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Campfire Cooking

I've discovered the magic of Dutch Oven cooking. You can almost make any meal in one that you cook at home in the oven. This week I made a baked chicken and an eye of round roast in mine and they came out marvelous. For the chicken I tossed some carrots and celery around the chicken and added about 1/4 cup of chicken broth for moisture. For the roast, I seasoned it with some pepper, and tossed some carrots and potatoes around the roast and added 1/4 cup of water.

Both meals cooked fine in about 1 hour with 6 charcoal briquets on the bottom and 14 briquets on top. If it's breezy, you have to protect the dutch oven from the wind or the charcoal will get too hot and burn too fast which will cause burnt raw food.

I got my dutch oven from Lodge Manufacturing in Tennessee. I ordered a 12" cast iron skillet too! Both came pre-seasoned and have cleaned up easily after cooking in them. They're not as non-stick as T-Fal though, and need a little elbow grease to clean in spots.

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oldbay - it's like mine - except mine is well used!! LOL

there is so much you can do with one of these - I absolutely love mine!
 
Mama -
I think my father had one of the Lodge standard dutch ovens but I can't remember him ever cooking with it. The pictures on their site looks like what I remember as a kid.

I'm impressed with my little bit of cooking with the dutch oven and plan on cooking with it a lot, especially when the weather heats up.
 
I've made stews, roasts, chicken, ribs, potatoes - all sorts of goodies with mine! I think you will really enjoy having it!
 
Have you ever made breads in yours? I'm okay with roast chicken and beef but am not sure that I'd make a good bunch of rolls in one. I've watch Cee-Dub make rolls on RFD-TV and it doesn't look hard except for the part where 'if it smells done it is done'. I think breads smell done before they are done and you only have a few minutes between uncooked and burnt bread. I suppose I ought to venture into rolls and have a backup plan like store bought rolls on hand.
 
how about experimenting till you get the hang of it?

Baking Powder Biscuits
4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup Crisco
2 Tbs. baking powder 2 cups cold milk
2 tsp. salt

To a mixing bowl add flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir together using a fork. Cut in the Crisco until the mixture is like coarse meal with no lumps larger than a green pea. Add milk to the mixture and stir it with a fork until there are no areas of dry flour. You want the dough to be sticky and moist. This is what makes baking powder biscuits so tender and flaky.

Generously flour a large cutting board or smooth countertop making sure to coat your hands in flour too. Scoop the dough out of the bowl and put it on the floured surface. With the palm of one (or both) hands, press down on the dough and push it away from you. The dough will stretch into the shape of an oval. Next, lift the far end of the oval and bring it towards you, so it resembles a thick taco shell with the opening facing towards you. Then, rotate the dough a quarter turn and repeat the process, gently pushing, folding and turning, about 10 times. If dough begins to stick to your hand, it is fine to use a little more flour to cut the stickiness. Pat the dough into a circular shape about 1/2" thick.

Using a 2" cookie or biscuit cutter cut out biscuits by pressing cutter into the dough and then lifting it straight out. Make sure not to twist the cutter as this releases air in the dough causing the biscuits to turn out flat. Place biscuits in a greased 14" Dutch oven leaving 1/2" space between.

Place lid on Dutch oven and let raise for 10 minutes then bake using 12-14 briquettes bottom and 18-20 briquettes top (400° F.) for 15-20 minutes.

NOTE: For even browning make sure to turn the oven and lid 1/4 turn in opposite directions every 5-10 minutes.

Serve warm.

Yield: About 18 biscuits


this is a make-ahead for camping:

Southern Cornbread

1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 cup oil or melted shortening
2 eggs
1 cup of milk or water

Dump dry ingredients in a gallon zip-lock bag and mix. At the camp site add wet ingredients and mix in the bag. Do not mix too much or the cornbread will be tough. Grease oven. Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.

BAKING BREAD IN A DUTCH OVEN TOP

If you have a flat bottomed Dutch Oven you can place it on top of a wood stove but the bread must be baked in a separate pan raised above the bottom of the Dutch Oven or else the bottom of the bread will burn. Raise the bread pan at approximately 1 inch up by placing stones or river rock under the bread pan inside the Dutch Oven. Just make sure the Dutch Oven is deep enough so that when the loaf rises it does not touch the domed lid of the Dutch Oven. If you have the outdoor type Dutch Oven with the 3 legs and the reverse lid do your cooking out on the back porch, our in the yard. Dig a small shallow hole - scoop hot coals from the woodstove and place in the hole and then on top of the reverse lid of the Dutch Oven. For the back porch obtain an old cast iron skillet (no longer used for cooking) just larger than the bottom of the Dutch Oven and us it to hold the coals under the bottom - still use the reverse lid for heat from the top. Be sure to place the pan and Dutch Oven combination on a big brick or patio block else you may set your porch on fire. Place the bread pan in this Dutch Oven just like you would have in the Dutch Oven on top of the woodstove. Also with a round cake pan you can make really great biscuits. Remember using the Dutch Oven this way is just like a regular oven on your stove. An "Oven" is a large container that holds heat at a fairly constant temperature. You bake by suspending your pan holding food to be baked within this container - thus oven racks. So likewise you must suspend you food within the Dutch Oven so hot air can circulate around the food and heat it evenly. Use your imaginations and practice.


Some have baked bread by placing a baking pan inside (elevated on a rack so as not to touch the bottom of the dutch oven).

