CAMPFIRE DUTCH OVEN COOKING

By Bruce Campbell

Cooking with the Dutch Oven

The Dutch Oven is a baking tool. Coals are applied to the Dutch Oven to heat the air inside. The heated air then cooks the food. Yes, some use their Dutch Oven as a pot to boil food in. But if you cook beans or stew, why not top them with biscuit dough or corn bread batter and make use of the baking qualities of your Dutch Oven?

Coals placed on the lid of the Dutch Oven radiate heat down into the air and food below. Considerably more heat is needed on top of the oven than is needed under the oven.

For example, if you have charcoal left over from an evening’s barbecue, you can cook a pineapple upside down cake by placing 6 to 8 briquettes under the oven and 14 to 18 on top.

Cakes and light pastries require especial care not to burn on the bottom. The simple ready-made biscuits and sweet rolls you can buy in the dairy section of the grocery store are excellent practice items.

Campfire coals require a little more attention than charcoal. Driftwood found along gravel bars on Interior rivers has almost no ability to produce lasting coals. I find it necessary to add burning wood to the top of the oven.

With practice you can judge the temperature of the coals with your hand. Proper bottom heat will allow you to hold your hand an inch or so from the coals for 10 to 15 seconds. Top heat will only allow you to hold your hand close for a second.

Once you learn heat control for the Dutch Oven there is almost no limit to what you can cook. I usually plan meals on the ingredients I am willing to carry for a particular trip. Canoe trips have different requirements than car camping, snow machining, or river boating. Alas, the Dutch Oven is not for backpacking, but your campfire baking skills can be applied to aluminum foil wrapped meals & foil reflector ovens.

Just remember - heat on top cooks, too much heat on the bottom burns.

Have fun!

Kate's Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas 12" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

12 flour tortillas
1 onion, chopped
1 pt. sour cream
1 can diced green chilies
1 pt. cottage cheese
1 can evaporated milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
12 oz. shredded Mozzarella
1 lg. can of chicken or turkey
1 egg

Mix sour cream, cottage cheese, chicken, chicken soup, chilies and chopped onions together in a bowl, add condensed milk to thin mixture if needed. Spread chicken mixture and shredded cheese into tortillas; place into Dutch Oven to create tightly packed layers of enchiladas. Add egg and milk to remaining filling and pour over enchiladas, top with the remaining Mozzarella. Bake until bubbling and a golden brown crust has formed.

Dawn's Corned Beef and Sauerkraut 10" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

2 cans corned beef
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 15 oz. can sauerkraut, drained
Swiss cheese, sliced
Thousand Island Dressing
Caraway seeds
Bisquick or cornbread mix

Crumble corned beef across the bottom of the Dutch Oven; add a layer of sauerkraut and sprinkle with caraway seeds. Follow this with a layer of tomato slices and the Thousand Island dressing. Cover with a layer of Swiss cheese.
    Mix up biscuits; drop by spoonfuls across the cheese for the top layer. Bake until the bisquick mix is golden brown on top.

Fred’s Rigatoni, Tomato and Olive Casserole 12" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

4 Tbsp. olive oil
3 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes
2 tsp. dried basil
1 ½ cups chopped onion
1 ½ tsp. crushed red pepper
6 – 8 cloves garlic, pressed
1 pound penne or rigatoni pasta
16 oz. canned chicken broth
1/3 cup pitted Calamata olives
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
2 ½ cups packed grated Havarti
1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Heat olive oil in the bottom of the Dutch Oven. Add onion and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Reserve the water from one can of tomatoes and set aside. Pour remaining tomatoes and juice, dried basil and crushed red pepper into Dutch Oven, bring to a gentle boil. Add broth and uncooked rigatoni pasta, simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent mixture from sticking to the bottom. Season with salt and pepper.
    Stir in Havarti cheese, olives and fresh basil. Top with Parmesan cheese. Reduce bottom heat, cover, add top heat to bake until pasta is cooked, about 15 minutes.

Sally’s Dutch Oven Lasagna 12" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

1 lb. ground beef
1 cup cottage cheese
1 32 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
12 oz. Mozzarella, grated
1 cup water
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 can sliced olives
1 can mushrooms
1 box uncooked lasagna noodles
1 tsp. oregano
½ tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 onion diced
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Mix spaghetti sauce, water, spices, mushrooms, parsley, and olives together. Layer ingredients in Dutch Oven starting with sauce, uncooked lasagna, Mozzarella, and cottage cheese. Repeat layering, ending with sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake slowly, about 45 minutes, modest heat.

