The reason for this
book is to provide reference material for an individual who is planning or
cooking a meal for six to ten people. For larger groups, most of the recipes
can be easily doubled or tripled and two or more dutch ovens may be needed.
Most of the information has been targeted toward the first time dutch oven
user, although, the more experienced cook may find a tidbit or two here and
there.
I hope this book will
entice all of you potential dutch oven cooks to "give her a try" and
you will see why I call them "man's best friend".
This book is intended
to be reproduced by and for Boy Scout Troops, any other use whether or not used
for profit is a violation of copyright laws and is punishable by fines or
imprisonment or both.
Cooking techniques
such as roasting, baking simmering, stewing, frying, boiling, steaming, and
many others are easily done on the campfire with only a single utensil, the
dutch oven. Think of the possibilities, delicious fresh baked bread that will
rise up and lift the lid, cobblers made from berries picked fresh at the
campsite, incredible deep-dish pizzas, stews, quiches that melt in your mouth,
Cornish game hens roasted to perfection, and imagine a chocolate cake a foot in
diameter. These and many, many more are very possible and sometimes easier than
they are at home. With very few exceptions, I have been able to duplicate my
home recipes on the campfire using the dutch oven.
All recipes use one of
two dutch oven techniques, cooking with your dutch oven or cooking in it. The
first is when the food is placed directly in the bottom of the dutch oven. In
the second method, food is placed in a second dish and this dish is then placed
onto a trivet in the bottom of the dutch oven. The reason for the trivet is to
elevate the dish above the bottom of the oven to prevent burning.
Before we get started,
we should review some of the things you will need to know before purchasing
your first dutch oven. There are literally hundreds of option and size
combinations available, so it would be impractical for me to tell you which
oven is the one for you. Because each type of oven is designed for a different
type of cooking situation. I will go over the various options and you will have
to decide which ones you will look for.
In shopping for an
oven, you should look for one that is obviously well made. Look at the bail
handle, it should be of heavy gauge wire and securely attached to molded tangs
on the side of the oven. Ovens that have riveted tabs should be avoided. Most
oven handles will lay down against the side of the oven in both directions, but
if you look hard enough, you will find some that allow the handle to stand up
at a 45 degree angle on one side. This allows you easier access to it when
positioning or removing the oven from the fire.
Another area that
bears close examination is the handle on the lid. It should be a loop attached
to the lid on both ends and hollow in the center allowing it to be easily
hooked. Stay away from the ones that have a molded solid tab on the lid for a
handle. These are very difficult to grasp and manage with a load of coals. The
loop style offers much better control.
While examining the
lid, check that it has a lip or ridge around the outer edge. The lip keeps the
coals from sliding off of the lid. Don't get me wrong, the ridge less ones can
be used but it is difficult to keep coals on the lid and if you are not
meticulous in cleaning the ash from the lid each and every time you open the
oven, you will end up with ash and/or sand in your food. The lip virtually
eliminates the problem and the lid can be lifted even fully loaded with ash and
coals with little difficulty.
Another feature to
look at is the legs. The most common variety is one with three legs, although
flat-bottomed ones and four legged ones can also be had. For outdoor cooking,
legs are a necessity, they maintain the height of the oven above ground
allowing air for the coals underneath. The flat bottomed ones can be set up on
rocks (which are scarce as hen's teeth here in Florida) or up on steel tent
pegs. If you figure in Murphy's Law here, the flat bottom ovens are best left
in the store or on the kitchen stove where they were intended. I highly
recommend three legs over four simply for the stability factor. It is much more
stable with three legs sitting on rough ground than with four.
The last option to
look at is a second handle attached to the lid or upper rim on the oven base.
