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Page 2
At first, he only used Dutch ovens occasionally. Then his sons entered Scouting and Harmon says he started using them more and more. Now 80 percent of the Harmon's camp meals come from the Dutch ovens -- including several hand-me-downs that were cast when he was a boy.
Are you hooked yet? It doesn't matter where you plan to use your Dutch oven -- ravished cowboys or hungry campers. With little expense and time, you will soon be cooking your first Dutch oven meal. One 10- or 12-inch Dutch oven is all you need to get started. Harmon advises that the 10-inch oven is ideal for an average-sized family. The four-quart pot holds most casseroles and smaller cuts of meat for a family of four. A larger family may need the 12-inch, which holds six-quarts. Your first task, according to Harmon, is to season your brand new Dutch oven. The best approach is to follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer (click for Lodge Manufacturing's seasoning instructions). But unlike cookie, who seasoned his kettles over the cooking fire, the easiest way to season your Dutch oven is in your home oven. The seasoning -- called the "patina" -- will turn your Dutch oven into a non-stick pan. Next, you need a few accessories to make your Dutch oven adventure safe. A lid lifter, pair of leather gloves and charcoal tongs will get you started. Harmon uses leather welding gloves because they're longer and offer greater protection when working oven a campfire. And he says you can use a claw hammer as a lid lifter in a pinch. It may not be as fancy looking as cookie's gouch hook, but it'll do the job. Although my first Dutch oven meal was baking powder biscuits, Harmon recommends a more adventuresome approach: "A good meal to start with is a simple pot roast with carrots and potatoes," says Harmon. "Cook the roast with an onion and about a cup of liquid over a small open fire with just a few coals on the top." Your Dutch oven becomes a primitive slow cooker. The roast comes out just as tender and flavorful as it does at home. And if you add potatoes and carrots in the last hour of cooking, your Dutch oven yields a complete meal. If your cooking attracts crowds like Harmon's does, you may soon find that you need six or more Dutch ovens. And he has a battery of cast iron Dutch ovens and skillets that rivals the outfit cookie carried in the chuckwagon.
The copyright of the article Cookie was Right - the Dutch Oven's All You Need - Page 2 in Outdoor Cooking is owned by Steven C. Karoly. Permission to republish Cookie was Right - the Dutch Oven's All You Need - Page 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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