Roast Caribou and Wild Mushrooms 12" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

2 to 4 pounds of Caribou for a 10" Dutch Oven; 4 to 6 pounds of meat for a 12’ Dutch Oven
1/2 pound mushrooms
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. fine breadcrumbs
salt and coarse black pepper
2 bulbs fresh garlic
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Peel the two bulbs of garlic. Slice the cloves from at least one bulb into lengthwise slivers. Pierce the roast with a narrow knife and insert a sliver of garlic, repeat until garlic is inserted into the top, bottom and sides of the roast.
    Place the roast into the Dutch oven, salt, pepper, and sprinkle with a small amount of thyme. Bake for one hour and 15 minutes. Caution: some roasts will bunch up during cooking and push the lid open. This dries out the roast.
    Mix together the mushrooms, parsley, and fresh thyme (or marjoram). Press the remaining garlic and add to the mixture. Grate the Parmesan cheese.
    When the roast is 15 minutes from completion (a slice will reveal the middle of the roast has changes from red to pink) add the mushrooms, parsley and thyme mixture. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs; cover with Parmesan cheese and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Shirley’s Baked Halibut in Sour Cream Sauce 10" or 12" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

1 large halibut fillet
1 onion, diced
1 pint sour cream
1 Tbsp. dill
3-4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 cup mayonaise
1 egg
1 cup white wine

Marinate halibut in ½ cup white wine for an hour.
    Place oil in the bottom of the Dutch Oven, add ½ cup white wine, then halibut.
    Mix sour cream, egg, dill, onion, and garlic together. Pour over halibut.
Bake till the halibut is opaque and flakes apart with a fork. Baking time will depend on thickness of Halibut, generally 30 to 45 minutes.

Rosemary, Ptarmigan and Roast Potatoes 10" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

2 - 4 ptarmigan or chicken breasts
1/2 green pepper
6 - 8 small potatoes
1tsp.+ rosemary
6 - 8 small onions
1 - 2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup butter

In open Dutch Oven sear ptarmigan breasts in butter and rosemary. Salt and pepper to taste. Add potatoes and small onions, stirring potatoes to coat with butter and spices. Cover and bake until potatoes are tender.

Chicken Dumplings 12" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

Dumplings:
1 ½ cup flour
½ tsp. baking soda
3 Tbsp. butter approx.
½ cup water

Sweet & sour chicken:
1 small jar maraschino cherries
½ fresh lemon
1 small can mandarin oranges
1 green pepper
1 small can pineapple tid-bits
1 red pepper
1 small can water chestnuts
1 sliced carrot
1 tsp. ginger
1 stalk celery
1 package sweet and sour mix
1 onion, diced
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce or ½ tsp. salt
1 cup water
2 large cans chunk chicken

Combine dumpling ingredients, mix to make a stiff dough.
    Combine mandarin oranges, pineapple, maraschino cherries, water chestnuts and the juices from these items with the package of sweet and sour sauce mix, cornstarch and water. Place the Dutch Oven on enough coals to simmer while adding all remaining ingredients. Shave the fresh of the lemon rind and add to the mixture. Remove the seeds and thinly slice the remaining lemon.
    Drop dumpling dough into the mixture by the spoon full. Cover and add top heat, bake about 20 minutes or until dumplings cook
    To stretch this recipe for a hungry crowd serve it over rice.

Corsairs Scalloped Potatoes 10" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

4 - 6 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. flour
1 whole nutmeg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup half and half butter or margarine

Butter bottom and sides of Dutch Oven. Arrange potatoes in layers, with flour, sour cream, half-and-half and nutmeg. Top with freshly ground nutmeg. Bake until potatoes are done, 45 to 60 minutes.

Scalloped Potatoes 12" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

6 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
1 medium onion
1 tsp. thyme
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1 tsp. rosemary
1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Coat Dutch Oven with oil. Arrange 1/3 of potatoes and half of onions across bottom layer of oven. Sprinkle with flour, salt and spices. Layer in the next third of the potatoes and remaining onion, flour and spices. Arrange last of potatoes on top. Drizzle with 1-tablespoon olive oil. Pour broth along sides of Dutch Oven. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until potatoes are done.