BAKING BREAD IN A DUTCH OVEN TOP

If you have a flat bottomed Dutch Oven you can place it on top of a wood stove but the bread must be baked in a separate pan raised above the bottom of the Dutch Oven or else the bottom of the bread will burn. Raise the bread pan at approximately 1 inch up by placing stones or river rock under the bread pan inside the Dutch Oven. Just make sure the Dutch Oven is deep enough so that when the loaf rises it does not touch the domed lid of the Dutch Oven. If you have the outdoor type Dutch Oven with the 3 legs and the reverse lid do your cooking out on the back porch, our in the yard. Dig a small shallow hole - scoop hot coals from the woodstove and place in the hole and then on top of the reverse lid of the Dutch Oven. For the back porch obtain an old cast iron skillet (no longer used for cooking) just larger than the bottom of the Dutch Oven and us it to hold the coals under the bottom - still use the reverse lid for heat from the top. Be sure to place the pan and Dutch Oven combination on a big brick or patio block else you may set your porch on fire. Place the bread pan in this Dutch Oven just like you would have in the Dutch Oven on top of the woodstove. Also with a round cake pan you can make really great biscuits. Remember using the Dutch Oven this way is just like a regular oven on your stove. An "Oven" is a large container that holds heat at a fairly constant temperature. You bake by suspending your pan holding food to be baked within this container - thus oven racks. So likewise you must suspend you food within the Dutch Oven so hot air can circulate around the food and heat it evenly. Use your imaginations and practice.


I have plenty of Dutch oven bread recipes done using charcoal/campfire etc. if you wold like.
 
I believe in cooking in coffee cans, and cast iron skillets. We just went camping over Memorial weekend here in Michigan and we had pancakes, sausage, bacon, barbecue chicken first boiled over the campfire in a galvanized bucket then basted with barbecue sauce and finished over the grate we purchased at menards that goes just over the hot coals in the fire pit. I then made carmel sauce in a coffee can and made a marshmallow graham cracker dessert with melted chocolate. I also made fried potatoes with onions and green beans.
 
My mom was a girlscout and when they'd go camping they always made "hobo dinners". On a large sheet of foil, place a fairly thin hamburger patty, sliced potatoes, and canned veggies (like green beans, corn, etc) and season with salt & pepper. Wrap it up tight and bury it in the hot coals for about 1 1/2 hrs. (until potatoes are soft).

I make this at home in the oven quite a bit because hubby isn't one for camping. I also do them with a chicken breast, lemon pepper seasoning and broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots piled on top.
 
when doing fish...i usually put them on stick and wrapping with foil.. that way they would cook evenly :D
 
This past Labor Day weekend we went camping and my step-grandchildern got to have their first Smores, they are in-love!!! Totally loved watching them experience a new treat! They all fell in love with camping!:) They are from New York city and they just all didn't want to leave the campground! I'm so glad they have moved here! Such a better place to raise young ones:) We had all 3 dogs, a rabbit, 4 kids and 4 adults all camping-IMAGINE THAT!!!!:D Needless to say I was glad to get home & back to my own sweet bed!
 
Wow - sounds like it was something they will remember for the rest of their lives! Big difference from NYC! so glad they enjoyed it!
 
I'm glad you enjoyed yourself Cook Chatty Cathy, and to be with the grand children must be a real bonus. :)

Up until the past 10 years we camped out nearly every weekend from mid April to mid October every year. It's great to get home from work on Friday evening pack up the car and away to go.:D

We love camping, but sadly the mind is willing but the body is weak.

We were not just fine weather campers. We have been camping in the snow, hail, rain, thunder storms. It all adds to the sense of adventure.
 
Keziah said:
I'm glad you enjoyed yourself Cook Chatty Cathy, and to be with the grand children must be a real bonus. :)

Up until the past 10 years we camped out nearly every weekend from mid April to mid October every year. It's great to get home from work on Friday evening pack up the car and away to go.:D

We love camping, but sadly the mind is willing but the body is weak.

We were not just fine weather campers. We have been camping in the snow, hail, rain, thunder storms. It all adds to the sense of adventure.
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Thank you Keziah!

Wow you do love to camp!!! I am afraid the hail would do me in! hee-hee
 
Keziah, I loved camping during my years in Alaska.

I grew up in a tiny Illinois farm-town whose claim to fame was a fantastic campground, called the Kentuckiana. Kentuckiana Kampground and Opry in Hopedale, Illinois 309_449_3274

A boy named Tim was in my class at school and his parent owned/operated the campground. He had great tales of campers from all summer- but long 'bout Labor Day in September most of the campers would depart for the season. Always though were a couple of stragglers that would really push the limits and stay out into cold Fall weather in their flimsy tents. I remember one year a duo of campers remained at his family's campground until well after the season's first snow!
 
I loved to get up really early in the mornings in the Brecon Beacons National Park and walk on dewy grass bare foot.
Then just sit there and look at the clouds down in the valley. Brew a cup of tea and just relax breathing in the cool air. See the rabbits hopping about, the lambs frolicking, ponies cantering about and me, taking in the green. I felt as if I was the only person on the planet. Ah Smashing.

Miles away from the noise, hustle and bustle and pressure of work. Not literally, it was only about 10 miles from the hospital but it could have been a million miles away.
 
Camping was a blast. They actually had a grill set up over the fire pit. I made beer-battered burgers and dogs in a pan over that. Came out way better than I expected.
 
I use one of those fold out iron cooking grills. I make a big fire and let it settle into coals and then you can use the grill just like a bbq grill except your cooking over the coals of a wood fire.

Our staple meal when my and my friends go camping is this:

Steak
Potatoes
Chili
Corn

Steak is cooked on top of the grill, the potatoes are cut in half, add butter, salt and pepper, than wrapped in foil and thrown into the coals.

The Chili and Corn cans are opened partially, and have the wrappers removed and then either put into coals or on top of the grill to heat up.

The one essential tool you need to cook this way is a pair of thick gloves. Leather work gloves or gardening gloves are good.

We will also do pork chops, BBQ ribs, etc. this way. Great meal....and you get FULL!
 
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