Dutch Oven Class - June 9, 2026

 

Dutch Oven Cooking by Karla Kimball, Advanced Master Food Safety Advisor
Dutch ovens are made of cast iron.  They are durable, versatile, and economical.  The biggest obstacle is that they are heavy.  But that is a good thing too because they will last forever!   If properly cared for a Dutch Oven will last for 100 years or more.  In fact it will get better and better with lots of use. 
 
If we look back at how our ancestors used to live, we will discover that this cooking tool was an indispensable cooking accessory for them. In 1707 Abraham Darby, a British man, patented his design and named it Dutch Oven.  Paul Revere add the legs to the bottom and a flat lid.  In 1804 Lewis & Clark carried a Dutch Oven Westward.  It was praised by the settlers and pioneers on the American frontier and it was the main cooking tool for trappers & settlers.  Cooking with cast iron, especially with a Dutch oven is becoming a lost art.  It is a piece of history that is quite underrated and few people know how to use it to its full extent. 
 
My 2 essential pieces of equipment for cooking & camping is the Dutch Oven and a cast iron skillet.   
 
Nothing compares to Dutch Oven cooking. It’s a great skill to have.  There is no limit to what you can cook in a Dutch Oven.  If you can bake it in an oven or cook it on a stovetop you can make it in a DUTCH OVEN!!!  Don’t forget to rotate during cooking to prevent hotspots.  Rotate ¼ turn clockwise and the lid ¼ turn counter-clockwise. 
 
Benefits of cast iron:

• Cooks evenly & keeps food hot for a long time

• Can be used in the oven, on the stove top, with briquettes and over a campfire

• When well-seasoned, the surface is black and is a natural nonstick surface

• The more you use it the better it gets

 
Caring for your cast iron:

• Soon after using, wash with hot water, do NOT USE SOAP or only a tiny amount, no harsh scrubbers just scrape with a plastic scraper or brush and dry with a paper towel

• Rub with vegetable oil after each use & place a clean paper towel inside & prop the lid with cardboard or folded paper towel & store in a dry place

• If you have not used your dutch oven for several months you will want to heat it up before using it as the oil can go rancid when stored for a long time
  
  
  
  
  
  

 
How many briquettes do I need to cook at 350 degrees?  Here are 2 rules that will work for any size dutch oven.  Pick the one that is easiest to remember & use it. 
·         Take the size of the oven, double it, and then put 1/3 of the coals on the bottom and 2/3 on the top.  Each additional charcoal adds 10-15 degrees to the cooking temperature. 
·         There is also the “Rule of 4”.  Take the Dutch oven diameter and add 4, that is the number of briquettes for the lid.  Take the Dutch oven diameter and subtract 4 and that is the number of briquettes for the bottom.  For example, a 12-inch oven will have 16 on top and 8 on the bottom.
 
You may need to add or subtract depending on the weather conditions.  If it is cold, windy, high humidity or high elevation, it might take more coals to get the same temperature.  If it is hot and sunny, it might take less.  If your food needs to cook longer than 30-45 minutes you may need to add a few more fresh coals.  Keep your lid on tight and try to reduce the number of times you peak inside, because each time the lid is opened, it will take a little longer to cook.
 
A Dutch oven heats the food evenly, it holds heat and keeps things warm for a LONG TIME!!
 
You need a few tools…….a chimney, a lid stand & lifter, gloves/hot pads/silicone handles, plastic scraper, tongs, a table and HEAT…..various types of heat……fire/wood coals, briquettes, electric/gas oven or stovetop, propane campstove.  Lots of paper towels and oil and storage bags.
 
A Dutch oven normally measures from 8 to 16 inches around and weighs up to 30 pounds empty. This is all due to the heavy cast iron from which it is build. This is a fact you need to consider if you want to take it with you during your trips. It is the perfect tool for cooking in the wilderness because it needs less fuel compared to the other outdoor cooking methods. Hot coals from a wood fire are all you need to cook your food with a Dutch oven.
 
A good Dutch Oven or skillet will last a lifetime and can be passed on from one generation to another. They come in all sizes but the 12-inch size is the most popular for most campers and they use it for boiling, frying or baking.

Today’s Recipes:
 
Dutch Oven Hamburger Stroganoff
1 1/2 lbs. hamburger + 1/4 c. water
1-2 t. Lawry's season salt 
1 c. diced onion
3 cloves garlic
1 T. dried parsley
1/4 c. flour
4 c. egg noodles, uncooked
3 T. beef bouillon mix
3 c. water
1 c. sour cream or greek yogurt (more if needed)
2 c. grated cheese
Heat about 30 briquettes.  
Brown hamburger in 10" or 12" Dutch oven with 1/4 c. water.  Once it starts to brown add the onion, garlic, season salt and parsley. Once the meat is all browned stir in the flour. Spread the egg noodles over the meat mixture. 
Mix together the bouillon mix and water.  Pour it over the egg noodles.  Put the lid on the Dutch oven and place 16 hot briquettes on top of the lid and 8 briquettes around the bottom.  Cook for 30 minutes turning at least once (turn the whole Dutch oven 1/4 turn clockwise and then turn the lid 1/4 turn counter clockwise).  After 30 minutes remove the lid and stir.  If the noodles are mostly done, then stir in the sour cream and sprinkle the grated cheese over the top.  Cook 10 more minutes.  Remove from coals and serve.  
Hints:  If you need to serve more.  Add more noodles and water, until the noodles are mostly covered.  
If you don't want to cook it using briquettes you can put this in the oven at 350.  
 