Lentils and Cornbread 12" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

1 lb. package lentils
1 tsp. coarse black pepper
1 pkg. cornbread mix
1 tsp. red pepper
1 cup molasses
1 can diced green chilies
1 small can of tomato paste
1 Tbsp. dry mustard
1 lb. ham, or sausage.
1 small can sliced olives
1 small can chunk pineapple
1 ea. green pepper, onion

Boil lentils and black pepper in Dutch Oven over open fire about 20 minutes or until tender, drain excess water. Add tomato paste, molasses, mustard, chunked ham or sausage (or both), green pepper, onion, olives, pineapple, and remaining seasoning. Return to heat and simmer complete mixture prior to adding cornbread. Prepare cornbread mix as per instructions, pour over simmering lentils, cover and add top heat. Bake until cornbread is golden brown and a knife comes out clean.

Chandalar River Cornbread 10" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

1 Marie Calendar's Cornbread
4 oz. Mozzarella
1 small onion, finely diced
4 oz. diced cheddar
1/4 green pepper, diced
4 Polish sausages
1 small can diced chilies
1 small can sliced olives

Melt 2 tablespoons butter or margarine in the Dutch Oven. Preheat oven & lid. Mix cornbread as per instructions, but omit ¼ cup water to make up for moisture added to the recipe by the onion and green pepper. Stir in onion, green pepper, cheeses and sausage.
    Bake slowly, this will take longer than regular cornbread, perhaps 45 minutes to an hour. Cornbread is done when an inserted knife comes out clean.

Stew or Chili topped with Cornbread 10" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

1-2 cans of stew or chili
1 tin cornbread mix
1 can chunk pineapple

Add pineapple to stew or chili, cover with cornbread dough. Add top heat to bake. Use barely enough bottom heat to keep stew simmering. Bake until cornbread is golden brown and tests done with a knife.

Helmerick's Colville River Sweet Potato Pudding 12" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

3 can sweet potatoes
½ can evaporated milk
1 large can apple pie filling
½ tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup raisins
¼ tsp. all spice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 eggs

Mash sweet potatoes with a fork. Mix in all remaining ingredients. Bake until the mixture firms around the edges, and just begins to firm in the middle. (Takes about 35 minutes at 350 degrees.)

Amy’s Irish Soda bread 10" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
1½ tsp. salt

Put flour, baking soda and salt together in a mixing bowl stir with a fork to blend. Add buttermilk and stir vigorously until the dough comes together.
    Place the dough into oiled Dutch Oven. Bake 50 minutes.
    Use ½ of this recipe as a topping for stews, chili, etc instead of using bisquick.

Apricot Scones 10" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

3 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup butter
½ cup sugar
1 package apricots, chopped
dash salt
1 cup milk

Mix flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt together. Cut butter into flour mixture with a fork. Add milk to form a stiff dough, then add chopped apricots, cranberries, dries cherries, pecans, etc. Pour into center of a warm oiled Dutch Oven. Bake 25 to 40 minutes, done when a knife comes out clean.

Yeast Bread 10" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

2 cups flour
1 package yeast
2 tsp. sugar
¼ cup oil or butter
dash salt
¼ tsp. ginger

Yeast bread requires extra time for the rising and kneading of the dough. It may not always fit into a camping schedule, but if it does it can be very popular.
    Don’t hesitate to add or partially substitute rye or whole wheat flour to this recipe.
Mix flour 2-tsp. Sugar, ¼ tsp. ginger and salt, cut butter in with a fork. Activate yeast by putting it into ¼ cup mildly warm water (105 to 120 degrees), and adding 1 tsp. sugar. Add activated yeast to the flour mixture. Slowly add warm water while stirring until the flour mixture is just moist and it forms a kneadable dough. This may take practice, adding too much water requires a lot of flour to correct, it is easier to err on the side of too little water. I’ll often have a few tablespoons of flour that will not mix into the dough left over in the bottom of the mixing bowl.
    Knead, about 5 minutes, until smooth and glassy. Cover and set dough near the fire to keep warm. Allow to rise for about thirty minutes.
    Knead again. Place the dough in a warm, oiled Dutch Oven. Allow to rise for another twenty minutes, then increase heat and bake for about 45 to 50 minutes.

