Author Topic: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking  (Read 7082 times)

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Offline Blue Duck

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #30 on: August 07, 2010, 04:20:06 AM »
I love dutch ovens and use them all the time.  I have several from 8" to a deep 12".   Can't beat a pot roast or stew in one, but they are great for a lot of things.

Offline gypsyman

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #31 on: August 07, 2010, 05:21:15 PM »
Dee, agreed, olive oil, or canola oil is much healthier. But, bacon flavor plus anything equals MMMMMMMM!!! gypsyman
We keep trying peace, it usually doesn't work!!Remember(12/7/41)(9/11/01) gypsyman

Offline jrnsuz

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #32 on: August 09, 2010, 11:48:45 AM »
Dee, how do you keep from getting that gunky layer of oil in the bottom with olive oil? I tried it and went back to Crisco
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Offline Dee

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #33 on: August 09, 2010, 12:10:10 PM »
I put the baking powder in the 2 cups of flour, and mix that, then the olive oil, work it thru the flour just like you do the Crisco. At first you won't think it will mix, but the next thing you know, it starts to have the same consistency of corn meal, just like with Crisco. Then the cup of milk, and mix it until it becomes a dough. Then knead it with flour and roll it out. I take a paper towel with a little olive oil and grease the pan or dutch oven, and bake'em up.
You may all go to hell, I will go to Texas. Davy Crockett

Offline Winter Hawk

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #34 on: August 09, 2010, 05:31:25 PM »
I do agree with Blindharri that you don't find cast with the polished interior anymore.  My Sweetie brought a 12" skillet into our marriage, and I had a 10".  Hers has a sternwheeler in relief on the bottom (I forget what the brand is) while mine is a Lodge.  Both have nice smooth interiors (they still see almost daily use).  Then a while back she wanted a smaller skillet so I got an 8" Lodge.  Horror of horrors, the thing was NOT polished inside!  We have seasoned it and used it for eight years and it does well enough, but I may take his suggestion and sand the inside down.

We also picked up a DO from Lodge a couple of years ago.  It doesn't have the legs or raised rim and she uses it on the stove top, but we get some terrific soups with it.  In fact, we had a fresh soup today with garden zucchini, tomatoes and green beans, a pound of turkey sausage, onions, garlic and rice.  That was simmering when I got home from work.  Delicious!  She plans on adding more green beans tomorrow, fresh from the garden.  Maybe even some chopped up swiss chard....

Bon appetite!
-WH-
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Offline Hodr

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #35 on: August 10, 2010, 04:35:19 AM »
Talk about lucky.  I was at a garage sale up in Gallup and came across old restraunt equipment.  There I found a box full of cast iron skillets 9" across and about 3/4" deep with full handles.  I bought all for about $2 apiece.  These were all well seasoned and smooth finished.  If you ever see this type, grab it.  Preheat oven to 450, heat flat skillet to very, very hot on stovetop, season steak and sear one side, flip and put in oven till done.  I was taught to use these in Mom's restraunt 50 years ago.  There is nothing quite like this for getting a perfect steak.  I have enough to make dinner at CHRISTmas reunion and give a couple to all my kinfolk.  Who needs turkey when 2" thick new york strips are being served. They also make a good jhonnycake.

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Offline teddy12b

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #36 on: August 10, 2010, 10:21:47 AM »
My last cast iron pan got ruined.  I didnt' know what I was doing and the more I tried to clean it the rustier it became almost instanty right in front of my eyes.  Now you all have me thinking I need to buy a dutch oven.

If you do a google video search, you'll find examples of cooking with a dutch oven.

Offline Dixie Dude

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #37 on: August 10, 2010, 10:41:08 AM »
Teddy12b, you need to season the pan again.  They will rust if you completely clean off the seasoning.  You rub Crisco over the entire pot.  Heat it in the oven as hot as you can get it until it becomes shiny black.  Wash with mild soap and water, don't scrub unless you burn something on it. Then you only have to reseason what you scrubbed. 

Offline teddy12b

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #38 on: August 10, 2010, 10:58:46 AM »
I'll see if I can still find it.  I was so heartbroken when I did that.  We only had one meal off the pan, but it was some delicious beef stew.  I've looked into dutch ovens before, is "Lodge" basically the best brand to buy?  I don't think I could go too wrong with one of those from what I'd read.

Offline Drilling Man

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #39 on: August 10, 2010, 11:59:36 AM »
  IF you are buying new ci today, Lodge is the best to buy...

  DM

Offline AtlLaw

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #40 on: August 10, 2010, 02:51:47 PM »
  IF you are buying new ci today, Lodge is the best to buy...