Some ovens are offered with a skillet type handle attached to the lid. This, in
theory, is a good idea, but in reality they seem to be more in the way than of
assistance. The handle does assist in using the lid upside-down as a skillet or
griddle but when using it as a lid, they get in the way of the bail handle and
also misbalance the lid when lifting by the center hoop. They also tend to be
in the way during storage and packing situations. Fixed handles on the oven
base, with one exception, should be absolutely avoided. I belive the theory
behind these handles was to make the oven easier to position in a deep fire
pit. If you insist on considering the handle, take a couple of red bricks with
you to the store and place them in the oven. Then give her a lift by the handle
and you will see the uselessness in the handle. A loaded 12" oven can weigh
20 to 25 pounds, a real wrist breaker. The one exception is a small tab
sometimes offered which is about 1 to 1-1/2" deep and 2-3" wide on
the upper lip of the oven. This tab makes pouring liquids from the oven very
easy and its small size has never caused storage or packing problems for me.
When someone mentions
"Dutch Oven" most people immediately think "Cast Iron", but
dutch ovens are supplied in aluminum also. An aluminum oven weighs only 6-1/2
to 7 pounds opposed to around 18 pounds for the cast iron oven. There are
advantages and disadvantages to each.
The most obvious
aluminum advantage is weight, 11 pounds lighter. Additionally, because aluminum
doesn't rust, care is restricted to simple washing with soap and water.
Aluminum tends to heat faster requiring less preheating time but they don't
retain the heat very long after the coals are removed. Also because aluminum
reflects more heat than cast iron, more coals will be required to reach and
maintain a set temperature. Also on windy days, you will see a greater
variation in temperature than one of cast iron. Where weight is very critical,
most of the disadvantages can be overcome. For canoeing, backpacking or trips
where weight is a problem, aluminum ovens are the answer.
When weight is not a
problem, the cast iron oven has the upper hand. Cast iron reacts more slowly to
temperature changes so don't burn food as easily if the fire flares up and they
retain heat for quite a while after the coals have been removed, keeping food
warmer longer. Also, because they retain heat well, they fair better on windy
days with smaller variations in temperature. Cast iron absorbs a great deal of
heat, consequently, they require fewer coals to reach and maintain a set
temperature. Weight is its obvious disadvantage, but there are others. Clean up
is not as simple, but done regularly and correctly, it is not much of a chore.
Rust is the other, bare cast iron will literally rust overnight if not
protected. This protection naturally must be done each time it is used but is part
of the cleanup procedure and fairly simple. After all, I've got Tenderfoot
Scouts that are 11 years old that do it like clockwork.
The last thing you
must consider is the size of the oven. They range fron the tiny 4" to the
giant 24" monsters. Personally, I have ovens ranging in size from 6"
to 18". For small group or patrol situations, 10"-12" will serve
rather adequately for almost all circumstances.
As a review, you
should look for a 10"-12" oven that is obviously well made and of
good design. It should have three legs, loop type handle and a lip on the lid
and a strong bail type handle for the bottom. You can choose other options but
those are personal preferences and totally up the user. Whether to choose cast
iron or aluminum should be based on the service conditions the oven is going to
be MOST used in.
Now that you have
decided the type, style and options, where do you find one? Check your Boy
Scout Troop Equipment Catalog or your local Boy Scout Equipment Center. Many
good sporting goods or camping supply stores also will carry them. Also,
restaurant supply houses may stock them or will have a catalog they can order
them from. From my experiences, the restaurant houses typically cost a bit more
but the ovens are commercial quality and they usually have a better selection
to choose from. Another option is mail order. Companies such as REI, Campmor,
etc may carry them but look out for the shipping charges on the cast iron ones.
In your shopping around by mail, it is best to request their shipping charges
and add that in when comparing to local prices.
If you go into the
store armed with information, you should have little problem in selecting an
oven for your needs and it will be the start of some long lived happy memories.
One word of fair warning, SHOP AROUND! I have seen the same 10" oven by the
same manufacturer range in price from $25 up to their mighty proud $60, so be
careful. Demand quality, a poorly made oven with lots of options is not worth
the time to carry it to the car.
