The Versatility Of Cast Iron

By Anna Brones

What is a Dutch Oven?

In a way, the Dutch oven is really one of the world’s first ovens, giving people an ability to bake with not much more than a fire. Originating in Holland, as the name indicates, Dutch ovens have been used to cook for centuries and were particularly popular in the U.S. from the late 1700s to the early 1900s; even Lewis and Clark had one along on their expedition.

The Dutch oven cooking concept is simple: a heavy, high-sided pot, with a tight-fitting lid, usually made of cast metal. Put the ingredients in, put over heat, and wait until the meal is ready.

In the modern world, there are two versions, one for outdoor use and one for indoor use, but the cooking concept remains the same, and it’s perfect for foods that need an even, slow cook, ideal for tough cuts of meat, breads, soups, and stews.

Perhaps for its versatility, or perhaps because it is reminiscent of a simpler time—after all, cooking in a Dutch oven these days truly is the definition of “slow food”—Dutch oven cooking is having a comeback, both at home and on the campfire.

The Basics of Dutch Oven Cooking

Dutch ovens are used for foods that require even, slow cooking. Think stews, soups, and casseroles. But, how exactly do you go about cooking with a Dutch oven? Let’s cover the basics.

While the term “Dutch oven” can be used to describe a variety of cookware, most often people think of cast iron, and Dutch oven cooking is more of a reference to the method of cooking the food than the actual vessel in which you do it.

For outdoor use, a Dutch oven cooking pot will often have three legs that allow it to sit just above the coals, as well as a lid with raised edges that allow you to place coals on the top. Indoor cooks will use the enameled versions—you’ve most likely seen a beautiful Le Creuset Dutch oven sitting in the window of a kitchen store. But despite their physical differences, the cooking concept is essentially the same.

One of the most important things is to not try to speed up the cooking time; you have to let the Dutch oven do its thing. “Don’t use a lot of coals on the bottom if you are baking or roasting. Just like turning up the heat on your stove, using a lot of heat will get you burnt bacon in a hurry!” says Lesley Tennessen, Region Representative for International Dutch Oven Society for the Midwest and commonly known as Dutch Oven Diva.

For cooking outside, there are obviously two ways to get heat under the cooking pot; build a fire and wait for it to burn down to a coal bed, or use charcoal briquettes. There’s an art, and almost a science to cooking with coals, but the basic rule of thumb is that one charcoal briquette equals about 12°F of temperature. Common Dutch oven practice is to keep it at around 350°F, which, for a 12-inch cooking pot, would be about eight coals on the top and 16 on the bottom.

This may sound a little technical, but “temperature control is the biggest hurdle one needs to consider when cooking with the Dutch oven,” says Colorado Outward Bound School instructor Bob Wojtalik, who has been cooking with a Dutch oven for about 15 years. He likes to bring his on multi-day river trips. “If you want to fry or boil, the heat needs to come from the bottom, and to bake, the heat needs to be split with a little heat under the Dutch oven and the majority on the top.”

This is why many Dutch oven cooking enthusiasts swear by charcoal briquettes. But while charcoal briquettes certainly provide the most reliable heat source, they are not the only one, and anyone that’s looking to do outdoor cooking should get ready to experiment a little. “Charcoal briquettes are a standard heat source, but any wood coal (hardwoods, juniper) will do with twig fires on top of your Dutchie as a backup when you want a hot top,” says Paul Duba, Outward Bound Course Director and Program Manager, who got hooked on Dutch oven cooking back in the 1970s.

The other key for Dutch oven cooking? Being equipped. Beyond the cooking pot and lid, you need a thick pair of gloves that will let you comfortably handle the hot metal, but also a pair of pliers or a lid lifter.

How to Hack a Dutch Oven in the Backcountry

When you’re on a weeklong backcountry trip, lugging a heavy cast-iron pot with you certainly isn’t an option. But hacking a Dutch oven is.

Essentially, to come up with a makeshift Dutch oven, you use two lighter items of cookware to create the same “oven” effect as you would have with a traditional heavier cooking pot. Once you’ve figured out your pot system, you just need to make sure that you’re in a zone where fires are permitted, so that you can create your heat source.

Emily Trudeau, one of the three founders of Dirty Gourmet, a website dedicated to gourmet outdoor cooking, recommends using two nesting ultra-light pots. “Line the bigger one with hot coals, then nest the smaller one into that. Fill the smaller one with your recipe. Cover with two lids if possible, and place coals on top. You could also bury the whole thing in a bed of coals. Check often for doneness. It will probably cook more quickly than a traditional Dutch oven.”
Paul points out that a hacked Dutch oven is great for “pizza, cornbread, biscuits, and the like” and says that you can get away with using a pair of large skillets with one flipped over as a lid.

