CHOW DOWN
Simmer Down:
DUTCH OVEN COOKING
kind, but that doesn’t stop me from occasionally dabbling in the same Dutch oven cooking in my own lesstreed backyard. Dutch oven cooking is easy in theory, requiring only a cast iron Dutch oven, a lighter, and some charcoal, though there are some ‘nice to have’ items-a chimney to help get the charcoal going, a lid lifter, tongs for the coals. A camp Dutch oven sits on legs to allow charcoal underneath. It’s also covered by a heavy lid that holds charcoal on top, so it is heated from both ends. The amount
of oil and wait until it is almost boiling. Take a tube of refrigerated biscuit dough, divide each biscuit in half so that you have two round circles, poke a hole in each, and toss them in. Fry until they’re as gold as you like them, and toss into a paper sack with cinnamon and sugar, or top however you like. If you’re looking for something a little more savory, heat up the Dutch oven, cook the bacon, leaving grease behind. Take out the bacon, crumble, and layer it with rounds of potatoes, onions, and cheese. Cook it
“We would eat peach cobbler and chilli and cornbread and breakfast casseroles MADE IN THE DUTCH OVEN.”
BY HEATHER HAMILTON-POST
Second to ice-cold milk in the morning, the best part of camping is meals made fireside in the Dutch oven. I grew up in Idaho’s wild places, roasting marshmallows beside the log cabin campfires my mother taught me to build after warm meals served on tin plates, lovingly cooked in a well-seasoned Dutch oven (or two, or even three). We would eat peach cobbler and chilli and cornbread and breakfast casseroles, scraping the leftovers into old sour cream containers to be placed in the cooler and reheated for an afternoon snack. Thus far, I am unable to bring myself to take my young children camping without a trailer of some
of charcoal you use will depend on your Dutch oven size and also the recipe, but it is always better to have more coals and be able to take them away. You can buy a Dutch oven already seasoned or season it yourself--to preserve said seasoning, do not wash with soap, merely rinse out with water and re-oil as needed. If you’re looking for an easy Dutch oven win, I might suggest campfire donuts, which are a timeless hit for adults and children alike. It really isn’t much of a recipe, which might be good if you’re new to this. Fill a Dutch oven with about two cups
all for around 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft enough. If you want an easier cleanup, you can line the Dutch oven with parchment paper, though it does away with some of the crunchy goodness that otherwise forms. And sure, many of these recipes could be made inside your home using an oven and casserole dish, but it truly isn’t the same. Dutch oven recipes can be as complicated or simple as you desire, but you can actually taste the love (and occasionally a little bit of leftover ash) in the food in a way that makes it truly special.
PHOTOS Top by Mike Goad Bottom-Peach cobbler photo by Sarah Brown www.idahomemagazine.com
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