| Dutch Oven Decadence |
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Does your campsite cuisine consist of cold cereal and hot dogs and pork and beans? Think of the taste of freshly baked cinnamon rolls accompanying your breakfast cup of coffee, or the aroma of barbecued ribs wafting around your picnic table. It’s all possible with a Dutch oven.
A Dutch oven is a heavy, cast iron or metal pot with a tight fitting lid. Camp style ovens have three legs and a ridge around the lid.
Briquettes or coals are placed beneath the oven and on top of the lid, which heats the oven and cooks the food. Ovens are available in a variety of sizes, ranging from 8-16 inches or larger if you’re cooking for the entire campground! A 12-inch Dutch oven is a good starter size. You also need tongs for placing the briquettes and a heavy glove for removing the lid. Accessories, such as lid lifters, oven stands and briquette starters, are available in the camping section of sporting good stores.
A recipe book is a must-have for beginning Dutch oven cooks, and not for the tasty recipes only. Look for a book that has tips and techniques on caring for your oven and arranging your briquettes for best heat distribution. Local chapters of the International Dutch Oven Society also are great resources.
Tip: Intrigued by the cinnamon rolls? Make it easy—buy a package of refrigerated, ready-to-bake cinnamon rolls; oil and preheat your oven; bake until brown. Hide the package so everyone thinks you were up at 3 a.m. watching dough rise!
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