Question: Cooking with cast iron

[Black Dog]

line the oven with foil when cooking cobbler.....

makes cleanup a snap

It does make cleanup a snap, but as long as you have it well seasoned cleanup shouldn't be any problem at all. If you've got stuff stuck or burned on, try using a piece of paper sack and some corn meal to scrub it. I've also heard of using granulated table salt too. To be totally honest, its kind of annoyance to me when I see people using aluminum foil liners in their dutch ovens. I've used paper liners before but there was still some elbow work for cleanup because the liners got torn and came apart when people were serving food.

 

[Albin]

So, who else is gong to the National Cornbread Festival at South Pittsburg, TN this weekend. The Lodge factory will have an open house or tour of their manufacturing facilities; the only day of the year you can tour their factory.

More info: http://www.nationalcornbread.com/

 

[James86004]

So, who else is gong to the National Cornbread Festival at South Pittsburg, TN this weekend. The Lodge factory will have an open house or tour of their manufacturing facilities; the only day of the year you can tour their factory.

More info: http://www.nationalcornbread.com/

I wish! I so want to tour that place. I have kin nearby, but only seem to make it there around Christmas.

 

[xcmountain80]

I realize everyone has their own needs and the cookware that works for one person isn't always the best for everyone. That said, I prefer cast iron. I'm a bit of a cast iron addict.

Here's most of the cast iron, although there are more skillets in the garage and a 20" oven in storage.

If you want to learn about cast iron cooking, here are the links to two short tutorials I wrote.

Basic Equipment

Basic Technique

There are loads of recipes and "how to" camp cooking information at my website: www.camp-cook.com

Hope that gets you started on your cast iron cooking career!!

Joanne

You go Girl!

 

[xcmountain80]

The nostick qualities of the preseasoned Lodge pans is not perfect. Preseasoning is a start, not a substitute for years of use. Especially with the 10", I suggest a couple of months of bacon, biscuits, and cornbread, before trying eggs (especially scrambled).

I still buy and use nonstick pans. I reserve the newest ones for things like eggs where the nonstick quality is most important. I also try to get the thickest aluminum possible. Restaurant quality pans work well (e.g. from the restaurant aisle as Sams Club, or the restaurant supply store on North Aurora). I've also found some good deals at TJMax. My best nonstick is a German Berndes cast aluminum with steel inserts in the base that let me use it on an induction burner.

Another good choice for eggs (and pancakes) is carbon steel. This takes a seasoning like cast iron. A french crepe pan is great for omelets and crepes. But even a Mexican comal (carbon steel griddle) will take a nice seasoning.

On that not the big box stores namely Sams has an awesome commercial kitchen line that would make for good overland quality gear thats affordable.

A

 

[Corey]

Besides the 8" Lodge pan I got a few weeks back, these two items will hosw up at my door tomorrow.
Lodge Logic Serving Pot with Iron Cover

Lodge Camp 8-Inch Dutch Oven Tote Bag

Will break the 8" oven in this weekend at home.

The 10" pan and oven are fine for home, but the 8" ones will be better for my Camp Chef stove.

Fried two jumbo eggs last Saturday in the 8" pan, they turned out nice and no sticking.
Just wiped out the pan with a paper towel, then re-oiled.

 

[DorB]

Poyke pot..
sauth african, works well on/in a stove, even better of open fire.

 

[Ray Hyland]

We bought a 10" cast iron dutch oven from Ikea a few years ago. It is the main pan or pot in our home and our campsite. Keep it seasoned (which is easy when you are used to it) and basically it is good forever.

Ray



www.hylandadventures.com

 

[bunduguy]

Poyke pot..
sauth african, works well on/in a stove, even better of open fire.

We stock the South African Potjie Pots.
We have no.2 and no.3 in stock.
The rounded base makes for more even heat distribution than flat bottom pots, and the taller legs allow you to stoke coals under the pot without having to keep lifting it up.
Can't go wrong with a design we've been using in South Africa for 300 years!

 

[taugust]

One tip not mentioned:

When you are baking (cakes, cobbler, cornbread, bread), make sure the coals on the bottom are only under the perimeter edge, never in the center. This prevents a concentration of heat that causes baked items to burn.

 

[Black Dog]

The latest issue of Hobby Farm Home magazine was in my mailbox earlier this week and they have a pretty good write up of camp fire cooking that deals mostly with cast iron and dutch ovens, and a few appetizing recipes as well.

 

[RU55ELL]

I use my dutch oven every trip. I like it because if you fry something in it, grease doesn't get all over your stove. This weekend (in the rain):

 

[RTO_Tracker9]

Now that is cooking!

Now that is cooking! Reminds me of the good ole' days and our field mess hall!

Does anyone have a favorite recipe for peach cobbler cooked in a dutch oven? If so, what ratio of coals do you use and how long do you bake the cobbler in the Dutch oven? :chef:

Thanks for your input!
RTO_Tracker9

 

[Black Dog]

The peach cobbler I do is one can of sprite, one box yellow cake mix, and two cans of peaches with the juice drained off. Stir it all together and cook at 350 for about an hour and 15 minutes. In my 10 inch dutch oven on a warm windless day outside 350 is usually about 7 coals on bottom and 14 on top. Cooler or windier or more humid days mean you'll need to make adjustments, and for a 12 inch oven add probably one coal below and one or two on top.

edit: Almost forgot, in the cooking process I usually go for 15 minutes then rotate the pot a quarter turn clockwise and the lid a quarter turn counter clockwise, and repeat. That helps make sure you don't have any extra hot spots that will burn and be bad eats. Its important to leave the lid on as much as possible to keep the heat inside, once you start smelling cobbler go for another 15 minutes give or take a bit, then poke the center with a tooth pick. If it comes out clean you are ready to chow down, but if it has cobbler stuck to it keep cooking.

 

[paulj]

The common rule of thumb for baking with a DO is the diameter (inches) times 2 for the number of briquettes, with a 2/3, 1/3 top bottom distribution. The wording may vary, but that's the gist.