The Dutch oven is a heavy, flat-bottomed kettle with a lid, legs, and wire handle. Traditional Dutch ovens are made of thick cast iron which absorbs heat, retains it, and distributes it evenly over the inside surface. It was designed to cook complete one-pot meals over an open fire. The legs allow you to set the pot over coals, and the lid allows you to add coals to the top for even, all-around heat.
You probably won't be see a Dutch oven on a backpacking trip, but for canoe/kayak camping you’ll be glad you brought one along. Here are a few of my favorite recipes.
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| Henry making Dump Cake |
Two cans of blueberry pie filling
One box of white or yellow cake mix
One can of lemon/lime soda
One box of white or yellow cake mix
One can of lemon/lime soda
This was the first recipe that I tried in my Dutch oven, and one of the easiest. Line the Dutch oven with foil and spray with cooking spray. Add the two cans of pie filling into the bottom of the Dutch oven. Next, sprinkle the cake mix over the pie filling in an even layer. Finally, pour the lemon/lime soda over the cake mix. At this point you have a decision to make – to stir or not to stir. If you stir the soda into the cake mix, your dump cake will cook with the consistency of a cake. If you don’t stir, it will cook with the consistency of a cobbler. Set the Dutch oven over coals or charcoal with 1/3 of the coals below, and 2/3 of the coals on the lid (most of the heat should be on the lid). Cook for around 30 minutes turning frequently to prevent hot spots. You can experiment with different canned or fresh fruits.
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| Blueberry Breakfast Bake |
1-cup milk
4 eggs
1/4-cup sour cream
1/2-cup sugar
1/4-teaspoon cinnamon
1/4-teaspoon vanilla
1-cup fresh blueberries
8 slices of bread
Mable syrup - optional
Line the Dutch oven with foil and spray with cooking spray. Mix the milk, eggs, sour cream, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla together and store in a sealable travel container. This can be kept in your cooler until your ready to make breakfast. Cut the bread into cubes and place in the Dutch oven with the fresh blueberries. Pour the milk/egg mixture over the top and mix until the bread and blueberries are coated. Set the Dutch oven over coals or charcoal with 1/3 of the coals below, and 2/3 of the coals on the lid (most of the heat should be on the lid). Cook for around 30 minutes, turning frequently to prevent hot spots. This breakfast is nice and sweet on its own, but I like it with a little maple syrup on top. You can replace the blueberries with other fresh or frozen fruit.
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| Frittata for breakfast |
1 package frozen home fries
6-8 eggs
2 cups cheese (pick your favorite)
Other fillings can include chopped onions, peppers, mushrooms, ham, bacon or sausage
Line the Dutch oven with foil and spray with cooking spray. In separate pan, cook frozen home fries until browned and add to the bottom of the Dutch oven. Saute other fillings and add to the Dutch oven. Sprinkle with 3/4 of the cheese. Whisk the eggs and add to the Dutch oven, swirling to make sure it is even distributed. Top with remaining cheese. Set the Dutch oven over coals or charcoal with 1/3 of the coals below, and 2/3 of the coals on the lid (most of the heat should be on the lid). Cook for around 30 minutes, turning frequently to prevent hot spots.
Lasagna
1 package no-boil lasagna noodles
15 oz ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 cups mozzarella cheese
28 oz jar of sauce (a little more is better)
Other fillings can include chopped onions, chopped peppers, chopped mushrooms, ground beef or chopped Italian sausage
Mix the ricotta cheese, egg, and parmesan cheese together and set aside (you can do this in advance and store in your cooler in a zip-lock plastic bag). In a separate pan saute the other fillings (you can also do this in advance and store in a plastic zip-lock bag in your cooler). Line the Dutch oven with foil and spray with cooking spray. Add a small amount of sauce to the bottom of the Dutch oven - enough to coat. Break the lasagna noodles to form a single layer in the Dutch oven (it doesn't have to be perfect, the noodles will expand as they cook). Layer half the ricotta cheese mixture, half the fillings, a third of the mozzarella cheese and a third of the sauce. Repeat for a second layer. Top with a last layer of noodles and the remaining sauce and cheese. Set the Dutch oven over coals or charcoal with 1/3 of the coals below, and 2/3 of the coals on the lid (most of the heat should be on the lid). Cook for around an hour, turning frequently to prevent hot spots. You may need to add more coals if it loses heat.
Baked Ziti
16 oz box of ziti
4 cups water
28 oz jar of sauce
8 oz ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (if you have it)
2 cups (one package) grated mozzarella cheese
Other fillings can include chopped onions, chopped peppers, chopped mushrooms, ground beef or chopped Italian sausage
Mix the water, sauce, ricotta and parmesan cheese together and set aside (you can do this in advance and store in your cooler in a sealable travel container). Place the Dutch oven in the coals and sauté the fillings (you can also do this in advance and store in a plastic zip-lock bag in your cooler). Add the liquid mixture and bring to a low boil. Add the uncooked ziti and cook, stirring frequently until the pasta is cooked and the liquid has been absorbed. Remove Dutch oven from the coals and top with mozzarella cheese. Place the cover and coals on the top and bake until cheese is melted and golden brown.
