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Going Dutch Campsite Cast - Iron Cooking

Breakfast A versatile tool that takes your campfire fare to a new, more delicious level.

Dutch oven cooking has survived from the days of the open hearth, and flourishes still. When Lewis and Clark made their pioneering trek to the Northwest in 1805, they listed the Dutch oven as one of their most valued pieces of equipment. Legend has it that the Dutch oven was actually invented in colonial times by Paul Revere.

The oven was then widely manufactured in the New England states, but after traders from Holland bought large numbers for barter with the Indians and frontier settlers, the name "Dutch oven" stuck. After widespread use in the colonies, the Dutch oven followed the pioneers west as an indispensable utensil in the chuck wagon and the miner's mule pack. Today, river runners, wilderness campers and even home cooks consider the Dutch oven an essential item, to whom it is affectionately referred to as the "D.O."

The traditional Dutch oven is a thick, cast iron kettle with a flat bottom and three short legs. Sizes range from 8 to 24 inches in diameter and 4 to 6 inches deep—a heavy but durable piece of gear. The lid is tight-fitting, has a lip around the edge and a handle in the center. Like any cast iron pan, a Dutch oven works best when it is allowed to season over prolonged use. If you scour your Dutch oven with detergents, you will need to reseason it by rubbing it with unsalted shortening, placing it in a conventional oven until it smokes, then wiping it clean.

Aluminum Dutch ovens are also available. They are rustproof, require less cooking time and are much easier to carry in your backpack. They do not require the seasoning of cast iron, and they have a higher tolerance to ordinary dishwashing methods. However, they do nor heat as evenly and may warp or melt if exposed to extreme temperatures.

Dutch ovens can take your campfire fare to a new dimension, and you do not have to be a gourmet to pull it off. Anyone who can start a fire and follow a recipe can perform miracles with a Dutch oven.

Position your Dutch oven over a bed of briquettes, place more on the lid, and presto, it bakes like an actual oven. Baking at 350 F requires five to eight briquettes evenly distributed under the oven and 12 to 16 on the lid. When using more than one Dutch oven, you can stack the second on top of the first, and so on, without the necessity of spreading more briquettes on the ground.

If your campsite mandates low impact, spread some aluminum foil under the coals and pack them our in a fireproof container.

Experience is the best judge when deciding when a Dutch oven meal is ready. As one river guide put it, "it falls somewhere between instinct and a sense of smell." Using your watch is a safe way to bake and always keep in mind that if you snooze, you lose. Avoid lifting the lid to look at the food. Like your oven at home, opening it up loses precious heat. Each peek can cost you five to 10 minutes.

Sheila Mills has spent the last 18 years as a wilderness river outfitter. Her book, Rocky Mountain Kettle Cuisine II ($15.95) i5 available at many bookstores; or contact Rocky Mountain River Tours, P.O. Box 2552 Boise, Idaho 83701; (208) 345-2400 (add $2 for shipping).

Here are a few recipes to get you started from my latest Dutch oven cookbook, Rocky Mountain Kettle Cuisine II. For each recipe, add six to eight briquettes under the oven and 12 to 14 on the top:

Salmon River Lasagne

Slice pasta lengthwise so you have three sheets trimmed to fit the bottom of the oven. In a bowl, mix the ricotta, Parmesan and cream cheeses with the egg. Place one sheet of pasta in the bottom of the oven and top with half the cheese mixture, half the salmon, half the spaghetti sauce and half of the spinach Lay the second sheet of pasta over the top and add the rest of the cheese mixture, salmon, spaghetti sauce and spinach. Add the third layer of pasta. Bake 20 30 minutes. Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella and 1/2 Cup Parmesan on top. Bake 5 more minutes Let stand before slicing. (Serves 8 - 10).

Pear-Cranberry Cobbler Pastry:

Filling

For the pastry mix: cut butter and shortening into flour and salt until it forms pea-sized lumps. Add water and form dough, working It as little as possible. Wrap in plastic and put in cooler for 20 minutes to chill.

Sprinkle cranberries and pears with sugar, flour, allspice, cardamom. and mix. Spread mixture in a 12 inch buttered Dutch oven Roll out pastry 1/8 inch thick, 1 inch larger than Dutch oven. Fold in half, then quarter and place on top of fruit. Unfold carefully and crimp edges decoratively. Cut slits in top. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, 35-40 minutes. Cool 15 minutes and serve with ice cream or whipped cream. (Serves 10-12).

Klinkhammer Coffee Cake

Topping Mix:

In a large bowl, blend brown sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center. In a separate bowl, mix butter. eggs, vanilla, milk and yogurt. Pour the liquids into the flour and mix only to moisten the dry ingredients. Bake 15 minutes while you mix topping ingredients. Add topping and bake 5 -10 minutes more or until a knife comes out of the center nearly clean. Cool slightly and slice. (Serves 10 - 12).  

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By Trevor Herft