Cast-Iron Dutch Oven Camping No-Nos!

Technorati tags: cast iron dutch oven, dutch oven camping

The first time I saw a Dutch-oven was in Martha Stewart’s show. So when another camping family told me the #1 most essential cookware was their Dutch-oven, I was surprised. Until I met the hardier cast-iron cousin to Martha Stewart’s bright fashion-colored variety.

The cast-iron Dutch-oven is, indeed, an indestructible kitchen ironman (unless you commit those 5 no-nos below) . You can bake pineapple upside down cake, make mountain man breakfasts, pork roast, chillis and stews and much more and the oven will last a lifetime.

For me, the authority on Dutch-oven camping is Byron Bill's Papa Dutch Oven site. Byron, is wild about Dutch-oven camping cooking. His site has dutch oven camping recipes as you may expect, but also interesting tips such as how many coals it takes to heat a 5 qt cast iron Dutch-oven to 350 degrees, how to season your oven, and even "competition" recipes.

I’ve learned so much from his site. Like…

The 5 No-Nos of cast-iron Dutch-oven usage

1. NEVER EVER, EVER allow your oven to sit in water or allow water to stand in it. It will rust despite a good coating.

2. Never use soap on cast iron. The soap will get into the pores of the metal and won't come out easily. You will taste it in your next meal.

3. Do not place an empty cast iron pan or oven over a hot fire. Aluminum and many other metals can tolerate it better but cast iron will crack or warp, ruining the metal. White hot coals ok, roaring fire, no, no!

4. Never put cold liquid into a very hot cast iron pan or oven. They will crack on the spot!

5. When storing your Dutch-oven, keep the lid slightly ajar so that air can circulate. This is to prevent 1) the oil coating from turning rancid and 2) to prevent trapping moisture, which will cause rust.

Of course by the time I read that, my tightly-lidded 5 qt cast iron Dutch-oven had developed a rusted bottom. Don’t worry, Byron's site tells you how to strip rust off your ironman too.

The Classic Lodge Dutch Oven
	Lodge Original Finish 7-Quart Dutch Oven with Iron Cover I normally would not buy cooking pots online but this cast-iron pot got such great ratings and Amazon shipped it for free. And maybe my grandmother is right, that I'll add extra iron to the nutritional content of my chilli and stew.
	Lodge The Complete Book of Dutch Oven Cooking Cookbook When I think that the cast-iron dutch oven goes back to the pioneer days when they wrap it up in burlap and put it safely in the wagon to feed their entire journey, it makes me want to make the traditional recipes in this book like Brunswick Stew, Miss Pam's Bean Hole Beans and Bubbly Peach Cobbler.
	Rome's Cast Iron Pie Iron A pie-iron is so uniquely for camping that every time I see one, I get hungry for outdoor campfire food. I like this double-sized model because I just can't seem to make them fast enough at camp for those ravenous kids.