Dutch Oven Recipes
Seasoning a Dutch Oven
Before using your new cast iron Dutch Oven for the first time it must first be seasoned to give it that
black mostly non-stick coating. Here is how it is done.
When you first remove it from the box, give the Dutch Oven and lid both a good washing in warm
soapy dishwater to remove the protective coating used in shipping. When finished washing, rinse
well in very hot water and then let dry completely.
After the Dutch Oven and lid are dry from the wash, but not yet cool, give them both a good coating of
Crisco or some other shortening. Plain, not buttered. The cast iron warmed from the hot rinse will help
the shortening melt and flow into the tiny pores. Make sure you coat every bit of the dutch oven and lid
with shortening, both inside and out.
When finished coating the cast iron with shortening, wipe off any excess that may remain. Then place the
Dutch Oven and lid into a very hot (400F and up) oven or outdoor grill. I prefer the outdoor grill
(if it has a cover) because there will be a lot of smoke.
Put both parts in the heated oven or grill. Put the bottom of the Dutch Oven upside down on aluminum
foil to help catch anything that may drip off.
Bake both pieces for about an hour or until the smoke quits completely. When the hour is up, just turn
off the grill or oven and let everything cool together.
When finished you'll have a nice dark drown coating on your Dutch oven and the seasoning will get better
each time it is used.
After cooking you won't need to wash a seasoned Dutch Oven with soap. Just scape out as much food as you
can with a spatula, peice of wood or whatever is handy, and let the rest bake off in the campfire. Or you
can use a srubbing sponge and hot water to wash it out.
If you use soap to clean the oven it will have to be seasoned again.
Dutch Oven Apple Crisp
This recipe was generously donated several years ago by Steve B from rec.outdoors.camping. This recipe is so good you will want to make it at home using the oven
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2 cans Apple Morefruit (or similar) pie filling You can also use peach, blueberry, cherry or
mixes of any Morefruit fillings.
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- ½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
Topping Mixture:
- 1½ cups flour
- ½ cups rolled oats (one pack instant oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon for apple cobbler)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 12 tbsp butter or margarine
Pour two cans of the pie filling into a 12 inch diameter Dutch Oven. In
a separate container, cut butter (or margarine) into the dry ingredients in the topping mixture. When mixed properly, it should make a crumbly mix that looks like the
topping on Dutch Apple pie.
Sprinkle this topping mixture on top of pie filling. Then sprinkle on the nuts if you are using them.
Cook 40 minutes with most of the coals on the top of the dutch oven and a smaller amount on the bottom.
Tips and Hints
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Use one packet of instant Quaker oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon if making apple cobbler. Plain if using any other pie filling.
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If you are using apple and can find the Morefruit that has brown sugar and
cinnamon, those are the best. If not (for apple crisp) you have to add cinnamon, and just a tad more brown sugar.
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If you want to make peach or cherry or another flavor, don't add cinnamon. Still use brown sugar, and not all white sugar. Experiment with this.
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Mix all the dry ingredients and butter in a zip lock bag. You can take it
along (minus the butter) if you want when traveling, and it's ready to go by adding the butter or margarine. This makes it very easy by just mixing it inside a ziplock bag and has no cleanup.
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Use a 12" Dutch oven. Use only four briquets under it, spreading them out. Use enough Kingsford briquets to cover the top but not too tight. Leave about 1/4" between each briquet.
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Cook for 40 minutes, checking once at 20 minutes and once again at 30 minutes. If you use the above amount of briquets, 40 minutes is just right.
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Make plenty because the smell of it cooking will travel.
