29 Camping Dutch Oven Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the rule of 3 Dutch oven? ›

Some dutch oven cooks use the "three up, three down rule." For 325 degrees in a 12-inch diameter iron oven you need 12 briquettes + 3 = 15 briquettes for the top and 12 briquettes - 3 = 9 briquettes for the bottom. To get 350° F, add one more coal on both the top and bottom.

The indoor Dutch oven has no legs. You can easily use it on a stove top or in a standard household oven. Now look at the outdoor Dutch oven. It has legs that are designed to keep it just above coals, preventing direct contact with the heat and permitting oxygen to get to the coals.

The answer is simple – whatever is cooked in it tastes fantastic, and it cooks just about everything. The Dutch oven is also called a camp oven, outdoor oven, kitchen oven, and bean pot. The bean pot and kitchen oven are basically the same design, equipped with a rounded lid, flat bottom, and no legs.

Think: simmering soups, steaming rice, boiling water for pasta, etc. Sear, pan-fry, sautee: A camping Dutch oven is also a great stand-in for a cast-iron skillet. Anything that can be cooked in a cast-iron skillet can be done in a Dutch oven too, like searing steaks, browning chicken thighs, sauteing vegetables, etc.

Be Mindful When Cooking Acidic Foods

Erosion of the protective coating may also affect its non-stick capability. In an enamel-coated Dutch oven, prolonged cooking with acidic ingredients may discolor the interior coating but doesn't erode it.

In that case, we recommend the infamous Dutch oven prank. For the uninitiated, a Dutch oven involves farting in bed, then quickly pulling up the sheets to trap your significant other with the smell. It's a decades-old trick that has surely ruined countless relationships, yet many dudes still dare to try it.

Roasting Pan: An Effective Dutch Oven Replacement

A roasting pan serves as an effective alternative to a Dutch oven, offering versatility in cooking various dishes. Its large size and high sides make it suitable for slow roasting, braising, and even baking different types of food.

The flatulent prank of the Dutch oven takes its name from an actual cooking device called a Dutch oven. This is a large metal pot kept hot on a stove or in the oven by placing coals on its tight-fitting lid. The term Dutch oven has been recorded since the 1700s (though the cooking technique is itself older).

Key Considerations for Selecting a Dutch Oven for Camping

Will it be stews or baked goods? This decides whether you'll get a deep or shallow pot. A heavy-duty cast iron model keeps heat better for cooking over coals or a campfire. The lid design also plays a big role.

Legs - Legs get the bottom of your Dutch oven off the ground so you can put coals underneath for heat. It's important that the legs be long enough to leave room for both coals and airflow. If you cook over an open fire on a hook this may be less important.

What temperature is a camp Dutch oven? ›

You might consider making an aluminum foil wind shield to place around your oven, but if it is that windy, I would recommend you not have an open fire. Nearly all dutch oven cooking will come out ok if your dutch oven is about 350 degrees.

Take your oven's diameter in inches and double it. This is the number of high-quality, standard-size charcoal briquettes you will need to heat your oven to 325 degrees every time. For a 10-inch oven, you need 20 briquettes. For a 12-incher, you need 24 briquettes, and so on.

Raw cast iron needs to be seasoned to make it nonstick and rust-resistant, while enameled Dutch ovens are somewhat nonstick and protected out of the box. High-quality enamel coatings are expensive, which is why enameled Dutch ovens cost more than their standard cast iron counterparts.

The most prominent difference between the two is the lid. While a dutch oven lid is domed and typically has drippers for self-basting, a camp oven's lid is thick, mostly flat, smooth-bottomed, and has a ridge around the top edge. The massive lid helps maximize heat retention.

The 1.5 quart dutch oven is perfect for side dishes and desserts, but we recommend a 3 quart or 4.5 quart for people living alone and cooking mostly for themselves. The larger size will fit most recipes for 1-2 people and can better accommodate one-pan meals. What size dutch oven is best for a family of four?

A Dutch oven is a perfect pot for cooking over or in a campfire, because it's heavy weight insulates food from burning over the heat. Instead of cooking over the direct flames, bank the hot coals around your Dutch oven, and dinner will be ready in a few hours.

This cooking technique essentially transforms rough cuts of meat into tender final dishes using wet and dry heat over a long period of time. The Dutch Oven works very much like a braiser, locking in heat and flavour with its tight-fitting lid and thick and high walls.