# Cast Iron



## wade2006 (Jan 12, 2007)

Does anyone use a Dutch Oven? Would love to hear about your experiences, suggestions, recipes. We cooked an apple crisp in ours while camping this weekend and it turned out great!!







I'm going to have to get a recipe book for it now. My dad gave it to me and I hadn't felt comfortable trying it, but my friend and I decided to bite the bullet and just do it this weekend.









Can't wait to hear!!
Ronda


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## happycamper (Jul 26, 2005)

Here's a good place to start Dutch Oven Topic

There are lot's of us DO cookers out there. I believe some where in the topic above there are a few websites listed with recipes andl tips if not PM me and I'll send you some of the ones we use

Steph


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

If you do a search on Dutch Oven, you will find that there is a huge amount of us that us them, and will find some recipes too in the recipe section.

Enjoy yours...I've used mine primarily for chili, but I have been thinking about trying an apple crisp or some bisquits.

Tim

PS. I do most of the cooking in our house....


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## FraTra (Aug 21, 2006)

I used to use mine a lot when I was an assistant scout master but havn't used them in several years. They make some great coblers and such. My only problem was cleaning up afterwards.


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## wade2006 (Jan 12, 2007)

Clean up isn't bad if you just put boiling hot water in the pot or put water in it and bring it to a boil. The stuff will come right off. You can use some salt and scrub it if need be. Ronda


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

I googled dutch oven recipes and came across a BIG cookbook put out by a scout master. Sorry I lost the link, but probley still out there. We got one, but for some reason or another haven't used it.


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## tripphammer (Oct 3, 2006)

Outstanding! I currently own three dutch ovens (all aluminum) of different sizes so that they nest well. I prefer the aluminum ones over the cast iron mainly for the weight and because I do quite a bit of overnight floating. I've cooked stuffed pork chops, upside-down cakes, biscuits, breakfast casseroles, stews, and lots, lots, more. Most of my cooking has been done using charcoal briquettes. As a general rule, 3 to 5 (depending on size of the oven) underneath and 7 to 10 on top. Aluminum heats up faster while cast iron hold the heat longer. Their is tradeoffs to both.
Take Care,
Tripp


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## W Podboy (Jan 4, 2007)

Rhonda,

The Dutch oven is the way to go for a lot of meals.

My most requested Dutch Oven goodie is my Dramboue Peach Cobbler.

It is quite simple. Get the Del Monte Select peaches ( in the glass jar ). drain off the juice.
Place peaches in the bottom . enough to cover side to side without having the slices stack one on top of the other. Add some Dramboue ( to taste ..about 1/2 shot glass for me )

Then pour a layer of Duncan Hines yellow cake mix about 1/4 inch thick and level. then a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

Add another layer of peaches and repeat. ( same goes for the Dramboue )

I can get 3 layers in my Dutch Oven..

Place the oven in the coals and add about 7 coals on the lid... Check from time to time. remove and let cool down when the top layer is a nice brown color.... or when you cant wait to try it.

let set for a bit and serve when its warm.

Chili, stews , anything taste better in a Dutch Oven. The more you cook in it the better the flavor gets.

Enjoy

Wes


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## countrygirl (Apr 9, 2006)

Yum sounds great!


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

I LOVE my Dutch Ovens. I have two 12" cast iron dutch ovens (one for cooking and one for baking) and my wife just bought me a 14" cast iron oven for my last birthday. I cook everything from breakfast casseroles to pot roasts. I bake pies, cakes and cobblers. The cobblers are easiest and there are many recipies. (My favorite is a Black Forest cobbler. Chocolate cake mix, cherry pie filling, and topped with miniature marshmallows near the end of baking!)










I learned to cook with a dutch oven in the Boy Scouts. Most Scout Shops carry several books on Dutch Oven cooking, with a lot of great recipies.

My favorite recipe is pork chops and scalloped potatoes. Here's how:

I use 12 charcoal briquettes beneath the oven and 14 on top. This gives me about a 350 degree oven. (I like to put a sheet of aluminum foil beneath everything. It reflects the heat up and moisture from the ground can't cool the charcoal.)

After pre-heating the oven, I pour a little vegetable oil in the bottom and then lightly brown the chops. Then remove the chops from the oven.

Pour in a box of Betty Crocker Scalloped Potatoes. Add the amount of water and the packet of fixins, as described in the directions (I use two boxes, if there are more than 4 people).

Arrange the chops on top of the mixture and then place the lid back on the oven.

Bake for the amount of time on the box, but it may take a little more time, depending on the quality of the charcoal, wind factors, ambient air temperature, etc. But remember, every time you lift the lid, add another 5 minutes to make up for the escaped heat.

Here's a link to a website with a lot of great recipies: Byron's Dutch Oven Recipies

Enjoy!

Mike


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## outbackinMT (Oct 7, 2006)

My uncle does a lot of Dutch oven cooking but I myself have never tried it. I think all of you have convinced me to give it a shot!!!

Brenda


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## wade2006 (Jan 12, 2007)

outbackinMT said:


> My uncle does a lot of Dutch oven cooking but I myself have never tried it. I think all of you have convinced me to give it a shot!!!
> 
> Brenda


Brenda, it is a lot of funny. My friend who camps with us she an i chose the recipe and she got the food stuff and i brought the stuff needed for using my dutch oven. I got the books "lovin Dutch ovens" and "field guide to Dutch Oven Cooking" I have a 12" dutch oven from Lodge with was a gift from my dad. I love the fun of it all.

Ronda


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## outbackinMT (Oct 7, 2006)

Thanks Ronda!

I think I need to try this out this summer--I'll have to get those books and figure this all out!!!

Brenda


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## Chasgirl (Aug 15, 2006)

Stupid questions: Do you dig a hole in the ground for the coals? How do they stay on top?


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

Now I'm hungry again









Dumb question do I buy the one with feet or the one with no feet? I want to buy one but just not sure which one to buy and what size for a family of 3.


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

Hi Chasgirl







and N7OQ,

You can dig a shallow hole in the ground, about 4"-5" deep, but be careful not to kick dirt, grass, etc. into your supper. Also, dig the hole about 3"-4" larger in diameter than the oven, so the coals can get some air.

But if the ground is moist, your coals won't last long in a hole. I have done this on extremely windy days to keep the wind from blowing away all the heat and burning up the charcoal too quickly. But a lot of campgrounds don't allow digging holes. I usually use existing fire lays, if they are fairly level. I typically use a sheet of the wide, heavy duty aluminum foil beneath the charcoal (shiny side up) to reflect the heat up and keep the ground moisture from cooling down the coals. On windy days, I cut the foil long enough to lap up the sides and act as a wind break.

The type of dutch oven you want has three short legs beneath and a raised lip (ring) around the outside of the lid. The legs hold it up for the coals beneath (and you can use bottle caps, etc, under the legs for leveling) and the lip on top keeps the charcoal from falling off.

When I bake, I use a cake pan inside the oven and use bottle caps under the pan to create an air space, which keeps biscuits, etc. from burning on the bottom. (A good excuse to drink a few brews - to get those bottle caps - just remember to remove the plastic from inside them!)

You can use hardwood coals, too, but you'll have to tend a fire to keep replacing them for a lengthy cooking time. The wood coals don't last as long as charcoal, but you'll feel more like a backwoods chef!

Finally - I've used both cast iron and aluminum dutch ovens, but I prefer the cast iron. The heating is more even and the oven doesn't cool as fast when the coals start to wane. But pay close attention to the directions on how to season and care for your dutch oven. Above all - DO NOT use soapy dishwater when the oven is hot - or at all, if you can avoid it. The pores in the cast iron (and especially the aluminum) will capture the soap as the oven cools, and then the soap is released into your food the next time you cook in it. And use a light film of vegetable oil to coat the inside after cleaning. But DO NOT use animal fat, shortening or corn oil, as they will become rancid and you won't like the taste of your next few meals! "Lodge" brand ovens include a good amount of information about these subjects. Like someone said earlier - the more you use your oven, the better it gets!

Happy Cooking and Camping!

Mike

PS: If you buy your oven at Wally World, or some other discount store, the ovens you get are "seconds," which usually have minor flaws. Nothing you can't live with, but be sure to inspect the lid and the oven at the sealing surfaces. You may need to use a file to remove flashing or blemishes to ensure a good, leak-proof seal - lest you lose heat and moisture too quickly when cooking/baking.


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## happycamper (Jul 26, 2005)

I purchased a cheap round charcoal grill took off the legs and the rack and place the remaining pan on the ground to use as my pit. It has worked very well for us.

Steph


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

Mike thanks for all that great info, good stuff. I will be looking for one cant wait to try it I have seen great meals that were cooked in one. Will buy a book too


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## wade2006 (Jan 12, 2007)

Thanks Mike,
I've been looking through my cookbooks and getting excited about using the oven again. I may have to try something at home this weekend, just to give it a try. What else can u use besides the bottle caps to hold the cake pan up? I checked out the prices at Cabelas on the ovens. Looked at Lodge site and the prices were frightening!?!







I want to get another oven so I can cook my main dish in one and the good stuff in the other. I got the Lovin Dutch Ovens for around $22 at Cabelas and the Field Guid to Dutch Oven Cooking for around $15.

Good Luck Everyone. I'll keep everyone posted on my future cooking experiences. There was nothing like that Apple crisp smell that lingered into the Outback.

Ronda


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## Chasgirl (Aug 15, 2006)

Hi Mike! Thanks for all the great information. Guess I didn't stay in Girl Scouts long enough. I remember we did cook baked potatoes in the ground one time. I'm going to start shopping around for a dutch oven now.


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

Wow! I've never been anywhere near a dutch oven and would have no clue where to begin. I think I'll wait until the dutch newbies have reported back and then maybe give it a go.

Ok ok2az, Chasgirl and N70Q, I'm waiting to hear your results


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

I like the Lovin' Dutch Oven Cookbook as well.
I cook on a table made for DO's...(Cabelas $ 60) Comes with a windscreen and removable legs. I have a couple of ovens, and they are camp style with legs.

I use a French Oven in the house or on the stovetop. It is cast iron with enamel coating. (think Rachel Ray or other cooking shows) Mine is bright red. I cooked a Caribbean Pot Roast in it yesterday. Sweeeeet.

Here's a link or two to get you goin':
FAQ

MacScouter


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

ok2az said:


> Thanks Mike,
> I've been looking through my cookbooks and getting excited about using the oven again. I may have to try something at home this weekend, just to give it a try. What else can u use besides the bottle caps to hold the cake pan up? I checked out the prices at Cabelas on the ovens. Looked at Lodge site and the prices were frightening!?!
> 
> 
> ...


Hi Again, Ronda









Any metal objects that will create an air space from 1/8" to 3/8" will work fine. I've used nickels ($.05) and nuts (like the kind you screw on bolts, that is). I even had a sheet-metal worker friend make me two stainless steel pans (about 4" deep) with stainless steel nuts welded to the bottom. I use these for baking biscuits, cobblers, cakes, etc. They are a lot easier to clean than the ovens. All you need are three - evenly spaced around the perimeter of the bottom of the oven.

Yes - a dutch oven is not cheap, but the ones from Wal-Mart work fine. You just need to inspect them for flaws around the two mating surfaces for making a good seal (check the rim of the pot and the mating surface on the lid). You may need to file off a little bit here and there to get a good seal. Test it on your kitchen stove by boiling a little water in it and see where the steam escapes (be careful not to scratch up your stove). You won't stop it all, but you can make it so that it is evenly distributed. It needn't be perfect, but you don't want a huge vent letting all the moisture escape from your food while cooking.

I have a few accessories that I take along with the ovens, also. 
> A chimney, type charcoal starter
> A pair of vise-grip pliers to lift the lid (for clamping on the lid's rim)
> A pair of leather gloves (keeps heat from my fingers)
> A pair of dutch oven pliers that has a hook on one end for the pot bail handle (the Scout shop sells these)
> A pair of tongs for handling and placing the lit charcoal briquettes
> A small metal camp shovel for moving hot charcoal from the ground to the fire pit (if needed) or to handle wood coals, if that's my heat source

I find that the best way to carry charcoal is in a 5-gallon plastic bucket with sealing lid. I bought a black one from Lowe's for about $5, but any plastic bucket/lid will work (like sheet rock compound, paint, etc.). It will hold a 20# bag of charcoal (if you shake it down) with enough room to store a pair of cotton chore gloves, which I use for handling the charcoal out of the bucket (remember - you need to count out the exact number of coals you need to start). The plastic bucket is a great way to carry charcoal in the bed of the truck because it seals in all the charcoal dust, plus it keeps it completely dry on wet weekends.

Just a few tips to get you started. You'll love the results, with a little practice.









Mike


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## Outback Steve (Mar 29, 2007)

I love cast iron cooking. Learned it all in Scouts. We would line the pots with foil when we could for easy clean up. Looking into the cast aluminum for cooking inside.

Michelle


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## Lady Di (Oct 28, 2005)

Outback steve,

I may have missed the welcome!

If so then Welcome to Outbackers!









If there was no welcome before then Welcome to Outbackers.


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## 3athlete (May 14, 2006)

> PS. I do most of the cooking in our house....


Hey, I resemble that remark







...and by the way, NO YOU DON'T...You're not home enough lately!


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