How to Cook Outdoors Using Dutch Ovens by:Gary House
Dutch ovens can be used practically on any type of cooking
. May it be for baking bread or biscuits, for roasting, for steaming or boiling or even for frying, your Dutch oven can surely be a fun way to prepare your meals outdoors.
Here are some helpful tips on how to cook with your Dutch oven:
Use preheated briquettes
Always use preheated briquettes or charcoals to increase your cooking efficiency. You can do this fast and safe in a charcoal starter or "chimney" and no lighter fluid is necessary. Besides, making use of lighter fluids leaves a smell in your Dutch oven that may affect the taste of the food being prepared.
Just place your charcoals in the chimney and underneath, place 4-5 pieces of wrinkled paper. Light the paper with a match through the vent holes and in about 10 minutes, your coals are ready for use.
Watch your oven while cooking
It's always best to check on the food once in a while. You need to do this to prevent your food from burning especially if it's your first time to cook outside with your Dutch oven. Just always be careful when lifting your lid and a pair of leather gloves should always come in handy.
Cooking techniques
A Dutch oven lid can also be used as a skillet for frying. This is a very convenient substitute for frying pan because the food stays at the center. You will need more heat at the bottom than on top when doing so and this is also true for stewing, boiling, or simmering. For baking, more heat is needed on top while for roasting, there should be an equal amount of heat both on top and at the bottom.
Seasoning your Dutch oven
If it's your first time to use a Dutch oven, you have to "season" or "cure" it in order to avoid rusting and to create a nonstick surface. This will make cooking and cleaning up more convenient and easier. It is also proven to add a unique flavor that you can't achieve from using other types of cookware (See link below on A Step by Step Guide for Dutch Oven Seasoning).
Cleaning your Dutch oven
The best way to clean your Dutch oven is by heat. Just pour water in the pot and bring it boil while scraping out the oven, then rinse. You need to repeat the process until it is completely clean. It is not advised to make use of soap in a Dutch oven because the smell stays long, you might even taste it for days. Before storing, your oven needs to be completely dried to prevent it from rusting.
There is no better way to enjoy your outdoor cooking than to make use of your Dutch oven. For more cooking tips and Dutch oven recipes, please visit our website at:
http://www.cooking-outdoors.com.
About the author
Gary House is the founder of Central California Dutch Oven Adventures and the host of Cooking-Outdoors.com who loves cooking outdoors with his Dutch oven for many years now. He has fun looking for innovative ways of outdoor cooking in what he calls "his adventures" and would love to share these adventures with everyone. For more information on product reviews, outdoor cooking recipes and techniques, please visit our website at:
http://www.cooking-outdoors.com