A good pair of leather
gloves can save time and prove invaluable around a hot fire. A pair of Work
Style gloves will do, but I recommend you look at a Fire and Safety Supply
house or a store that supplies fireplace accessories and locate a pair of fire
handling gloves. Although these typically cost more, they offer thicker leather
and an inner insulating lining. They allow you to literally place your hand
into hot coals, though I don't recommend doing so. Because of my experience on
the Fire Department, the extra protection and quality far outweigh the few
extra dollars they cost. You will have to weigh the quality against the higher
price for yourself.
Something else you
will need is a shovel. The standard garden type will be sufficient. It will be
used for stirring the coals and lifting them out of the firepit to the oven.
The style and length of the handle is up to you, the user. The longer ones are
great but not practical on hikes and canoe trips. While the short
"ARMY" folders are great for hiking and canoes, they suffer from
short handles, getting you and your hands closer to the fire.
Another item which
will prove to be worth their weight in gold is a pair of hot pot pliers. The
pair listed in the Boy Scout Troop/Patrol Equipment catalog are probably the
best designed for the job. They are inexpensive, well built, and light weight.
The pliers have a specially designed jaw that grips the oven lid very securely.
The handle has a hook that is used to grab the bail handle when it is too hot
to hold by hand or when it is hanging down in the coals.
For aluminum, your
pretreatment is simply washing well with soap and water. Some aluminum ovens
are shipped with a protective coating and a simple washing will remove it.
Since aluminum doesn't rust, no further protection is required, however, I have
found that if you treat the aluminum like the cast iron oven, food will not
stick near as often as the untreated oven. This pretreatment is at the user's
option, so if you just want to wash it and be done with it, you can.
Cast iron ovens, if
properly cared for, will last many a generation. I know several individuals
that have dutch ovens belonging to great-great-grandmothers, dating back well
into the 1800s. Personally, I have an oven that belonged to my grandmother and
dates back before the turn of the century.
Although this book is
oriented toward dutch ovens, the treatment and care instructions are applicable
to any cast iron skillet, griddle etc.. The secret of cast iron's long life is
really no secret at all. Constant and proper care beginning with the day it is
purchased will keep the oven in service for many years. All quality ovens are
shipped with a protective coating that must be removed. This will require a
good scrubbing with steel wool and some elbow grease. Once removed, the oven
needs to be rinsed well, towel dried and let air dry. While it is drying, this
would be a good time to pre-heat your kitchen oven to 350. After it appears
dry, place the dutch oven on the center rack with its lid ajar. Allow the dutch
oven to warm slowly so it is just barely too hot to handle with bare hands.
This pre-heating does two things, it drives any remaining moisture out of the
metal and opens the pores of the metal.
Now, using a clean rag
or preferably a paper towel, apply a thin layer of salt free cooking oil. Oils
such as peanut, olive or plain vegetable oil will be fine. Tallow or lard will
do also but these animal fats tend to break down during the storage periods
that typical Boy Scout dutch ovens experience between campouts and are not
recommended. Make sure the oil covers every inch of the oven, inside and out
and replace the oven onto the center shelf, again with the lid ajar. Bake it
for about an hour or so at 350. This baking hardens the oil into a protective
coating over the metal
After baking, allow
the oven to cool slowly. When it is cool enough to be handled, apply another
thin coating of oil. Repeat the baking and cooling process. Again reapply a
thin coating of oil when it can be handled again. Allow the oven to cool
completely now. It should have three layers of oil, two baked on and one
applied when it was warm. The oven is now ready to use or store..
This pre-treatment
procedure only needs to be done once, unless rust forms or the coating is
damaged in storage or use. This baked on coating will darken and eventually
turn black with age. This darkening is a sign of a well kept oven and of it's
use. The pre-treatment coating's purpose is twofold, first and most important,
it forms a barrier between moisture in the air and the surface of the metal.
