What are cast iron Dutch ovens best for?

A Dutch oven owes a lot of its versatility to cast iron's excellent heat retention, but the pot's shape—short and wide enough for searing meats, yet still deep enough for wet dishes like braises and stews —enables you to cook a range of foods, especially dishes that require browning meats and vegetables first, followed ...

What is the difference between a Dutch oven and a cast iron Dutch oven?

Raw cast iron needs to be seasoned to make it nonstick and rust-resistant, while enameled Dutch ovens are somewhat nonstick and protected out of the box . High-quality enamel coatings are expensive, which is why enameled Dutch ovens cost more than their standard cast iron counterparts.

Do you wash a cast iron Dutch oven?

Scrape out all of the food and wash your Camp Dutch Oven by hand with hot water . You can use a small amount of mild detergent. Dry your Camp Dutch Oven and lid thoroughly with paper or cloth towels. While the cookware is warm, rub a very light layer of cooking oil or our seasoning spray onto the surface.

Why can't you cook eggs in cast iron?

Eggs fall into the category of sticky foods that are not ideal for cast iron skillets that haven't built up their seasoning yet. While cast iron can become non-stick with sufficient use over time, a newer skillet will almost certainly cause your eggs to stick to its porous surface .

What is the best oil to season cast iron with?

What oils can I use to season cast iron? All cooking oils and fats can be used for seasoning cast iron, but based on availability, affordability, effectiveness, and having a high smoke point, Lodge recommends vegetable oil, melted shortening, or canola oil , like our Seasoning Spray.

What's the point of a Dutch oven?

A Dutch oven is a heavy-duty pot with lid designed for browning meat and veggies and then simmering on the stovetop or braising in the oven . It can also be used for soup and more simple tasks like boiling pasta. It's often used to make bread as well.

What is a Dutch oven fart?

But in slang, a Dutch oven is when you pass gas in bed and pull the covers over someone else's head, trapping it in like a Dutch oven traps heat .

Why is Le Creuset so expensive?

When you buy from Le Creuset, you're paying for high-quality pots and pans that are designed to stand the test of time . Rather than aluminum or stainless steel, Le Creuset craft their pieces from cast iron, which has a much higher heat capacity.

What is better than a Dutch oven?

A stock pot, also known as a soup pot , is a great Dutch oven alternative to consider for stove-top cooking, ideal for making larger quantities of soups, broths and sauces. You can even use a stock pot to instead of a Dutch oven to make bread.

Which is better cast iron or enameled cast iron?

Cooking Versatility and Performance Enameled cast iron will be a little more versatile, since you can cook acidic ingredients like tomatoes, wine, and citrus without worrying about eroding the seasoning.

What shouldn't you cook in cast iron?

Acidic Foods If you're making a rich tomato sauce, wine-braised meat, or a lemon-based marinade, you might want to consider using a stainless steel or ceramic pot or pan. Acidic foods will strip away metals in even the most seasoned cast-iron cookware, and those metals will get into whatever you're cooking.

What cooks best in cast iron?

The Best Foods to Cook in Cast Iron Pans You can cook almost anything in them. Here are some dishes that turn out great when you make them in cast iron: Pan-seared veggies and proteins . Fatty foods like bacon.

What should I use a Dutch oven for?

"A good quality Dutch oven is perfect for everything from slow-cooking dishes like beans or coq au vin, baking desserts like fruit crisps or artisan-style bread, braising meats like short ribs and lamb shanks, roasting and browning whole chickens or turkey leg, and making hearty stews and soups," says Shiza Shahid, co- ...

Cast Iron Dutch Oven Recipes (2024)

Cast iron Dutch oven recipes, along with a cast iron Dutch oven, are essentials to have on hand should the power go off.

They're also useful if you're moving toward an off-the-grid lifestyle, or if you are simply looking for ways to keep your house cooler in the summer.

These are turbulent days we are living in, and it's wise to be prepared. While we may not be struck by an EMP, the collapse of the dollar very well may happen, and although we should not live in fear, preparing for an emergency can avoid needless suffering and trauma and provide you with peace of mind.

So learning to cook outdoors is not only a great idea, it's essential for self-sufficient living.And there is no group out there who are greater masters of outdoorcooking than the Boy Scouts. Their motto is "Be Prepared", and they arecertainly prepared when it comes to outdoor cooking and cast iron Dutchoven recipes.

Camp Dutch Oven Photo courtesy of Amazon.

Unlike cooking with a solar oven, which takes a lot of time and practice, cooking outdoors with cast iron cookware is much easier and faster. And the food was amazing. I have never made such moist cornbread, and the soup cooked up really quickly.

Good Resource for
Cast Iron Dutch Oven Recipes

My favorite collection of cast iron Dutch oven recipes is The Scout's Outdoor Cookbook by Christine and Tim Conners.

Not only does it have a lot of great recipes, but it also has essentialinformation on how many charcoal briquettes you need to reach a certaincooking temperature as well as ratings on recipes from easy to moderateto more difficult.

My favorite Dutch Oven cookbook.

What You Need

Obviously cast iron cookware and especially a camp Dutch oven is anexcellent choice for preparing your cast iron Dutch oven recipes. Lodgehas a very good, reasonably priced Dutch oven.

You can also use a cast iron combo cooker such as this one, although you will also need a lid stand (you can see one here) to lift the cookware up so you can set coals underneath. A Dutch oven lid lifter (see one here) is also very handy to have.

Lodge has a very good, reasonably priced Dutch Oven. Find one here.

You will also need charcoal briquettes. While you can use wood coals, briquettes are easier to light and make for more accurate cooking. Plus they're inexpensive especially if you buy them in bulk, so consider adding two or three bags of these to your disaster preparedness list.

Plus, a charcoal briquette starter is essential. (You can see one here). They don't cost much and they are very easy to use and eliminate the need for toxic charcoal fluid lighter. Just pack crumpled paper in the bottom of the starter and place the charcoal briquettes on top. Light the paper, and the briquettes will be going in less than 10 minutes.

Cast Iron Dutch Oven Recipes

Ready to start cooking? This recipe is easy to make and like all the recipes in this book is very, very good.

Scout Camp Carnitas
(from the Scout's Outdoor Cookbook)

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless shoulder pork
1 cup of flour
1 tablespoon of powdered chili pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of ground oregano
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 cup of lard
24 tortillas
Refried beans
Salsa
Sour Cream

Cut the pork into 1-inch cubes. Then blend the flour, chili pepper, salt, oregano and garlic powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the pork to the flour mix and coat well.

Place 15 briquettes under your Dutch oven and melt the lard. Add the floured meat mixture and fry it, stirring occasionally until the pork is cooked through and tender, about 30-40 minutes depending on how hot your coals are. Don't let a hard crust form over the carnitas. This recipe serves 10-12 people.

Serve with tortillas refried beans, salsa and sour cream.

Want to Make Bread?

Yes, breads can also be a part of your cast iron Dutch oven recipes. Here's my cornbread recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup of flour
3/4 cup of cornmeal

OR...

3/4 cup of whole wheat berries and 1/2 cup of popcorn, ground together in your grain mill

ALONG WITH...

1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 egg
1 cup of milk
1/3 cup of oil

Grease the bottom and sides of your Dutch oven. Mix together the dry ingredients and then in a large measuring cup, mix together the milk, egg and oil. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and pour into your greased Dutch oven.

Place the Dutch oven on 17 lit coals and then cover with an additional eight coals. Bake for about 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. This recipe serves six to eight people.

Learn More About Frugal Cooking

Learn More About Being Prepared

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Cast Iron Dutch Oven Recipes (2024)