The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking

[ShooterSATX]

Chiming in from Texas...back from the Sandbox!

All,

I am just getting settled in back in TX and wanted to get some input from the experts. The construction of our off-grid cabin begins tomorrow. I have already accumulated many of the things I need to get me going but I am now pondering the use of cooking with a Dutch Oven for major meals. I feel this is a critical part of self-sustainability.

The cast iron expertise seems to have all but disappeared in mainstream society. I know there are a few of you out there that still use them and most likely have it down to a science. My wife still uses her cast iron skillets (passed down from her grandmother) as the primary tool for certain dishes. We are planning to start using the dutch oven as our off the grid Crockpot at the ranch. We just bought out first one...a 12-inch 8qt and we are looking for help.

Do you all think that this is a sensible thing to learn or did the Baghdad sun take it's toll?

Cheers!

Aaron

[Dee]

I've been usin a dutch oven for many decades, and my entire family cooked and cook with cast iron. Properly seasoned nothing beats it. You can get a ton of recipes right off the internet for dutch oven cooking. The one you got, I assume has legs, and a lip on the lid?
It's good for stews, soups, cobblers, biscuits, breads, and anything else that can be cooked. It's a fryer, a baker, a broiler, and on and on.

[AtlLaw]

Welcome home Aaron!

I thought of Dee when I read this and darned if he didn't post!     He got me wanting one again when he was talking about cooking bisquits in one!  Actually I've been meaning to get one for 50 years or so but just haven't got around to it yet...    I did find one at Dick's; $75 for a 12 inch Lodge.  I don't remember them being so expensive!   

I got more to say but I'm tired... 

[Ron Miller]

I have a couple of them. I made a tri pod out of 3/8 rebar. I use a chain to hang and adjust the height with. And you’re right they are great.
A little of this a little of that and in a few hours you have food you wish you could made in your kitchen.
Yard sales are a great place to start looking. Some people don’t know what they have.  (Just a big iron skillet with a heavy lid and 3 legs) LOL

[charles p]

Had a beautiful birthday cake prepared for me by a young lady who was the cook in a CO elk camp about five years ago.  Had one ever since for one pot meals.

[XxLT250RxX]

There are three fourms on the web site below dealing with this topic.  They are alot of forum there but the three you want are almost at the bottom.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forums/index.php

[Dee]

Thanks Xx. I didn't know about this site. Looks good, and networking on such topics we all learn something we didn't know.

[The Hermit]

Welcome back, Aaron.  Come sit by the fire and have a sip. I been cooking with dutch ovens every since I was 14. Just about any time a person happens by my cabin, you just might see what's in my avatar. I have several DO's, and about 25 pcs cast iron cookware. Cast iron will outlast and out cook any other type of cooking utensile, IMHO.
I have an Indian friend who buries his in a heated dirt hole and comes back 5 hours later to a real tasty meal. Right now, we are doing turkey breasts as the spring season runs till the end of may.  I am also fortunate to have a wood burning cook stove with the warming oven over top. For years up here in the north, cast iron was a dime a dozen, so as to speak. Hunt for it and you will find it. About 2 years ago, I picked up a 14 inch DO at Herb Philipsons for $16 bucks. I didn't need it at the time, but couldn't turn down the price. Enjoy.

   The Hermit 

[Dee]

I agree Hermit. NOTHING cooks like cast iron. My whole family has used it by choice longer than I have been alive.

[jlchucker]

Do you really think cooking with cast iron is a "lost art"?  There are weekly TV shows (see the RFD channel) about this subject.  Also, Google cast iron cooking.  There's a whole cult of people out there posting recipes, competing in cookoffs, and writing cookbooks (which they sell on Amazon.com).  Like you I wasn't aware of all of this until I got into it. Then I got some iron and tried it.  Then the prices went up on Lodge cast iron.  Then people like Emeril, Paula Deen, and Rachael Ray started hawking and selling their own cast iron products, not to mention retailers like Cabelas.  Lost art H*ll!  It's getting pretty darn popular, I would think. 

[Justin10mm]

Cast iron seems like a good investment, as it will out last you. If the SHTF, you will wish you had more.

 But using it, is still a mystery to me. I need to get a dutch and learn. I got a Lodge 8'' pan a wile back for my Colorado mule deer trip, but never used it.   

[Dee]

Better season it in the oven first. Some use Crisco, but I use olive oil.

[mauser98us]

What's really nice is that when you are out hunting all day,the stuff cooks while you are gone. Come in after dark,dig it out of the ground, presto it's ready to go.  I get everything prepped in in the oven,grab some embers from the previous night fire,distribute underneath,drop in oven. Then I put some embers on the top,cover with soil with the bail sticking out. I've never seen it overcook this way. And as an added bonus cleanup is a snap.

[Hodr]

I Have prepped cast iron Dutch Ovens over the years for Scout Troops (BSA/GSA/Explorer).  I have a problem finding new cast iron that is smooth enough.  I generally find Lodge (new) and then sand inside until almost smooth as a shovel.  Next is a salb of bacon.  Slice and then fry bacon for a couple of meals reseving drippings.  Wipe drippings in light coat over interior and heat over hot flame or campfire.  wipe out excess, let it cool and then do it again. after about third seasoning coat you are in business if you can put in a dab of oil and then fry an egg without having it stick.  After that just wipe it clean, keep it rust free with a verrrrrrrrrrry light wipe of bacon grease.
If you have ever worked in a restraunt it's sort of like taking care of the flattop grill.  Trick is to get solid smooth surface before you start,

blindhari

[Dee]

That will work but, it's easier to give it a liberal coat of Crisco, or olive oil and put it in the oven on about 350 for about an hour. Sometimes you have to do it twice.