This effectively prevents the metal from rusting. The second purpose is to
provide a non-stick coating on the inside of the oven. When properly
maintained, this coating is as non-stick as most of the commercially applied
coatings.
For aluminum ovens,
the cleaning is the same as for ordinary pots and pans. Use soap, water and
scrub as usual for your other pans. More often than not, cleaning cast iron
ovens is much easier than scrubbing pots and pans. For cast iron ovens, the
clean process is in two steps. First, food is removed and second, maintenance
of the coating. To remove stuck on food, place some warm clean water into the
oven and heat until almost boiling. Using a plastic mesh scrubber or coarse
sponge and NO SOAP, gently break loose the food and wipe away. After all traces
have been removed, rinse with clean warm water. Soap is not recommended because
its flavor will get into the pores of the metal and will taint the flavor of
your next meal.
After cleaning and
rinsing, allow it to air dry. Heat over the fire just until it it hot to the
touch. Apply a thin coating of oil to the inside of the oven and the underside
of the lid. Allow the oven to cool completely. The outside will need little
attention other than a good wipe down unless you see signs of rust forming. As
a suggestion, it is a good idea to keep a scrubber for cast iron and never use
it with soap.
- Never, and I repeat, NEVER allow cast iron to sit in
water or allow water to stand in or on it. It will rust despite a good
coating.
- Never use soap on cast iron. The soap will get into the
pores of the metal and won't come out very easy, but will return to taint
your next meal, though. If soap is used accidentally, the oven should be
put through the pretreatment procedure, including removal of the present
coating.
- Do not place an empty cast iron pan or oven over a hot
fire. Aluminum and many other metals can tolerate it better but cast iron
will crack or warp, ruining it.
- Do not get in a hurry to heat cast iron, you will end
up with burn't food or a damaged oven or pan.
- Never put cold liquid into a very hot cast iron pan or
oven. They will crack on the spot!
Enough about the oven
and on to what you can do with it!
ROASTING: The heat
source should come from the top and bottom equally. Coals should be placed
under the oven and on the lid at a 1 to 1 ratio.
BAKING: Usually done
with more heat from the top than from the bottom. Coals should be placed under
the oven and on the lid at a 1 to 3 ratio, having more on the lid.
FRYING, BOILING ETC:
All of the heat should come from the bottom. Coals will be placed under the
oven only.
STEWING, SIMMERING:
Almost all heat will be from the bottom. Place the coals under and on the oven
at a 4 to 1 ratio with more underneath than on the lid.
THE LID!: The lid can
be placed on the fire or stove upside down and used as a skillet or griddle. Using
the lid in this fasion, you can make virtually error free pancakes and eggs
that don't run all over. This is because most lids are shaped like a very
shallow bowl so things naturally stay in the center, even if the lid is not
level!
Here are the
abbreviations that will be used here:
oz -
Ounce
tsp - Tea Spoon
lb -
Pound
Tbs - Table Spoon
pt -
Pint
c - Cup (8 oz)
gl - Gallon
Here are a few measurement
conversions you may need:
1 Tbs = 3
tsp 1 Stick Butter = 1/4 lb or
1/2 c or 8 Tbs
2 Tbs = 1 oz
1/4c = 4
Tbs 1 lb bread loaf = About 17
slices
1/3c = 5 1/3 Tbs 1 1/4
lb loaf = About 20
1/2c = 8
Tbs 1 1/2 lb loaf = About 23
1 c = 8 oz
1 qt = 4 c
1 gl = 4 qt
2 c = 1 pt
1 c Milk = 1/2 c evaporated milk + 1/2 c water
1 c reconstituted dry milk + 2 tsp margarine or butter
1 c Buttermilk = 1 tbs vineger + 1 c sweet milk
1/4c butter = 3/4c milk
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch = 1 tbs all purpose flour
1 c Honey = 1 1/4c sugar + 1/4c water or other liquid
No comments:
Post a Comment