How to Cook with a Dutch Oven During Camping

 

Undoubtedly, cast Dutch ovens are one of the most versatile camp kitchen cookware you can own. You can simmer stews, braise chicken, and bake pies using your Dutch oven. In a nutshell, a Dutch oven can take your camp cooking to the next level.

Whether you got your first Dutch oven as a gift or bought one from CampMaid, it's okay if you don't know how to use it yet. While you can find excellent how-to guides about using CampMaid equipment, cleaning it, seasoning it, and more tips, we've curated this guide to walk you through a bunch of things you should know to brush up on your skills or learn all about our favorite pieces of outdoor cooking equipment. But first, what's the difference between a camping Dutch oven and a home Dutch oven? Are they different names for the same cast iron utensil? Let's find out.

The Difference Between Camping Dutch Oven and Home Dutch Oven

Most home Dutch ovens are sealed in enamel and come with flat bottoms. The primary difference is they're specially designed to be used in ovens, on stovetops, and in-home kitchens. These pots cannot be used on campfires.

Camping Dutch ovens are different, as they're made entirely from cast iron and come with flat flanged lids. They're designed to be used with wood embers or hot charcoal briquettes. You can hang the Dutch oven on a tripod or place the coals on the lid.

Incredibly innovative tools like charcoal holders by CampMaid are also available with clamp-n handles for adjusting the heat. Keep reading to learn all you need to know about cooking with Dutch Ovens when camping.

Dutch Oven Seasoning

The origins of the Dutch oven date back to the early 1700s. The advanced system for cooking was developed in the Netherlands and has received several upgrades since then. Today, many brands like CampMaid provide pre-seasoned Dutch ovens for added convenience.

However, if your Dutch oven isn't seasoned, then it might require an essential bit of added preparation before you head out into the wild. If you're not sure how to season your Dutch oven, check out the easy-to-follow guides by CampMaid experts.

 

 

Cooking with Dutch Ovens: Step-by-Step

Dutch ovens have retained popularity for hundreds of years. Campers can cook anything their heart desires. They can boil, bake, fry, stew, and roast. They can also make fresh popcorn to enjoy while stargazing. To get cooking with Dutch ovens, you need a few outdoor cooking essentials, such as briquettes or coals, a lid lifter, heat-resistant gloves, a pair of tongs, and some other cast iron accessories.

Step 1: Lit the Charcoal

Use the fire pit to light the briquettes or charcoal and nurture them just like you would for BBQs. Check out CampMaid's coconut charcoal briquettes and fire starter cubes if you want an environment-friendly alternative that is recyclable, burns longer, gives less smoke, and produces twice the heat compared to coal or wood.

Step 2: Get the Ingredients in the Pot

Once the charcoal briquettes are ready, add the ingredients, stir, and cover it with the lid.

Step 3: Adjust the Heat

Use the tongs to place the coals under the pot and on the lid. Using the charcoal holder, you can adjust the heat as per your requirements. The goal is to maintain a steady temperature throughout the cook unless a modification is required by the recipe.

Step 4: Leave the Food to Cook

It can be tempting to take off the lid frequently to check the progress of the culinary creation, but leaving the oven to work its magic is the best way to ensure delicious food makes its way to your hungry belly. If you still want to waft, you can take a peek by using heat-resistant gloves and a lid lifter to take a look inside. Make sure to sweep off the ash to avoid it getting inside the food when you take off the lid.

Dutch Oven Recipes for Foodie Campers

Now that you know how to use your new portable charcoal grills for camping cum oven cum fryer cum boiler, you just need to choose what ingredients to put in it. Whatever you decide, the joy of cooking in a Dutch oven will surely make the meal a smoldering success. Check out some recipes to help get the juices flowing.

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