9 Tips for Dutch Oven Beginners

1. Don’t be intimidated.
“Although pulling out a heavy cast iron pot can be intimidating, baking with a Dutch oven is easy, especially if you have some skills in your kitchen at home. Think of a portable oven with the main difference being you are heating with coals and not gas or electric.”—Bob Wojtalik

2. Don’t take your kitchen Dutch oven camping!
The Dutch oven you use indoors is not designed for use outdoors. “I’ve heard of people bringing their very expensive stovetop Dutch ovens camping, but don’t recommend it. Camp Dutch ovens are not enameled, so they will withstand the high heat of a campfire well. They usually have feet to stand over coals, as well as a lip on the lid to place coals on top.”—Emily Trudeau

3. Prep your coals.
If you’re cooking on a campfire, you don’t want to cook over open, dancing flames, because you won’t get that nice, slow cook that the Dutch oven is known for producing. Spend some time with the fire so you get a good bed of coals to build up where the Dutch oven can sit on top.

4. Cooking will go faster than at home.
Keep an eye on your meal, checking every 10 minutes or so. Also keep in mind that you are going for an even cook, so if one side seems to be cooking faster or slower than the other, reposition the Dutch oven.

5. Remember that heat goes up.
This means you want less heat below the Dutch oven and more heat on top. Paul recommends starting with about a quarter of the heat under it, which is good when you are trying to achieve a baking recipe. If you are roasting or simmering, then you want more heat from the bottom, so adjust accordingly. “Start the briquettes all together somewhere nearby and move them into place under and above your Dutchie when they start to turn grey. Especially with breads and other recipes that have dry “bottom” ingredients, too much heat below means burnt food.”

6. Keep Your Dutch oven clean.
Just because you’re cooking outdoors doesn’t mean you get to skip doing the dishes. “Clean your Dutch oven by adding water to it and heating it over the campfire again. This will loosen burnt bits, since it is not recommended to use any soap in your oven. Dry it fully and coat it with a little oil to keep it well seasoned for the next use.”—Emily Trudeau

7. Start easy.
You don’t need to make a three-course dinner your first time. “Try something easy like a casserole, meatloaf, or some biscuits until you are used to or have mastered ‘heat management.’”—Lesley Tennessen

8. Don’t be afraid to experiment.
Mastering the art of Dutch oven cooking isn’t going to come overnight, but, if you use your cooking savvy, you’ll do just fine. “Is your stew bubbling? ‘Yes’ means that you don’t need any more heat below and you can let your bottom heat die out or even remove some coals. A garden trowel or similar big spoon is handy for moving coals around and tinkering with the heat. Dutch oven cooking is an art form, and there is no substitute for trial and error,” says Paul.

9. Invest in a good quality Dutch oven.
Buying a Dutch oven can certainly be an investment, but remember that it’s a long-term one. Whether you’re buying one for cooking indoors or for cooking outdoors, these things are sturdy and meant to last. “Buy something of quality. It’s heavy, and that will cook the food the most evenly. If you take care of your Dutch oven, you will pass it on to your children,” says Emma Christensen, “The Kitchn” Recipe Editor.

We recommend the GSI Outdoors Hard Anodized Aluminum Dutch Oven ($69.95–139.95; gsioutdoors.com). Heavy duty, efficient, even, and non-reactive, this cast aluminum Dutch oven with a lid lip comes in 10-, 12-, or 14-inch sizes and, while sturdy, weighs 66 percent less than cast iron.

Dutch Oven Facts

The Dutch oven was declared the official Utah State Cooking Pot in 1997, as the Official State Cooking Vessel of Arkansas in 2001, and the Official Cooking Implement of Texas in 2005.

There is an International Dutch Oven Society—every year the nonprofit organization hosts a World Championship Cook-Off.

The fourth episode of the second season of Miami Vice was titled “Dutch Oven.”

Dutch ovens are popular with the emergency preparedness and survival crowd, as they allow you to cook without electricity.

Easy Dutch Oven Recipes

Posole Pie
A favorite of the Outward Bound crew, recommended by both Paul and Bob

Prepare a mix of onions, garlic, tomatoes, beans, and hominy. Add spices (cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper) and cook to a stew-like consistency.

Layer this with corn tortillas, shredded cheese, Hatch green chile, and black olives, as if you were making lasagna.

Fill your Dutch oven half way to the top with these layers and then cover your “pie” with a half inch of batter from a cornbread mix.

You get bonus points for mixing grated cheese and more green chile into this batter. Cook until the pie bubbles and the cornbread is brown.

10 Recipe Ideas for a Dutch Oven

Berry Cobbler
Bread
Oatmeal
Baked apples
Stew
Stuffed Peppers
Chili
Apple Crisp
Cornbread
Tortilla Soup

Find more recipes, like Dutch oven stuffed peppers or strawberry rhubarb cobbler, at dirtygourmet.com.

This article was originally published in Women’s Adventure magazine‘s Spring 2014 issue.

Category: Hiking & Backpacking