[AtlLaw]

give it a liberal coat of Crisco, ... and put it in the oven on about 350 for about an hour.

That's the way I did all my cast iron pans years ago.

[squirrellluck]

Every new skillet I get becomes my new bacon frying pan until it is seasoned good. Works well

[jlchucker]

give it a liberal coat of Crisco, ... and put it in the oven on about 350 for about an hour.

That's the way I did all my cast iron pans years ago.

Yep.  That works good, but scrub it good with soap and hot water first, to get the factory preservative off.  This gunk is put on only to keep the pot/skillet from rusting in the store.  Another good method is the same one you use--swabbed with melted Crisco--but put it in your gas grill outside with the grill lid down and let it smolder for a couple of hours.  Same thing you're doing, but keeps from smoking up/stinking up the house.

[reelhook]

After selling Lodge for several years-buy the pretreated Lodge-no soap it is the best. Imported cast iron comes from anything they can recast-such as old sewer pipe-I personally don't want that taste. Don't kid yourself-Orientals recycle.

[Drilling Man]

  Here's how i do it,


 

 
  After the seasoning was done, they came out looking super and worked like they should!
 

 
  I do like to cook bacon the first couple times i use them after cleaning and seasoning...
 
  To keep them clean: After using them, i run a little water in the pan, and put it back on the stove on "hi"...  Once the water is boiling, i use a wooden spatula to scrape the pan out.  The boiling water and spatula will free up any loose food left in the pan.  Then dump the water out, wipe the pan with a dish rag,  (if needed, you can do this more than once) and put the pan back on the burner to evaporate all the moisture in the pan.  Once the pan cools, you can wipe on a bit of cooking oil to prevent rust.
 
  The boiling water sanitizes the pan...
 
  Hope you enjoyed the picts...
 
  DM

[AtlLaw]

buy the pretreated Lodge-no soap it is the best.

Thanks!  I just bought a Lodge pre-seasoned dutch oven.  It's my first pre-seasoned CI piece and I was wondering how good it was.   

[Cornbelt]

Got one for my wife about 20 yrs ago and took it camping. Put in a couple thick pork chops, onions, taters, water, etc. Then banked the coals and wood, punk and moss till we had it pretty well buried. Then we went on a 4 hr hike. When we got back, the fire was all burnt down and we were licking our chops for a tasty meal. When we lifted the lid, there was nought but a wisp of thin blue smoke...   and nothing! Even the bones had desintegrated. Nothing but black hollow taters.
  Wrong way to a meal. After that we started asking directions. And got to some pretty good ones. But if it had been a stainless pot, it would have warped beyond use. Gave us a lot of respect for cast iron if not our culinary expertice.

[Anduril]

........................ When we lifted the lid, there was nought but a wisp of thin blue smoke...   and nothing! Even the bones had desintegrated. Nothing but black hollow taters.   

  

been there, done that, lesson learned.
..

[AtlLaw]

When we lifted the lid, there was nought but a wisp of thin blue smoke...   and nothing!

Hummmmm...    Think your oven was to hot?   

[no guns here]

Find a local Boy Scout troop that focuses on the outdoor aspect of scouting.  There should be at least one guy there with many years of experience and recipes.  Typically he will be old and fat.  He will be the cook for the adult patrol on campouts.  They will eat well...  Put in some volunteer time and he will teach you.  I'm not that good with one yet.  I always been around troops with an old fat guy that cooked so I didn't have to.  Dump cakes and cobblers are easy.  The key as noted before is seasoning... and not too much heat.  Once the pot is hot is doesn't take much to keep it that way.  Too many coals will crispify your dinner.


In SA too...

NGH

[mcwoodduck]

Better season it in the oven first. Some use Crisco, but I use olive oil.

I season them like the sheet says and then only cook bacon in them for a while till they start to get the black layer going.
The splatering greese gets all the way up the sides.
With summer here BLTs sound good with a little mayo, and a tomato from the garden.
MMMM.
Other than that I have made Roasts, Chickens, fried things in it and baked pasta stuff.
OH rice comes out awesome in the dutch oven.
Little onion, olive oil, garlic, and salt satue till the onions are how you like (add Red Bell Peppers too if you like)
dump in Bismatti rice and let roast for a couple min stiring to coat the rice with the flavor of the oil onions and garlic.
Dump in 2 cups of water / broth / or boullion cubes in water and cover for 25 min.
Done- you can add other items like sauasge, chicken or seafood and make various forms of jumbalya

[streak]

I like my DO`s for cooking beans and turnip greens, and stew!!

[Anduril]

................ Typically he will be old and fat.............. 

Hey! Watch it!
I resemble that remark!!!
..

[gstewart44]

I can remember watching my Granma save her bacon drippings in that old coffee can for cooking and seasoning her cast Iron DO and fry pans.    Never understood why untill I got older and started cooking for myself.  Sho do bring back memories of Granmas kitchen.   

Nowadays I do like Dee and use Olive oil.   I like the flavor......

[Dee]

Olive oil is far healthier, and doesn't cover food flavors.