Cast iron Dutch oven recipes

[frugalwilady]

We are going camping this Friday. We won't even get to the campsite until about 6 p.m. I will have eight, yes eight, hungry teenagers to feed supper. I'd like to make something up in the Dutch oven ahead that can heat while we are setting up. Anybody have a tried and true recipe for this? Something that will be a hit with the kids, and that I don't have to watch like a hawk while setting up. Thanks ahead!

[Cornhusker]

I cook in a Dutch oven on occasion.
Cornish game hen stuffed with stove top stuffing is very good, but I can only get about 4 of them in mine.
You can make a casserole, basically anything you can make in an oven. I've made roasts and potatoes, all kinds of things.
Just put some coals underneath, a dozen or so on top and leave it alone for an hour or so, things will be hot and tender.
I odn't know if this helps, but there it is.

[frugalwilady]

I've made roasts before but I'm afraid a casserole might burn... I was hoping for one of those "I throw all this in and it turns out every time" recipes! I guess I'm just fresh out of ideas

[Pauline]

if the kids won't mind breakfast for dinner you could do mountain man breakfast real easy while setting up camp brown up sausage in oven if really greasy drain part of the grease off layer hashbrowns, scrambled eggs and shredded cheese on top put lid on and bake for about 20 min or until hashbrowns and eggs are cooked we usually make cream soda biscuits to go with them using self rising flour, cream soda, and veg. oil will look up exact recipe if you want it in the morning

[frugalwilady]

I found a recipe for chix and dumplins and all I have to do at camp is add the dumplins. I don't think there is a kid alive who won't eat that!(I hope!! ) I sure would like the recipe for the breakfast, I'll take as many easy meals for this weekend as I can! I found the recipe on a scouts website...any links to recipe sites are welcome too!

[Cabin Fever]

Okay, I cook in a dutch oven on campfire coals quite regularly. First of all, there are no “special” dutch oven recipes. In other words, you can use whatever recipe you would use for something that you’d normally cook in the oven. So, just pick your family’s favorite “oven” recipe and make it in the dutch oven while camping. IMHO, the true test of a successful dutch oven “chef” is to bake yeast rolls with out burning the tops or the bottoms.

[gleanerl]

Originally Posted by Cornhusker

I cook in a Dutch oven on occasion.
Cornish game hen stuffed with stove top stuffing is very good, but I can only get about 4 of them in mine.
You can make a casserole, basically anything you can make in an oven. I've made roasts and potatoes, all kinds of things.
Just put some coals underneath, a dozen or so on top and leave it alone for an hour or so, things will be hot and tender.
I odn't know if this helps, but there it is.

CH also makes a mean zucchini bread in a dutch oven.
*fire extinguishers are always at the ready now*
:baby04:

[MarleneS]

Originally Posted by Cabin Fever

Okay, I cook in a dutch oven on campfire coals quite regularly. First of all, there are no “special” dutch oven recipes. In other words, you can use whatever recipe you would use for something that you’d normally cook in the oven. So, just pick your family’s favorite “oven” recipe and make it in the dutch oven while camping. IMHO, the true test of a successful dutch oven “chef” is to bake yeast rolls with out burning the tops or the bottoms.

Spoken like a man with experience, and I totally agree. You can cook, bake anything in a dutch oven over a coal/campfire.

I, of course, had to learn the hard way just how hot coals can get. The greatest thing I ever learned was fewer coals under and more coals on the top. It only takes 6 coals underneath, and 9 on top to bake bread.

Think any kid favorite and you'll do okay.

Cabinfever - have you done an angel food cake yet? My next challenge is going to be a souffle'.

Hugs,
Marlene

[Cabin Fever]

Originally Posted by MarleneS

Cabinfever - have you done an angel food cake yet? My next challenge is going to be a souffle'.

I've never made neither (is that a double negative?). I'm not sure if any of my present dutch ovens are tall enough for angel food cake or souffle.

One trick is to rotate both the dutch oven and the lid while baking. Every five minutes I will rotate the entire dutch oven 1/4-turn in a clockwise direction and the lid 1/4-turn in a counter-clockwise direction. This will allow more even baking of whatever is inside.

ANother baking trick is to bake within a seperate pie pan or cake pan placed inside of the dutch oven. I elevate the pan off the bottom of the dutch oven by placing it on a few stones. This allows the heat to circulate around whatever is baking.

[Jan Doling]

Please post that chicken and dumpling recipe!

I read in a camping magazine to use a small non-stick bundt pan when baking so you can pull it out and then cook something dinner in the pre-heated oven while the coals are still hot.

You could cook a cassarole in your oven at home, then just dump it in the dutch oven and reheat it at camp. That would take less time and need less fussing over.

[Tricky Grama]

Prolly too late, but here's my fav:

2 lbs gr. beef
1 can corn
1 can beans (ranch, kidney...)
1 can tomatoes
chopped onions
salt & pepper
maybe can of tomato sauce