Dutch Oven Honey Glazed Carrots
2 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced at an angle, or mini carrots 
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. honey 
1/4 c. water or orange juice
1/2 t. salt 
1/4 t. pepper
1/8 t. ground ginger
Place ingredients in 10 inch Dutch oven and stir.
Place 6 or 7 briquettes under the Dutch oven and 12 to 14 on top. Cook undisturbed for 20 minutes.  
Once carrots are tender remove the lid, stir; cook 3 to 5 more minutes without the lid to thicken the honey glaze.  Garnish with chopped, fresh thyme or parsley (if using dried herbs add before cooking so it can rehydrate and release the flavor.  
 
Dutch Oven Rolls (can also be made into a loaf of bread or cinnamon rolls and baked in the Dutch Oven)
1 1 ⁄3 c. warm water 
2 T. powdered milk
2 T. instant potato flakes
1 egg 
2 T. butter or coconut oil
4 c. bread flour 
1 t. salt
¼ c. sugar
1 T. yeast 
Place ingredients in bread machine pan in the order listed and set DOUGH only setting. When dough is ready shape into 16 rolls and place in 12 inch deep Dutch Oven.  Let rise 20 to 30 minutes.  Bake at 375° for 15 to 20 minutes. If baking with briquettes, place 8 on the bottom and 18 on the lid.  
I've been experimenting with this recipe for a bit....  The best part is that you use the baking pan as your mixing pan so there is only one pan to clean up.  Did I mention they are soft and fudgy?! 
Cast Iron Brownies
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. oil
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. cocoa
3 eggs, beaten
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. salt
2/3 c. flour
1/2 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips 
Melt butter in a 12 inch cast iron skillet over med-low heat.  Add oil, sugars and cocoa and stir for 1 minute.  Turn off heat and let rest for 10 minutes.  Stir in eggs and vanilla.  Fold in the salt and flour.  Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the top of the batter.  Bake at 325 for 30 minutes.   Best served warm with homemade ice cream.  
When camping these can be made and baked in a 12 inch dutch oven.  Bake with 8 briquettes on the bottom and 16 on top for 30 minutes.  Checking at 25 minutes. 
 
Kasey's Dutch Oven Cobbler  (Our first Dutch oven recipe and we never get tired of it)
2 - 21 oz. cans fruit or pie filling (whatever you like) or 5 c.  canned pie filling or fruit
1 cake mix, any flavor (white, yellow, chocolate, whatever you like)
1 cube butter, cut into pieces
Dump fruit (juice & all) or pie filling into a 12 inch Dutch oven.  Sprinkle evenly with dry cake mix.  Dot with pieces of butter.  Place lid on Dutch oven.  Place 8 briquettes on bottom and 16 on top.  Cook until done, about 40 to 60 minutes.  Peek inside occasionally until done. 
Hints:  You can double this recipe or adapt it to fit any size Dutch oven.  Just layer the ingredients to fill your Dutch oven and cook until done.  I often cheat and baked them in my electric oven at 350 for 1 hour.  
Some of our favorite flavors:  Cherry with Chocolate Cake , Cherry with Vanilla Cake, Apple with Vanilla Cake, Peach with Yellow Cake, Blackberry with White Cake, Apple with Spice Cake
 
BONUS RECIPE:
Steve's Favorite Breakfast Casserole in the Dutch Oven (My Dutch oven creation inspired by a facebook video)
24 oz. package frozen hash browns
1/8 to 1/4 c. oil
1 pound breakfast sausage
¼ c. flour (up to 1/2 c. for desired consistency)
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. season salt
3 to 4 c. milk
16 oz. can large, flaky biscuits, cut into quarters
2 T. melted butter, for brushing on top when finished baking
In 12" Dutch oven coat the bottom with oil and brown the hash browns (don't fully cook). 
In another Dutch oven or cast iron skillet brown the sausage.  Stir in the flour and seasonings to make a roux.  Stir in the milk and cook until thickened stirring often.  Pour the gravy over the hash brown in the 12" deep Dutch oven.  Drop the cut up biscuit pieces over the top of the gravy.  Place the lid on the Dutch oven and place on top of 10 heated briquettes and 18 to 20 briquettes on top of lid.  Bake for about 20 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown.  Brush the butter over the top of the biscuits.  Serve.  Can also be baked in a regular oven.....@ 400 for 15 to 20 minutes.
 
More of my favorites can be found at:  Karlasrecipeblog@blogspot.com