Thursday, September 24, 2009

Dutch Oven Cooking (with recipes)

This is a response of request I received in my last post… All my Dutch-ovens are designed for outdoor cooking. They have legs on them (so they can stand over the coals), and lips on the lids so they can hold coals. I have cooked with wood, but it’s easier to use charcoal briquettes. At home, I prepare everything (cut excess fat off the meat, prepare the vegetables, etc). When I get to the site, the first thing I do is start the charcoal. Then I set up my stove—a large 2-burner camp stove that uses a 20 pound propane gas tank. I use the stove to brown the meat and afterwards to help me clean the ovens. I then get the ribs on (since they’re in liquid, you don’t risk over-cooking, as you do with the chicken. Then I put on the chicken, then the potatoes. The last thing to cook is a cobbler. In addition to Dutch oven cooking, my lunch included Carolina-styled Cole Slaw and a vegetable tray and plenty of ice team.
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Ribs: I’m from North Carolina, so ribs mean pork! I use either babyback or country-ribs. On a stove, I lightly brown the ribs, then place them to a Dutch oven and cover them with some of my homemade sauce. My sauce includes apple cider vinegar, tomato ketchup, hot sauce (Texas Pete’s, if available), coarse ground pepper, salt, and the lemon squeezings. I put place 8-10 pieces of charcoal on the ground and put the oven on top. I add another 8 or so pieces to the top of the oven.
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Chicken: For one 12 inch, deep-sized Dutch oven, I’ll use a 10 pound bag of legs and thighs quarters. Cleaning the chicken, I cut off excess fat and separate the legs from the thighs. I dip the chicken pieces into milk, and then roll in a spicy bread crumb mixture, then brown on a skillet. Once brown, I pack into a Dutch oven (I usually have the oven on the other burner so the metal will be hot before I place it on the coals. When filled, I place the second pot on top of the first and add another 8 or so pieces of coals to the top lid. I use a thermometer to make sure the chicken is cooked.

Potatoes: Before starting to cook (or the night before), I wash and thinly slice the potatoes and onions (for a deep 12 inch Dutch oven, I will use about 5 pounds of potatoes and 2 pounds of onions. I lay out strips of bacon to cover the bottom of the oven. I then set out a layer of potatoes, then onions, the sprinkle with seasoning (I like to use Ms. Dash). I keep repeating this till the oven is filled. On the top, I place another layer of bacon. I set the oven on top of the oven with the chicken, and place coals on top of its lid. The potatoes will be done in 45 minutes to an hour.

Cobbler: The cobbler is the last thing to be cooked, as it only takes 30 minutes or so. I use a smaller oven (10 inch). I take ½ of a stick of butter and rub it into the oven. Then I add cherry pie filling (3-28 ounce cans). On top, I sprinkle a chocolate cake mix and then add pats of butter (the rest of the stick). That all, I’m embarrassed to say! I do have some other recipes that call for all kinds of things, including nuts and chocolate syrup, and they are good, but not that much better than this simple recipe. I put the cobbler on right before I start serving the rest of the meal, so it’s hot when people are ready for dessert. Sorry, but I didn’t get a photo of the cobbler.

I hope you have a healthy appetite!









15 comments:

  1. I've spent time around people who could cook with dutch ovens but I've never done so myself other than occasionally with my aluminum frypan and lid while backpacking, mostly for a desert. I think when you, Murf and I go on our trip, you will be the designated cooker. Since we will be with Murf, we won't go far so heavy cast iron shouldn't be a problem!

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  2. Wow the food sure looked yummy!!! And you are certainly a great cook.

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  3. I would certainly work up an appetite if I were anywhere near that Dutch oven. It looks delicious!

    Now, how can you be from North Carolina and put ketchup in your barbecue sauce? Word here in Virginia is that Carolinians get heart failure if a tomato gets anywhere near their precious sauce. That being said, I far prefer sauce with tomato products in it. Especially pork ... mmmm.

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  4. Ed, we certianly wouldn't be hiking far with those pots!

    Mother Hen, thank you.

    Edelweiss, actually it depends on what part of NC you're from--eastern NC (where I'm from) doesn't tend to use tomatoes in the sauce), but that's also sauce used on a pig when slowly cooking it over coals--there, I'm cooking the ribs in the sauce (so it's not really barbecue, in the true sense of the word).

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  5. Sage: Not only is this amazing, but it looks healthy too. Reading this, I was struck by how wonderful it is that you manage to lock-in all of the juices and beneficial products of the food. Delicious! :)

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  6. Geeze man, I'm so freaking hungry. And I've got class brefore I can eat.

    You are a cruel man, my friend. Looks wonderful.

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  7. Good for you. I don't like nuts in my cobbler. Same as I don't like slaw on my barbecue :)

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  8. I think you should hold a cookout for all the bloggers you know and just make this yummy stuff for us :)

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  9. Oh dear, my stomach's rumbling! This sounds so delicious! I don0t have a Dutch oven -but a Spanish oven, hahah-, but I have to try these recipes!

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  10. Michael, I hadn't thought of it that way, but it may not be the case with the potatoes, which gets all the bacon grease sealed in..

    Charles, I hope you made it safely through your class!

    Bone, nuts are good in most things, slaw is good on a barbecue sandwich!

    TC, when are you planning to swim across the pond seperating us--let me know and I'll plan a shin-dig

    Leni, I bet your oven is just what one needs to prepare Spanish rice!

    Kenju, at least you're not too far away from some good barbecue places!

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  11. I've seen those things at folk parks both in Ireland and the UK. They were used on open fires in a house, where there was a sort of crane jib idea that carried the pot or the kettle. I think that this is where the saying about the Pot calling the Kettle black bottoned.
    They were able to bake in those things, and everyone knows there is way less Art and way way more Science to Baking. Can you imagine the infinite adjustments and knowledge of ones pot to get the prefect Tart or Cake.

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  12. Ed - You might be surprised at how far I can walk. How long I can go without using the bathroom is completely different. I would either have to not eat Sage's yummy cooking or be completely initiated into the world of hiking and using a leaf.

    Sage - Can I reserve you for next Memorial Day to cook for a bunch of Yankees?

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  13. So am I understanding correctly, that you have 3 dutch ovens stacked, with coals between them?

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