Dutch Oven Cooking Basics

Pioneer Cooking

When you think of a cast iron Dutch oven, what comes to your mind? Pioneer cooking? Stews over the open fire?

Of coarse both are true, but they are still very much in use today and as for the Dutch oven, the possibilities are endless.

Dutch ovens can be used for frying, baking, boiling, and steaming as well.

Purchasing Your Dutch Oven

When purchasing your Dutch oven, make sure the lid has a raised ridge. This is to hold your heat source, which will be briquettes.

This will help you to reach the proper temperature needed for whatever cooking you are wanting to do , with the exception of boiling or frying.

In which case you would want all the heat on the bottom.

Heating Fundimentals

If you are planning on baking, you need more heat on the top than on the bottom.

Put one briquette on the bottom for every 3 on the top of the lid.

For preparing stews, use one on the top for every 4 on the bottom. When roasting, put briquettes on the top and bottom evenly.

Best Temperature

To understand the temperature and number of briquettes needed takes a little math.

Each briquette adds about 25 degrees of heat.

A good starting temperature is 350 degrees F.

To figure out how many briquettes to use, take the size of the oven in inches, and subract three to get the number of briquettes for under it, and add three to get the number of briquettes for the top.

Preparing To Cure Your Dutch Oven

Now that you understand the basics of using your Dutch oven you need to prepare or cure your oven before using it.

Some cast iron ovens have a protective covering which you will need to remove .

You will need to do some scrubbing with a non-abrasive scubber.

Once the covering is removed, rinse and dry the oven and then let it air dry.

Curing It

To cure your oven, pre-heat your kitchen stove to 350 degrees. Place the Dutch oven on the center rack, with the lid open slightly.

Allow it to heat slowly until it is too hot to handle. Apply a thin layer of salt free cooking oil with a clean cloth to the Dutch oven inside and out.

Place your oven back inside the stove with the lid slightly open. Bake your oven for about an hour.

Repeat

After baking, allow the Dutch oven to cool slowly.

When it is cool enough to handle, repeat the oil again the same as before and bake again.

When cool enough apply a third layer of oil, but this time it is ready for use.

Preparing your Dutch oven in this way prevents rust and makes for much easier cleaning as well

Cleaning

To clean your oven after use, scrape it out, add warm water, without soap, and heat it in the oven until the water is almost boiling.

For any food that sticks a little, use a non-abrasive scrubber.

Protect your Dutch oven again by warming it in the stove, applying a thin coating of oil and letting it cool. Its now ready for storage.

Val and Robin Shortt are experienced campers and own three outdoor websites. For more tips like these and to register for their Free newsletter visit: Good Night Camping Equipment

---

Barbeque Grilling has Reached a Whole New Dimension

Grilling on the barbecue has never been more exciting. Not... Read More

Moms Easy Cooking - Fast Meal Ideas For Busy Moms

Every busy mom worries about how to prepare fast, nutritious... Read More

Family Meal Planning Made Easy

As moms, we have hectic lives. Whether we work out... Read More

Substitutions for Commonly Called for Ingredients

What should you do if you are in the middle... Read More

10 Easy Ways To Protect Your Family From Food Poisoning

Do you realize the many ways that bacteria can contaminate... Read More

About Baking: Eight Tips for Perfect Pancakes

Pancakes are easy and almost foolproof. But there are some... Read More

10 Simple Kitchen Organizing Tips

A lot of the times we mean to get in... Read More

Ten Proven Tips to Buy the Best Meat Available

Ten Proven Tips to buy the Best Meat AvailableAs you... Read More

10 Smart Shopping Tips To Protect Your Family From Getting Sick

Prevention of food poisoning starts with your trip to the... Read More

Kitchenaid Stand Mixers ? A Kitchen Work Horse

Kitchenaid stand mixers are very popular in today's kitchens and... Read More

Fine Tuning Bread Machine Mixes

Sometimes bread machines can be tricky. We were trying to... Read More

The Wonderful Wok: Stir Frying Basics

Want to enjoy the tantalizing taste of Asian food at... Read More

Two for One Dinners: Turkey

If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then... Read More

Christmas Cookie Decorating 101

Many bakers ask for tips and instructions on decorating cookies.... Read More

Save Time in the Kitchen - Cook Pasta the Way Restaurant Chefs Do

Have you ever wondered how a restaurant can get a... Read More

The Art of the Marinade

It's a sad fact that these days it has become... Read More

Modifying Your Recipes, More or Less

You just found that great recipe that you have been... Read More

How to Bake: Muffins (with recipes)

Muffins are a mainstay around our house. They are as... Read More

What is Gluten and Why does it Matter?

Gluten is a substance made up of the proteins found... Read More

Better Baking Technique: Is it Done Yet?

Are my breads, cookies, or cakes baked and ready to... Read More

Eating Healthy with a Meat Grinder

While it may be surprising, owning your own meat grinder... Read More

Unique Cake Decorating With Flowers

Flowers as a Cake Decoration, unique and easy to place... Read More

Grilling Vs. Barbecue

Grilling and Barbecuing, two of the most popular cooking methods... Read More

How To Eat Fresh Vegetables ? Ideas for Working More Veggies Into Your Diet

Fresh, uncooked veggies are so healthy and it's important to... Read More

ServSafe Food Program in Montana a Success

Montana has a great program for restaurant employees. Each preparer... Read More

7 Things to Consider when Buying a BBQ

BBQ as we all know is an abbreviated form of... Read More

Once-A-Month-Cooking: How to Make Your Plan Work

As one of the oldest children in a family of... Read More

Fruit Cake

Are you the fruit cake in your family? Before you... Read More

Why do We Need to Knead?

Bread dough needs to be elastic in order to capture... Read More

6 Steps to Grill the Perfect Steak

There's nothing better than a nicely grilled juicy steak.But how... Read More

Season Your Pans for Non Stick Cooking

Nothing is more frustrating than trying to cook a delicious... Read More

Flax Seed Will Add A Little Extra Flavor To Your Recipes

Flax seed will add a pleasant nutty taste to any... Read More

Herbs and Spices - the Essence of Flavor

In any number of cookbooks and recipes you will find... Read More