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| Cinnamon Rolls |
The easiest way to make yeast breads in camp is to make the dough in advance (night for cinnamon rolls and morning for dinner rolls) and let the dough do its first rise in the cooler. When you are ready to bake, take out the dough that you need, shape and let it do its second rise, and bake. Here is my grandmother’s recipe for cinnamon rolls.
For dough:
1 package dry active yeast
4 cups flour
¾ cup of sugar
1 cup milk
One stick butter
Dash of salt
2 large eggs
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| The rolls are ready |
For filling:
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup sugar (1/2 cup for filling, ¼ cup for dipping)
2-3 tablespoons of cinnamon
One stick butter (6 tablespoons for filling, 2 tablespoons for dipping)
When ready to use, line the Dutch oven with foil and spray with cooking spray. Punch down dough, divide in half and roll into a 5” by 12” square. Melt butter and spread 6 tablespoons on the dough. Top with mixture of brown sugar, ½ cup sugar and cinnamon. Roll into a log from the short side, and cut into 5 1" pieces. Dip in remaining butter and remaining sugar and place in Dutch oven sugar side up. Allow to rise while the charcoal fires and reaches a grey coating of ash. Set the Dutch oven over coals or charcoal with 1/3 of the coals below, and 2/3 of the coals on the lid (most of the heat should be on the lid). Cook for around 30 minutes, turning frequently to prevent hot spots.
This recipe will make 10 large cinnamon rolls, but you can bake them half at a time with the remaining dough staying in the cooler. In cold weather you will need to warm the Dutch oven in advance.
Yeast Bread – Dinner Rolls
This dough can also be modified for dinner rolls
1 package dry active yeast
4 cups flour
1/3 cup of honey
1 cup milk
6 tablespoons butter
Dash of salt
1 large egg
In a bowl, mix flour with yeast. Warm milk, butter, salt and honey in pan until butter is melted and honey is dissolved. In separate bowl whisk egg. Whisking constantly, slowly add milk mixture to the eggs. Add liquid to dry ingredients to for a dough and knead until smooth – 6 to 8 minutes. Spray a plastic bag with vegetable spray and store in cooler.
When ready to use, line the Dutch oven with foil and spray with cooking spray. Punch down dough and form into ball. Divide and shape into balls, pulling down the sides, pinching the bottom, and setting in Dutch oven just touching, seam side down. Allow to rise while the charcoal fires and reaches a grey coating of ash. Set the Dutch oven over coals or charcoal with 1/3 of the coals below, and 2/3 of the coals on the lid (most of the heat should be on the lid). Cook for around 30 minutes, turning frequently to prevent hot spots.
This recipe will make 16 dinner rolls, but you can bake them half at a time with the remaining dough staying in the cooler. I have also done half as dinner rolls and half as cinnamon rolls.
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| Biscuits baking in a Campers Kitchen |
Bob Latshaw told me that one of the questions on his Registered Maine Guide test was how to make biscuits. The correct answer - with the Original Bakewell Cream. Here is the recipe from Lisa DeHart and 3-Minutes with a Maine Guide.
4 cups flour
4 tsp Original Bakewell Cream
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
½ cup (8 tbsp) shortening (or butter)
1 ½ cups milk (powdered milk is fine)
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| Best strawberry shortcake ever! |
Bakewell Cream Cinnamon Rolls
Bakewell Cream biscuit mix (you can also use 2 cans of Pillsbury biscuits)
1 stick (8 tbsp) melted butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
3 tbsp ground cinnamon
Add sugars and cinnamon to melted butter to make a paste. Place in ziploc bag. In camp, roll out biscuit dough in a rectangle. Cover with sugar/cinnamon paste. Roll up in a log and cut in 2” pieces. and set in the Dutch oven. coating the top with melted butter and sugar. Set the Dutch oven over coals or charcoal with 1/3 of the coals below, and 2/3 of the coals on the lid (most of the heat should be on the lid). Cook for around 30 minutes, turning frequently to prevent hot spots.
Monkey Bread
Bakewell cream biscuit mix (you can also use 2 rolls of Pillsbury biscuits)
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
3 tbsp cinnamon
1 stick (8 tbsp) melted butter
Line the Dutch oven with foil and spray with cooking spray. In camp, roll out biscuit dough and cut into small pieces. Mix sugars and cinnamon in plastic bag. Drop each piece into the sugar and shake to coat well. Place the coated biscuit pieces in the Dutch oven. In a separate pan, melt the butter and pour over biscuits. Set the Dutch oven over coals or charcoal with 1/3 of the coals below, and 2/3 of the coals on the lid (most of the heat should be on the lid). Cook for around 30 minutes, turning frequently to prevent hot spots.
Brownies
One box Brownie mix
Oil, eggs and water as called for by the mix
You could make your own, but it is easier to use a mix. I mix the wet ingredients together in advance according to the package directions and store in a sealable travel container in the cooler. When it is time to cook the brownies, line the Dutch oven with foil and spray with cooking spray. Mix the brownie mix with the wet ingredient and pour into Dutch oven. Set the Dutch oven over coals or charcoal with 1/3 of the coals below, and 2/3 of the coals on the lid (most of the heat should be on the lid). Cook for around 30 minutes, turning frequently to prevent hot spots. You can also mix in nuts, chocolate bits, M&M's or mini marshmallows. If you don't have your Dutch oven you can also use wet heat.
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