Dutch Oven Dutch Baby {Camping Recipe} - Self Proclaimed Foodie (2024)

FAQs

Is a Dutch oven worth it for camping? ›

The answer is simple – whatever is cooked in it tastes fantastic, and it cooks just about everything. The Dutch oven is also called a camp oven, outdoor oven, kitchen oven, and bean pot.

The Ideal Camp Dutch Oven Size: Why 10” 6-Quart Stands Out

Generally, the sweet spot for Dutch oven sizes is between 5.5 and 7.5 quart. Anything larger than 7.5 quart is just too big to feasibly use for most things. Of course, a larger size is better for soup, which can overflow on the smaller Dutch ovens.

No matter the style or size, any Dutch oven will open up endless recipe opportunities. Create beautifully braised meat, pot roasts, hearty beef stew, healing chicken soup, or the creamiest mac and cheese. Use it like a slow cooker, a bread cloche, or a pot for frying.

Unlike a home Dutch oven, which has a flat bottom and sealed in enamel, a camping Dutch oven is made entirely from cast iron, has support legs on the bottom, and comes with a flat flanged lid. Coals or embers can be placed underneath and on top of the lid, allowing you to heat from both sides.

American history. American Dutch ovens changed over time during the colonial era. These changes included a shallower pot, legs to hold the oven above the coals, and a lid flange to keep the coals on the lid and out of the food.

Anywhere between a 5- to 7-quart Dutch oven is the right all-purpose size for most cooking tasks. It has high walls that prevent spillage and enough surface area to brown meat for a braise, but it's not so big that you need help hauling it in and out of the oven. It's also the perfect size for bringing to the table.

Use it as a stock pot, a casserole dish, or a steamer pot that can effortlessly go from stove, to oven, to table.

Browning is typically used to inject flavour into meats, but can also be done on vegetables and desserts. The Dutch Oven can easily be used to brown food thanks to its large surface and material, consistently exposing ingredients to heat.

How to use a Dutch oven while camping? ›

For this dish, place your Dutch oven over a fire on a metal grate or rack, which will be hotter for sauteeing. If you don't have a grate, let the fire burn down, and then bury the oven well into the coals so there's plenty of heat.

The math is fairly simple. In order to guesstimate how many charcoal briquettes you'll need, take the size on the lid and multiply it by two. For example, if you have a 12-inch dutch oven-12 x 2 = 24 (charcoal briquettes.)

Thanks to its heavy-duty construction, the Dutch oven is unrivaled in retaining heat, typically using cast iron or enameled cast iron. This makes it ideal for recipes that benefit from a slow, even cook, like tenderizing tough cuts of meat or baking bread with a perfectly crusty exterior.

These pots are ovenproof, so you can start cooking your meal on the stovetop and move it straight to the oven to finish. And because they're so attractive, some cooks move the pot right to the table—on a trivet, of course—to serve. In CR's Dutch oven tests, we braise brisket, simmer sauces, and bake loaves of bread.

Regardless of which one you choose, though, a Dutch oven will prove an investment. It's not a purchase to be taken lightly (no pun intended). This is a hefty piece of cast-iron cookware often with a hefty price attached to it.

Campsites can be found throughout the Netherlands (Holland). In fact, the Netherlands is a camping destination par excellence, and not only do the Dutch themselves enjoy frequent camping, but the country is home to more campsites and camping amenities than the average European country.