Buy Convection Oven

Camping Dutch Ovens – 6 Must-Have Features

If you have ever done any outdoor camping, you probably know what a Dutch oven is. And if you have ever been the designated camp cook, you have probably used one for some of your campfire recipes. But have you ever considered exactly what makes a good camping Dutch oven such a versatile camping cookware tool, and what makes some better than others? These 6 must-have features are what separate a good campfire Dutch oven from something your mother might use in the kitchen.

1. Cast Iron – You definitely want a camping Dutch oven to be made of cast iron. You can find aluminum ones, but leave those for home cooking. A traditional black cast iron Dutch oven will be more durable, provide much more even heat transfer, and maybe it’s just imaginary, but a well-seasoned cast iron one just seems to add a light touch of authentic “smoky camp” flavor to your campfire recipes.
2. Wall thickness – Uniform wall and bottom thickness is a must for even heat distribution. Just like the name implies, cast iron Dutch ovens are made using a “casting” process, they are not “stamped-out” like typical pots and pans. And like any processes, some are better than others. Make sure the walls and bottom of both the pot and lid are a uniform thickness with no obvious shallow spots or bulges. They will give you poor heat distribution, and may even be enough of a structural defect to allow the hot pot to crack open and spill its contents.
3. Legs – It must have those 3 stubby legs on the bottom. They do more than just provide stability; they also add a little bottom clearance between the pot and the coals that will contribute to better heat distribution. A Dutch oven pot that rests completely on hot coals will almost always burn whatever is on the bottom of the pot.
4. Lid-to-pot fit – It is very important that the lid fits tightly onto the pot, giving you a good seal that keeps the heat inside, where you want it. If the lid-to-pot fit has any gaps, or is not tight, it will let heat escape, and not allow it to cook the way it was designed to. If you have a bad seal it will only cook like any other pot with a lid.
5. Raised lid rim – As its name implies, a lot of campfire recipes for Dutch ovens include baking, and you need a heat source on top to get this effect. And that means putting hot coals on the lid. A lid without a raised rim, or a domed lid, will not allow you to safely put coals on top.
6. Handles – The oven pot should have a sturdy “bail-type” wire handle that attaches directly to ears that are a molded part of the oven pot. The metal of the handle should be at least 3/16″ to ¼” thick to provide the strength to safely handle a very hot, very full, Dutch oven. The lid should also have a “loop-type” handle in its center that is a molded part of the lid formed during the casting process. This will give you a safe way to lift or manipulate the lid during the cooking process.

And there you have the most important features to look for in a good camping cast iron Dutch oven for your favorite campfire recipes. A Dutch oven with all these features will be one you can pass down from father to son, (or mother to daughter), for generations, instead of being relegated to a dusty corner in the garage or attic.

Easy Camping Menu Ideas

Are you looking for some easy camping menu ideas?  Need something you can put together in a hurry when you’re trying to tear down camp and get going for the day or pull in late at night with everyone hungry and grumpy?  There are lots of meals other than cold cereal or peanut butter sandwiches that can feed your group quickly and easily and make the camp chef feel like a star.  You do need to plan ahead and make sure you have the supplies and equipment you need on hand to make some easy camp meals.

Planning

Any trip needs planning and camping is no exception.  If you’re the one in charge of meals planning ahead is crucial.  If you’re going on a short trip you’ll probably want to plan out each meal ahead of time.  You can allow for a bit more flexibility for longer trips and plan some specific meals and other more general ideas for menus. When you’re making your list for your camping pantry don’t forget the staples that you take for granted at home.  Try to plan your menus to incorporate the some of the same pantry items or mix sauces and seasonings ahead of time at home so you don’t end up packing your whole spice rack

Make Ahead Meals

If you want some easy heat and go meals for your trip make them ahead of time at home and freeze them.  A frozen portion of spaghetti sauce or chili will act as an extra ice block until you need it and once thawed will be a nearly instant meal with the addition of salad and bread.  Think of other meals that you can make ahead at home.  More work for you before the trip, but a snap to fix at the campsite and no worries about forgetting an ingredient.

Slow and Steady

Not all meals need to be ready in a hurry.  For those days when everyone is going to be in camp and you’re looking forward to a relaxing evening why not try a dutch oven meal?  Dutch oven cooking can be as easy as using your crockpot at home.  Same idea of slow cooking over a low heat. A dutch oven meal needs minimal tending, but does need a steady heat over a long period of time so plan ahead.  It’s one of my favorite camping menu ideas as it’s something that can be put together at home or on the spot and then left to simmer without fuss. 

The Dutch Oven – A Classic Camping Luxury

If you grew up camping with the Boy Scouts, you’ve probably got fond memories of meals and desserts cooked on a hot bed of coals in a Dutch Oven. But I have found that many people today don’t know a lot about Dutch Ovens and how they can improve camp cookery. And many people think that the Dutch Oven is a relic from pioneer days. Luckily, this venerable implement is alive and well and helping to provide tasty campfire desserts for today’s campers.