Charlie River Cinnamon Rolls 10" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

2 cups raisins, chopped apricots, cranberries &/or pecans
3 cups flour
1 pkg. fast acting yeast
About 1 cup warm water
2 tsp. sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2-3 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. ginger
½ freshly grated nutmeg
2-4 Tbsp. oil

Mix flour, yeast and just enough warm water to make a stiff, kneadable dough. Cover the dough and set it next to the fire to rise for about 20 minutes.
    Roll the dough out like a thick, rectangular pizza onto a greased surface. Spread the butter across the dough, cover with a layer of raisins, cranberries, dried cherries, etc., top with the brown sugar. Sprinkle cinnamon and ginger over the raisins and sugar, grate about ½ of a nutmeg over the top.
    Carefully roll the rectangle of dough and toppings. Weld the top edge together with moist fingers. Add oil to the Dutch oven and preheat it. Either slice the rolled up dough and place individual rolls into the warm Dutch Oven, or place the entire roll into the oven and form a ring.
    Bake 30 to 50 minutes. The brown sugar will melt out of the rolls and into the oil and form a candy caramel on the bottom of the oven. It is important not to let the bottom of the oven get too hot or this caramel will burn.

Desserts

Pineapple Upside Down Cake The Dutch Oven favorite! 10" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

1 Yellow cake mix
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 small can sliced pineapple
¼ to 1/3 cup margarine
maraschino cherries
eggs, if required

Melt 1/2 stick butter or margarine in the bottom of the Dutch Oven. Mix in brown sugar and spread evenly across the bottom of the Dutch Oven.
    Save pineapple and maraschino cherry juice for the cake mix. Place pineapple rings in bottom of Dutch Oven on top of the brown sugar; center a maraschino cherry in each. Remaining cherries can be placed around the bottom of the pot.
    Substitute the pineapple and maraschino cherry juice for some or all of the water to be added to the cake mix. Add egg and mix as per instructions. Pour cake mix over the brown sugar and pineapple. Bake until cake is browned and a knife comes out clean.

Ginger Bread and Apple Cake 10" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

1 Betty Crocker Gingerbread mix
1 tsp. ginger
1 apple, thinly sliced
¼ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. butter

Place apple slices and butter in the bottom of the Dutch Oven and sprinkle with brown sugar. Add 1-tsp. ginger to the cake mix; mix according to the box directions to make a cake. Pour the cake mix over the apple. Bake until a knife comes out clean.

Hoosier Cream Pie 10" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

1 Ready made piecrust
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups half and half or cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour

Preheat Dutch Oven.
Mix sugars and flour together thoroughly. Add cream slowly, mixing thoroughly, then add vanilla. Set aside.
    Place the piecrust in the Dutch Oven, perforate with fork, bake for two to five minutes.
    Pour filling into lightly baked piecrust. Bake until the filling begins to thicken, about thirty minutes. Cool and serve.

No Mixin' Cake 10" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

1 box cake mix
1 large can of fruit
¼ lb. butter or margarine

Warm the oven; lightly coat with a touch of butter. Pour in canned fruit (including juice). Sprinkle cake mix over fruit directly from box - do not add water. Drop slices of butter randomly over cake mix. Bake until fruit filling bubbles up through the cake mix. Test with fork.

Strawberry - Rhubarb Cobbler 10" Dutch Oven
By Bruce Campbell

Rhubarb mix:
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
6 cups of rhubarb cut into ½ inch slices

Biscuit topping:
2 ¼ cups flour
½ cup granulated sugar
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
4 to 5 Tbsp. butter
¾ cup low-fat milk

Cinnamon sugar sprinkle:
2 tsp. sugar
3 cups strawberries, hulled and halved
½ tsp. ground cinnamon

This cobbler is prepared and cooked in two stages. The rhubarb is first cooked to soften. The strawberries and biscuit dough are added next, then the cobbler is baked.
    First the rhubarb. Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a bowl, mixing well to break up any lumps. Add rhubarb and mix thoroughly. Place in bottom of Dutch Oven. Simmer on fire until rhubarb is softened.
    Prepare biscuit mix by combining flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Work in butter with fingertips until mixture is crumbly. Stir in milk with fork to make a soft dough, mixing until just moistened. Dust hands with flour to prevent sticking and form into approx. 12 rounds, about 1/2 inch thick.
    Remove lid from Dutch Oven, quickly stir strawberries into rhubarb, and arrange biscuit rounds on top and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mix. Cover and bake until biscuits turn golden brown.