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Dutch Oven Campfire Recipes:
Easy Once You Know How!
Now that I have some great Dutch oven campfire recipes, I want to use my cast iron camping Dutch oven every time we go camping!
You may be familiar with metal or ceramic Dutch ovens for use at home on the stovetop or in the oven. A camping Dutch oven is something else.
What is a Dutch oven?
A Dutch oven is a heavy, thick-walled pot. It may be enamelled.
It is used on the stovetop or in the oven.
What is a camping Dutch oven?
A camping Dutch oven is made of cast iron or aluminum and has some additional features:
a tight-fitting lid
The lid keeps the heat in so that the food cooks efficiently.
three short legs
These allow you to put the Dutch oven directly in the coals of a campfire without burning the contents.
a sturdy wire handle
This allows you to lift the oven out of the fire. (It's hot! Use oven mitts!)
You can also suspend the oven over the fire from a Dutch oven tripod.
a rimmed lid
You can put coals on top of the oven for a nice even heat from all directions.
My camping Dutch oven is made of cast iron. With a bit of special care, it is an amazingly non-stick pot. Click here to learn how to care for a Dutch oven.
How to use a Dutch oven
- Prepare your ingredients and place them in the Dutch oven.
- Place the Dutch oven directly on the coals of a campfire or on charcoal briquettes.
- Check the food occasionally.
- When your meal is ready, serve and enjoy.
That's all there is to it!
Click here for detailed, easy-to-follow instructions for each step of Dutch oven cooking.
Camp Dutch oven cooking tips
Be sure that your oven is well seasoned.
A well-seasoned cast iron pot is the best kind of non-stick cookware available. Click here to learn how to season a Dutch oven.
Give yourself lots of time
Dutch oven cooking takes a while.
Before you can begin, you'll need a good, hot fire - and then you'll need to let the fire burn down to coals.
Do your planning early in the day and start the fire long before you'll want to eat.
Give meal preparation your full attention
If you have small children, I have a piece of advice for you:
Save the Dutch oven for when your children are older.
Although Dutch oven cooking isn't hard, it does require your full attention - and it's HOT!
Keeping your toddlers away from the fire and ensuring their safety will distract you from your cooking. Unless there is another adult available to be on 100% child duty, make your life easy and don't use the Dutch oven just yet.
Use oven mitts or barbecue gloves.
Did I mention that a Dutch oven will be hot? Always protect yourself with oven mitts or special barbecue gloves.
We owned a Dutch oven for quite some time before I got around to actually using it. I had the mistaken idea that cooking in a Dutch oven is difficult. I couldn't have been more mistaken!
With a Dutch oven and some good Dutch oven campfire recipes, you can create some amazingly tasty meals - and have fun at the same time!
Dutch Oven Campfire Recipes
I'm going to test new Dutch oven cooking recipes every time we go camping.
Do you have a good recipe for me to try? Click here to share it!
Check back here often to see what I've cooked up recently!
Ham and Cheese Gratin
Ham and Cheese Gratin is the perfect Dutch oven campfire recipe to try when you are first learning to use the Dutch oven.
It's a hearty and complete meal that the whole family will enjoy.
Layered Bacon, Potato and Cheese Supper
Oh, this is good!
I want to have this every time we go camping! Click here for the recipe.
Dutch Oven Rice Pizza
This crustless pizza instantly became a family favorite!
Click here for the recipe for Dutch Oven Rice Pizza.
Baked Apples
Here's a real comfort-food dessert that's easy to make in a cast iron Dutch oven. Just core some apples...
and fill their cavities with butter and brown sugar. Put the apples in your Dutch oven and put a bit of water in the bottom.
Put on the lid and place the Dutch oven in the coals. Check periodically. When the apples are soft, they are ready to eat!
Careful! They are hot!
What's your favorite Dutch oven recipe?
Is it a dessert? A main dish? I'd love to try it!
Now that you have some Dutch oven campfire recipes, check out the rest of my camping food ideas!
Visit The Camping Family home page for guidance with every aspect of planning a camping trip.
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