Dutch Ovens are traditionally are made of cast iron, although there are some Dutch Ovens that are made of aluminum. The oven is basically a large deep pot with thick walls. It also consists of a thick lid that nests snugly with the pot. The lid has a rim along the outer edge that enables hot coals to be placed upon the lid. The bottom of the pans often have three or four legs that allow them to stand in the coals rather than directly on the hot coals. Some models are designed without legs and sit directly on the coals or on some type of rack in the fire pit. A sturdy wire handle is attached to the main pot to allow it to be lifted off of the coals.

Versatility is the name of the game for Dutch Oven cooking. They can be used like any other pot for general cooking or frying. But they are best used for baking and roasting a variety of dishes. When using the Dutch Oven for baking or roasting, a bed of coals is prepared. If I’m camping where I have the ability to build a proper fire, I will find a level spot to use my Dutch Oven. However if I’m unable to build a large fire or I don’t have the time to build a fire to have proper coals, I will use charcoal briquettes for my cooking. This provides me the ability to enjoy my Dutch Oven even in my backyard for cookouts. I use an old iron plow disc to hold my bed of charcoal.

I have found that it’s best to preheat my the oven before I actually add my ingredients. Preheating the oven creates a much more uniform cooking temperature for your culinary creation. Cooking with a Dutch Oven is not an exact science. The heat is regulated by adding or removing coals from the top lid or by moving the entire setup to an area with fewer coals. Sometimes it is necessary to rotate the lid or the pot to eliminate hot spots where the heat has been focused on a particular spot.

It is necessary to check the progress of your dish during the cooking process. This requires lifting the lid up. The lid has tab protruding from the center with a hole in the middle of the tab. You can use a pair of pliers, a multi-tool, or a specially made hook to lift the lid. For the sake of safety, be sure to utilize a sturdy tool for lifting the lid. During cooking, the lid will have actively burning coals on top of it and will be extremely hot.

Your imagination is your only limit to what you can cook with this classic camping implement. You could bake a chicken or a roast, make a hearty stew, bake homemade buttermilk biscuits, or prepare a multitude of desserts. I have found that recipes that have more moisture in them work best for this type of cooking. The drier the recipe, the higher the risk of burning the bottom of the food. It is tempting to put too many coals under the base, thus causing the bottom of your dish to be burned.

I encourage you to explore the world of possibilities that a Dutch Oven can bring to your camping dining experience. Well prepared Dutch Oven recipes can transform a good campfire meal into a camping experience to never forget.

Dutch Oven Cooking Camping Recipes – 4 Steps To Prepare Dump Cake

If you want to prepare tasty camping meals with ease on your next camping trip then Dutch oven recipes for camping is the answer to all your questions. Egg bakes, roats or stews, cobbler or other sweet desserts and various other dishes are some of the delicacies you can prepare with your dutch oven. Now you can cook and eat those dishes that were only your desires in previous camping trips.

Whether you are outdoors or on a camping trip, dutch oven would enable you to prepare the delicious dishes at your campground. This opens a new world of entertainment for you at your camping trip and makes it a success. Now you can enjoy many such dishes around your campfire and impress your fellow campers. All you need to do is to build a campfire and carry a camping oven with you to cook all these recipes.

Gone are the days when campers used to miss their fresh and warm desserts after meals. Now with dutch oven, you can easily prepare some dinner treats for your friends or family. Dump cake is one of the favorite camping recipes nowadays.

You need two ingredients and your camping oven to prepare this delicious dump cake. All you need to do is to follow these steps:

1) Put one can of fruit or peaches in your dutch oven.

2) Add one box of white cake mix on the fruit in the oven.

3) Place your dutch camping oven on hot coals. Also place some coals on the top lid of oven.

4) Bake the cake in dutch oven until it is golden brown and a crust is formed.

You need to practice the dish to ensure that you heat the dutch oven at proper temperature. Moreover, you would learn new techniques and have an idea of number of hot coals to use. Most important is to carefully monitor the progress of the baking process.

Many a times people burn the bottom of the dump cake that spoils its taste. You can alter the baking temperature by adding or removing the hot coals from dutch camping oven. If you are referring some cooking recipe book then number of hot coals to use is also mentioned in the recipe to ensure that you do not end up burning your dish.

Campers like dishes that can be altered with the type of ingredients available with them as there are no extra supplies on a camping trip. Only the available ingredients have to be used. You can add various types of meat or vegetables in dutch oven stew that makes it very easy for you to prepare it. You may also add some roast, sausage or hamburger with your vegetables. Celery, onion, potatoes, carrots, cabbages etc. are some of the vegetables that you can add up in stew with ease.

You may use canned vegetables or cut and store them with you for your camping trip. Remember, that you need to brown meat first of all and then add vegetables and some water. You may also add some seasoning of your choice. Stew may be left for stimmering whole day. So, whenever you return to the camping site, your dish would be ready to eat.