+1
Richard
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Offline gstewart44

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #41 on: August 10, 2010, 03:46:36 PM »
Not trying to brag but boy did I find some treasure this evening on my way home.    There is a second hand shop that has been on site for about 50 years with all sorts of everything in it.  I was driving by and saw a man come out with what looked like a 12" cast iron DO.  I immediately did a Uturn and pulled in to find the little shop was going out of business and everything was priced to sell quick.  I asked the owner if he had anyhmore DO - he said no but there was other CI stuff I could look through.    Well I went and found a 10", 12", and 15" skillets priced for $1, $3 and $5!!!!!  ;D ;D ;D  I bought all three.  No rust and still heavily seasoned.   cant wait to give them a try.   I will clean them and apply generous crisco and sit them in the oven for a while.  
I'm just tryin' to keep everything in balance, Woodrow. You do more work than you got to, so it's my obligation to do less. (Gus McCrae)

Offline Dee

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #42 on: August 10, 2010, 04:33:12 PM »
You guys are really gettin into it. I'm gonna have to break out my cast iron griddle and stuff, along with my cast iron skillet lids.
You may all go to hell, I will go to Texas. Davy Crockett

Offline Hodr

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #43 on: August 10, 2010, 05:01:42 PM »
Okay Dee, now you done it.
Take out your cast iron, fill it with your beans and fixins, set in burnt down campfire at nightfall, cover with hot coals and ashes.  In the morning dust off and flip top, pour two cups soda bread recipe, bannock recipe or johnny cake batter onto lid top to bake, enjoy.  Set up high in a treestand, and downwind of gametrails.  

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Offline teddy12b

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #44 on: August 10, 2010, 05:25:11 PM »
LOL, on the way home I stopped by gander mountain and checked out their dutch ovens.  I almost bought one of the lodge ones, but figured I'd better do some double checking with the wife first in the off chance we had one somewhere that was given to us.  I got home and told her all about it and I'm buying one soon.

Offline Dee

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #45 on: August 10, 2010, 05:48:24 PM »
Dee, how do you keep from getting that gunky layer of oil in the bottom with olive oil? I tried it and went back to Crisco

I lightly wash it with warm soapy water. BY HAND.
You may all go to hell, I will go to Texas. Davy Crockett

Offline teddy12b

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #46 on: August 10, 2010, 07:30:26 PM »
I dug out the old skillet tonight out of the garage thinking of this topic.  Wow, it's rough looking to the point where I'm not sure I wanna eat off it.  I'm going to get some crisco tomorrow night and give seasoning it a shot.  Can't hurt it at this point, but it's definately got rust all over it.  It's a Lodge so maybe it'll be ok after a little work.

Offline jlchucker

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #47 on: August 11, 2010, 03:50:51 AM »
Good morning Teddy.

You may want to take some sandpaper to all of that rust before you start reseasoning.  Get it all off, scrub it down in good shape with soap and water, and then start the reseasoning process from scratch.  Lodge stuff is pretty thick.  Some of the older (vintage 1980's and before) were sold with an option of a smooth, machined finish on the inside.  If you've got one of these, once you get it cleaned up and reseasoned, you'll have a great one.  I usually season my stuff in an outdoors grille with the cover closed.  That way it doesn't smoke up and stink up the house. 

Offline teddy12b

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #48 on: August 11, 2010, 04:09:30 AM »
Fixing up the skillet is my project for the night.  I hope to get it done and I may go out and buy a dutch oven after reading all of this.  I showed my wife some google videos of cooking with a dutch oven and she really liked the idea.  What put the idea over the top is when I showed her it would supplement all the regular kitchen tools for large family gatherings.  She liked the idea.

Anyone use their dutch oven in a regular oven?  We don't camp much and I was thinking that it might be nice to use it in the regular kitchen oven as well just to get more use out of it and to get more seasoning on it.

Offline Drilling Man

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #49 on: August 11, 2010, 05:50:26 AM »

Anyone use their dutch oven in a regular oven? 

  Doesn't everyone???

  DM

Offline AtlLaw

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #50 on: August 11, 2010, 06:10:41 AM »
I dug out the old skillet tonight out of the garage thinking of this topic.  Wow, it's rough looking...

