful pattern,
The DO's diameter in inches into coals (your ten would be 10 coals)
+3 on top (13)
-3 on the bottom (7)
that's about 350.

1 coal adds roughly 10-15 degrees (I usually just go for 10) so 5 more for 400 degrees, 2 less for 325-ish.

2/3s of the way down the linked page is a table, I always keep one in print on hand in case I'm not sure of my math.
edit: forgot to post the link
http://bsatroop10.org/Dutch.htm#temp

 

[VFRMAN]

Peach cobbler
1 box yellow cake mix(how easy it that?)
1 Big can of peaches
peaches into dutch oven first
dump cake mix on top
15 charcoal briquets on top
10 underneath

I forget how long but you want it cooking from the top down. The cake mix makes a perfect sweet crust on top.

can't beat it for simplicity and it's damn good at 10,000'.

 

[VanGo]

CC bringing the tech! Thanks to all who have posted so far...

Just the number of coals.

there's +3 up/ -3 down for a helpful pattern,
The DO's diameter in inches into coals (your ten would be 10 coals)
+3 on top (13)
-3 on the bottom (7)
that's about 350.

1 coal adds roughly 10-15 degrees (I usually just go for 10) so 5 more for 400 degrees, 2 less for 325-ish.

2/3s of the way down the linked page is a table, I always keep one in print on hand in case I'm not sure of my math.
edit: forgot to post the link
Dutch Oven Cooking - Troop 10

 

[VanGo]

What brand briquets are you guys using? And of course mode of moving the briquets?

 

[VanGo]

CC-

I should have scrolled up before posting. Thanks again.

Van

What brand briquets are you guys using? And of course mode of moving the briquets?

 

[Combat Chuck]

No problem, that's all information my SM passed along to me when I first got the disease! (DO addiction and Cruiser addiction are very similar).

I like Kingsford coals; I think they're the best, but I have used the Wal-mart coals, and as much as I despise WallyWorld, their coals had the size advantage, they were just huge! They seemed to last a very long time, but I'm not sure they were within my 10 degrees per coal system.


I have a set of bent-wire tong I use for the coals. They're formed out of 1/4" round iron, with triangular grasping points, and wood handles. They're bleeding awful at lifting meat, but the triangles hold coals perfectly. I'll post up a picture later.

 

[Combat Chuck]

Braised Pork Chops.

6 thick-cut Bone-in, rib-end chops, trimmed of silverskin.
1 Sweet onion, frenched
4-6 cloves roasted garlic
1/4C Olive Oil, (not extra-virgin), plus extra for the chops.
1/3 C flour
1 Qt chicken stock
2 C dry white wine
1 t Kosher salt, plus extra for the meat
black pepper, to taste
4-5 springs fresh thyme, broken into 1/2 inch segments
4-5 springs fresh rosemary, broken into 1/2 inch segments
6-10 sage leaves, torn in half.
1 LB fresh swiss chard, chiffonade (leaves stacked, rolled up, and sliced into semi-fine "rings")
1 LB baby-cut carrots.

At-home Prep:
-Season the chops with salt and pepper, store them in a zip-top bag in the fridge until needed.

- Blanch the carrots so they're par-cooked, and store.


At camp:

- build up a huge fire out of good hardwood (I like oak, avoid pine, or fir, it gets "pitchy") let the fire die down to coals, and grill the chops over the coals only long enough to get a good sear on them.
or:
Flip the DO lid over coals and sear them on the smooth inside.
Whatever works best for you.

Place the oil, onions, garlic, pepper and salt into the bottom for the DO over medium heat, and sweat them until translucent. Add the flour, and whisk to combine, cooking until it no longer smells like flour. Add the chicken stock and wine, bring to a simmer, add the chops, and slow-cook at 300 for about an hour, counter-rotating every 15-20 minutes. After the last turn, stir in the herbs.

When the time's up, set the chops aside on a platter, and add the carrots to the hot sauce that's in the DO. wait 5-10 minutes for them to heat up, then stir in the chard, and serve immediately.

I like to serve it family-style with buttered brown rice, and hunks of fresh-baked bread.

Wine suggestion: beer. 'nuff said.

 

[Assassin]

Kingsford coals, a set of tongs or ---antique' set of coal tongs are the bomb---and a set old leather welder gloves are nice to have in your campsite.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Accesories you will need.

• A regular pair of kitchen tongs work great for moving coals.
• They sell fancy tools for moving the DO and taking the lid off, I just use a big pair of channel locks.
• A lid trivet is very handy, it gives you a place to park the lid out of the dirt while you check the dish.
• A charcoal chimney is essential for starting coals.

 

[VanGo]

NEW Cooking show idea! DUTCH OVEN CHEF....the true iron chefs. Seriously you guys are throwing out some great ideas!!! Keep them rolling!

 

[Combat Chuck]

NEW Cooking show idea! DUTCH OVEN CHEF....the true iron chefs. Seriously you guys are throwing out some great ideas!!! Keep them rolling!

I'm down! I'd love to commentate!

 

[Combat Chuck]

Coal Tongs

Here are the tongs I use for moving coals around with my DO

Picked 'em up from Wallyworld about eight years ago, they came with a spatula, a fork, and some other POS Walton-Mart bullcrap, cost about 13 bucks IIRC. The tongs were the only parts I had an interest in, because they were shorter wood-handled versions of the tongs my then Scoutmaster used.

They move coals extraordinarily well, but totally bring on the suck for moving meat. You can find similar ones at Barbques Galore that are longer, and don't require the soul-crushing visit to Wallyworld, too.

Pic 1 is a freestanding shot, pic 2 is in my hands for scale.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

This thread needs its own section.......keep em coming.

 

[Combat Chuck]

This thread needs its own section.......keep em coming.

Agreed!

more recipes...

Beef Burgundy

1 Lb beef stewing meat, cubed. (I like a mix of brisket and chuck, sirloin works well too)
1/2 LB bacon cut into strips
1 onion, quartered
2 carrots, halved
3 ribs of celery, halved
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 T dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2T black pepper
Kosher salt, to taste
1 Qt beef stock
1 Qt red wine (I like Pinot Noir for this)
1/2 C flour.
1/2 LB mushrooms, sliced
1 bag pearl onions, peeled

Add the cubed meat to a zip-top bag, season with salt, pepper, and add the flour. Work out the air, and then knead the four into the meat until it's as thoroughly coated as possible.

Place the DO over medium heat, and place the bacon in while cold, and render out the fat. When crispy, take the bacon out and set aside. Sautee the mushrooms in the fat, and remove from the DO, caramelize the onions, and remove. Add butter as needed to keep the oil "full"

Over high heat, brown up the meat and flour in three batches until the meat is very darkly seared and flavorful, be careful not to overload the pan, because this can hinder the cook time.

Once it's all browned, return the meat to the pan, add the carrot, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, chicken stock and wine. Cover, and slow cook for 2-3 hours, taking care to change out the coals to keep an even 300 degrees. Counter-rotate every 20 minutes to assure even heat.

When the 3 hours are up, remove the celery, onion, and carrot, stir in the pearl onions and mushrooms, and serve on top of buttered egg noodles, sprinkle the bacon on top.