Dutch Oven cooking

[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.

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 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]

Aluminum Dutch Ovens

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

) 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: