# Dutch Oven cooking



## Lake Windsong

Okay, so I have a ton of recipes and love to cook. They say comfort foods go along way in an emergency situation (and how many times have you said 'store what you eat and eat what you store'?)  I'm gonna be going through my recipes, posting some which I would consider survival-related/self-sufficient/just plain good. If I have the reference info, I'll post it - otherwise, I'm just glad I somehow ended up with the information...

*SEASONING A DUTCH OVEN*

1. Wash a new Dutch Oven in hot soapy water to wash off the clear protective coating that the factory applies to keep the cast-iron from rusting. A steel wool scrub pad or a green 3M scrub pad works well to get down to the bare metal and remove any rust. Dry the oven thoroughly. The next step must be done immediately.

2. Rub the Dutch Oven with vegetable oil while it is still warm from washing. Be sure to coat all surfaces inside and out. Wipe off any excess oil using a paper towel.

3. Place the Dutch Oven in a kitchen oven and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Turn off the oven, and allow the Dutch Oven to remain inside until it reaches room temperature.

4. Once seasoned, if your Dutch Oven is properly cared for, it may never need to be seasoned again. However, if the surface is damaged by scrub pads, soapy water, or sticking food, you must go through the whole process of seasoning before using the oven again.

*CARE*

After use, gently scrape excess food out without scratching the Dutch Oven surface. Put 2 inches of water in the oven. Cover the oven and heat the water to boiling. Scrape the oven with a plastic scraper. Dump the water and dry the oven with a paper towel. Apply a very light coat of oil while the oven is still warm. Do not use scrub pads to clean the oven. Avoid soap if at all possible. You may need to reseason the oven if you use these items.

After cleaning, do not put the lid back on until the oven has cooled completely. This prevents condensation from forming as the oven cools.

Think ahead when you use the oven. Use foil or baking pans whenever possible to make cleanup easier.

*COOKING IN A DUTCH OVEN*

You can cook anything in a Dutch Oven that you can cook at home in the oven or on the stove top! You really don't need special recipes for the Dutch Oven. All that you need to do is learn some basic procedures and how to control the heat. If done properly, you can place the food in the oven and enjoy yourself while your dinner cooks.

*CONTROLLING HEAT*

Use charcoal if you are just starting to cook in the Dutch Oven. If you are the cook, DON'T FORGET TO BUY CHARCOAL. For a hot Dutch Oven, place the number of hot coals underneath equal to the diameter of the oven. Place double that number on top. For a 12 inch oven, 12 underneath and 24 on top. This will give you a hot oven of about 400 degrees. To reduce your oven temperature, reduce the number of coals 1 bottom and 2 top for every 25 degrees. If it is very cold and/or windy you will need to add a few extra coals. Always preheat your oven before you add the food.

Your coals should last about an hour. If your cooking time is more than an hour, or if the coals are burning fast because of the wind, you must have extra hot coals ready to keep the oven
temperature consistent.

*SPECIAL TECHNIQUES*

_BAKING_ - If you are using a baking pan, use an oven rack or some small metal items (washers) under the pan to allow a hot air space between the oven and the pan.

_TOP BROWNING_ - If you need to brown something, concentrate the top coals in the center of the lid.

_STACKING_ - If you are cooking in more than one oven, you can stack them. If you stack two 12 inch ovens, place 12 coals under the bottom oven, 12 coals on top of the bottom oven, and 24 coals on top of the top oven. You can stack several ovens. Remember that only the top oven gets the double coal amount on top. This technique saves coals. Place the items that you do not need to open during cooking on the bottom.

_FRYING_ - You can turn the lid upside down and use it as a griddle for eggs, toasted cheese sandwiches, French toast, etc. Suspend the lid over the coals using rocks, logs, or a lid rack.


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## Lake Windsong

*Hearty Trail Beans*

2 lbs. dry pinto beans; soaked overnight
2 yellow onions; diced
10 cups hot water 8 cloves garlic; minced
24 oz. (3 cups) Coca-Cola
1 lb. smoked sliced bacon; cut into 1" pieces
3/4 cup catsup
6 Tbs. chili powder
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 serrano peppers; minced
1/4 cup Heinz 57 steak sauce
4 tsp. toasted caraway seeds; ground
1 (30 oz.) can whole tomatoes

Add all ingredients to a 12" deep Dutch oven.
Bring to a boil using 18-20 briquettes bottom stirring beans frequently.
Cover beans and continue to simmer using 6-8 briquettes bottom and 12-14 briquettes top for
2-3 hours.
Stir beans from the bottom up every 15 minutes.
Add additional water if beans begin to dry out.
Beans should be soft but not mushy and just a bit soupy.
Serves: 8-10

*Dutch Oven Camp Bread*

Works great on the grill too.

Dissolve 1 pk. yeast in 1 1/4 c. warm water.
Add 2 TBS. sugar, 2 TBS. oil, 1 1/2 tsp. salt.
Mix well then add 2 C. flour.
Mix this til smooth, add about another 1 1/2 C. flour and knead til smooth.
Cover and let rise 1 hour.
Punch down dough and place in geased dutch oven.
Let rise another hour-then bake on grill or on the camp fire with coals on the lid and around the sides.

Takes about 30 min.


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## Lake Windsong

*dutch oven squirrel*

*Campfire Cooked Squirrel*

2 or 3 squirrels cut into serving-sized pieces
2 small onions
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup lard
salt/pepper
flour

Salt and pepper the squirrel pieces.
Roll them in flour until covered.
Brown the meat in the lard, then place in a dutch oven or a heavy skillet with a lid (preferably a cast-iron skillet).
Add water and the onions, and then cover.
Simmer for at least two hours.

If you can't get squirrel or are too squeamish to eat
the pretty little rodents, you may substitute rabbit
or chicken pieces.

from Canyon Echoes, Texas Recipes & remembrances from Pairie Dog Pete

*Squirrel Stew, Georgia Style*

2 squirrels, cleaned, cut into 6 pieces each
2 c bouillon
Leafy tops of 2 stalks of celery
1/8 lb salt pork, 1/2" cubes
2 c fresh lima beans
2 tbs flour
2 lg ripe tomatoes, peeled
1 tsp salt
1 c fresh corn kernels
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 lg onions, thinly sliced
1-2 tbs flour

Fry salt pork until very crisp, then remove pieces from the pan.
Dredge squirrel in seasoned flour and saute in hot fat until brown on all sides.
When nearly brown, add onions and cook until soft.
Place meat in dutch oven, together with broth and celery tops.
Cover and bake at 350 F for 1 hour.
Remove celery tops, add lima beans, tomatoes, corn and Worcestershire sauce.
Cover and bake until vegetables are tender-about 30 min.
Skim off excess fat and thicken gravy with flour and 1/2 cup cold water.

Serve hot topped with crisp pork cracklings.


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## Lake Windsong

*Dutch Oven Hopi Indian Fry Bread*

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup lukewarm water
Cinnamon
Sugar

Ignite about 15 to 20 charcoal briquettes and arrange in a pile in your fire pan. Let burn until they are covered with ash (about 20 minutes).

Melt Crisco in the Dutch oven for a depth of about 2 inches.

Stir flour, dry milk, baking powder, salt and water together and knead on floured board. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.

Cut dough into 8 sections, then flatten out to 2 inches thick. Drop sections of dough into the hot oil to fry about 2 minutes or until done. Roll in cinnamon and sugar.

*Dutch Oven Ketchup*

6 medium tomatoes -- peeled--quartered (about 3 pounds)
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1 --3 inch cinnamon stick -- broken
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 medium rome apples -- peeled and quartered
1 medium pear -- peeled and quartered
1 can peach slices in lightsyrup -- drained--one 8.25 oz can

Place a colander in a 2-quart glass measure or medium bowl.

Place tomatoes in colander; sprinkle salt over tomatoes.

Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 12 hours. Discard liquid.

Place cloves, allspice, and cinnamon on a small piece of cheesecloth.
Gather edges of cheesecloth together; tie with string to make a pouch.

Combine the tomatoes, cheesecloth pouch, sugar, and remaining ingredients in a large Dutch oven.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook, uncovered, 1-1/2 hours, stirring frequently.
Discard the cheesecloth pouch.

Yield: 7 cups (serving size: 1/4 cup).

Ketchup can be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Per serving = 72 calories, 0 gm fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 236 mg sodium, 18 gm carbohydrate, 0 gm protein, 1 gm fiber
Exchanges: 1/2 vegetable, 1 fruit, 1 other carbohydrate


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## Lake Windsong

*Breakfast casserole*

Ingredients:
1 lb. bacon
2 lb. shredded potatoes
10 to 18 eggs
8 oz. grated Cheddar cheese

Directions:
Cut bacon into 1 inch pieces. Brown in large Dutch oven over medium cooking fire. Remove bacon from oven. Pour off excess bacon fat, leaving enough to brown hash browns. Add bacon pieces to hash browns. Beat eggs and pour over bacon-potato mixture. Put lid on oven and add 
coals to lid, keeping bottom heat fairly low. When eggs are cooked, sprinkle cheese on top. Remove oven from the bottom heat, return lid with coals to oven and bake until cheese is melted.

