Dutch Oven Cooking

Did you know that when the young American country began to spread westward across the North American continent, so did the Dutch oven? A Dutch oven was among the gear Lewis and Clark carried when they explored the great American Northwest in 1804-1806. The pioneers who settled the American West also took along their Dutch ovens.

You are probably addicted to Wikipedia too. As far as addictions go, you could do worse.

A dutch oven is a thick-walled cooking pot with a tight-fitting lid. Most dutch ovens are made from cast iron. Aluminum dutch ovens are available and are typically used when weight is a concern (hiking, rafting, etc.) Cast iron ovens are best to use when possible because they heat food more evenly. My current collection consists of two ovens, a 12-inch and an 8-inch, both cast iron. The 12" Lodge cast iron dutch oven weighs in at a hefty 23 pounds. I intend to experiment with them in the months to come and post the results here.



The first recipe I tried, a pot pie, was very tasty. It was adapted from a recipe in Tofu Cookery by Louise Hagler, a staple in my kitchen:

I posted the recipe here. Is there something you are wanting to make in a dutch oven but can't find a good recipe? Leave a comment and I will see what I can do.