A few years ago while down at my huntin buddy's place, I took an afternoon off from deer hunting to help him with something or other.  It involved hauling some stuff away from his wife's sister's shed.  While there I saw a 10 inch CI frying pan laying in a pile of other stuff.  My pal had said if I saw anything I wanted to take it.  So I took it!   ;D  It was caked in layers of black baked on stuff and really looked bad.   :(

When I got home I put my oven on self-clean and stuck the pan in it.  When the oven cleaning cycle was done I removed the pan and wiped the ash off the most beautiful piece of cast iron cookware I have ever seen!   :o  The interior was as smooth as a piece of stainless steel!  And when I turned it over I discovered it was a GRISWOLD!   :o

I don't use it, it's on display on my kitchen counter.  Right next to my new DO!   :D
Richard
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Offline teddy12b

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #51 on: August 11, 2010, 06:57:06 AM »
Well I bought a can of crisco over lunch.  I'll probably take a before & after picture just for the fun of it.  I plan on using the sand paper of the pan to remove the rust, then wiping it down with a dry paper towel, coating it with the crisco and putting it in the over @ 350 for an hour.  If necessary I'll repeat the process.  That's my plan for now unless anyone sees any flaws in it.  We'll be using it this weekend so hopefully I don't screw this up.  I was really surprised at how many good videos there are online for cooking with cast iron.  Plenty of videos with good recipes, maintenance tips, seasoning demos and step by step how to videos.  I was pretty impressed.

Offline jlchucker

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #52 on: August 11, 2010, 07:49:58 AM »
Teddy, you'll find that when you cook outside with your iron stuff, the food tastes far better than you'd expect it to--nearly every time.  The first time I tried one of my iron DO's was in the back yard, using charcoal briquets top and bottom.  Some of my co-workers were holding parties, and about 15 or 20 would gather at each other's houses/yards for food, beverages, etc.  One of my buddies, a big eater, was fascinated by the process, and couldn't wait to dig in. When the meat thermometer read edible, we lugged the DO over to the picnic table and put the ham on the cutting board.  The phone rang.  I ran in, answered it, and was in the house maybe 10 minutes or so.  When I came out, thinking I'd taste some of my ham, all there was left was a BONE!  And some happy friends now munching on other stuff.  Go on line--there's a whole cult of people cooking with these, and no shortage of every kind of recipe imaginable. 

Offline teddy12b

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #53 on: August 11, 2010, 07:58:54 AM »
I keep thinking back to the last time I cooked on my CI skillet and it was the best dinty moore beef stew I ever had.  I'm too much of a fat guy to read all these posts without buying one of these wonder ovens.  I'll probably end up buying one tonight.

Offline AtlLaw

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #54 on: August 11, 2010, 08:50:45 AM »
I ended up ordering one on-line from Target I think it was.  Couldn't find what I wanted in any store except at Dick's, and they were outrageously priced.  Oh, the clincher for buying on-line was a free shipping special!   ;D
Richard
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Offline Hodr

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #55 on: August 11, 2010, 11:51:18 AM »
AtlLaw,
If you have a smooth Griswold 10" fry pan you are required to season it with bacon drippings and then use it with the Betty Crocker Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe.  Any other action taken on your part will tend to make all Southern and Midwest cooks think you bought it at a high end San Francisco auction for, Iwannabemistakenfor,  graduates of the California Culinary Academy.  You may use it to cook other dishes, but the highest use of this implement is a hot, gooey, sticky, pineapple upside down cake and a half gallon of home made vanilla ice cream.
My wife and I taught cooking to scouts for 15 years, and this was always a winner.

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Offline Dixie Dude

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #56 on: August 11, 2010, 11:59:25 AM »
Dutch ovens are what people used to cook with before Ben Franklin invented the cast iron stove.  They would put them in the coals of their fireplaces to bake and cook.  They baked bread and cooked soups and stews in them.  Used them like a crock pot today.  I have heard of people building solar ovens and using a Dutch oven to slow cook a stew in the sun.  Since it is black it absorbs all the heat reflected on it from the sun. 

Offline AtlLaw

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #57 on: August 11, 2010, 02:46:57 PM »
you are required to season it with bacon drippings and then use it with the Betty Crocker Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe.

Whew!  Thanks for letting me know!   :o  I'm to old to start screwing up now!   ;D

I was just checking out a peach cobbler recipe for the DO....  :P
Richard
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Offline Dee

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #58 on: August 11, 2010, 02:49:53 PM »
For the peach cobbler better use tin foil in the DO, and I'm about 12 hours from there, so give me plenty of time to get there.
You may all go to hell, I will go to Texas. Davy Crockett

Offline AtlLaw

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Re: The lost art of Cast Iron Dutch Oven Cooking
« Reply #59 on: August 11, 2010, 03:09:24 PM »
 :D Love to have ya Dee, but I'm not so sure you should put that much faith in my cookin!   :D
Richard
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