*Dutch Oven Campfire Cobbler recipe*

1 box white or yellow cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups water
2 cans cinnamon apple pie filling

Empty pie filling into Dutch oven. Empty cake mix on top of pie filling and spread evenly. Add butter and water. DO NOT MIX. Place Dutch oven on 10 coals. Place 8 coals on lid of Dutch oven. Bake for about 1 hour.

NOTE: Any type of pie filling can be used. Cherry filling with chocolate cake makes a good combination.

*Campfire Stew*

2 lb Hamburger
1 Can stewed tomatoes
1 Can corn
8 oz Elbow macaroni
1/2 c Chopped onions
1 c Water
1/4 lb cheddar cheese

Brown beef in dutch oven. Drain. Stir in tomatoes, corn, macaroni, and water. Cook until done. Just before serving add cheese.


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## NaeKid

It is great meeting another DutchOven lover!!

Have you checked out my CastIron thread?


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## sailaway

Lake Windsong, Mrs. Sailaway used our dutch oven for halloween and put dry ice in it, how should I clean all of the rust out of it? I thought about a weak solution of Muriatic Acid, rinsing well with water and then reseasoning. What would you recomend?


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## bunkerbob

sailaway said:


> Lake Windsong, Mrs. Sailaway used our dutch oven for halloween and put dry ice in it, how should I clean all of the rust out of it? I thought about a weak solution of Muriatic Acid, rinsing well with water and then reseasoning. What would you recomend?


That or phosphoric acid, then you will have to season it again. I do that on my BBQ with all the smoke it makes.


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## NaeKid

Sail,

What I do when I have rust in my cast-iron (which happens from time to time) is I wash it down with a green-scrubbie and hot water, then I will spread out a pack of bacon into the pot, put the lid over top and then cook the bacon on a very low heat. When the bacon is cooked I use a paper-towel to smear the cooled bacon-fat over the entire cast-iron pot (inside and outside) and place the pot into an oven at 350°F for one hour.

The pot is removed and wiped down of excess oils and then I put it back into the oven for an additional 15 minutes and allow to cool.

Most of the time, it works well. If the rust is deep into the pot, I will use a wire brush on a drill first, then wash using only hot water and a green-scrubbie and then the bacon-cook.


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## Lake Windsong

NaeKid said:


> It is great meeting another DutchOven lover!!
> 
> Have you checked out my CastIron thread?


Not sure how I missed it, but found it now, thanks. 

And sailaway, I pretty much deal with rust like NaeKid mentioned, but I'm sure there are other methods that work just as well.


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## sailaway

Thanks, I think we'll be having BLTs this weekend.


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## Sonnyjim

Great post. Reminds me of Dick Proenneke's Navy Kettle Beans concoction.


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## mitchshrader

Having cooked offshore where supplies required advance ordering, and for herds of hippies who lacked funds.. beware recipes that require odd specific condiments to be complete. Sticking with basic flavorings and spices, and finding alternates for ingredients not readily available, are both likely to occur. 

"Alas, Babylon", a 'post apocolyptic' novel, has some nice bits about post SHTF cookery. Coffee is tough, but tea at least isn't. Sugar is hard..anybody with cane is rich.. or bees, or sorghum, or maple syrup


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## wes1761

I use a pie plate on the bottom of my ovens, inverted, to make the airspace underneath that prevents scorching biscuits and such....

Look up the old Boy scout Dutch oven cook book too, plenty of good recipes in there too! I'll see if I can find my old cookbooks from the 1700's as well, different wording but tasty results!

Wes


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## FireBird

Ive got a curry corn chicken chowder that can be done in a duch oven and will post it on this post as soon as i can, if you dont mind that is. This recipe can also be canned.

As to the sesoning for all our cast iorn about once a week (of near everyday use) i use a light scrub pad and hot water and clean out all the crumblies and then place it over the fire on the stove top to dry. Then while it is still hot i use a paper towel folded at least 3 times(cause its HOT!) then on the inside only i use mabe 1 1/2tsp of lard, just enough to make a light coating. Some of the skillets are about as good as an omelet skillet. but to each their own just another way to do it.


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## Magus

I <3 My Dutch oven!

I mostly just make trail chilli in mine though but they're handy cookware!I have to try some of those recipes!


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